HDR Merge Master

Windows · Mac · Linux

Visit site Alternatives

Freedom report

Two barsScore 5.6

Free tierNo free tier on record
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely3 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

HDR Merge Master is ranked #7 of 20 in HDR software on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.

Compared on HDR software

HDR merge mode: bracketed
Batch processing: Yes
RAW file support: Yes
HDR output formats: 32-bit OpenEXR, Radiance HDR
Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux

Best HDR Merge Master alternatives

See all 19

Two bars ColorForge Free tier No. 1Free6.7 Two bars HDRMerge Free tier No. 2Free6.5 Two bars Luminance HDR Free tier No. 3Free6.5 Two bars PhotomatixCL Free tier No. 4$19/mo6.5 One bar SNS-HDR Free tier No. 5€30/mo6.5 One bar easyHDR Paid plans No. 6—5.6

The record

What it does: HDR Merge Master uses Blender’s compositor to merge exposure brackets in bulk into 32-bit EXR files.
HDR output: The output format can be 32-bit OpenEXR or Radiance HDR.
Alignment: The app offers no alignment, Hugin pre-alignment, or MTB alignment, depending on the Blender version and selected mode.
Preview files: The tool creates tonemapped JPG previews alongside the merged HDR files.
RAW processing: Processing camera RAW files requires RawTherapee; existing adjacent PP3 profiles are used automatically.
Integrations: The project documents optional use of Blender, RawTherapee, Hugin, Luminance HDR, and PTGui workflows.
PTGui workflow: An included script can replace JPG paths with EXR paths in a PTGui PTS project.
Automation: A headless command-line mode supports batch JSON input, folder processing, alignment options, thread settings, and cleanup.
Blender versions: Blender 4.5 LTS or 5.1 LTS are actively tested; older versions use a legacy script with reduced features.
Notable limit: The tool does not perform ghost removal, and the README recommends using a steady tripod.
Who it is for: The README describes the intended workflow as creating HDRIs for stitching, then swapping JPG previews for EXR files before final export.
License: The repository identifies its license as GPL-3.0.
Release downloads: The project distributes downloadable builds through GitHub Releases.
Maker: The repository owner is Greg Zaal, whose GitHub profile lists South Africa.

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best HDR Software in 2026#7 of 20

Is HDR Merge Master yours?

Claim it for free: prove the domain, then correct facts, plans and screenshots. An editor reviews every change.

Claim it free Promote HDR Merge Master

Sources

github.com/gregzaal/HDR-Merge-Master· checked 3 Oct 2026
github.com/gregzaal/HDR-Merge-Master/releases· checked 3 Oct 2026
github.com/gregzaal· checked 3 Oct 2026