Luminar Neo: Several months ago I acquired Luminar AI; for an amateur I think once you learn it its maybe better than Adobe PSE which I have used for a very long time. I hear a lot of...

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

Several months ago I acquired Luminar AI; for an amateur I think once you learn it its maybe better than Adobe PSE which I have used for a very long time. I hear a lot of discussion about Luminar Neo here on this forum. When my AI subscription is over would Neo be a better option than renewing AI? Right now a life-time option is available for $99.00, that's only a little more than an 18 month Neo subscription! What are your thoughts?

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

AI subscription? I have Luminar Flex, 3, 4 and AI. I'm not aware of any 'subscription' to the software. There is the "X Memebership" but you do not need to be a member to use the AI software.

On the other hand, NEO has extensions to the base software to do different functions, HDR, Noise, etc. You do not need to subscribe to these extensions to use NEO. NEO has many valuable features and is similar (and better) to AI.

Tell us what you mean by 'subscription'?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

DaveD65 wrote:

Several months ago I acquired Luminar AI; for an amateur I think once you learn it its maybe better than Adobe PSE which I have used for a very long time. I hear a lot of discussion about Luminar Neo here on this forum. When my AI subscription is over would Neo be a better option than renewing AI? Right now a life-time option is available for $99.00, that's only a little more than an 18 month Neo subscription! What are your thoughts?

I don't like subscriptions, but I certainly wouldn't be paying the company for two subscriptions.

Neo vs AI -
https://silentpeakphoto.com/photography-software/photo-editing-apps/luminar-neo-vs-luminar-ai/
https://www.makeuseof.com/luminar-neo-vs-luminar-ai/
https://shotkit.com/luminar-neo-vs-luminar-ai/
https://expertphotography.com/luminar-neo-vs-luminar-ai/

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

Here is part of the ad in the email I received; see attached I still don't know which is the better software; AI or Neo?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

DaveD65 wrote:

Here is part of the ad in the email I received; see attached I still don't know which is the better software; AI or Neo?

Neo! But do you want to keep paying for the rest of your life? That's like a prison sentence. "I hereby sentence the defendant to pay $99 every year for as long as he shall live."

If you pay the one-shot $89/$99, you will receive the Extensions that are available in 2022. If you keep paying, you will receive the new Extensions. How many more extensions will they introduce, and will you really want to pay $99 for them? Actually, I think the regular annual cost will be over $99.

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

Get the Lifetime for a one time $99. No annual subscription. Get NEO and you can add any of the extensions at some later date if you see ones that are must haves. I don't think any will be must haves for me.

bobbyjohn Loc: Dallas, TX

Luminar NEO is now my GO TO program for editing. $99.00 lifetime license. And I paid about another $99 for 3 extensions which I thought would be nice: Background Removal AI, Noiseless AI and Supersharp AI. The other extensions were not of interest to me.

But as others here have alluded to ... Skylum has a nasty way of generating future income...that has been a thorn in the sides of many. For example: likely Skylum in a few years will come out with say a NEO2 and charge for that.

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

bobbyjohn wrote:

But as others here have alluded to ... Skylum has a nasty way of generating future income...that has been a thorn in the sides of many. For example: likely Skylum in a few years will come out with say a NEO2 and charge for that.

In fairness to Skylum, they do have to have ways of continuing a revenue stream even if we don't like it. It is the only way they can pay for continued improvements to the software...and of course we all want new and exciting features in our photo postprocessing...don't we...

At least with the Adobe subscription model, we have a known and constant fee, but then we also know that anytime there is a new, very useful, feature in the software (read that as new selection methods for example) we know we will get it as part of our subscription. If we are honest with ourselves the $10/month isn't much...like Fram filters, you can pay now or pay me later. Later (for those with say, Lightroom 5 or 6) being some new features over your old software package that you just have to have...not that any of us have encountered that...

Dennis833 Loc: Australia

Luminar Neo is a nice easy to lean program at a very reasonable price and you probably won't need to purchase any of the extensions.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

fredpnm wrote:

In fairness to Skylum, they do have to have ways of continuing a revenue stream even if we don't like it.

I understand that argument, but for hundreds of years, businesses sold people a product. Period. When someone bought a buggy whip in the 1800s, he didn't have to pay an annual fee. The idea of subscriptions is just a way to make the public keep paying after they have bought a product.

I'm glad to see that courts are striking down the demands by car makers that people pay annually so all the features of their cars will keep working. You buy a car with heated seats, but if you don't pay the company every year, the seats stop working. There is no limit to what manufacturers might decide to add to the subscription list.

I don't know about Skylum, but software companies are worth billions. They don't have to scrounge around to find ways to keep the lights turned on.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

DaveD65 wrote:

Several months ago I acquired Luminar AI; for an amateur I think once you learn it its maybe better than Adobe PSE which I have used for a very long time. I hear a lot of discussion about Luminar Neo here on this forum. When my AI subscription is over would Neo be a better option than renewing AI? Right now a life-time option is available for $99.00, that's only a little more than an 18 month Neo subscription! What are your thoughts?

Neo is better.