Guides / A Free Lightroom Alternative That Runs in Your Browser
A Free Lightroom Alternative That Runs in Your Browser
Short answer: ToneLab.photo is a free, browser-based photo editor that gives you Lightroom-style control — cinematic presets, an HSL colour mixer, film grain and frames — without a download, an account, or a subscription. Your photos are edited on your own device and never uploaded, and it even keeps working offline.
If you've ever wanted Lightroom's look without Lightroom's commitment — the monthly fee, the account, the multi-gigabyte install — a browser-based editor is the simplest path.
Why edit in the browser instead of an app?
- Nothing to install. Open a URL and you're editing — on a laptop, a Chromebook, or a phone.
- No subscription. Lightroom is a recurring cost. ToneLab is free to use, and Pro is a one-time $19 — not a monthly bill.
- Private by default. Every adjustment is rendered locally on your device, so your photos are never uploaded. No account, no cloud.
- Works offline. Once the page has loaded it keeps working with no internet — even in airplane mode.
What you can actually do
- Exposure, contrast, highlights and shadows
- White balance (temperature and tint), vibrance and saturation
- Film grain, fade and a vignette
- 23 cinematic presets with a 0–100% intensity slider
- White, Black and Polaroid frames with adjustable width
- A multi-photo library, undo/redo, and bulk-apply one look across a whole set
- Crop, rotate, flip, and hold-to-compare with the original
Free vs Pro
The free tier is genuinely useful: the full core editor, 10 presets, and export up to 2048 px — with no watermark and no sign-up. Pro is a one-time $19 (not a subscription) and adds the 8-channel HSL colour mixer, the other 13 presets, full-resolution JPEG & PNG export, and custom saved presets. One key unlocks Pro on every device you own.
How to start (30 seconds)
- Open tonelab.photo in any browser.
- Add your own photo (it stays on your device) or start from a sample.
- Tap a preset and slide its intensity, or fine-tune exposure, white balance and grain by hand.
- Export to JPEG or PNG — or on mobile, share straight to your Photos.
FAQ
Is ToneLab really free?
Yes. The core editor and 10 presets are free with no watermark and no sign-up. Pro is an optional one-time $19.
Is it a full Lightroom replacement?
It covers the everyday develop-and-preset workflow most people use Lightroom for. It doesn't do RAW, layers or retouching — it's built for fast, great-looking edits.
Do my photos get uploaded?
No. Editing happens entirely on your device; nothing is uploaded, and it works offline.