Best Photo Editing Apps
Photo editing apps have come a long way — many now offer almost desktop-level control, support RAW photos, AI tools, and much more. Here are some of the top apps and what makes them good.
What Makes a Photo Editing App “Great”
Before diving into specific apps, here are criteria that separate good from great:
- Ease of use: Interface that beginners can use, but which also offers depth for more advanced users.
- Feature set: Basic tools (crop, rotate, exposure, contrast), advanced tools (curves, selective / masked edits, RAW support).
- Filters / presets: For one-tap or quick styles.
- AI / intelligent tools: Object removal, background blur, auto enhancements.
- Cross-device sync or cloud backup (if you edit on phone + tablet / desktop).
- Cost: Free apps vs apps with subscription / in-app purchases.
- Support & updates: Regular updates and community help.
Top Photo Editing Apps
Here are some of the best apps available now, with strengths and trade-offs:
| App | Best For | Key Features | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snapseed | Users who want powerful editing for free | RAW editing, selective brushes, lots of filters, non-destructive edits. (Digital Trends) | Completely free, no ads, lots of control. Great for serious editing on mobile. | Can feel complex for absolute beginners. Some tools require practice. |
| PicsArt | Creative editing, collages, social sharing | Filters, collage tools, stickers, text overlays, drawing. (Tom’s Guide) | Good variety of creative effects; fun for casual edits. Many free features. | Some premium features locked behind paywalls; UI can be cluttered. |
| Adobe Lightroom | Professionals or serious hobbyists who need precise control | Advanced lighting/color tools, presets, RAW support, syncing with other Adobe tools. (Perfect Corp.) | Very powerful, precise; excellent color control. Good ecosystem. | Subscription cost for full features; may be overkill for simple edits. |
| VSCO | One-tap filters & aesthetic edits; style & mood | Beautiful presets, film-like filters, community features. (Perfect Corp.) | Great for quick aesthetic edits; very stylish output. | Many filters / advanced options need premium; less control than Lightroom or Snapseed in some areas. |
| Adobe Photoshop Express | Users who want some Photoshop features on mobile | Healing tools, dehaze, overlays, effects. Basic photos adjustments. (Gadgets 360) | Trusted brand; many useful features in mobile version; relatively intuitive. | Some features are locked behind subscription; not as powerful as full Photoshop or desktop editors. |
| YouCam Perfect | Selfie editing, beauty retouch, fun enhancements | AI-removal of objects, skin retouch, templates, collage tools. (Perfect Corp.) | Good for beauty / fun edits; useful quick fixes; many people like it for social media edits. | Over-processing risk; not ideal for very natural or subtle editing. |
| Prisma | Artistic / creative transformations | Converts photos into artistic styles (paintings / sketches) using neural network / AI. (Oberlo) | Unique, fun; great for turning photos into artworks. | Styles can be repetitive; less control over fine photo details; heavy stylization may not suit all. |
Which App for What Type of User
Depending on what you want:
- For casual / social media use: Apps like PicsArt, YouCam Perfect, VSCO — where you want quick edits, filters, fun effects.
- For more professional or serious editing: Lightroom, Snapseed, Photoshop Express — better control over lighting, color, RAW, shareable across devices.
- For creative artwork / transformation: Prisma and others that apply artistic styles.
- For simplicity & zero cost: Snapseed stands out as a powerful free app, no ads, broad functionality.
Recent Innovations & Trends
- AI tools becoming more common: e.g. object removal, background adjustments, auto enhancements.
- Non-destructive editing: ability to revert edits or adjust earlier steps.
- Filters / presets that mimic film photography or cinematic styles.
- Cloud syncing so that edits begun on one device can continue on another.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the “best” photo editing app really depends on what you want
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- If you’re editing for fun and social media, maybe a simpler app with lots of filters is enough.
- If you want professional quality, need RAW, consistent color, detail, then go with something like Lightroom + Snapseed.
- Try a few — many apps have free tiers — to see which one’s workflow you like.
If you want, I can suggest apps that are especially good in
