PlaneFuse

PlaneFuse is focus-stacking software for macro, product, and landscape photography, free for personal and commercial use. It combines frames with PMax, DMap, weighted average, or Slab methods. Alignment options include translation, similarity, and perspective; the software can reject poorly aligned frames and thin redundant brackets. For RAW stacks, it fuses frames from the same camera and sensor mode in scene-linear RGB and exports a re-editable Linear DNG. This process requires irreversible demosaicing. A local browser workspace offers deep zoom, source and result comparisons, a live histogram, and a reorderable job queue. Non-destructive retouching can use source frames or results. Exports include TIFF, PNG, JPEG, Linear DNG, and depth maps. PlaneFuse supports NVIDIA CUDA and Apple MPS acceleration, with CPU fallback and tiled processing when GPU memory runs out. Command-line and local HTTP and WebSocket interfaces enable scripting and batch stacking. Processing stays on the computer, and photos are not uploaded. Initial setup requires Node.js and uv; there is no mobile app, cloud processing, or camera capture control.

PlaneFuse offers several stacking, alignment, retouching, and export options while keeping processing local. Consider the RAW workflow restrictions and setup requirements before using it.

PlaneFuse may suit photographers working with macro, product, or landscape images who want to stack focus-bracketed frames locally. Its command-line and API options may also suit users who want to script batch stacking.

Overview

PlaneFuse is a free focus-stacking app for photographers combining macro, product, or landscape frames captured at different focus distances. It suits people who want local image processing and scripting options; its main trade-offs are a constrained RAW workflow and a setup that requires Node.js and uv.

Four stacking methods, alignment controls, frame selection, and non-destructive retouching give photographers room to shape a stack rather than simply accept an automatic blend. Processing stays on the user's computer, which is useful for keeping photographs local, but the absence of authentication makes the app a poor fit for any setup that needs shared or remotely protected access.

Key features

Stacking and alignment

PMax, DMap, weighted average, and Slab provide distinct ways to combine a focus bracket. Translation, similarity, and perspective alignment cover different correction needs, while rejection of poorly aligned frames and thinning of redundant brackets help keep a sequence usable. This range makes PlaneFuse a flexible choice for photographers who want control over stack preparation; it does not replace capture tools, since it offers no camera tethering or capture control.

RAW workflow and output

PlaneFuse fuses RAW frames from the same camera in scene-linear RGB and can export a re-editable Linear DNG. That is a useful route for photographers who want to continue editing in Capture One or another RAW developer, but all frames in a RAW stack must use the same camera and sensor mode. Demosaicing is irreversible, so this is not a fully reversible RAW workflow.

Exports include TIFF, PNG, JPEG, and Linear DNG for RAW stacks, as well as a depth map. Built-in non-destructive retouching can work from source frames or the result, giving users a way to correct a stack without making the retouch itself destructive.

Workspace, performance, and automation

The local browser workspace combines deep zoom, source-to-result comparisons, a live histogram, and a reorderable job queue. Those tools make it easier to inspect results and organize multiple jobs without sending photos to a cloud service. NVIDIA CUDA and Apple MPS can accelerate processing, with CPU fallback and tiled processing when GPU memory runs out; users without a supported GPU still have a fallback, though without that acceleration.

A command-line interface and local HTTP and WebSocket API make PlaneFuse practical for scripted or batch stacking. Its first setup requires Node.js and uv, a meaningful hurdle for photographers who prefer a self-contained installer. Searchable in-app help covers shooting technique, settings, and troubleshooting.

Pricing

PlaneFuse's Free plan costs nothing and permits personal and commercial use. It has no tiers and is MIT licensed. There is no free trial because the software is free; the plan does not impose a seat count or processing quota. This is a strong fit for individual photographers and commercial users alike, provided the local setup and workflow limits suit them.

Platforms

PlaneFuse supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted use, web, and Windows. It has no mobile app, and its local processing model means it is not a cloud-processing option.

Who it's for

PlaneFuse is best suited to macro, product, and landscape photographers who need focus stacking, local processing, and optional automation. Its frame-selection and retouching tools also suit users who want to review and adjust a stack. Look elsewhere if you need panorama stitching, tethered capture, cloud processing, accounts, mobile access, or to combine RAW frames across cameras or sensor modes.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Four stacking methods and three alignment modes offer meaningful control over how a bracket is combined and corrected.
• Pro: Local processing, no photo uploads, and a local-only binding address support a private desktop workflow.
• Pro: Non-destructive retouching, multiple export formats, and CLI/API automation serve both careful editing and batch work.
• Con: RAW stacks require the same camera and sensor mode, and demosaicing cannot be reversed.
• Con: Initial setup requires Node.js and uv, which adds technical work before editing can begin.
• Con: No camera control, panorama stitching, cloud processing, or mobile app limits its role to stacking and related image work.

Alternatives

Focus Stacking Software is the broader category directory for comparing options.

ForgePix is another free, MIT-licensed option for Linux, macOS, and Windows; consider it if you want a different free desktop focus-stacking app.

Shine Stacker is a free, open-source option under LGPL-3.0 for API, Linux, macOS, and Windows; choose it if its license or platform coverage better fits your workflow.

Aduku Stacker is a free option for macOS and Windows; consider it if you want that alternative instead.

ImageFocus Alpha is free and spans Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows, with a design for compatible Euromex camera models. Pick it if that camera compatibility or mobile platform support is central to your choice.

PICOLAY is a free Windows option for non-commercial use, offered as-is without warranty. It is a better fit only if those terms suit your needs.

Helicon Focus is a paid macOS and Windows alternative with a free trial and single-user annual plans for up to four computers. Consider it if you prefer a trial-based paid option.

Zerene Stacker is a paid Linux, macOS, and Windows alternative with a free trial; its Student Edition costs $39, paid once for eligible students. It may suit students seeking a one-time-cost option, subject to its license terms.

Macro Studio is a paid Linux, macOS, and Windows alternative with a free trial. Its Macro Studio 2026 plan costs $59, paid once as a launch price, for all features and up to three machines per license; consider it if those terms fit better.

Verdict

Choose PlaneFuse if you want a capable, free stacker with several blending and alignment choices, local processing, and automation for photography work. Its strongest case is the combination of control and privacy without a license cost. Look elsewhere if your workflow depends on flexible cross-camera RAW stacks, mobile or cloud access, or capture control—or if installing Node.js and uv is more setup than you want.