Aperty is a professional portrait editing application developed by Skylum, the company known for creating Luminar Neo. Unlike general-purpose photo editors, Aperty is purpose-built for portrait and event photographers who need to retouch large volumes of images quickly while maintaining natural, consistent results. The software combines AI-powered automation with precise manual controls to streamline the entire portrait retouching workflow from import to delivery.
Key Features
AI-Powered Skin Retouching
Aperty's skin module intelligently detects faces and applies corrections to individual areas. It handles blemish removal, skin smoothing, dark circle reduction, and wrinkle softening without making subjects look plasticky or over-processed. The AI preserves skin texture and pores so results remain natural. A dedicated wrinkle tool reduces line contrast while keeping the subject's age and character intact.
Facial Feature Enhancement
The software provides targeted tools for eyes, lips, and facial structure. You can whiten eyes, enhance iris color, enlarge eyes, remove redness, and add iris flare. Lip enhancer adds fullness and vibrancy. Face and body reshaping tools allow subtle adjustments to jawlines, body contours, and facial proportions with slider-based controls rather than complex masking.
Batch Processing and Presets
Aperty's batch sync feature lets you apply edits to one image and propagate them across an entire set in seconds. This is invaluable for wedding and event photographers who need consistent looks across hundreds of photos. Users can create and save custom presets or start from the included library of approximately 40 preset looks and 10 LUTs available through the Skylum Marketplace.
Plugin Integration
Aperty works as both a standalone application and a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom Classic. The Lightroom Classic plugin supports batch processing, allowing photographers to retouch multiple images in a single session without round-tripping or clumsy exports. A Photoshop plugin is also available for seamless integration into existing editing pipelines.
Offline and Private
All image processing happens locally on the user's device. No internet connection is required for editing, and Aperty does not upload user images to the cloud. The company states that no photos are used to train AI models, and all AI capabilities are developed using ethically sourced, commercially licensed datasets.
Pricing
Aperty offers three pricing tiers. The monthly plan costs $24.99 per month ($14.99 for the first month). The annual plan is $219 per year ($169 for the first year). The lifetime license is a one-time purchase at $299 ($259 promotional price) and includes three years of free updates for early adopters. All plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee and include local processing, unlimited edits, software updates, presets, masking, and retouch tools.
System Requirements and Performance
Aperty is available for macOS and Windows. It supports RAW files from major camera manufacturers. The software runs efficiently on modern hardware, with performance comparable to or faster than Luminar Neo. It requires no cloud infrastructure and works fully offline once installed.
Pros and Cons
Strengths include fast and responsive performance, accurate AI masking tools, simple navigation, RAW file support, strong file management, and an affordable perpetual license option. Limitations include a relatively small preset library focused more on creative looks than classic portrait styles, no dedicated color grading tools, and limited catalog management compared to Lightroom. Some AI features like face thinning may not suit every photographer's style.
Who Is It For
Aperty is best suited for portrait, wedding, and event photographers who need to deliver high volumes of consistently edited images. It is particularly valuable for solo photographers looking to reduce the hours spent on repetitive retouching tasks. While it may not replace professional tools like Capture One for color-critical work, it serves as an excellent specialized companion for portrait retouching.
