Last Updated on November 15, 2021 by Adam Enfroy
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Thanks to smartphones and Instagram filters, everyone is a photographer these days. But only real photographers know the value of editing raw images to bring out the very best in them.
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The gold standard for photo editing. Trusted by pros. Render the highest-quality images and make better photos with precision tools and smart shortcuts. The best photo-editing software can turn even the most dull of images into something seriously impressive. The tools within these programs allow you to do everything from making subtle tweaks to colour or saturation to the application of filters, removal of blemishes or even wholesale transformations.
A raw image is like an unprocessed film seen by your DSLR sensor. Image editing requires correcting several things, including exposure, noise reduction, focus, and highlighting essential objects to make a stunning image.
And there’s tons of advice out there. Most talk about Adobe Photoshop, which seems to be the most commonly used tool.
As great as Adobe is, it’s not the only credible photo editing software out there. In fact, there are plenty of photo editing software available on the market to explore and choose from.
In this guide, we’ll cover the 19 best photo editing software capable of meeting the needs of all types of photographers.
This includes all tools ranked and compared to include:
- The best free photo editors.
- The best tools for Mac.
- The top photo editing picks for PC and Windows.
- The easiest photo software for beginners.
- The best portrait editing software.
Let’s get started.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. However, these are the tools I fully recommend when it comes to photo editing. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.
What is the Best Photo Editing Software?
Here are my picks for the best photo editing software to try this year:
1. Adobe Photoshop.
Best Overall Photo Editor for Mac and PC.
Adobe Photoshop deserves a special mention in any article about the best editing software. After all, the name “Adobe Photoshop” is pretty synonymous with photo editing by now.
It is one of the most popular photo editing software tools on the market. Photoshop is the primary tool for its legions of fans across the world, including designers, artists, and illustrators.
Unlike Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop is meticulously designed for professionals who need all the advanced features in one package. You name an editing feature, and the chances are Photoshop will have it.
KEY FEATURES:
It is practically impossible to include all the features that Photoshop offers. Here are some key features that would help you to make a better decision:
- Its masking and selection tools are the best in the business
- Incredible cloning and retouching capabilities
- Photoshop is incredibly fast even with larger size images
- It comes with depth map support for HEIF files and 360 editing tools
- Photoshop supports all of the main file formats like JPG, PNG, GIF, as well as raw files
- It uses adjustment layers for non-destructive editing to enhance the appearance of your image
PRICING PLANS:
Initially, you get a 1-week free trial. Adobe Photoshop comes bundled with Creative Cloud storage of 100 GB. Its annual plan costs around $20 per month.
The Creative Cloud Photography plan includes Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom for photo management.
Sign up for Adobe Creative Cloud and get started with Adobe Photoshop.
2. Corel PaintShop Pro.
Best Easy Photo Tool for Beginners.
Corel PaintShop Pro is a capable and one of the most inexpensive photo editing software tools out there. Some photographers call it an Adobe Photoshop alternative, but it lacks Photoshop’s most advanced flagship features, including Camera Shake Reduction, 3D modeling, Faces Liquefy, detailed typography, among others.
However, if you want a software for basic yet effective image editing, then Corel PaintShop Pro is not a bad option. Just don’t expect it to be as shrewd as its other more advanced counterparts.
KEY FEATURES:
Some of its unique features which make it worth trying are as follows:
- Perfect for beginners
- 360-degree image editing capability
- User experience is crisp and smooth
- Designers can start working from pre-existing graphic design templates
- Extensive library of gradients, picture tubes, colors, pallets, among others
PRICING PLANS:
Its offers two paid versions – PaintShop Pro 2018 version is $63.99 and The PaintShop Pro 2018 Ultimate costs $79.99, for a one-time purchase. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
CONS:
- PaintShop Pro is only available on Windows. No Mac version is coming in the near future
Get started with Corel PaintShop Pro 2020.
3. Skylum Luminar.
Best HDR and Filters for Photographers.
Skylum Luminar is an excellent alternative to Adobe Lightroom. As a result, it has been gaining massive popularity among photographers.
It comes with powerful image editing capabilities with more affordable pricing. Its latest version, Luminar 4, is faster and provides a perfect blend of both Lightroom and Photoshop. With one single software, you get the best of both worlds.
KEY FEATURES:
Some of its notable key features include:
- Adjustment layers and masks
- Offers 24/7 Technical and Sales Support
- Fast editing controls with a lesser lag time
- Clever shortcuts for automatic management of photographs
- Folders are always updated with the content available on the hard disk
- Viewing options include filmstrip view, gallery view, and single image view
- AI-powered sky enhancer, and accidental AI and sun rays
PRICING PLANS:
Unlike recurring payment for Adobe editing tools, Luminar comes with a more affordable one-time payment plan of $70. You also get a 60-day money-back guarantee.
CONS:
- Healing and cloning tool is not always reliable
- Handling of workflow and organization could use improvement
Get started with today and order the brand new Skylum Luminar 4.
4. Adobe Lightroom.
Best Online Photo Editing Tool.
Adobe needs no introduction in the world of photo editing. In fact, it continues to be a pioneer in releasing cutting-edge photo editing software updates over the years.
Adobe Lightroom is another powerful editing software by Adobe. Ideally, it is perfect for photographers who want a more straightforward yet capable tool to edit their images.
Unlike Photoshop’s complicated and intimidating user interface, both Lightroom Classic and CC offer a more intuitive and user-friendly interface for image editing.
KEY FEATURES:
Some of its incredible features include:
- Sliders are customizable
- Blurring and fixing tools
- It syncs with multiples devices
- Cam and lens-based corrections
- Gradient and brush adjustment tools
- Professional filters along with numerous presets
- Its face detection capability helps in organizing the photographs more efficiently
PRICING PLANS:
The cloud-based photo editing tool offers seamless editing capabilities across mobile, web, and desktop through a single subscription plan. The annual subscription of its Basic plan starts at around $119.88 and ranges up to $239.88 for up to 1 TB of Cloud storage.
CONS:
- Limited editing options
- Absence of layers or blend modes
- Fewer graphics designing elements
Get started with Adobe Lightroom.
5. Skylum Aurora HDR.
“The word’s most advanced HDR photo editor for Mac and Windows.”
Skylum Aurora HDR facilitates the efficient merging of imagery to create final shots that look both natural and stunning at the same time. It operates as a standalone app and can be plugged-in right into other tools like Adobe Photoshop.
You can also integrate it as an Apple Photo extension. Aside from the traditional methods to create HDR images, Aurora enables photographers to create HDR images from a single file through its AI-based neural network.
KEY FEATURES:
Aurora HDR is a boon for HDR photography as it offers several leading-edge features to create cutting edge images. Here are some of its key features:
- It comes loaded with 20+ tools that help you create stunning HDR images
- It smartly cleans noise and enhances depth & details
- Its HDR clarity feature optimizes clarity and enhances localized contrast for better results
- You can leverage its 80 unique presets to create RAW images into creative masterpieces in a few seconds
- You can also use manual mode to take all the control in your hands.
PRICING PLANS:
It costs around $99 and comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Get started with Skylum Aurora HDR.
6. Canva.
Best Tool for Business Templates and Designs.
Canva is one of the most popular tools to help you design stunning photo templates. Its simplistic user interface has enabled millions to edit graphics without any substantial technical knowledge.
Its user-friendly drag and drop editor can be used to add several layers to your photos. Plus, it allows you to easily add fonts and other graphics to your photos for publishing on social media or your website.
KEY FEATURES:
Canva is a go-to tool for professionals who want to create photo designs for websites, social media, flyers, brochures, and marketing collateral.
Here are some of its key features:
- You can download its mobile app to edit photos and create designs on the go
- It offers more than 8,000 templates, photos, icons, and cards for easy creation of visual content
- Straightening and image cropping
- Offers speech bubble maker
- It is online and can be used on any decent computer
- Get access to its massive library of images and designs
- Stores your photos and designs in the cloud
PRICING PLANS:
Canva operates on a freemium model. The Pro version comes at a subscription price of $12.95 per month. Canva also offers a quote-based version for teams with more than 20 members.
Get started with Canva today.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. However, these are the tools I fully recommend when it comes to photo editing. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.
7. Stencil.
Best for beginners with no graphic design skills ($9 per month).
Stencil is a web-based graphic design and photo editing tool that helps you create and edit images for your social media and website. It comes with a user-friendly interface and is suitable for social media marketing professionals, bloggers, and small business owners.
It helps you easily design social media images, including ad banners, headers, profile pictures, posts, and more.
Some of its key features include:
- Instant image resizing.
- Ability to store and upload multiple logos.
- Easy to use addons for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
- Identify safe areas to put content in your image.
- Share images on different social platforms directly from your dashboard.
- Keep all your ‘favorite’ icons, logos, and images separately for quick access.
Stencil comes with a bank of over 5 million royalty-free images in high resolution that you edit within your Stencil dashboard. Besides, you get over 1400 templates to create different designs like quotes, banners, etc.
With over 3,300 Google fonts and the ability to upload your custom fonts, you won’t lack options to design and customize your images.
Other elements include over 3 million unique icons for commercial and personal use, and 140+ custom size presets to design images for different requirements. However, it also allows you to design images with a custom size. After you’re through with the final measurements, you preview the designed image to get a precise idea of how the final cut would look like.
Additionally, Stencil offers multiple filters to beautify images and download them in high resolution. You can also share your designs as a Bit.ly link with anyone across various platforms.
Integration with social platforms helps you share images directly to social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Buffer, and more. On top of that, it enables you to schedule your posts with Buffer.
Pricing:
Stencil comes with three subscription plans:
- Free: $0 per month (always free)
- Pro: $9 per month (when paid annually)
- Unlimited: $12 per month (when paid annually)
The Free plan lets you save up to 10 images/month; the Pro plan allows you to save 50 images per month, while you can save unlimited images with the Unlimited plan. Plus, all paid plans come with a 100% 7-days money-back guarantee.
Make sure to use my promo code ENFROY10 to get a 10% discount on any plan.
8. PicMonkey.
Best for Online Ads and Social Posts.
PicMonkey is recommended for starters who want to brush up their design and photo editing skills. It offers a complete range of photo editing tools including touch up, crop, collages, and many more.
You can leverage its free trial version to test its photo editing capabilities before going for the paid version. One of the best parts about PicMoney is its user interface, which is straightforward and easy to use. It is also a perfect alternative to professionals who are overwhelmed by complex features of other heavyweight photo editing software.
KEY FEATURES:
- A good selection of templates
- Advanced touch-up tools for stunning images
- Addition of features and tools through constant updates
- You can edit images easily through its feature-rich smartphone app for iPhone and Android
- Sophisticated graphic design tools to create images for online publishing
- You don’t have to be an editing wizard to use this photo editing software
PRICING:
PicMonkey offers a 7-day free trial, which allows you to test out the product before upgrading to a paid version. The Basic plan is $7.99 per month; the Pro plan is $12.99, and the Team plan is $33.99.
Get started with your free trial of PicMonkey.
9. Capture One.
Most Powerful Tool for Advanced Users.
Created by a camera company called Phase One, Capture One is a great addition to this list. At first glance, this RAW image editor looks like any other image editing software, but it actually offers a lot of unique features. If you are a photographer who is mostly interested in enhancing RAW images, then this is a better option than Adobe Lightroom.
KEY FEATURES:
Capture One offers a lot of robust features to make image editing a total breeze.
Here are some of its key features:
- Its masking capabilities eliminate the requirement of using Photoshop
- Performance is faster and slick even with massive images
- Advanced Color Editing feature offers greater flexibility to adjust colors and white balance
- You can customize the interface as per your preference
- Allows you to make several adjustments on each layer without getting sluggish
PRICING PLANS:
Its monthly subscription plans start from $20 per month. You can also purchase it outright by paying $299, which includes 500+ camera support. Other premium plans can go as high as $417.
CONS:
- You can’t export an image without a watermark. You will have to process it to remove the watermark.
- Dehaze tool is absent
- No cloud storage option
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. However, these are the tools I fully recommend when it comes to photo editing. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.
10. DesignWizard.
Best Library of Image Templates.
DesignWizard is a tool that has thousands of pre-made image design templates suitable for everything from social media posts and YouTube Channel Art to birthday cards and gift certificates.
FEATURES:
- A library of over one million images, thousands of high-quality videos, graphics, and illustrations
- Every image and video is licensed for commercial use
- You can share content instantly on social media
- Marketing templates, including Facebook Ads templates, LinkedIn Ads, sale posters, loyalty cards, and more
- A simple photo editor where you can resize images, add text, logos, and more
PRICING PLANS:
DesignWizard’s pricing includes a free plan and two paid plans at $9.99 and $49.99/month.
Their free Basic Plan allows you to view their entire library, but you have to pay $1 for each image design download. You can also add text and resize images and download your designs in JPEG, PNG, and PDF.
Their $9.99/month Pro Plan gives you up to 60 image downloads per month, plus the ability to upload your own custom images and custom fonts.
Finally, their most popular Business Plan at $49.99/month gives you access to unlimited image downloads and opens up all of their video features. You can download unlimited standard videos, upload your own videos to edit, and add text, images, and logos to your video assets.
Ultimately, your choice depends on how many images you need each month and whether or not you want to get involved in video marketing.
Overall, DesignWizard is a great tool if you’re looking for thousands of templated designs to use for personal or business use.
11. ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate.
Best Photo Editor for Creative Features.
ACDSee Photo Studio has been in the photo editing software market for a long time. This multipurpose photo editing tool offers impressive features, which make it a reliable alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Moreover, it comes in handy to beginners as well, thanks to its user-friendly interface.
The newly released version, ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate, offers the latest capabilities and advanced tools for better photo editing experience.
KEY FEATURES:
Let us take a look at some of the key features which make this photo editing program worth considering:
- Facial recognition capability that helps in better management of photographs
- You can use the Black and White tool in “develop and edit” modes
- Leverage powerful LUTs presets for different color looks
- No need to import the files. Edit source files directly
- Distorts objects in the image through Liquify tool without compromising its quality
PRICING PLANS:
You can purchase its lifetime license at $224.98. ACDSee is also offering one year of free updates and technical support along with the plan.
CONS:
- Skin Tune in develop mode faces lags
- This tool is not the perfect option for high-end professionals
- The user interface looks a bit dated and needs improvement for better performance
12. On1 Photo RAW.
Best Software That Includes Skills Courses.
Photo RAW is quite a popular option among photographers because it offers cutting edge photo editing capabilities for free. The software comes with a free trial version for 30 days, which can be upgraded later on.
Photo RAW is an efficient tool for photographers who want to create stunning images without spending too much time on the editing table. It can be either used as a photograph organizer or as an editing tool.
KEY FEATURES:
Some of its key features are unique from other popular photo editing programs present in the market.
Here they are:
- Its dual-mode is boon for photographers as it allows them to browse or edit pictures from the same tool
- You can view each and every editing step in its Edit History feature
- It is integrated with Apple Photos to support full RAW data for stunning results
- You can execute live adjustments and previews
- Available for download on any device
PRICING PLANS:
On1 Photo RAW is priced at $79.99 for its new customers and $63.99 for the customers who have used any On1 product before. You can also try out its 30-day free trial version; no credit card details required.
CONS:
- Online sharing capability is absent in Windows
- No Face and the geotagging feature
- Some features react slowly
13. Pixlr Editor.
Best Easy Online Photo Editor.
This powerful online photo editor is more capable than several desktop photo editing apps. Pixlr is a full-fledged photo editing web-app that offers impressive customization capabilities with a simple user interface.
Though it is a browser-based application, you can make simple changes to its images from anywhere.
KEY FEATURES:
Pixlr comes with some amazing key features, including:
- You can use this web-based photo editing app from anywhere and any computer
- Its supports masks and layers
- Allows you to choose from over 2 million effects
- You can also download its desktop photo editing software or mobile app
- You can customize the user interface as per your preference
- Allows you to open pictures from desktop, URLs or simply import directly from social media platforms
PRICING PLANS:
Pixlr offers a free version. However, it is cluttered with ads, which is a major distraction for any photo editing professional. Pixlr is right now offering substantial discounts on its pro subscription plans. You can get a monthly subscription at $5 and quarterly at $12.
CONS:
- It requires flash
- A brand new photo editing software might replace it soon
- The help section of Pixlr isn’t efficient and doesn’t provide solutions to all the problems
14. Gimp.
Best Free and Open-Source Photo Editing Software.
Gimp stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. This free and open-source image editing software comes loaded with pro-level features that can help you create stunning images. It also allows the developers to change the source code and distribute the updated version. This means that they keep on releasing the improved version frequently.
This free photo editing software is excellent for designers, illustrators, and photographers who are just starting out.
KEY FEATURES:
Gimp is free, but it offers pro-level features to meet all essential photo editing requirements.
Here are some of its key features:
- Its high-quality photo manipulation capabilities help you retouch or restore the images efficiently
- You can create stunning original artwork
- Allows you to create pro-level graphic design elements
- Offers a greater level of customization through integration with several plugins
- You can integrate with several programming languages including Perl, Scheme, Python, and more
PRICING PLANS:
Entirely free of cost.
CONS:
- You might face bugs and errors due to community development
- It is a bit slower than other professional options
- Gimp is good for starters and professionals with limited requirements. However, it is not an ideal option for pro-level editing work
15. Alien Skin Exposure X4.
Best Professional RAW Photo Editor.
Alien Skin Exposure comes equipped with a fantastic range of tools for professional photo editing. It is also touted as a perfect combination of Photoshop and Lightroom CC.
From its support to layers and masks to several one-click presets, it has a lot to choose from.
KEY FEATURES:
It comes equipped with a host of key features to enable photographers to achieve desired results.
Here are some of the key features:
- Clean and user-friendly interface
- Loaded with several one-click presets and filters
- Facilitates faster transfer of images
- Offers an efficient printing option
- Offers Smart Collection features to organize library more efficiently
- Enhanced light effects for better exposure
PRICING PLANS:
You can buy Exposure X4 for about $119 or the entire Exposure X4 Bundle for about $149.
CONS:
- No Auto-correction tools
- No Face or geotagging feature
- Lens-profile correction feature is not up to the mark
- Chromatic Aberration correction feature is absent
16. Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Best Simple Image Editor for PC.
If you are a non-professional or beginner who wants to enter Adobe’s photo editing ecosystem, then Elements is an excellent option. Adobe Photoshop Elements is specially designed for beginners and comes with crisp and easy to use UI and powerful photo editing capabilities.
You can execute pro-level photoshop effects with Elements without having any professional skills. It also performs basic photo editing tasks at a great pace.
KEY FEATURES:
- Its “Auto Curate” feature leverages the power of AI to categorize best images in your gallery
- The “Open Closed Eyes” feature is capable of fixing a closed eye, a common problem in photography
- It is capable of more guided edits, including replacing the background, double exposure, shape overlay, watercolor, and more
- Create professional collages in a few steps
- Its “Guided Edits” feature helps in creating part-image sketches, memes, and multi-photo text
- Its AI-capabilities cover a lot of editing tasks on its own
PRICING PLANS:
You can buy Adobe Photoshop Elements for $99.99.
CONS:
- It takes a lot of memory space on the hard disk
- HEIF support is not available on Windows
- Social sharing outputs are limited
- Lens geometry profile or chromatic aberration removal is absent
17. Snappa.
Best for Creating Quick Online Graphics.
Snappa is a cloud-based photo editing tool. It perfectly meets the requirement of professionals who typically need images and designs for social media postings, marketing, and personal purposes.
The image editing tool offers collaboration with different professionals to help you complete a project at a faster pace. Moreover, Snappa’s user-friendly interface enables photographers to transform their images into stunning art. It also allows you to add unique effects and new dimension to your images.
KEY FEATURES:
Snappa’s key features provide professional photo editing capabilities.
- Edit pictures using its powerful drag and drop editor
- Start editing quickly on image dimension templates meant for social media, blog, and other online postings
- Leverage thousands of free stock photos to create stunning designs
- Share edited pictures directly on social media
- Crisp and fast editing
- Custom font uploads
PRICING PLANS:
Snappa works on a freemium model that allows 5 free image design downloads per month. You can buy its 1-user monthly subscription for $10. Subscription for teams is priced at $20, which allows 5 users to work from the account.
CONS:
- No autosave option
- No-undo feature makes editing somewhat frustrating
- The font search feature is not reliable as it only searches by its first letter
18. PortraitPro.
Best Portrait Editing Software.
PortraitPro is one of the best photo editing software tools on this list. It is created specifically for professionals who specialize in portrait photography. The software is powered with all the bells and whistles you would need to create stunning portraits.
This photo editing software allows you to correct skin tone, remove wrinkles, fix sagging cheek or blemishes, add eye shadow, among others. It also allows you to fix the poor lighting error.
KEY FEATURES:
- PortraitPro comes equipped with advanced features to ensure stunning portraits, such as:
- It allows manual adjustments to fix almost any facial feature
- It comes equipped with advanced layering option
- Advanced makeup tools can transform a face efficiently
- Skin smoothening and wrinkle remover features help in creating stunning portraits
- All the adjustments are made in real-time without any lag
PRICING PLANS:
PortraitPro is offering a 50 percent discount right now, which brings the cost down to $59. You also get a free trial initially.
CONS:
- No option to reset the image to its original form
- It takes some time to wrap your head around the UI
19. Fotor.
Best Collage Maker and Designer.
Fotor is a perfect option for photo editing enthusiasts and beginners who usually edit images for their personal use. This online photo editor and collage maker also comes in a full-fledged desktop application. Moreover, it supports RAW photo conversion, which is a valuable feature for free software.
The software also comes loaded with image enhancing tools, including numerous filters to create stunning images. Its user interface is quite simple to use and offers stunning one-click filters, which can enhance your images instantly.
KEY FEATURES:
Fotor can rival some of the best-paid photo editing software, thanks to its smartly packed features. Some of its key features include:
- Its stunning filters, including portrait, theatre, landscape, and sunset help you enhance the quality of pictures
- Enables you to add frames or borders and apply special effects to improve the quality of the image
- Leverage its smart photo collage tool to create intuitive collages in a very less amount of time
- It supports popular RAW formats and also offers a tilt-shift algorithm in an improved version
- Fotor’s free version will not bug you aggressively with ads
PRICING PLANS:
Fotor’s annual subscription costs $39.99. You will have to shell out $8.99 per month for a monthly subscription.
CONS:
- It is not as feature-packed as a professional photo editing software is expected to be
- Not the most capable app to design artwork from scratch
20. Inkscape.
Best for Linux and Vector Graphics.
Inkscape is mainly built for vector illustration and is free to download. It is a perfect software tool for budding designers and illustrators who don’t want to invest in expensive software at the start of their careers.
Moreover, it is an open-source photo editing software where coders are allowed to develop it further and upgrade its features.
KEY FEATURES:
Despite being an open-source photo editing software, Inkscape offers a lot of value for designers.
Some of its key features are:
- Converts bitmap images into vectors through a variety of different ways
- It is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Multiple text formats and color picker
- It offers a vast extension eco-system and large community which is working on its continuous development
- Its placement and path tools function like a professional software
- You can choose or remove tools as per your requirement
PRICING PLANS:
It is entirely free of cost.
CONS:
- Its interoperability is weak
- It requires a very steep learning curve to run the software efficiently, especially for Mac users
- The user interface is dated and hampers the performance
- Text formatting tools need improvement
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. However, these are the tools I fully recommend when it comes to photo editing. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.
Photo Editing Software FAQ.
What do professionals use to edit photos?Professional photographers typically use Adobe Photoshop to edit photos. The software is very intuitive and has all of the tools and features needed to edit high-quality photos for any business.
What is the best photo editing software for beginners?Photo editing is a pretty easy process and allows beginners to crop, rotate, resize, and save images. Software also allows users to do a lot of image customization, including adding layers, text, shapes, and filters to enhance their photos.
If you are a beginner, the best photo editing software to use is Adobe Photoshop. It is an easy-to-use tool and there are thousands of guides and tutorials online to help beginners edit photos.
Is there a free version of Photoshop?If you are a beginner, the best photo editing software to use is Adobe Photoshop. It is an easy-to-use tool and there are thousands of guides and tutorials online to help beginners edit photos.
Photoshop offers a 7 -day free trial but is not free. If you sign up for Adobe Creative Cloud, you get access to all Adobe tools and it costs $52.99/month. If you just want Photoshop, it will cost you $20.99/month. There are some free alternatives to Photoshop like Gimp and Pixlr, but they are not as powerful.
What’s the difference between Photoshop and Lightroom?Adobe Photoshop is a tool that lets you edit and make detailed adjustments to any image. On the other hand. Adobe Lightroom is the platform that allows you to organize, import, and export photos. Both tools can be used in unison and are a part of Adobe Creative Cloud (CC).
Is Gimp as good as Photoshop?Gimp is not as advanced as Photoshop, but does offer layers, filters, curves, and more great features. However, Photoshop is the industry standard.
Does Microsoft have a photo editor?Windows 10 has a Photos app that displays photos and also has basic editing capabilities. The tool can enhance, crop, and rotate images, and organizes your pictures based on the date taken. Additionally, the free Photos app allows you to share your photos via email and social media.
Does Mac have a photo editor?OS X has a new Photos app, which packs some good photo editing features. You can do simple tasks like rotating, cropping and sizing images. It also allows you to add fonts and custom shapes, and export your photos. One nice feature is that all images are “nondestructive”, meaning old versions of your images can always be reverted.
Wrap-Up: Which Photo Editing Software Did You Choose?
Free Photo Editing Software
All these photo editing software tools mentioned above are impressive in their own right.
However, to decide which photo editor is perfect for you depends on your preference, budget, photo editing skills, among other things.
For instance, GIMP could be the most suitable option for professionals who are looking for a powerful photo editing tool for free.
However, to get the best photo editing features, I recommend you go with one of my top picks:
So, which photo editing software did you choose? Let me know about your experience in the comment section below.
Also, since most of these photo editors offer free trial plans, there’s no harm trying out a few of them before making a final decision.
Further Reading on AdamEnfroy.com: To dive deeper, check out my reviews of the best video editing software and animation software to test out your video editing and design skills.
Last Updated on November 15, 2021 by Adam EnfroyLooking for the best photo editing software? You can edit your photos just using some free best free photo editing software 2020 for Windows and Mac. These picture editing program easy to use, so that you can download it and use for free. You don’t need any professional photo editor like Photoshop or other paid photo program. Just read our top 10 Image editing software list, then you will realize that free picture editors are enough for good photo editing.
Top 10 Best Free Photo Editing Software 2020 for Windows and Mac:
You will be Feeling trouble to select the best picture editing software. Because it’s hard to decide which one is best for you? But, here you will get a list of top 10 best professional photo editing software reviews. So, read the article carefully and find out which one is the best for you. Let’s start the review.
#1. Pixlr
Pixlr is the best free photo editor for Windows /Mac. It is quite popular as an online photo editor. You will be glad to know that you are getting offline editing for desktop.
It is easy to use. You will get free for desktop. It is known for its easier installation and simple user interface. By taking some elements from the online version, it lets you apply features and do other stuff within a few clicks.
You can apply a quick fix and fine-tune any picture. You can add various effects, overlays, and borders. You can also add an image using Double Exposure tools with 11 different blend modes. You will get enjoy various effects like crosshatch, halftone, and dapple just with a single click.
Photo Editing software, free download
Pixlr: Best Free Online Photo Editor Features:
- Get offline photo editing for desktop.
- Best for easy use.
- Easier installation and simple user interface.
- Get a quick fix and fine-tune any picture
- Get a personal touch with various effects
- Double Exposure tools with from blend modes.
- Enjoy various effects like crosshatch, halftone, and dapple etc.
Price is free
Available Platform: Windows & Mac, iOS, Android
#02. GIMP Picture Editor
GIMP is the best cross-platform image editor program. You will get available for GNU/Linux, OS X, Windows, and other operating systems. You can enjoy it without money. You can also change its source code and distribute your changes as you want. It provides the tools needed for high-quality image manipulation.
It gives artists the power and flexibility to transform images into truly unique creations. It is used for producing icons, graphical design elements, and art for user interface components more. You will get high-quality framework and also scripted image manipulation with multi-language support etc.
GIMP Professonal Photo Editing Software Features:
- Enjoy Open Source Image Editor
- Get High-Quality Photo Manipulation
- Enjoy Original Artwork Creation
- To add Graphic Design Elements
- By taking Programming Algorithms
- Get enjoy Desktop Publishing Workflow
Price is free
Availability: Windows PC, Mac, and Linux
#03. Paint.NET
Paint.NET is a popular free photo editing software for PCs. You can just enjoy the Windows operating system. You will get a new user interface. It will support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and more tools.
Paint can develop a design project mentored by Microsoft. It is an originally intended as a free replacement for the Microsoft Paint from with Windows operating system. It is a powerful simple image and photo editor tool.
Paint.NET Digital Picture Editing Program features:
- Get a new user interface
- Support for layers, unlimited undo special effects and more tools.
- Quite easy to use
- Development design project mentored by Microsoft.
Price is free
Availability: Windows
#04. PhotoScape Photo Editor
PhotoScape is the best for fun and easy photo editing software. It is easy to customize your image as you want. It enables to fix and enhance photos. You can view photos and images in your folder, and make a slideshow.
You can edit your photos in various ways such as resizing, brightness, white balance, backlight correction, frames, and more options you will get. You can also merge multiple photos on the same or page frame to make one final photo as you like.
PhotoScape Easy Picture Editing Software features:
- Enables to fix and enhance photos
- View photos and image in your folder
- Easy to make the slideshow
- Easy to edit your photos into the various ways such as resizing, brightness and color adjustment, white balance, backlight correction, frames and more.
- To make multiple photos vertically or horizontally to create one final photo as you want.
- Use multiple photos to create a final animated photo
- Easy to convert any sizes of the photo as you want such as Print portrait carte de visits and passport photos etc.
Price is free
Availability: Windows and Mac
#5. Google Photos (Picasa)
Picasa is a very popular name for picture editing. It comes from Google so that you may trust. It is known as a tool to organize and view photographs. But you will get as a typical photo editor. It is easy to customize your photo into various ways as you like.
You can enjoy different effects you can apply just you need to one-click though for the customization. You can easy to brightness and blur effect or cinemascope effect to your image. You can also share your photo from Google Plus and more. Picasa has some cool effects too, by the way.
Google Photos Online Photo Editing Software features:
Photo Editing Software Reviews
- Easy to use for photo editing
- Enjoy different effects just need to one-click for the customization.
- Enhance photo brightness and enjoy blur effect as you like.
- Share your photos from Google plus and more.
Price is free
Availability: Windows, Mac
#6. PicMonkey
PicMonkey is popular online photo editor. It has a simple user interface and easy to use. You can customizable, artist-made designs. You can also add Tweak text, adjust overlays, and insert your own photos. You can upload files from your computer and you can take from Facebook and more. You will get quick result. You will get Additional sections like as Collage and Design are also quit impressive.
PicMonkey Creative Design Maker Photo Software features:
- Enjoy graphics editing, collage making, graphic design and more.
- Remover, Eye Tint, and Mascara are the workhorses in Royale’s touch up the toolkit.
- Add Tweak text, adjust overlays, and insert your own photos.
- Upload files from your computer.
- Get quick results.
Price is free
Availability: Windows.
#7. Fotor
Fotor is the best-advanced photo editing software for windows operating system. You can customize your photo into various features such as cropping, resizing, adjusting colors, brightness, contrast and more. It is easy to use. You will get Instagram to color them. You can focus on a part of your photo. You will create a blur around it. You can adjust high-quality color on your photos.
Fotor Photo Editor Program features at a glance:
- Advanced photo editor software.
- Customize your photo as you want.
- Easy to cropping, resizing, adjusting colors or brightness and more.
- Get Instagram color them.
- Easy to create a blur around it.
Availability: Windows and Mac.
Price is free
#8. Vintager
Vintager is best for creative photo editing software. You will get a number of special effects that can be applied to your photos. You can customize your photos like Professional. You will get the application of many different filters, effects, and adjustments to your Image.
You can also edit your picture into various Functions like crop, resize and rotate and more. You can also merge or separate your photos as you want. You can also add a frame around your photo. If you want, you will want to share it with your friends and family.
Photo Editing Software For Pc
Vintager Creative Picture Editor Program Features:
- Creative Image editing software
- Easy to customize your photos like as Professional
- Get different filters, effects, and adjustments to your photos
- Get various Functions like as crop, resize and rotate and more
- Merge or separate your photos as you want.
- Share with your friends and family
Price is free
Availability: Windows
09. IrfanView: Tiny Yet Powerful Image Editor & Viewer
IrfanView is a unique photo software. You can customize your photos as you want. You can edit you photos just like as professional. IrfanView is a great freeware image viewer. It will support more than 60 data formats. You can watch an automatic slideshow of your photos. It’s good for screen capturing, as well as includes support for Adobe Photoshop filters
IrfanView Picture Editor features:
- Unique photo editing software.
- Great freeware image viewer.
- Support more than 60 data formats.
- Create an automatic slideshow of your photos.
- Good for screen capturing.
- Support for Adobe Photoshop filters.
Price is free
Availability: Windows
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#10. ON1 Photo:
ON1 Photo is the Best Photo Editing Program for windows and Mac. It is the lightning-fast raw processor photo editing program. You will get plug-in collection all in one app. You can easy to edit your photo. You will get modern raw processing engine and more. You can use Perfect Brush tool that it can affect on the areas you’re interested in enhancing so that you will get great way to create a unique look. It has quick mask and refine brush tools also make masking off areas of your photos.
ON1 Photo- Top Easy to Use Photo Editing Software Features:
- Easy to use.
- Enjoy to lightning fast raw processor graphics editor software
- Get plug-in collection all in one app
- Get modern raw processing engine and more
- Use Perfect Brush tool
- Create a unique look
- Get quick mask and refine brush tools
- No need Subscription Required.
Price is free
Availability: Windows and Mac
#11. The Nik Collection
The Nik Collection is a full image editing software provided by Google. It is the most powerful and complete online photo tools.
It has the large Collection of plug-ins, each with a different focus. Analog Efex Pro focuses on effects that produce vintage looks. You will make digital photos appear more natural, while Color Efex Pro provides a ton of filters.
You can Easy to explore the look and feel of classic cameras, films, and lenses. Silver Efex Pro, is tailored for black-and-white images, while Viveza provides specific colors in your photo without using filters. Sharpener Pro improves your photo clarity and more. It is easy to use. So that anyone can use it.
The Nik Collection Picture Editor features at a glance:
- Powerful and complete online photo tools.
- A large collection of plug-ins.
- Easy to Explore the look and feel of classic cameras, films, and lenses.
- Easy to set of filters for color correction, retouching, and creative effects.
- Select adjust the color and tonality of your images.
- Get From natural to artistic; explore the full potential of HDR photography.
- Get Improve your images with noise reduction tailored to your camera.
Price is free
Availability: Windows and Mac
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#12. PhotoPlus Starter
PhotoPlus is the easiest photo editing software for windows operating system. It is a Photo plus Starter Edition as a free version of its paid software. You can customize your photos into various features such as re-size, apply filter effects, and also you can reduce red-eye, among other functions. It provides tools in an easy-to-use format that you can easy to polish photos for your albums.
PhotoPlus Starter Edition features at a glance:
- Easily import and edit most image files.
- Easily restore classic family photos with ease.
- Get best editing features like red-eye and blemish removal
- Easy to Turn your photos in artwork with uncomplicated tools
- Easy to Straighten and crop pictures just a couple of clicks
- Incredibly easy to use.
Price is free
Photo Editing Software For Beginners
Availability: Windows
Hopefully, you read the entire Top 10 photo editing software for windows/Mac and now it’s time to decide the one for you and you know that which one will provide the best service for you. Choose and enjoy free photo editing like a Pro. You can also visit Wikipedia for a comparison of a graphics editor. Thanks for enjoying it. ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_raster_graphics_editors