17 best photo editors for different platforms

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 16:39

Paid and free options for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and the web.

Best free photo editors

Some programs and services in this section have paid versions with additional features or contain optional in-app purchases.

1. Fotor

Platforms: web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.

The functions of this editor are enough for most creative needs. Fotor makes it easy to adjust colors, resize, crop and align images, and remove backgrounds. In addition, the editor has excellent retouching tools that remove red eyes and wrinkles. And if you want to decorate your photo, there is a huge collection of stickers, frames and other decorative elements at your service.

Fotor →

2. Pixlr

Platforms: web, iOS, Android.

This editor boasts hundreds of different effects, overlays and frames. In addition, it can be used to perform all basic manipulations with images: from cropping and resizing to removing red eyes and whitening teeth. Smart tools help automate repetitive actions.

There are two versions of the editor available on the Pixlr website: Pixlr X, which is easier for quick edits, and Pixlr E, which is a powerful service for complex manipulations.

Pixlr →

3. GIMP

Platforms: Linux, Windows, macOS.

This open source photo editor debuted on Unix platforms and is now available on all popular desktop operating systems.

The GIMP offers an impressive toolbox that includes a variety of effects and brushes, color correction capabilities, and tools for selecting, copying and pasting different areas of an image.

The GIMP development team has done a good job on compatibility: in the editor you can work with all popular formats without any problems. In addition, a convenient file manager is built into the program.

GIMP →

4. Paint.net

Platforms: Windows.

The Paint.net developers have focused on ease of use. The program has many convenient functions that allow you to easily change the perspective, blend and move pixels on the canvas, duplicate selected areas, and so on.

All this, plus handy selection tools, layer support, and adjustments like curves and brightness / contrast make Paint.net a great budget alternative to Photoshop for photo editing. Of course, if you are not faced with complex professional tasks.

Paint.net →

5. Snapseed

Platforms: Android, iOS.

An advanced mobile photo editor developed by Google. In Snapseed you will find all the necessary tools for quick and easy, as well as for pinpoint fine correction of images. And they are all perfectly adapted to work on a small screen.

6. Google Photos

Platforms: Android, iOS, web.

Another good editor from Google. In truth, it is above all a great service for managing your photo collection. But it does support a set of basic functions for various image manipulations. If you need a simple program that can correct colors, apply filters, crop and rotate images, Google Photos may be enough.

Google Photos Google LLC

Google Photos Google LLC

Google Photos →

7. BeFunky

Platforms: Android, iOS, web.

This editor has enough simple tools for quick, semi-automatic correction of the entire image. It is also possible to edit the selected areas manually. With BeFunky, you can control the size and aspect of your photos, retouch faces, apply effects, add decorative elements, and more.

BeFunky BeFunky Inc

BeFunky Photo Editor BeFunky INC

BeFunky →

8. Facetune2

Platforms: Android, iOS.

This editor is specially designed for selfie lovers. Therefore, most of Facetune2's tools are great for “tweaking” portraits. They allow you to correct facial features, whiten teeth, remove skin imperfections and more.

Facetune2, Photo by Lightricks Lightricks Ltd.

Best Paid Photo Editors

1. Photoshop CC

• Platforms: Windows, macOS, iPad.
• Price: 1,352 rubles per month.

Photoshop CC is without a doubt an impressive photo editor. Probably the best of them all. It's not just that every month subscribers give a rather big amount for it.

Photoshop CC users have access to a huge number of brushes, filters, fonts, automatic and manual correction tools, as well as all kinds of interface settings. It features an advanced layer system, various blend modes and much more.

If you are a hobbyist, then for your needs most of Photoshop's capabilities will be simply superfluous. But professionals will find here everything they need to solve problems of any complexity.

Adobe Photoshop Adobe Inc.

Photoshop CC →

2. Adobe Lightroom CC

• Platforms: Windows, macOS.
• Price: 644 rubles per month.

The most powerful photo editor that allows you to control all the visual characteristics of an image: from perspective to contrast. Many creatives prefer this Photoshop editor because Lightroom has an easy-to-use cloud gallery for managing a collection of photos, and the program itself is available on mobile devices.

With Lightroom, you can store your photos on your computer, iPad, iPhone, or Android device, and even automatically upload them from your phone to the app's storage right after they are taken. Synchronization happens by itself. Therefore, when you make changes in one place, they are automatically displayed on other devices.

Adobe Lightroom CC →

Adobe Lightroom - Photo Editor by Adobe Inc.

Adobe Lightroom - Adobe Photo Editor

3. Luminar

• Platforms: macOS, Windows.
• Price: $ 89.

If you're looking for a one-time payment alternative to Lightroom at a reasonable price, check out the latest version of Luminar. This photo editor is packed with tools to quickly and easily fix nuances such as distortion, chromatic aberration, and torn edges. You also get a variety of non-destructive filters (you can undo them at any time) to transform your images.

Other features of the editor include manual correction of optics, layers with different blending modes, masks, smart background replacement, a history panel and various auto-enhancements.

Luminar →

4. Affinity Photo

• Platforms: macOS, Windows, iPad.
• Price: 49.99 dollars (Windows, macOS), 1,490 rubles (iPad).

Cross-platform availability coupled with no monthly fees make Affinity Photo by Serif a cost-effective alternative to Photoshop.

The latest version boasts many cool features, including HDR photo merging, 360-degree editing, and batch processing. And tonal mapping lets you turn any photo into a dramatic scene with details you never knew existed.

Affinity Photo →

Affinity Photo Serif Labs

5. PaintShop Pro

• Platforms: Windows.
• Price: 7 900 rubles.

PaintShop Pro has been a profitable replacement for Photoshop for many years and is still not losing ground. In 2020, the editor looks lighter, simpler and more innovative than ever before. It supports layers, has all the basic tools for adjusting colors and correcting distortion, and allows you to edit a huge number of formats, including RAW. Of course, the program is inferior in terms of the number of capabilities of Photoshop, but at the same time it costs an order of magnitude cheaper.

PaintShop Pro →

6. Acorn

• Platforms: macOS.
• Price: $ 29.99

The Acorn Photo Editor debuted way back in 2007 and has provided great photo editing software for hobbyists and professionals with limited resources. The editor's arsenal includes layer styles, non-destructive filters, curves, levels, blending modes and much more.

Acorn →

7. Photoshop Elements

• Platforms: Windows, macOS.
• Price: $ 99.99

It is a lightweight alternative to Photoshop CC that does not require a subscription. With fewer tools and built-in interactive instructions, you can master it in a couple of days. However, Photoshop Elements has ample room for most image manipulation. In addition to photo correction, you can create slideshows and collages in it, as well as manage your collection of photos.

Photoshop Elements →

8. DxO Photolab

• Platforms: Windows, macOS.
• Price: 129 euros.

DxO Photolab is considered the best RAW converting software. In addition, it excellently corrects various degrees of distortion, chromatic aberration and blurred edges. You can select images from your computer and specify the conversion / correction settings, or use one of the presets. DxO Photolab delivers excellent results in these areas. But due to its niche focus, the program cannot replace a full-fledged editor.

DxO Photolab →

9. Pixelmator

• Platforms: macOS, iOS.
• Price: $ 29.99 (macOS), 399 rubles (iOS).

Pixelmator is a fast and powerful photo editor. Here you will find tools for adjusting hue, saturation, shadows, light and contrast, as well as convenient spot correction tools. The program offers a huge number of built-in filters. It also lets you open and save images in a variety of popular formats, including PSD, TIFF, PDF, and PNG. When working with Photoshop files, the program recognizes layers. This allows you to collaborate with colleagues who use Adobe products.

Pixelmator →

Pixelmator Pixelmator Team