ColorForge vs MergeHDR
ColorForge
colorforge.studioMergeHDR
mergehdr.appSide by side
| Figure | ColorForge | MergeHDR |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $0.83/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · HDR Software | 9.0 (#1) | 7.7 (#12) |
| Export | The RAW editor exports full native sensor resolution as JPEG, PNG or TIFF without watermarks. | Merged images can be saved at full quality or compressed to HEIC using the on-device pipeline shared with RAWtoHEIC. |
| Offline use | The editor can continue working after its web app has loaded into the browser cache and the connection is removed. | The privacy page says processing works fully offline and does not require a network connection. |
| Privacy | The maker says photos are processed locally and are never uploaded to its servers. | The maker says photo detection and processing run locally, with no account, app analytics or uploads; its stated App Store privacy label is Data Not Collected. |
| Support | The site provides a feedback and ticket page, where creating a ticket requires Google sign-in. | The support page invites users to email sample bracket files and camera details to troubleshoot merges or request support for additional RAW formats. |
Plans
In their own words
ColorForge
ColorForge is a browser-based RAW and HDR photo editor that processes images on the device. It supports camera RAW files including CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG, RAF, ORF and RW2, with controls for exposure, tone curves, HSL adjustments, LUTs and presets. For HDR images, it can combine bracketed exposures, including RAW brackets, using GPU processing. Exports are available at full native sensor resolution as JPEG, PNG or TIFF, without watermarks; HDR output also includes 16-bit TIFF. ColorForge says photos stay local and are not uploaded to its servers. Editing, RAW decoding, HDR merging and exporting do not require an account. After the web app loads into the browser cache, it can continue working offline. It supports Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari, and the maker lists Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS and Android availability. ColorForge is free: free, with no installation required. Presets are stored in an account database when signed in, or local browser storage when signed out.
MergeHDR
MergeHDR detects exposure-bracketed photos in a library and merges them into HDR images after approval. It identifies three-, five- and seven-frame groups using metadata such as capture time and exposure values. Users can select alignment and one of four deghosting levels, then switch tone-mapping presets without repeating the merge. The app reads and writes through Apple Photos; its App Store listing also says it can connect to an FTP server to merge brackets directly from a camera. Listed inputs include Canon CR3, Sony ARW, Nikon NEF, Fujifilm RAF, Olympus ORF, Panasonic RW2, DNG, Apple ProRAW, HEIC and JPEG. Merged images can be saved at full quality or compressed to HEIC. Merging and previewing are free; the first 10 exports are free, with a limit of five free exports per day. Unlimited saves cost $9.99 a year or 19.99 USD once, with Universal Purchase for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Processing runs locally and offline, according to the maker, and the stated privacy label is Data Not Collected.