How to Download Capture One for Free (2024 Version)

Capture One is a full-featured editing program suitable for professionals and amateurs. Originally, it was designed for image capturing but was soon upgraded with new tools. Although it is a paid program, it’s still possible to get Capture One free without violating the law.

Capture One Features:

The first way to get Capture One free of charge without violating the law is to use a trial version. Thus, you can test the program for 30 days without any payments. It’s convenient that you don’t need to leave any credit card details to get a free trial. Plus, you get access to detailed video tutorials.

Download a free Capture One version, taking the following steps:

STEP 1. Visit the official website.

STEP 2. Click on the “Download trial” button.

STEP 3. There will appear a registration form in a new window. Enter your email address and create a password. Click “Sign up”.

STEP 4. When you’re done, the .exe file will be automatically downloaded to your PC.

STEP 5. Click on it to start the installation.

Another way to get Capture One free version is to download Capture Pilot, a mobile app. It is available in the App Store so you can install it on your mobile or tablet and make edits on the go.

Using Capture Pilot, photographers get more possibilities to communicate with clients. With the help of an app, you can also view, zoom, and tag high-resolution pics during a photo session.

Due to Camera Control in-app purchase, you can turn your device into a virtual camera display. Thus, you can remotely switch on your camera and adjust settings.

If you feel that Capture One is not suitable for your needs, check out a list of the best free photo editing software for photographers that have similar functionality. These programs allow editing RAW images, creating catalogs, making layers, local and keystone adjustments.

RawTherapee is developed for editing RAW files in a non-destructive way. It is a free, open-source program that allows correcting colors, making slight adjustments, and retouching images.

It is a perfect choice if you still can’t decide what photo editing software you need. You can freely test RawTherapee and assess its functionality. It is great that users don’t have to register or sign-up to download RawTherapee.

Although the program has almost the same functionality as Capture One, it’s still better in terms of color correction. It allows making deeper color changes and offers more correction options.

Available for: Windows, macOS, Linux

Darktable may be considered as a virtual lighttable and darkroom for photographers. It is an open-source editor and a raw developer. With the help of the software, you can arrange your digital negatives in a database and view them through a zoomable lighttable. Plus, photographers can develop raw images and improve them.

Darktable was developed by photographers, who perfectly understand the challenges their colleagues have to deal with.

Since it is a non-destructive program, it doesn’t change the original photograph during editing. The software provides advanced color management options so finished images look amazing even in a printed form. Thanks to the GPU accelerated processing, you can speed up your workflow.

Available for: Windows, macOS

GIMP is the best photo editing program for complete newbies. Though it has advanced functions for image processing, they are super easy to master and you can even create a project from scratch.

Here you can find layers, highly customizable brushes, filters, and automatic image-enhancement tools. It supports a huge number of plugins (pre-installed ones or those you have to download).

GIMP has a large community of contributors who take care of software development. When any bugs arise, team members immediately fix them. So, GIMP may compete even with some professional paid programs.

Available for: Windows

• What is Capture One and who should use it?

Developed for photographers, Capture One allows you to edit RAW images, changing the tiniest details. Custom lens profiles are great for minimizing distortion and lighting issues. The software is unmatched when it comes to preserving realistic colors.

• Is a trial version functionally limited?

Luckily, when using a trial version, you get access to all functions.

• How much does a full version of the Capture One cost?

If you want to purchase Capture One full version, you can choose among several suits. You may pay $24 per month, $179 per year or buy a one-time payment license for $299. What’s more, you can buy products to use on cameras by specific manufacturers, like Fujifilm, Sony, and Nikon.

• What file formats does Capture One support?

Along with PNG, DNG, TIFF, and JPEG formats, Capture One supports other RAW formats. The software also works with files from most DSLRs. Plus, you can upload HEIF/HEIC files and PSDs.

• Why should I skip a pirated Capture One version?

You probably know that downloading and using pirate programs are prohibited by law. If you still do so, you may be imprisoned or fined. Besides, when using cracked software, you don’t get any updates and can’t contact the support team in case any issues arise.