Start with Affinity. It's free, it does most of what Photoshop does, and it runs well on the MacBook Neo. If you shoot RAW with a camera, add Photomator ($119.99 once) or Lightroom ($11.99 a month) for organizing a big library. Skip Photoshop unless a class or job requires it. The thing that shapes every choice here is memory: with 8GB of RAM, some editors leave you plenty of room and others don't.
What to know about photo editing on the MacBook Neo
For single images and everyday projects, 8GB is comfortable, especially in apps built for Apple silicon like Affinity, Pixelmator Pro, and Photomator. You'll feel the limit with huge multi-layer files, big panoramas, or batches of hundreds of RAW photos. Adobe's apps run on the Neo but are the heaviest here.
The screen is good, not great. It reaches 500 nits but covers the standard sRGB color range rather than the wider P3 range MacBook Airs use, and it has no HDR, and our review found it less vivid than a MacBook Air's panel. The missing True Tone is one small plus for editing, since that feature shifts colors to match room lighting and photographers usually switch it off anyway. If you print or sell your work, edit on a color-accurate external monitor.
Storage is the other squeeze. Photos fill the base 256GB quickly, so keep your growing library in iCloud or on an external SSD. Plan to edit video too? That's a different workload, covered in what the Neo can do with video.
The best photo editor for most people
Affinity
Free with a Canva account · Best overall, Photoshop-class editing
Affinity does most of what Photoshop does, including layers, masks, retouching, and RAW editing, and it costs nothing. In October 2025, Canva merged Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher into this one free app, so photo editing now sits next to vector and layout tools. It runs natively on Apple silicon and stays smooth on the Neo. The AI tools inside it, such as generative fill and background removal, need a paid Canva plan, but the core editor doesn't. It's also the best value in our best Mac apps roundup.
Pixelmator Pro
$49.99, one-time, or in Apple Creator Studio · Best Mac-native paid editor
Pixelmator Pro is the most Mac-like editor here, made by Apple, with a clean interface, layers, retouching, and AI tools for cleanup and upscaling. You can buy it once for $49.99, or get it in Apple Creator Studio ($12.99 a month, $2.99 for students), where some new features land first. It's light on memory and simpler than Photoshop, which makes it the paid pick if Affinity's interface feels like too much.
Apple Photos
Free, built in · Best for everyday edits and organizing
You already have it. Photos organizes your library and handles exposure, color, cropping, retouching, and filters. Every edit is non-destructive, so you can always return to the original. For iPhone shots and quick fixes, you may never need anything else.
Best for photographers who shoot RAW
Adobe Lightroom
$11.99/month (annual plan) · Best for RAW editing and library management
Lightroom is the standard for photographers because it pairs strong RAW editing with a library that can organize thousands of shots and sync them across devices. The Lightroom plan costs $11.99 a month on an annual commitment, with 1TB of cloud storage. It works on the Neo, though large catalogs and heavy batches lean on the 8GB, so trim background memory use before a big import.
Photomator
$119.99 lifetime, $29.99/year, or $7.99/month · Best RAW editor without a subscription
Photomator is the Pixelmator team's Lightroom-style editor for RAW photos, with strong AI adjustments and direct access to your Photos library. Unlike Pixelmator Pro, it isn't part of Apple Creator Studio, but you can buy it outright for $119.99 instead of paying monthly. It's native to Apple silicon and easy on the Neo. Choose it over Lightroom if you'd rather pay once and keep your photos in Apple Photos.
Best for AI-powered editing
Luminar Neo
Lifetime from about $79 (frequent sales) · Best AI photo editor
Luminar Neo is built around AI: one-slider sky replacement, relighting, skin retouching, and background removal that would take ages by hand. Lifetime licenses often sell from about $79, but read the fine print, because the generative AI tools are included for only 12 months. It's heavier than Affinity or Photomator, so keep projects modest on 8GB.
Best free alternatives
GIMP
Free · Best free open-source editor
GIMP is the long-running open-source Photoshop alternative, with layers, masks, and a deep toolset. Version 3, released in 2025, modernized the interface and runs natively on Apple silicon, so the old complaints about it looking ancient no longer apply. It still takes more learning than Affinity, which is free too, so try Affinity first.
Photopea
Free (ads, or $5/month to remove them) · Best browser-based editor
Photopea is a Photoshop-like editor that runs in your browser and opens Photoshop PSD files. There's nothing to install, so it's handy for a quick edit or a PSD a classmate sent you, and it runs in a tab of any of our top browser picks for the Neo.
The industry standard
Adobe Photoshop
$22.99/month (annual plan) · The professional standard
Photoshop is still the benchmark for detailed compositing and retouching. It's also the heaviest app here, and on 8GB, big multi-layer files will slow down. Buy it only if a class or job requires it. For design coursework, see how the Neo handles graphic design, and if you'll live in big Photoshop files every day, our Neo vs MacBook Air M5 comparison explains when more memory is worth paying for.
Frequently asked questions
Can the MacBook Neo edit RAW photos?
Yes. macOS reads RAW files from most cameras, so Apple Photos, Affinity, Photomator, and Lightroom can all open them. The A18 Pro handles single RAW edits quickly (our full Neo review has the benchmarks). Where it slows down is batch-processing hundreds of RAW files at once.
What's the cheapest way to get Photoshop?
Adobe's Photography plan, at $19.99 a month, includes both Photoshop and Lightroom with 1TB of storage. That's cheaper than Photoshop on its own at $22.99 a month.
Can the MacBook Neo remove objects from photos for free?
Yes. The Neo supports Apple Intelligence, so the Clean Up tool in Apple Photos can erase a stranger or a power line from a shot without any extra app. Results are good for small distractions and less reliable on large objects.
Where should I keep my photo library?
If you pay for iCloud storage, turn on iCloud Photos with Optimize Mac Storage, which keeps full-size originals in the cloud and smaller copies on the Neo. If you'd rather not pay monthly, move the Photos library to an external SSD formatted as APFS. Don't put it on the same drive you use for Time Machine backups.
Can I edit my iPhone photos on the Neo?
Yes. With iCloud Photos on, shots from your iPhone appear in Photos on the Neo automatically, or you can AirDrop them over. iPhone ProRAW files open in Photos, Affinity, Photomator, and Lightroom like any other RAW file.
Can I edit HDR photos on the MacBook Neo?
You can open and adjust them, but you can't see the HDR highlights, because the Neo's screen doesn't support HDR. If you edit HDR photos seriously, check your work on an HDR-capable display or a phone before you share it.