Photomator Review: Apple's Photo Editor Is Capable but Standing Still
Key takeaways
Photomator costs $7.99 a month, $29.99 a year or $119.99 for a lifetime license, with a free seven-day trial, and one purchase covers Mac, iPhone and iPad.
It edits RAW files from more than 750 camera formats, with machine-learning selections, denoise, Super Resolution and a Repair tool for removing objects.
It works directly on your Apple Photos library and edits whole shoots in batches, which suits Mac and iPhone photographers who don't want a separate catalog.
Apple has shipped only bug fixes and new camera support since version 3.4 in October 2024, and Photomator isn't part of Apple Creator Studio.
It's a good buy for Apple-only photographers who want fast, polished edits, and a weaker one for anyone who needs plugins, a catalog app's organizing tools or Windows support.
What Photomator is
Photomator, called Pixelmator Photo until 2023, is a photo editor from the Pixelmator team. It launched on iPad in 2019, reached iPhone in 2021 and the Mac in 2022. Apple agreed to buy the Pixelmator team in November 2024 and completed the deal in February 2025, so Photomator is now an Apple app.
Unlike Pixelmator Pro, which is a layer-based image editor, Photomator focuses on developing and correcting photos. Edits sit on a single nondestructive stack you can change or undo at any time, and the app is built to work through a whole set of photos rather than one composite at a time.
What's new in 2026
Photomator's updates since version 3.4 have been small. Version 3.4.13 in January and 3.4.14 in April brought bug fixes and performance improvements. Version 3.4.15, released on August 27, added support for compressed RAW from the Sony a7 V, Fujifilm GFX100S II and GFX100RF, High Efficiency RAW from the Nikon Z5II and Z50II and high-resolution mode RAW from the Panasonic Lumix S1RII.
Apple didn't include Photomator when it launched its Creator Studio subscription in January 2026, though Pixelmator Pro moved into it and has received new features since.
What works
Fast, attractive color tools. Photomator has a wide set of adjustments, including curves, levels, HSL, color balance, selective color and LUTs, and its ML Enhance and auto adjustments give a good starting point in one tap.
Smart selections. Machine-learning masks pick out subjects, skies and backgrounds automatically, so you can brighten a face or darken a sky without painting a mask by hand.
Repair and cleanup. The Repair tool removes unwanted objects, and ML Denoise and Super Resolution clean up noisy RAW files and enlarge small crops.
Works with Apple Photos. You can edit images straight in your Photos library and sync them across devices through iCloud, with no separate import step.
Batch editing. Copy edits across a whole shoot, or apply presets to many photos at once.
One purchase, every device. The subscription or lifetime license covers the Mac, iPhone and iPad versions.
What doesn't
Few new features. Since October 2024, updates have added camera support and fixes but no major tools, which raises questions about how much Apple plans to develop it.
No layers. For composites, text or graphics, you'll need Pixelmator Pro or another layer editor.
Light organizing tools. It relies on Apple Photos and your folders rather than offering a full catalog with advanced keywording and collections.
Apple only. There's no Windows, Android or web version, so it doesn't suit teams on mixed platforms.
No plugin ecosystem. Third-party filters and export plugins that photographers use elsewhere don't work here.
Pricing and requirements
Option | Price |
|---|---|
Monthly subscription | $7.99 |
Yearly subscription | $29.99 |
Lifetime license | $119.99 |
Free trial | 7 days, full features |
Photomator needs macOS 13 or later on the Mac and iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 or later on iPhone and iPad, and it also runs on Apple Vision Pro. It supports Family Sharing for some purchases.
Verdict
Photomator is a good choice if you shoot on an iPhone or a camera and edit on a Mac or iPad, want strong one-tap adjustments and machine-learning masks and prefer to keep everything in Apple Photos. The lifetime license makes it one of the cheaper long-term options for serious photo editing. Skip it if you need a deep catalog, plugins or Windows support, and keep in mind that Apple has not added major features since 2024.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Photomator cost?
Photomator costs $7.99 a month, $29.99 a year or $119.99 for a lifetime license, with a free seven-day trial. One purchase covers the Mac, iPhone and iPad versions.
Is Photomator part of Apple Creator Studio?
No. Apple's Creator Studio subscription includes Pixelmator Pro but not Photomator, which is still sold on its own.
Is Photomator still being updated?
Yes, but only with small updates. Version 3.4.15 in August 2026 added RAW support for new Sony, Fujifilm, Nikon and Panasonic cameras, and the last major release was version 3.4 in October 2024.
Does Photomator edit RAW files?
Yes. Photomator supports more than 750 RAW formats and adds ML Denoise and Super Resolution for cleaning up and enlarging RAW photos.
What's the difference between Photomator and Pixelmator Pro?
Photomator is a photo editor focused on color, correction and batch editing on a single nondestructive stack. Pixelmator Pro is a layer-based image editor for composites, graphics and design work.