Excire Lightroom Plugin Review: Is It Worth Using in 2026

Part 1: What is the Excire Plugin for Lightroom

The Excire Lightroom plugin is a tool that adds AI to your photo collection. It uses artificial intelligence based on browsing your photos. It knows what is in all the pictures without you typing anything. This plugin works by scanning your local files. It is automatic in its recognition of people, places and objects. You can then search on some objects like sunset or dog and locate them within a few seconds.

The Excire plugin works well with photographers who have huge volumes of files. Professional shooters often have too many photos to label by hand. This tool handles that boring work for you. If you have a large archive, this software keeps things organized. It is among the most suitable Lightroom extensions for maintaining a creative, busy routine.

The Excire search technology runs entirely on your own computer. It does not upload your personal pictures to the cloud. This is why it is a quick and safe option. Many users choose this Excire plugin to clean up messy catalogs. It finds duplicates and groups similar shots together. It makes your library much easier to navigate every day.

Part 2: Key Features of the Excire Lightroom Plugin

The Excire plugin focuses on faster photo search and better organization inside Lightroom Classic. It uses artificial intelligence to read image content instead of relying only on folders or manual tags.

• AI Keywording

Excire analyzes photos and automatically assigns clear keywords. It detects scenes, objects, people, and visual details without manual input. This removes the need to type long keyword lists by hand. For users managing large photo catalogs, it can save many hours of work.

• Image Similarity Search

The plugin allows users to select one photo and find similar images instantly. This works well for photo series, burst shots, or repeated scenes. Similarity search also supports video files inside Lightroom Classic.

• Face Recognition

Excire identifies faces and groups images by people. It works even without names or existing keywords. You can locate portraits, group photos, or family images quickly using visual reference instead of text labels.

• Prompt-Based Content Search

Users can search using simple text descriptions. Words like sunset, city street, smiling child, or night scene return accurate results. This feature makes the Excire search feel natural, even for new Lightroom users.

• Lightroom Classic Integration

The plugin runs fully inside Lightroom Classic. The new Search Panel provides quick access to tools. All processing stays local on your computer, with no cloud uploads or data sharing.

Part 3: Excire Plugin Lightroom Pricing

This plugin costs $199 for a lifetime license in 2026. You only pay once to own the software forever. New users can often find a launch price of $179 during special sales. If you already own older versions, you can buy an upgrade at a lower price.

You can also use a free 14-day trial to test the search tools before spending any money. This trial lets you see how this Lightroom plugin fits into your personal workflow.

Part 4: Best Alternatives to the Excire Plugin for Lightroom

We understand that the Excire plugin Lightroom may not suit every workflow or budget. That is why the team researched and tested other Lightroom extensions that offer different strengths in search, organization, and image enhancement.

1. Luminar Neo: The Best Excire Plugin Alternative for AI Editing

Luminar Neo is a powerful choice if you want more than just photo organization. While the Excire plugin focuses on finding images, this software focuses on changing them. It uses advanced AI to automate challenging editing processes in a few seconds.

You can use it to replace a dull sky or fix the lighting in a portrait. The software acts as a creative partner that handles the technical side of editing. The interface is sleek and modern. It works perfectly as a plugin within your Lightroom catalog. You can access creative tools like layers and glow effects that Lightroom does not have.

This tool is one of the best Lightroom plugins for creative post-processing. It provides professional results with very little effort. You can buy a lifetime license or a subscription.

Key Features:

• Sky AI: This tool replaces the sky and matches the overall photo lighting automatically.
• Portrait Enhancement: Use Skin AI and Face AI to clean skin and brighten eyes instantly.
• Noiseless AI: This feature removes grain from high ISO photos taken in low light.
• Supersharp AI: You can use this tool to recover fine details in slightly blurry images.
• Composition AI: The software analyzes your shot and suggests the best crop for maximum impact.

2. Mylio: The Best Excire Plugin Alternative for Image Search

Mylio Photos is a good option to choose when people want to find photos across many different devices. It is a sort of personal library that synchronizes your phone, tablet, and computer. It involves intelligent technology for tagging and categorizing your images. It is the easiest and best tool to have in order to preserve your family memories and be able to find them. It is not cloud-based, and hence your photos remain within your hardware.

You can sort your files based on dates, place, or even the individuals in the photos. It is a fast and secure way to manage a lifetime of pictures. This makes it one of the most reliable Lightroom extensions for privacy. Photographers who work offline will find this tool very useful. It handles large catalogs without slowing down your computer. You can choose a free plan or pay for more advanced features.

Key Features:

• Local Syncing: You can use this feature to sync all your photos across all devices without cloud storage.
• Face Recognition: The program tags and recognizes people so that you can locate them later.
• Smart Tags: AI-driven tags categorize your content based on what is actually in the photo.
• Map and Calendar Views: You can browse your photo history by looking at specific dates or locations on a map.
• Non-destructive editing: The tool lets you edit RAW files without changing the original image data.

Part 5: A Stronger Alternative to the Excire Plugin: Advanced Photoshop Plugins

Sometimes, finding photos is not enough. You may also need to improve image quality. That is where HitPaw FotorPea Plugin becomes a strong alternative. This plugin is designed for users who want quick, professional-level enhancement without complex editing steps.

Unlike the Excire plugin, which focuses on search and organization, HitPaw FotorPea Plugin focuses on image enhancement and restoration. It uses AI-powered technology to fix common photo quality issues with minimal effort.

You can use the plugin to upscale low-resolution images to higher quality outputs, such as 4K or 8K. It also helps restore old or damaged photos by reducing blur, improving facial details, and enhancing faded colors. The workflow stays simple, making it suitable for beginners as well as experienced editors. This plugin is a practical choice for users who want better clarity and visual quality directly inside their editing workflow. It saves time by delivering fast results without the need for manual adjustments.

Here are the main Features of HitPaw FotorPea Plugin:

• AI Image Enhancer: Improves image clarity and sharpness by enhancing resolution and reducing quality loss in low-resolution photos.
• Face Restoration: Enhances facial details in portraits by improving sharpness and overall appearance.
• Deblur: Reduces motion blur and softness to make images look clearer and more defined.
• Photo Restoration: Repairs old or damaged photos by fixing scratches and improving overall quality.
• Colorization: Adds natural-looking color to black-and-white photos using AI-based processing.

Here is how you can use the HitPaw FotorPea Photoshop Plugin:

Step 1: Install the Plugin

Open the official marketplace and find FotorPea in the section of plugins. Download and install the tool.

Step 2: Launch the Interface

Find the photo you want to fix in Photoshop. Then, in the top menu. Click on HitPaw FotorPea to open the main window and import your file'.

Step 3: Select an AI Model

Choose the most suitable model regarding your picture. You may have such options as Face Restoration for portraits or AI Upscale for low-resolution shots. Press the generate button to begin the process.

Step 4: Preview and Export

Check the results from the preview window. If the picture is clear and sharp, you can save the file. You can also keep editing the photo using other Photoshop tools.

FAQs

Conclusion

The Excire plugin for Lightroom is a powerful choice for organizing a massive photo library in 2026. It saves time by using AI to tag your images and find specific people automatically.

For users who also want to improve image quality, HitPaw FotorPea Plugin is a powerful alternative. It focuses on AI-based enhancement, restoration, and clarity improvement. Download the HitPaw FotorPea Plugin to enhance your photos with a faster and simpler workflow.