Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

XnView MP VS Darktable

Compare XnView MP VS Darktable and see what are their differences

XnView MP logo XnView MP

XnView is a free software that allows you to view, resize and edit your images. It supports more than 500 different formats!

Darktable logo Darktable

darktable is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer.
  • XnView MP Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-19
  • Darktable Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-18

XnView MP features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    XnView MP is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile for users on different operating systems.
  • Extensive Format Support
    Supports over 500 image formats, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of file types.
  • Batch Processing
    Allows users to perform batch processing tasks, such as resizing, converting, and renaming multiple files simultaneously.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Provides an intuitive and customizable interface that helps users easily navigate and manage their images.
  • Advanced Editing Features
    Includes a variety of photo editing tools like color adjustments, cropping, and filters that can enhance image quality.
  • Metadata Support
    Offers extensive support for metadata, enabling users to view and edit EXIF, IPTC, and XMP information.
  • Free for Personal Use
    Available as a free version for personal and educational use, offering a robust set of features without cost barriers.

Possible disadvantages of XnView MP

  • Complexity for Beginners
    The extensive feature set can be overwhelming for new users or those unfamiliar with image editing software.
  • Resource Intensive
    May require significant system resources, especially when handling large files or performing batch processes.
  • Limited Customer Support
    Customer support options are limited, primarily relying on community forums and online documentation.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Some users have reported crashes and bugs, particularly when dealing with very large image files or complex editing tasks.
  • Non-Commercial Use Restrictions
    The free version is restricted to personal and educational use, requiring businesses to purchase a license for commercial use.

Darktable features and specs

  • Open Source
    Darktable is open-source software, meaning it's free to use and its source code is available for users to modify and improve. This can appeal to those who prefer community-driven projects.
  • Non-Destructive Editing
    The software ensures that the original image files are never altered. All edits are stored in a separate file, allowing users to revert to the original image at any time.
  • RAW Processing
    Darktable supports a wide range of RAW file formats from numerous camera manufacturers, offering high-quality RAW image editing capabilities.
  • Extensive Toolset
    Darktable offers a comprehensive set of tools for color correction, retouching, and other adjustments, comparable to other professional photo editing software.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, Darktable allows users to work on their preferred operating system without compatibility issues.
  • Active Community
    Darktable has an active community of users and developers who regularly contribute to forums, create tutorials, and develop plugins, providing robust support.

Possible disadvantages of Darktable

  • Learning Curve
    Darktable has a steep learning curve, which can be daunting for beginners who are not familiar with photo editing software.
  • Less Intuitive UI
    Compared to some commercial alternatives, Darktable's user interface is less intuitive, which may make it harder for new users to navigate and utilize all features efficiently.
  • Slower Performance
    Some users have reported that Darktable can be slower compared to other photo editing software, especially when working with very large files or complex edits.
  • Limited Integration
    Darktable does not integrate as seamlessly with other software in the Adobe ecosystem, which could be a drawback for those who rely on multiple Adobe products for their workflow.
  • Infrequent Updates
    Although the software is updated, it does not receive updates as frequently as some commercial alternatives, which can delay the release of new features or bug fixes.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there is a community and some documentation available, new users might find comprehensive guides and official tutorials lacking compared to more mainstream software.

Analysis of XnView MP

Overall verdict

  • XnView MP is considered a reliable and effective image viewer and editor. Its feature-rich environment and support for numerous file formats make it a strong choice for both amateur and professional users.

Why this product is good

  • XnView MP is widely regarded as a good software due to its versatility and range of features. It supports a vast array of image formats, offers advanced editing options, and has a user-friendly interface. Additionally, it is available for free for personal use, which makes it accessible for many users.

Recommended for

    XnView MP is recommended for photographers, graphic designers, and anyone who needs to organize, view, and edit a large collection of images. It's also well-suited for users who require bulk processing and conversion of image files.

XnView MP videos

Xnview MP review

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Free Software - XnView MP Photo Viewer - Sports Photography Tutorial - Photo Mechanic Alternative

Darktable videos

Free Lightroom Alternative: Darktable Review

More videos:

  • Review - darktable 3.0 How Good is it in comparison to other editing programs?
  • Review - Lightroom vs Darktable - the Key Difference ? 2019

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to XnView MP and Darktable)
Image Editing
71 71%
29% 29
Photos & Graphics
100 100%
0% 0
Graphic Design Software
0 0%
100% 100
Photo Editing
68 68%
32% 32

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare XnView MP and Darktable

XnView MP Reviews

  1. Excellent photo and image viewer

    XnView MP stands for Multi Platform = it is available for Windows, Linux and MacOS. It is a continuation of the older XnView Classic. In my opinion it is a great alternative to Windows photos app or any Linux image viewer that comes preinstalled. I even think it is an alternative to IrfanView. It is really fast and simple to use, supports more than 500 image formats, has built in folder browser, image converter, editor... AND MORE!


20+ Picasa Alternatives And Best Similar Apps Like Picasa 2022
XnViewMP includes a couple of written material tools. However, its best used as a picture organizer and the best Picasa alternative as well. The interface isn’t notably pleasing, but it will offer a great deal of data concerning your photos at a look, like a file name, size, date, and camera details.
The best photo organizing software in 2022
XnView MP supports over 500 photo file formats and includes multipage and animated stills formats as well such as GIF, TIFF, APNG, and ICO. When saving though, it can export to approximately 70 different file formats.
15 Best Google Picasa Alternatives You Should Use (2022)
XnView MP can edit photos, but it is best for organizing images. However, the user interface is not that good, but it provides much information about the pictures like size, data, lens details, and more. With XnView MP, you can tag your photos and easily keep track of groups. XnView MP is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The app is free to use.
Source: techdator.net
10 Best Photo Viewer For Windows 10 [2020]
XnView MP and Xnview Classic both are similar with its features you can use any version as you like, Xnview MP is more than a photo viewer app, you can easily batch rename, convert images with few clicks, you can edit images for colour correction, merging multiple images, adjusting brightness, contrast and many more things.
13 Free Alternatives Image and Photo Organizer For Microsoft Windows 10
XnView is provided as FREEWARE (NO Adware, NO Spyware) for private or educational use (including non-profit organizations). XnView is an efficient multimedia viewer, browser and converter. Really simple to use! Support of more than 500 image formats. No Adware, No Spyware. XnView has all the basic features covered, and the best part is, it is modern and simple. XnView also...

Darktable Reviews

Our 6 Favorite Free Photoshop Alternatives (2022 Update)
Darktable is a free, open-source photo editing software that is used by photographers and editors and is a wonderful alternative to the likes of Photoshop and Lightroom.
5 Best Linux Photo Management Software
Darktable is more of a photo editing application than an organizer. Darktable stands out for its own user interface regardless of the desktop environment you might be using, and of course for its editing capabilities. The basic features include:
Source: itsfoss.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Darktable seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 8 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

XnView MP mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of XnView MP yet. Tracking of XnView MP recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Darktable mentions (8)

  • Photomator for Mac
    I'm pretty new to photography. I understand a lot of the basics (ex-wife shot as a professional hobbyist for a few years) but never really paid much attention to her editing workflow. Adobe already gets me for $20/mo for Illustrator (because designers) and I looked at alternatives. I've been using darktable http://darktable.org since I got my camera about a month ago and it's nice enough for me. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Nudibranch (Nembrotha cristata), Verde Island, Philippines, April 2023
    Thank you! The shot was gently edited in darktable. More TG-5 / single strobe examples here. Source: about 2 years ago
  • I've seen it with Adobe
    No, unfortunately not. But check out the free Darktable app which is similar on darktable.org and also this list https://petapixel.com/best-free-raw-editing-programs/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Exporting a RAW file. Is it possible without the format changing? If I export to another folder on my mac it becomes a .jpeg, to Lightroom it becomes a .jpg, to Photoshop it becomes a .tiff. I want to be able to edit the RAW file, a .dng in another app that is not Apple proprietary.
    It sounds like you might want non-destructive editing. Look at something like darktable.org or Lightroom. You can edit your RAW files in multiple different ways, i.e., effectively keeping multiple copies of edited RAW files around. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Software to edit and enhance Photos (JPG and RAW).
    If you're looking to learn more complicated software without having to rent it while you do, there's Darktable. Rawtherapee is another app in the same category, and usually appeals to people who don't like Darktable's interface. Source: about 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing XnView MP and Darktable, you can also consider the following products

IrfanView - IrfanView ... one of the most popular viewers worldwide.

GIMP - GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool.

FastStone Image Viewer - FastStone Image Viewer is a fast, stable, user-friendly image browser, converter and editor.

Adobe Photoshop - Adobe Photoshop is a webtop application for editing images and photos online.

JPEGView - JPEGView is a small and fast viewer/editor for JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF and TIFF images.

Affinity Photo - Affinity is the imaging and design suite for creative professionals exclusively for Mac.