Luminar Neo was announced by Skylum on September 9, 2021, as the successor to the company's earlier Luminar AI and Luminar 4 editors, rebuilt around a new, extensible engine.
The software runs its AI models locally on a user's machine instead of in the cloud, automating traditionally multi-step edits, sky replacement with automatic relighting of the rest of the scene, portrait retouching, old-photo restoration, into single-slider adjustments, while still exposing layers and masking underneath for photographers who want manual control.
Luminar Neo suits photographers and hobbyists who prefer owning software outright over a subscription. It's sold as a one-time perpetual license: Desktop runs $99, Cross-Device $139, and Max $159 at regular pricing, with frequent seasonal sales lowering those prices further.
