nomacs - Image LoungeLinux vs Ashampoo Photo CommanderWindows

nomacs - Image Lounge as a Linux alternative to Ashampoo Photo Commander

Updated October 22, 2026

Our verdict

nomacs is a decent replacement for Ashampoo Photo Commander if you prioritize fast viewing, folder navigation, and basic metadata work over advanced editing and cataloging. It handles common image formats well and supports batch renaming and basic browsing tasks, but lacks raw processing and a true database-driven photo catalog. It suits casual users who want a lightweight, open-source viewer with thumbnail and metadata support, but semi-professionals needing batch edits, raw development, or advanced organization will find it limited.

Feature parity60%

License: GPL-3.0
Price: Free
Latest version: 3.23 (November 11, 2011)
Rating: —

Install nomacs - Image Lounge Website ↗

nomacs - Image Lounge screenshot — Image thumbnails in nomacs viewer

What works the same

Both support folder-based browsing with thumbnail previews
Offer basic image viewing with rotate, zoom, and crop tools
Display metadata and support image rating via labels or notes
Allow batch renaming of image files
Provide filter-by-filename or regex to narrow displayed images

What is different

nomacs lacks built-in raw image development (no Darktable or Rawtherapee integration)
No dedicated photo catalog database—relies on file system instead of indexed library
Missing batch processing for exposure, color, or resize operations
No export-to-web or slideshow creation features found in Ashampoo
Ashampoo includes more editing tools like red-eye removal and filters

Opening your Ashampoo Photo Commander files

nomacs opens common formats like JPEG, PNG, and TIFF that Ashampoo Photo Commander uses, and can extract images from ZIP and Office archives. It does not support Ashampoo's proprietary project files or sidecar files if used. Exporting is limited to saving copies in standard formats—there's no direct export pipeline like Ashampoo's. Raw format support depends on system codecs and may require additional packages.

Switching from Ashampoo Photo Commander to nomacs - Image Lounge, step by step

Install nomacs via your package manager or Flathub: 'sudo apt install nomacs' or 'flatpak install flathub org.nomacs.ImageLounge'
Copy your photo folders to the Linux system if coming from Windows
Use the file explorer panel in nomacs to navigate to your photo directories
Apply filename filters or regex to isolate specific image sets
Use batch rename tools outside nomacs (like pyRenamer or mmv) if advanced batch processing is needed

Key features of nomacs - Image Lounge

Semi‑transparent widgets for thumbnails, metadata, histogram
Browse images inside ZIP or Office archives
Add notes to images
File explorer panel for folder navigation
Filter images by filename or regex
Cache for instant image switching
Thumbnail preview of current folder
Open‑source GPL‑3.0 license

How to install nomacs - Image Lounge on Linux

Flatpak (Flathub)flatpak install flathub org.nomacs.ImageLounge

Ubuntu / Mintsudo apt install nomacs

Debiansudo apt install nomacs

Fedorasudo dnf install nomacs

openSUSEsudo zypper install nomacs

Frequently asked questions

Can nomacs edit RAW photos like Ashampoo Photo Commander?

No, nomacs can display RAW files if your system has the right codecs, but it doesn't provide RAW development tools like exposure or white balance adjustment. Use RawTherapee or Darktable alongside nomacs for that.

Does nomacs support image ratings and tags like Ashampoo?

It supports adding notes and labels via overlays, but not XMP/IPTC ratings or star tagging. Metadata display is read-only; nomacs won't write ratings back to files.

Can I browse and extract images from ZIP files in nomacs?

Yes, nomacs can browse images inside ZIP and MS Office files and extract them to a folder, which is useful for archived photo collections.