Best option for an Aperture replacement?

I am averse to paying a monthly fee for use of Lightroom

I confess I don't quite get that. For $10 per month or thereabouts you can get both LR Classic and Photoshop (a combined value in excess of $700), always up-to-date. Nothing is locked in. You can still access you images (but not edit them further) even after the subscription lapsing. It's remarkable value.

I have no doubt that CaptureOne, DxO PhotoLab and OnOnePhoto Raw are as good at processing images as LR is, and in the case of CaptureOne and Photolab, probably better, but none are as good at managing the images. Mylio is close on the management side but no match on the processing side. However it is designed to be used with other processors very easily, so, for instance, I use a combination of Mylio for management and Photolab for processing, and it's quite seamless.

All of these apps have free trial periods. Make a quick collection of say 500 images, download the apps in turn and experiment. See what results you get, and what is to your liking and budget.

By this I mean that Aperture, unlike the Adobe solutions, is a one-stop operation; i export directly from my SD card into Aperture (not Finder), Aperture is both the Library and editing location (no constant screen changes), and best of all, Aperture enables continuous edit and auto save (versus clicking several times to save each photo in an escapable folder in Finder.)

You might want to look again at the Adobe apps. There are differences of course, but that's a pretty good description of Lightroom you have there. And CaptureOne. And OnOnePhoto Raw and, even, Mylio.

As far as 'better editing features': well given that Aperture has been moribund for several years now, pretty much any of them, but ccertainly Lightroom, CaptureOne and OnOne, and I'd add DxO Photo Lab there too.

How to replace Aperture will depend on your own priorities.

• With Lightroom you will get an excellent RAW processing and a professional DAM. I just do not like the look and feel of it.
• I am needing intuitive tools to touch up the photos and am now using a combination of Luminar 2018 and Aurora HDR for editing. I like these apps much better than Affinity, because I can customize my workspace and have not to deal with Personae, the different states of the interface.
• To manage the photo library I am using Photo for Mac, with PowerPhotos as a secondary Browser for Photos. Otherwise it would be very cumbersome to view the metadata.

You mean that Lightroom is also a kind of one-stop operation?

Yes. It will copy the files from the camera to whereever you want them. You can organise, edit and so on (at least as well as you could with Aperture) all in LR. It is non-destructive, like Aperture. Like Aperture you can set another app as an external editor too, for more compex stuff. However, I used it for 2.5 years and never once needed Photoshop. I abandoned it because I found it too slow on my machines. YMMV

If you are searching for a good photo editing app, check out Affinity Photo. I have been using it in conjunction with Aperture, until Affinity releases their Photo Database app.

...Affinity as an option, including their pending Photo Database app

Wouldn't hold my breath on the Affinity DB, that's been mention first 2 years ago and not a whisper since. Luminar promise such a beast this calendar year.

I am still in research mode to find a replacement for Aperture.

The one thing I am sure of it will not be anything from Adobe. I have worked with it in the past prior to using Aperture and found that it just didn't match up with my idea of tool for processing and store photos.

The one that appears promising so far is Capture One.

Our university keeps purchasing licenses for adobe software (Acrobat, Photoshop) as well as Microsoft Office software for all university computers, so I am forced to install these on my work computers, but I rarely use them. Our students insist on free, open source software for all lectures and projects that are relevant for the examinations and grades. I like the free image processing software (GIMP, digikam, VIGRA) very much and use it for the research projects.

I have and the verdict is good. But it really depends on what you're looking for and so best to download a trial and watch some of the videos that show how to use it.

It's not the same as Aperture. It's DAM is not as rich but it has a bell and whistle or two and a a processor it's got a lot of potential.

GIMP is as powerful as Photoshop, and it is free. But the underlying design is for experienced users of Unix systems, who like to program and extend its power.

i am frustrated also , i bought a Nikon d850 and have tried it with photos and just isn't nearly as nice and easy as Aperture. I sure wish they'd turn it on and advance it. if someone finds a comparable replacement please let us know

Hi Spectral45,

Which category do I fit in since I refused to use anything from Adobe either with or without subscription?

During my years of employment I was forced to use their software and found it to be a complete waste of time.