The Best Lightroom Plugins to Use in 2025

Here’s something I wish I had known earlier: Lightroom on its own is great, but once you start adding plugins, everything just gets smoother and faster.

You might be spending extra time on portrait retouching or clicking through endless photos one by one. I’ve been there. But with the right plugins, you can automate the boring stuff and focus more on the creative side.

In this post, I’ll show you the tools that helped me speed up my workflow and fine-tune my edits with way less effort. If you're ready to make your editing life easier, let’s jump in.

How to Add Plug-ins to Lightroom

If you’re unsure how to add plug-ins to Lightroom, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a quick guide you can refer back to once you’ve found a plug-in that looks right for you.

Step One: Download Your Plug-in Software

First, download and install the plug-in, and make sure you’ve obtained a licence if required. The download will usually contain a Lightroom plug-in folder or file, often ending in “.lrplugin”. 

Step Two: Adding to Lightroom

Open Lightroom and go to File > Plug-in Manager. In the Plug-in Manager window, click Add, then locate the plug-in folder or file you downloaded and click Add Plug-in.

Your newly added plug-in should now appear in the list on the left-hand side of the Plug-in Manager window. If it was added successfully, you’ll see a green light next to it with the message Installed and Running.

How to Use Plug-ins in Lightroom: 3 Ways

Here’s a quick guide on how to use plug-ins inside Lightroom once you’ve installed your software and are ready to get to work. Depending on the type of software you’re using, there are three main ways to access plug-ins:

1. File > Plug-in Extras

Most editing plug-in software can be found here. Go to File > Plug-in Extras and you’ll see your installed plug-in listed in the menu. 

For example: Aperty > Open in Aperty.

2. Export Panel

For plug-ins that work during the export process, such as uploading to Instagram or resizing images, you’ll find them in the Export panel. Go to File > Export or use Ctrl + Shift + E (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + E (Mac). Your plug-in will appear as an option within the export window.

3. Right-Click

The final method is by right-clicking on an image. Some plug-ins can be accessed directly from the menu that appears, or by choosing Edit In and selecting your software from the list.

The Best Lightroom Plug-ins to Use in 2025

Now that you’re ready to use plug-ins, we’ve gathered our favourite picks depending on the kind of job you want to do. Let’s get started.

1. Luminar Neo—Best for General Editing and Enhancements

Price: $197/year or $247 one-time—includes bonus add-ons, video course, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

While Lightroom already offers solid editing tools, Luminar Neo includes powerful features that take things one step further. Want to replace a drab grey sky with a vibrant sunset? Or perform focus stacking for product photography?

From advanced colour editing and panorama stitching to erasing unwanted elements, Luminar Neo handles it all. Best of all, it removes the need for tedious, manual work by automating complex tasks with precision.

Key Features

• AI Sky Replacement for dramatic skies in seconds

• Focus Stacking for ultra-sharp product or landscape shots

• Erase Tool to remove distractions with ease

• Panorama Stitching for wide scenic compositions

• Advanced color grading and lighting tools

2. Aperty—Best for Portraits

Price: $99/year or $199 one-time, both including a limited-time Editorial Gift Pack and a 7-day free trial.

Aperty has caused quite a stir in the portrait world. Portrait editing used to be a highly tedious and time-consuming process, but Aperty has done away with all of that and sped things up significantly. The best part? You still get professional results.

Powered by AI technology, Aperty allows you to isolate facial features and make quick, one-click adjustments. Gone are the days of manually drawing paths for pixel-perfect selections. Aperty handles all the heavy lifting. Better yet, it includes batch editing, giving you even more time-saving power. If you’re a portrait photographer, do yourself a favour and consider adding Aperty to your workflow.

Key Features

• One-click AI edits for eyes, skin, lips, and facial structure

• Natural-looking results without over-editing

• Built-in batch editing for fast workflows

3. Evlaa—Best for Batch Processing

Price: Free for up to 2 galleries, with paid plans starting at $9/month and going up to $44/month for advanced features and higher gallery limits.

Evlaa is perfect for photographers who need client-proofing and batch processing all in one place. No more juggling multiple platforms or exporting files to gather client feedback.

Evlaa allows you to handle it directly inside Lightroom, using a cloud-based proofing system where clients can leave comments and approve selections. You can even include messages during export, offering guidance to your clients. It’s ideal for wedding, product, and family portrait photographers.

Key Features

• Cloud-based proofing with client comments and approvals

• Batch export with customizable messages

• Ideal for high-volume and client-based work

4. Topaz DeNoise AI—Best for Advanced Noise Reduction

Price: $199 (one-time purchase)

For night photographers, noise can be a real issue that ruins an otherwise great shot. Topaz DeNoise AI steps in to help restore quality without leaving behind the overly smooth or artificial look that traditional noise reduction often creates.

Topaz also offers tools like Sharpen AI and Gigapixel AI, which are worth exploring if you want to further enhance the clarity and resolution of your shots.

Key Features

• AI-powered noise reduction for high-ISO and night images

• Recovers detail lost in noisy shots

• Ideal for astrophotography, wildlife, and handheld shooting

5. Silver Efex Pro (Nik Collection)—Best for Black and White

Price: $159 (part of the full Nik Collection)

If you love the look of vintage noir shots, Silver Efex Pro gives you full control to perfect dramatic portraits, moody street scenes, and more.

Go beyond simple desaturation and create an authentic black-and-white film look. The Nik Collection also includes a range of other Lightroom plug-ins for colour editing, film filters, and sharpening. It is definitely worth a closer look.

Key Features

• 28 classic black-and-white film emulations

• Local adjustments with control points

• Advanced control over tone, contrast, and structure

6. Negative Lab Pro—Best for Film Photographers

Price: $99 (one-time purchase)

If you scan your own film, Negative Lab Pro is an essential plug-in for your workflow. It’s perfect for both colour and black-and-white negatives, allowing you to convert scans into high-quality positives with just one click.

You’ll also have access to film emulation profiles and advanced editing tools for fine-tuning your image to perfection.

Key Features

• Accurate one-click negative-to-positive conversion

• Film emulation profiles for true-to-life tones

• Non-destructive workflow with advanced tone controls

7. LR/Instagram—Best for Social Sharing

Price: The plugin is free to try, but requires registration for $10 via the Lightroom Plugin Manager if you want to keep using it.

Still exporting your photos, transferring them to your phone, and uploading manually to Instagram? Plug-ins like LR/Instagram simplify the whole process.

Share your images directly from Lightroom to Instagram, complete with captions and hashtags, making your workflow faster and more efficient.

Key Features

• Direct posting from Lightroom to Instagram

• Supports captions, hashtags, and tagging

• Multiple account support

8. JPEGmini—Best for Image Compression

Price: $89 for the Pro Suite, which includes the JPEGmini Lightroom plugin, plus Photoshop and Capture One support, with one year of free updates.

Most photographers have run into file size limits at some point, often having to reduce image quality to meet them. JPEGmini helps you compress your images while preserving detail and clarity.

It also supports batch exporting and compression, making it a great option for client delivery when you need to keep folder sizes small without compromising your work.

Key Features

• Compresses images by up to 80% with no visible loss

• Batch export and compression

• Keeps full-resolution and detail intact

The Bottom Line

Lightroom is a solid tool on its own—no doubt about it. But if you’re not using plug-ins, you’re missing out on a whole world of features that can seriously upgrade your workflow.

Over the years, I’ve found that the right plug-ins don’t just make editing faster—they make it better. For example, Aperty has been a game-changer for my portrait work. And when I’m dealing with client galleries, Evlaa helps me cut the back-and-forth down to a minimum. Tools like JPEGmini help keep file sizes in check without killing image quality, and (when it works!) LR/Instagram makes sharing so much easier.

So here’s my advice: take an hour, explore a few plug-ins, and try out what fits your style. You might be surprised how much smoother—and more fun—editing becomes.