Comparisons
Each page answers one comparison: who should use Lightframes, and who should use the other editor. The longer roundup of free Lightroom alternatives stays on the blog.
Free, no account, nothing uploaded
Lightframes vs darktable
Choose Lightframes if you want a free editor in the browser that imports Lightroom .xmp presets and .cube LUTs and keeps the photos on your device. Choose darktable if you want a free desktop raw developer with a real photo library, OpenCL and a module pipeline you install. They are not substitutes: darktable’s own FAQ says presets from other programs, including Lightroom, are not compatible.
Lightframes vs Photopea
Choose Lightframes if the job is camera RAW, Lightroom .xmp presets, .cube LUTs and a batch of photos that never leave the browser. Choose Photopea if the job is layers, masks and PSD files in the browser. Both run locally. Photopea is the closer match to a Photoshop-style file; Lightframes is the closer match to a preset-based RAW session.
Lightframes vs Lightroom
Choose Lightframes if you want a free, open-source editor in the browser that applies the .xmp presets and .cube LUTs you already have, without an account and without uploading the photos. Choose Lightroom if you want Adobe’s catalogue, cloud sync and the editing stack that those presets were built for, including features Adobe lists as paid. Lightframes does not replace a Creative Cloud library.