Lightroom vs Lightroom Classic: What is the Difference? 2024

In the year 2007 adobe launched its comprehensive photo and video editing software named Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. Adobe is very concerned about the needs and comfort of its users, so Adobe categorized its users and launched two different versions of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, which are Lightroom, also known as Lightroom CC, and Lightroom Classic.

Both versions have different working patterns and features. The main purpose of distinguishing the app into two different Software is to increase the user experience of Adobe users. To understand the key differences between Lightroom vs Lightroom Classic, we need more explanation.

Lightroom is Cloud-based software, which is why it is also called Lightroom CC. CC stands for Creative Cloud. Lightroom has the edge that it can be used on Desktop, Mobile, and Tablet, and with the power of Creative Cloud, you can centralize your data and get access to your files from any device. For example, if you are working on a PC and you want to access your data from an Android device with a creative cloud, you can do that.

Lightroom is much simpler as compared to Lightroom Classic because it is available for Android and iPhone (Lightroom Mobile). You can easily edit your picture and quickly share your masterpiece with your community with Lightroom CC.

Lightroom Classic is a vintage but comprehensive version of  Adobe Lightroom that can only be used on the desktop. It is a desktop-based software also called Lightroom PC.

Lightroom Classic and Lightroom have some similar features, but Lightroom Classic is inclusive and powerful Software. Lightroom Classic is the first preference of professional photographers and the photography industry because it is much more organized and optimized, which helps to manage large numbers of photos in the library.

Features	Lightroom CC	Lightroom Classic
Operating Devices	Desktop, Mobile, and Web	Desktop Only
Storage Organization	Cloud Storage	Hard Drive
Offline Use	Need Internet for full Access	Can be use without Internet
Photo Search and Image Organization	Al-based Tagging and Intelligent Keyword searching	Manuel Photo searching
File Backup	Automatic	Not included
Photos Rename	Not allow	Allow
Slideshow Module, Book, Web	No	Yes
Tools and Features	Advance Editing Tools	Modren, AI Powered Tools
Secondary Screen	No	Yes
Export File Type	JPEG, TIFF, DNG, PSD, Original	JPEG, TIFF, DNG, PSD, Original
Tethered Capture Import	Not Allowed	Allow
Version	9.3.0	13.3

Here are the key differences between Lightroom vs Lightroom Classic.

The interface and layout of any app are the keys to a good user experience; a better interface means a better user experience.

Lightroom

Lightroom provides a much more modern and simple interface. Most of the tools are a line horizontally in Lightroom Mobile and Vertically on Lightroom CC Desktop. Some features are at the top right corner and bottom right corner. Overall, the interface of Lightroom CC is well organized, and tools are easily accessible.

Lightroom Classic

On the other hand, Lightroom Classic has more features and tools than Lightroom CC, and it can be on desktop only. The interface of Lightroom Classic is traditional and a little bit complex. Because it is a comprehensive software, the tools are separate all around the screen and look a bit messy. But if you compare the power of LrC’s tools, you will definitely ignore the intricacy.

Lightroom CC

Lightroom CC is mostly used on Mobile, so sometimes the performance of Lightroom depends on the performance of the Android and iPhone Devices. Because of the limited specs of Android and iOS devices, it can face some lagging and error when it deals with large files, but on desktop, its performance could be better.

Lightroom Classic

Lightroom Classic is a desktop software, so it is well-optimized, and is made for professionals and industries. LrC is a very powerful tool that can handle large and bulk files very easily and process them very fast without lagging, that use can speed up their work.

Lightroom CC

The main difference between Lightroom vs Lightroom Classic is their storage storage System. Lightroom CC mostly stores images and other files on cloud storage. That’s why it is called Cloud cloud-based app.

People who use Lightroom on multiple devices prefer Lr CC so that they can access their data on new devices easily with its cloud-based storage system. Moreover, you can share data with users and the Lightroom community with Lightroom CC, but for that, you need an internet connection.  

Lightroom Classic 

 Lightroom Classic is a completely desktop-dependent software, so all the data and catalogs are stored on a local hard drive. All the photos and backups are stored on local storage, so you don’t need to have the Internet to access your data, and you can work on your project without internet dependency. Because data is stored in local storage, if the hard drive gets damaged, you can lose your entire data while using Lightroom Classic

Lightroom CC

Another AI-based feature that Lightroom CC uses is Adobe Sensei, which helps you organize your photos. With Adobe Sensei, you can easily search your photo even without adding a keyword. For example, if you want to find any of your pictures with a bicycle, you will just type “bicycle.” the Adobe sensei bots crawl your catalog and show all your photos with the bicycle. 

Lightroom Classic

On the other hand, Adobe Lightroom Classic has traditional keyword searching and tagging because it is not an AI-powered application. In Lightroom Classic, you can search and organize photos manually through different filters; you can search by lens, F-spot, or Focal length

Tethered capture is the process where you can directly import the pictures from a camera while a photoshoot is in progress. It gives liberty to decide on the spot whether the photo is okay or whether you should retake the image and also helps you with quick editing. 

Unfortunately, Lightroom CC does not allow the tethered shoot. On the other hand Lightroom Classic is a powerful software made for industries. Hence, it will enable you to connect the camera and import captured photos directly from the camera to Lightroom Classic’s destination folder.

Steps

1. Connect your camera to the computer and open Lightroom Classic.
2. Go to File > Tethered Capture > Start Tethered Capture.
3. Set session details like folder name and destination.
4. Optionally, add metadata and keywords.
5. Click OK to begin capturing photos. Adjust camera settings using the floating capture bar, and capture images. To end, close the capture bar or go to File > Tethered Capture > Stop Tethered Capture.

Lightroom Photography package price is US$ 19.99(1 TB) and US$ 9.99 (20 GB) per month, which includes Lightroom Classic, Lightroom Cloud, and Adobe Photoshop for Desktop and iPad.

If you want to buy only Lightroom CC without Photoshop and Lightroom Classic, then the price of Lightroom is US$ 9.99 with 1TB of cloud space for Mobile, Desktop, and Web.

I hope I have succeeded in solving all the confusion regarding Lightroom vs Lightroom Classic. After reading this article, I hope you are clear now; if you are a beginner and want to edit your photos quickly, as well finding a mobile centric editing app, you should prefer Lightroom CC.

And if you are a professional editor or Photographer and want deep customization on the bulk photos without the Internet, you should choose Lightroom Classic.

Who uses Lightroom Classic?

Lightroom Classic is for Professionals, organizations, and Photography Industries.

Who uses Lightroom CC?

Lightroom is for Beginners, Mobile users, and those who want quick editing.

Which Lightroom Support Tethered Shoot?

Lightroom Classic allows Tethered shooting.

What is Lightroom CC?

Lightroom CC is Cloud-based Software; it operates with Adobe Creative Cloud; CC stands for Creative Cloud.

Which is better for Mobile: Lightroom Classic vs Lightroom? 

Lightroom is better for Mobile use because Lightroom Classic is for desktop-only