AKVIS HDRFactory vs SNS-HDR

AKVIS HDRFactory is paid HDR software for Windows, macOS and Linux. It provides both listed HDR merge modes, multiple tone-mapping controls, RAW-file support and batch processing for groups of images. Finished HDR images can be saved as TIFF, BMP, JPEG, WEBP or PNG files. The product has no free plan but includes a 10-day trial. Home Plugin and Home Standalone each cost $69 as a one-time purchase for a lifetime license covering two computers and non-commercial use. Home Deluxe costs $99, paid once with the same lifetime, two-computer and non-commercial terms. Business costs $154, paid once for a lifetime license covering two computers, with commercial use allowed. AKVIS was founded in 2004. The editions differ by format, feature grouping and permitted use, while every listed plan specifies the same computer count and lifetime term.

SNS-HDR processes photo sequences into HDR images and can also process single images. It reads JPEG, TIFF, RAW files including DNG, OpenEXR, and Radiance HDR. For sequences, it can align source exposures and reduce ghosting and chromatic aberration. Editing tools include masks, presets, project saving and restoration, and batch processing; the software also supports 360° panorama processing. Its controls and presets are intended to produce natural-looking results. Listed outputs include JPEG, TIFF, TIFF-8, TIFF-16, SNSX, HEIC, and HEIC-10, with HEIC output available on macOS. It runs on Windows and macOS, requiring Windows 10 64-bit or newer, or macOS 14 or newer on Apple Silicon. It integrates with Adobe Lightroom Classic as a plug-in or external editor, but not cloud-based Lightroom. SNS-HDR Lite is freeware with a commercial license. Home costs €30 a month for a non-commercial license; Professional costs €85 a month for a commercial license. The Home Lightroom plug-in handles one series at a time, while Professional adds series splitting and quiet mode; batch processing is a Pro feature. A Pro demo is available to try before purchase.