Differences in AI Photo Editing Between Imagen, Aftershoot, and Neurapix

Nils Hartwig

For photographers and content creators, photo editing is often a time-consuming yet essential part of their creative process. Fortunately, various AI-based tools have emerged that simplify and automate the editing process. In this article, we compare the three leading providers in photo editing.

Services like Imagen, Aftershoot, and Neurapix have established themselves in the AI editing space in recent years, offering photo editing options tailored to the individual styles of photographers. Below, we compare the three providers based on these categories:

Software Integration (Plugin vs. Standalone): Does the AI tool run directly within Adobe Lightroom, or is it a separate program?
Creation of Custom SmartPresets or Profiles: How many images does the AI require? How many presets can be created?
Editing Location and Speed: Does editing occur in the cloud or locally on your computer? How fast is the process?
Pricing Models: What does the pricing structure look like? Are multiple payment options available?

Software-Integration (Plugin vs. Standalone)

Neurapix: As a plugin for Adobe Lightroom Classic, Neurapix integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, eliminating the need for additional software. Editing happens directly in the familiar environment, simplifying and speeding up the workflow.

Aftershoot: Aftershoot is a standalone application available for both Windows and macOS. Edited images need to be exported and then imported into other programs like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One. This extra step can slow down the workflow.

Imagen: Imagen also functions as standalone software, but it is compatible with Adobe Lightroom Classic. Users need to import the edited images into the Lightroom catalog, which requires some additional effort. Editing does not take place entirely within Lightroom but instead requires the separate Imagen application.

Creation of Custom SmartPresets or Profiles:

Neurapix: Neurapix stands out with its quick creation of personalized SmartPresets. Just 20 edited images are enough for the AI to learn the preferred style and create a personalized preset. This allows users to quickly establish and refine their unique style with minimal effort. Additionally, Neurapix allows unlimited free SmartPreset creations.

Aftershoot: To create a personal AI profile, Aftershoot requires at least 2,500 edited sample images. For more precise customization, 5,000 images are recommended. The effort to gather the required images is comparatively high.

Imagen: Imagen, like Aftershoot, requires a minimum of 3,000 edited images to create a fully customized editing profile. This process is also relatively labor-intensive.

Editing Location and Speed

Neurapix: Neurapix offers fast editing (with its flat rate) directly on the user’s computer. Local processing ensures that edited images appear in Lightroom in real-time within seconds. Additionally, it provides maximum data security as no images are uploaded to the cloud. For users opting for Neurapix’s servers (operated in Germany and GDPR-compliant), processing speeds reach up to 1,000 images per minute.

Aftershoot: Aftershoot also processes images exclusively on the user’s computer, enhancing speed and ensuring data security. Editing speed depends on hardware performance: powerful devices allow faster processing, while older systems may take longer.

Imagen: Imagen relies entirely on cloud-based processing. The speed depends on internet connectivity and server availability. This process involves uploading and downloading files, which can take additional time, especially for large image volumes.

Pricing Models

Neurapix: Neurapix offers a flexible pricing structure suitable for both professional and occasional users. The flat-rate option starts at €49.95 per month, enabling unlimited editing—ideal for those who process large image volumes regularly. Optional features like AI-based cropping are included. Alternatively, users can opt for pay-per-picture pricing at €0.03 per image, which is suitable for occasional use.

Aftershoot: Aftershoot offers various subscription models, with AI photo editing starting at $20 per month. However, this basic plan does not include the ability to develop a personal style. For $40 per month, users can create one style-trainable profile. Up to five profiles are available for $60 per month, with an additional cost of $7 per extra profile. This allows users to choose the option that best fits their needs.

Imagen: Imagen uses a pay-per-photo model, charging $0.05 per edited image. Additional features, such as automated cropping or straightening, are available for $0.01 each. This structure provides cost transparency and control but can become expensive for users with high image volumes.

Conclusion

Neurapix stands out as a comprehensive solution for professional photo editing, offering advantages in all compared categories. It integrates seamlessly as a plugin into Adobe Lightroom Classic and allows quick, free creation of unlimited personalized SmartPresets with just 20 images.

The provider from Germany offers a high editing speed of up to 1,000 images per minute. The editing location and pricing options are flexibly adjustable to suit customer needs. This makes Neurapix a particularly attractive choice for photographers who value efficiency, adaptability, and data security.