The best photo editors for different operating systems

Almost every computer stores good and not so good photographs. Family archives, cool moments of life and simply unexpected pictures. What to do when the photo is blurry, lacks sharpness, red-eye appears, or the picture is spoiled by artifacts? In this case, the best photo processing programs collected in our review will help. Here you will find the best photo editing apps that have saved millions of user photos from being deleted around the world, which means they can help you too.

Adobe Photoshop

Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iPadOS, iOS, Android

Price: 1535 rubles per month

A product that needs no introduction. Photoshop is literally synonymous with a photo editor, so let's start with it. The Adobe application is universal - it is suitable for both artists and designers, and photographers.

Here, by default, there is everything you need for professional image processing. Moreover, we are talking not only about retouching or color correction, but also about the implementation of more complex artistic solutions.

And the functionality of the already powerful editor can be expanded using a huge number of plugins developed for the Adobe application.

Advantages and disadvantages

• A huge number of functions.
• Support for third party plugins.
• A large number of video tutorials on Photoshop on the Internet.

Among the disadvantages, it is worth highlighting the high system requirements. Adobe applications are not well optimized, so they slow down even on relatively powerful PCs. They are also expensive and require interaction with Creative Cloud services.

List of online photo editors

Not every user can quickly figure out how to edit photos online using such a program. The review contains services that have an intuitive interface. This allows even beginners to easily start processing photos and create a unique image on their page. Through comparative tests, the following options for the best online photo editors were selected to the top:

• Avatan - a service for processing and storing images is presented on a separate website. It is valued for its good functionality and fast speed. In a short period of time, the user will have time to edit the largest photos. The development team is constantly improving the service, making it more fun and effective.
• Pixlr Editor is a powerful, convenient software for professional image processing. It has a large set of tools and effects. Works with any graphic formats. The presence of a Russian-language interface will allow beginners to easily explore the capabilities of the resource.
• Pho .to is a web service that is used for photo editing on mobile devices. Free application available in App Store, Google Play. Most users rate the program's functions positively. The editor is recommended for those who are looking for an easy-to-use tool.
• Canva is a cross-platform graphic design service. Includes a set of ready-made elements and customizable templates that allow you to create and edit various photos. The service is addressed not only to ordinary users, but also to design professionals.
• Fotostars Me is an online photo editor in Russian that combines all the necessary functions and ease of use. Easy-to-use retouching allows you to create flawless selfies. The fast editing speed is due to the complete execution of the process in the browser.
• Fotor is a free photo editor and graphic designer with a simple operating algorithm. Focused on converting images in automatic mode. When you register an account, it saves all unfinished projects in the cloud. A step-by-step wizard will help a novice user understand the functions of the editor.
• BeFunky is a free application for mobile devices with any OS. The editor does not require registration, there is no advertising, which ensures comfortable work with the service. Users appreciate it for its innovative photo effects and the ability to create collages.
• Sumo Paint is an online image processing service. A large number of convenient tools, effects, and filters provide the editor with a leading position in the ratings. It can also be used offline. All work is saved in a separate file on the computer.
• Online Photoshop is a simple, functional, convenient service that contains a system of tools for all versions of the popular graphics editor Adobe Photoshop. You can use the resource for free. There are no problems with compatibility with desktop PCs or laptops.
• Picnik – an online photo editor ensures the safety of uploaded images in the cloud. The user can download a set of images of any size, and then continue working with them on another device. The service is valued for its variety of functions and the availability of hundreds of unique layouts for creating unique images.

Adobe Lightroom CC

Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iPadOS, iOS, Android

Price: 756 rubles per month

Another application from Adobe, but more narrowly focused. Lightroom CC is an application that is functionally focused on color correction, noise reduction, changing white balance, adjusting hue, and other processing options popular among professional photographers.

This is a kind of standard among specialists, so on the Internet you can easily find both lessons on working with the editor and ready-made templates for changing colors in one click. This significantly speeds up the image processing process, especially when you need to edit hundreds of photos at once.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Best-in-class color correction algorithms.
• Best-in-class algorithms for working with shadows and light.
• Advanced automatic perspective correction system.
• The standard for processing RAW images among professional photographers.
• Powerful and inexpensive mobile application.

The disadvantages are the same as those of Photoshop - terrible performance and forced interaction with the Creative Cloud service.

Pixelmator Pro

Supported platforms: macOS, iPadOS (photo only)

Price: 3790 rubles

A universal alternative to Adobe products exclusively for Apple operating systems. Pixelmator Pro is one of the best photo editors that combines the functionality of Photoshop and Lightroom.

There are tools for manual color correction and light balancing, as well as support for machine learning technologies that allow you to automatically adjust photo parameters, turning it into a masterpiece in just two clicks. The artificial intelligence algorithm was trained on 20 million images.

There are also retouching tools, curve support, an automated image enhancement system, and many other advanced features.

Advantages and disadvantages

• One-time payment instead of monthly subscription.
• The range of capabilities is on par with Photoshop.
• Good adaptation to the latest Apple products.
• High performance.

The only downside is the lack of Windows support.

GIMP

Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: Free

Another Photoshop replacement, but this time completely free. GIMP is developed by a community of independent developers in the best traditions of Linux, that is, with an open license. And this is the main advantage of the photo editor.

Functionally, it is really close to paid competitors, but does not reach them. GIMP is rarely used at a professional level. Its built-in color correction and retouching algorithms are noticeably behind those in Photoshop or Lightroom.

But for basic tasks, GIMP is more than suitable. It is especially good for those who are just starting out with photo processing.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Free.
• Low system requirements.

The main disadvantage of GIMP is that it is not Photoshop. It's difficult to use it as a full replacement for an Adobe product. Sooner or later you will have to switch to more common and “serious” software.

Best Free Photo Editing Apps

1. Snapseed

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Best for: Advanced photo editing on a mobile device.

Google's Snapseed has the power to rival desktop photo editors with its huge feature set and intuitive interface.

As you'd expect, this free photo editing app comes with a number of pre-installed filters. However, unlike most apps, you can edit these filters and even create your own from scratch.

It also has all the classic tools such as cropping, straightening, frames, text, vignettes, etc. And the sharpening function does its job without making the image grainy.

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Then things get even more interesting.

Snapseed has precision masking that allows you to edit the depth of field - something photographers often do to blur the background and bring the foreground even more into focus.

There is also a Custom Settings tool. This allows you to select a specific area of ​​your photo and adjust the saturation, contrast, and brightness of that individual point.

What's more, the Snapseed app saves your edit history so you can undo your previous edits at any time.

2. VSCO

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Suitable for: classic filters.

Like Instagram, VSCO combines a camera, editing tools, and an online community.

But the trick is in the filters.

This free photo app provides a set of amazing filters that will make your photos look like they were taken with an analog film camera. These soft and subtle filters add class to your photos compared to many heavily filtered Instagram presets. And you can also customize them with a simple slider.

Of course, the app has all the standard editing tools like adjustments, cropping, borders, and vignettes. You can also use VSCO to adjust exposure, contrast, temperature, or skin tones.

When you're done editing your photo, you can share it with the VSCO community or on another social network like Instagram! The app even allows you to share via WhatsApp and SMS using the built-in sharing feature.

3. Prisma Photo Editor

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Best for: Turning your photos into artistic "paintings" and "drawings".

Yes, I must admit that most filters that turn photos into “drawings” or “paintings” are simply terrible.

Prisma is an exception.

This free photo-editing app uses artificial neural networks (whatever that means) that "allow users to make photos look like they were painted by Picasso, Munch, or even Salvador Dali."

Give it a try - you might be surprised how much you like it. You can pay to access additional filters, but there is a generous selection available for free. In total, you can choose from over 500 creative filters.

Prisma also has its own online community, similar to Instagram. Once you're done editing, you can share your image to your Prisma feed, save it directly to your device, share it on any social media app, or send it via email or messages.

4. Adobe Photoshop Express

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Best for: All-purpose photo editing.

Adobe Photoshop Express takes many of Photoshop's best photo editing tools and crams them into a mobile app. And despite having many advanced features, this free photo editing app is easy to use on a small touch screen.

Simply upload a photo from your device, take a new one with your camera, or use an image from your Adobe Creative Cloud account, then start editing.

It has all the expected tools - cropping, red-eye correction, brightness, contrast, saturation, filters, borders, etc. However, the best part is the set of smart filters. These filters automatically correct common problems such as color temperature and exposure issues.

Before you can use Adobe Photoshop Express, you need to register for a free Adobe ID account. When you're done editing your photo, save it directly to your device or share it with other marketing apps and social networks.

5. Foodie

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Best for: Next-level food photography

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At some point, everyone took a photo of their food. Foodie takes this momentum and helps take food photography to a whole new level.

The editor is somewhat similar to the Instagram editor, except that all 30 filters and editing features are customized to suit your food shots.

Plus, it will help you capture the perfect bird's eye view and make the colors pop.

Bottom line: If you're a food photographer, this free photo editing app is a must-have.

6. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Best for: Professionals and those who want to make quick adjustments

If you want to up your game even further, try Adobe Lightroom CC .

This version of the popular desktop software gives you access to professional editing tools on the go. Plus, it even works with RAW files, a high-quality image format popular among photographers.

One of the great things about this free photo editing app is that it doesn't try to do everything for everyone.

Instead, it focuses on providing a set of high-quality customization tools presented in the form of simple sliders. They allow you to adjust the light, detail, color, distortion, and grain of your photo.

If you choose to subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud, you will also gain access to additional features. These include selective editing and Adobe Sensei, an artificial intelligence system that automatically tags your images based on their content, allowing you to quickly find the perfect image.

7. LiveCollage

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Best for: Creating stunning photo collages

Many free photo editing apps allow you to create simple collages (such as Photoshop Express). However, LiveCollage takes the process up a notch.

This photo collage maker has thousands of layouts so you can always find the perfect one for your needs. Large selection of styles and interesting backgrounds. Additionally, you can add text and customize fonts, colors, and sizes.

The app also provides basic photo editing tools so you don't have to switch between apps to create the perfect collage.

8. Adobe Photoshop Fix

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Best for: Portrait editing

Adobe Photoshop Fix is ​​not designed to add filters or effects to your photos. Instead, it is designed to correct or remove unwanted aspects of your images.

You can use this intuitive and simple photo editing app to edit your portraits like a pro. For starters, it covers all the bases - you can adjust highlights, shadows, colors and more.

However, it's the Liquify section that's truly impressive.

When you upload a portrait, the app automatically registers every facial feature of the subject. You can then adjust their size, shape and position to create the perfect image.

If you're a Creative Cloud user, you can also share your edits directly into Photoshop on your desktop for further editing.

9. Visage

   • Available for iOS and Android | For free

   Suitable for: Selfie retouching

First things first: there's nothing wrong with pimples, bags under your eyes, or off-white teeth when taking a selfie.

However, when our vanity gets the better of us, Visage is here to help.

This free selfie photo editing app allows you to retouch portrait photos quickly and easily. Specifically, you can smooth your skin, reduce shine, whiten your teeth, apply eye makeup, and more.

The app also includes a selection of cool backgrounds and effects to decorate your selfies.

The downside is that the free version of the app displays a lot of ads, and the finished image has a branded hashtag attached to the bottom. However, you can always upgrade to the pro version ($4.99 per month or $9.99 per year) to avoid these shortcomings.

10. Enlight Photofox

    • Available for iOS only | For free

    Best for: artistic photo editing

Enlight Photofox is the best free artistic photo editing app that even won the 2022 Apple Design Award.

One of the most popular features is the ability to combine photos to create dramatic effects. You can also add graphic elements to your images.

While it has many of the same features as Photoshop, such as layers, the learning curve isn't that steep. However, to get the most out of Enlight Photofox, you'll probably need to watch a few tutorial videos.

The downside is that the free version only allows you to use two layers at a time. You'll have to subscribe to the pro version ($2.74 per month or $64.99 one-time purchase) if you want to let your creativity run wild.

11. Instagram

    • Available for iOS and Android | For free

    Best for: Sharing photos to attract followers

It goes without saying: if you take photos, Instagram is the place to share them.

The site is the third largest social network in the world after Facebook and YouTube, with more than 1 billion monthly active users.

The platform has all the basic photo editing tools you could need, including filters, effects, text, stickers, overlays, and more. However, the app also provides other tools to help you grow your following.

For example, you can use Instagram Insights to understand how your audience is interacting with your posts, or you can use Instagram Stories or Instagram Live to communicate with your followers in a more interactive way.

Whatever app you use to edit your photos, you'll want to upload them to Instagram.

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12. Afterlight 2

    • Available for iOS and Android | For free

    Best for: Versatile editing and artistic overlays

Afterlight calls itself a "feature-rich" all-in-one photo editing app - and that's a fair conclusion.

It has all the basic features you'd expect, including tools for adjusting exposure, hue/saturation, contrast, and tone. And the possibilities for adding and customizing text are enormous.

Plus, there are over 70 frames to choose from and plenty of great filters that you can customize to suit your needs.

Best of all, there's an assortment of textures, including prism effects, actual film light leaks, and dusty overlays. This allows you to create unique images that stand out and grab people's attention.

The app also works with RAW files on iOS and Android.

13. Canva

    • Available for iOS and Android | For free

    Best for: Business photography.

Canva isn't just for photos. It will easily create a poster, banner and other element for your website as well as for marketing materials, but that's why we love this app!

Take a photo, upload it to Canva, edit it, and start creating all your amazing visuals that look the same no matter where your clients see them.

With filters, vignettes and more, your photos can look professional in minutes, just like everything you post on social media and your website.

14. Over

    • Available for iOS and Android | For free

    Best for: Adding pretty text to images

Over has a little bit of everything - like blur, tint, opacity - but the ability to add text is where it really excels.

You can use the app to add multiple text overlays, which you can style individually, to your images. It has an excellent font catalog as well as a simple interface for quick editing.

Editing allows you to adjust the hue, size, and alignment of text. Additionally, you can “pinch” to change the size of the text. What's more, you can add multiple text entries to a single image using the app's layering system.

Customize to your liking and then share on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. This is an easy and inexpensive way to increase brand awareness for your business.

Snapseed

Supported platforms: iPadOS, iOS, Android

Price: Free

The first mobile photo editor in the collection. Snapseed is an app now owned by Google that has been named the best photo editor for Android. It includes 29 handy tools for cropping, color correction, retouching, changing perspective, and more.

Snapseed can work with RAW files and make precise changes to frames. Since this is still a mobile editor, it has ready-made filters. With their help, you can quickly prepare a photo for publication on Instagram - give it artistic value through graininess or imitation of shooting on film. You can also remove unnecessary people from the photo or simply make the colors in the photo brighter.

Advantages and disadvantages

• An impressive set of tools (for a mobile device).
• Free.
• Ability to work with DNG files.

There are almost no disadvantages. Except that the algorithms for working with shadows here are not as advanced as in Adobe products.

TOP 10: Best photo editors for computer

With the advent of digital cameras, everyone has the opportunity to take an unlimited number of frames and capture any moment of their life. Manufacturers of modern cameras and smartphones add new technologies to their devices that allow them to “improve” pictures using effects and artificial intelligence, but often the final result is still different from the desired one.

The user wants to add colors, remove unnecessary objects, retouch a portrait, put an inscription on a photo, or create a “masterpiece” with the click of one button. Professionals use complex graphic editors for such tasks, but for home correction it is enough to install a simple photo editor for Windows and start creating.

Among various solutions for photo processing, we have selected photo editors for the computer; the PC is still the most convenient tool for processing images, and not a tablet or smartphone. Some of the programs can be downloaded for free, but most photo editors for Windows 7 or Windows 10 are paid, and these are the operating systems that are most popular on home PCs. We did not include professional solutions in the review, since processing photos in them may be too complicated for the user, but limited ourselves to simple photo editors.

• Paint.net - free
• PhotoScape X - Free
• PhotoMASTER – from 693 rubles
• Zoner Photo Studio X – from 1200 rubles
• Photo Instrument – ​​from 1900 rubles
• Affinity Photo – from 2,990 rubles
• Photoshop Elements 2022 – from 4,500 rubles
• Luminar 3 – from 4,550 rubles
• Wondershare Fotophire Editing Toolkit – from 5,200 rubles
• PaintShop Pro 2022 – from 6,300 rubles
• DxO Photolab 2 – from 9500 rubles

The most popular tasks that a simple photo editor should solve are color correction (preferably automatic), cropping, portrait retouching, background replacement and effects. Also, from a simple photo editor for a computer, the user expects a convenient, intuitive and Russian-language interface, the availability of lessons and technical support. It was these requirements that we imposed on the programs selected for review in order to determine the leader.

Each developer positions their photo editor as a simple, convenient and universal solution for photo processing, and indeed, their set of tools is very similar, each program from our selection is capable of coping with the task, so for us the main criterion will be the assessment of the user experience of the program ( QoE) – the more convenient and enjoyable it is to process personal photos. We will rate each photo editor on an impression scale from 1 to 10, rather than rating individual features.

Paint.net

One of two free photo editors in our selection. The program's interface is reminiscent of professional solutions such as Adobe Photoshop, only there are significantly fewer functions and capabilities. With the help of Paint.net, you can solve the problem associated with photo processing, but this process cannot be called intuitive or simple. This photo editor is more suitable for work purposes rather than home creativity.

Pros:

• Free
• Russian interface
• The workspace is not overloaded with tools
• Small size of installation files
• Supports layers
• Not demanding on PC resources

Minuses:

• There are no convenient wizards with preview of the result
• Help and lessons in English
• There are few automatic functions; retouching and background replacement tasks must be done manually
• Slowly applies selected effects
• Interface for work, not creativity
• Primitive text processing capabilities

Rating: 5 out of 10

In our review, we will often pay attention to “user experience” - this is the feeling of how easy it is to work with a photo editor. Since we evaluate programs for home use and quick editing, we pay less attention to functionality and flexibility of settings, but to ease of operation and the pleasure of creativity.

PhotoScape X

PhotoScape X photo editor is available in two versions - paid (about 2500 rubles) and free, we chose the second. Its functionality is limited, some tools are only available in Pro, but the available capabilities should be enough for simple processing tasks. In addition to photo processing, PhotoScape X allows you to take screenshots, create GIFs, combine images into collages, remove backgrounds, and apply captions and stickers from a rich library. The application interface is modern and quite convenient, but it’s only in English, so understanding all its functions will not be easy.

Pros:

• Free for version with basic functionality
• Modern interface
• Large library of effects and stickers
• Many additional features (catalog, GIF, collages, etc.)
• The site has video tutorials and instructions
• Works fast

Minuses:

• Can only be installed through the Windows Store
• Interface, help and lessons in English
• Feature limitations in the free version
• Demanding on the amount of RAM
• No photo wizard

Rating: 7 out of 10

PhotoMASTER

The PhotoMASTER photo editor from the Russian software developer AMS Software has a free trial version that allows you to evaluate all its advantages. If you like the program, you can buy it: for a small amount (about 700 rubles) the user receives a convenient and sophisticated photo processing tool. Unlike other programs, PhotoMASTER really allows you to automate photo “improvement” as much as possible, its interface is simple and intuitive - all operations are done in a few clicks, you don’t need to deal with toolbars. The developer’s website has dozens of detailed video tutorials and articles that will allow you to quickly understand the program’s functions and start creating. It was with PhotoMASTER that the processing of test frames took the least amount of time.

Pros:

• Convenient Russian-language interface
• Automation and ease of photo processing
• Function for semi-automatic background replacement in photos
• Ability to fine-tune effects
• Automatic portrait retouching
• Rich database of various effects and filters
• Lessons and technical support in Russian
• Low cost
• Not demanding on computing resources

Minuses:

• There is no function for working with layers
• Only dark interface theme
• No drawing function

Rating: 9 out of 10

Zoner Photo Studio X

Strange in all respects, the photo editor Zoner Photo Studio X captivates with its low price, but disappoints in terms of functionality. Its interface is inconvenient, there are few presets of effects and filters, and the operating speed is low. The developers tried to combine both Lightroom and Photoshop in one application, but neither one nor the other really worked. We give this photo editor the “neither fish nor fowl” award.

Pros:

• Russian-language interface
• Ability to create a catalog of photographs
• Low cost
• Function for creating photo books and calendars
• Supports many formats

Minuses:

• Works slowly
• Inconvenient and clumsy interface
• No automatic background removal option
• No automatic "enhancement" tools
• Small number of built-in effects

Rating: 2 out of 10

Photo Instrument

Photo editor Photo Instrument – ​​greetings from the distant past. Although the program has a Russian-language interface, it can discourage any desire for creativity. Several photo editing and retouching tools are complemented by third-party plugins for applying effects. The photo scaling is rough, the application of selected effects is slow, and it was impossible to add text. The only thing you can do with this photo editor is retouch portraits and remove unnecessary objects from photos. We do not recommend this program, especially for the 1900 rubles that the developers are asking for.

Pros:

• Russian-language interface
• There are special tools for processing portraits
• Takes up little disk space
• Third party plugin support
• Ability to save animation as GIF
• Working function for removing unwanted objects

Minuses:

• Paid version only
• Archaic interface
• Slowly applies selected effects
• No background removal feature
• No automatic "enhancement" tools
• No text effects
• Does not support RAW
• Total 8 training lessons

Rating: 3 out of 10

Affinity Photo

The Affinity Photo photo editor can easily be called a professional solution; its functionality is very close to products such as Photoshop. These are its advantages and disadvantages. A large number of processing tools gives room for creativity - if you have already worked with similar editors, then Affinity Photo will be an excellent working application. For beginners who want to quickly process photos, adding effects and inscriptions will be difficult, since there are no clear and convenient “wizards”. If you are looking for an inexpensive replacement for Photoshop, then this is a good choice, but for home amateur use it is too complex.

Pros:

• Modern Russian-language interface
• Many tools for processing and correcting photos, including retouching
• A large number of text and video lessons
• Simultaneous work with several files
• Layer support
• Can replace professional solutions

Minuses:

• Paid version only
• Very difficult interface for beginners
• No automatic tools or processing wizards
• Demanding on the amount of PC RAM

Rating: 7 out of 10

Photoshop Elements 2019

Photoshop Elements 2022 is a simplified version of the most famous editor. The developers took all the best features of a professional solution and packaged it into a simple and intuitive interface with many automatic functions. There remains simultaneous work with several files, layers, support for multiple formats, and the ability to fine-tune images, but automated photo processing, text effects, quick selection, the ability to create collages, and simple organization of a photo catalog have been added. It is impossible not to mention the huge database of training materials and good technical support. The main disadvantages are the price and the huge size of the installation files.

Pros:

• Modern, easy and convenient Russian-language interface
• Full control over photo processing or automatic settings
• Working with layers and multiple files
• Excellent training base
• Built-in presets, effects and filters
• Adobe Sensei artificial intelligence technology
• It's like a professional solution, only for home

Minuses:

• Demanding on PC resources
• High price
• Takes up a lot of disk space
• Despite the convenient interface, you need to understand and get used to it

Rating: 8 out of 10

Luminar 3

This application no longer refers to photo editors, but to specialized applications for catalog management and retouching, such as Lightroom. Using Luminar 3, you can “decorate” and process photos either manually or using ready-made presets. The application interface is simple and intuitive; filters are selected in the toolbar on the right, with which you can adjust the image. Filters are available both manual and automatic. Additionally, you can crop the photo, remove unnecessary objects, or clone individual parts of the photo. The program heavily loads the processor and requires a lot of RAM; it runs very slowly on an average PC. For those who are involved in “developing” photographs, it can replace Lightroom.

Pros:

• Clear interface in Russian
• Possibility to create a catalog of photos
• Great tools for retouching and color correction
• There are automated filters that allow you to quickly create a “masterpiece”
• Interesting built-in presets

Minuses:

• High price
• Demanding on PC resources
• Doesn't work very fast or stable
• No tools for creating lettering or stamps
• There is no option to automatically remove the background

Rating: 6 out of 10

PaintShop Pro 2019

Another alternative to Photoshop, which the developer immediately announces, is the photo editor PaintShop Pro 2022. After the first launch, you get the feeling that you will again have to do everything by hand, but the developers of this program have provided quite a lot of tools for beginners, and the Russian manual will help you understand them. “Adult” functions include working with layers, fine correction of photos, retouching tools, and for home use – auto-correction, removing unnecessary objects, beautiful filters and other “improvers.” Unlike other professional editors, PaintShop Pro 2022 is not demanding on resources and takes up little disk space. We recommend it to professionals who can make money from their creativity at the cost of this photo editor, but for home use, you can choose a cheaper editor.

Pros:

• Easy Russian-language interface
• A set of tools allows you to both manually process photos and use automatic presets
• Allows you to work with multiple files and layers
• Detailed textbook in Russian
• High performance, not demanding on resources
• A large set of creative filters and interesting effects
• Professional solution
• Plugin support

Minuses:

• High price
• Interface takes some getting used to
• Some features are not intuitive, you will have to learn how to work
• Video lessons and help in English

Rating: 7 out of 10

DxO Photolab 2

The most expensive photo editor in our review is DxO Photolab 2. This is a 100% professional solution for developing and processing photographs. Full control over all image parameters, very convenient tools for processing local image areas, support for all possible cameras and lenses, automatic or manual operation. Also a good set of starting presets for applying effects to photos. Excellent tools for creating a catalog of photos and working with all formats. Professionals will appreciate the quality, beginners and amateurs will choose photo editors that are easier and cheaper.

Pros:

• Modern and user-friendly interface
• Full control over photo processing
• Convenient photo catalog
• Supports all possible cameras and lenses
• Automatic correction of optical distortions
• Convenient local correction tool
• Progressive system for removing noise from photos
• The photo editor is used by famous professionals

Minuses:

• Very high price
• English interface
• Demanding on PC resources
• No amateur features

Rating: 8 out of 10

Our choice

We tested 10 photo editors of various levels and prices, and yet we must choose the one that is not the most functional or progressive, but the one that will be convenient to use for periodic home photo processing. Free solutions either have few functions or are inconvenient to use, so the user will have to choose a paid photo editor for the computer. So, which photo editor is better for a computer? The leader of our review is the simple and convenient PhotoMASTER. It gets the title of "best photo editor for Windows".

Its functions are sufficient to process photographs, apply inscriptions, remove unnecessary objects or replace the background. It has a simple and intuitive interface in Russian, many lessons and instructions. This is the case when after just 5 minutes of working with the program you get the desired result. The program is paid, but its price compares favorably with foreign analogues.

None of the programs presented in the review received 10 points, because no matter how convenient and functional the tool is, a “masterpiece” can only be made by a human hand.

Affinity Photo

Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iPadOS

Price: 2290 rubles for the PC version and 899 rubles for the iPad version

A professional photo editor that developers from Serif created as an alternative to Adobe products. Many people consider Photoshop and Lightroom too “gluttonous” and hate the subscription payment system.

Affinity Photo solves two problems at once. Firstly, it works faster, supporting similar features. Secondly, you only need to pay once for the Serif app. All features and updates are free.

The editor allows you to work with RAW images, PSD files and 360-degree photographs. Affinity Photo's toolset includes everything you need, from basic light and color editing to professional retouching brushes.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Works faster than most competitors.
• No monthly fees or Creative Cloud account required.

We could not find any significant disadvantages. For the price this is an almost perfect product.

The Best Photo Editors for Apple Computers

The mini-selection that concludes our review presents popular photo editors for MacBooks and, in general, any Apple computers with the MacOS X operating system. There is not such a great variety of offers here, but Apple, as always, takes advantage of quality rather than quantity.

Photo

Rating: 5.0

Apple, in its pursuit of minimalism in almost everything in terms of naming, has surpassed even itself, calling the new photo editor simply... “Photo”. The product was a continuation of previous software systems for working with raster graphics - iPhoto and Aperture. In June 2014, Apple officially abandoned plans to develop iPhoto and Aperture, and instead it was proposed to switch to a new product - Photos, which was released in April 2015.

The program is a set of fairly convenient and understandable tools for a variety of actions with raster images. Most of them are present in almost any photo editor for a computer: manipulations with brightness/contrast/saturation, white balance, cropping, transformation, retouching of certain areas, etc.

One of the ideas behind creating the Photo program is to simplify the photo editing process as much as possible and make it accessible to everyone. It must be said that the Cupertino team succeeded, but in combination with the refusal to support previous graphics packages, this decision met with serious criticism. Thus, developers are charged with a too frivolous approach in terms of simplification to the detriment of functionality. Indeed, in the same Aperture there were quite a lot of more advanced tools and tools that are no longer supported in Photo.

The program features deep integration with the iCloud media service. There is constant synchronization with those Apple devices where the iCloud media library is enabled, including even the Apple Watch smart watch. According to the standard, the user is given 5GB of cloud space. Additional volumes can be purchased as part of a subscription.

Advantages

• simplicity and ease of learning;
• convenience and speed of work;
• stability;
• Tight integration with iCloud media library.

Flaws

• too strong simplifications to the detriment of functionality.

Pixelmator Pro

Rating: 4.9

To conclude the review and as an alternative to the official Apple photo editor, let's look at another worthy product for editing raster images on Apple computers - the Pixelmator application. The Lithuanian studio conceived this project as a low-cost alternative to Adobe Photoshop on Mac. This is not to say that Pixelmator will completely replace Photoshop, but it can really do a lot.

It is immediately worth mentioning the significant difference between “just” Pixelmator and Pixelmator Pro. In the Pro version, the creators, paradoxically, decided not to complicate, but, on the contrary, to simplify the program interface. Everything that could be grouped and systematized was grouped and systematized. And if the previous Pixelmator could scare away the abundance of multi-level menus, windows, sills and other objects, then Pixelmator Pro is a kind of functional monolith.

The functionality of the program is noticeably richer than that of the previous official application for photo processing from Apple. In addition to basic functions, Pixelmator Pro also offers an advanced set of image editing tools.

Pixelmator Pro takes AI technology to a whole new level. Thus, the analytical abilities of neural networks serve well for many tools. For example, intelligent selection - the program with amazing accuracy finds the boundaries of the object to be selected and does this with special care. At the same time, the function also works with a certain form of preview - any movement of the cursor will highlight areas that the smart selection function “considers worthy of selection.”

Pixelmator Pro implements working with standard settings in a very original way. For example, the same settings may need to be applied to a whole set of dozens or hundreds of photographs. In this case, a set of settings can be saved as a “recipe” and, if necessary, applied to an entire set of photos with just one click. All visibility will be preserved - before applying the recipe, the user will see a preview of the future result.

Overall, Pixelmator Pro is a real achievement in the field of photo editing software, even regardless of the Apple platform used. The only point is that the program’s functionality cannot be expanded through third-party add-ons, plugins and extensions - they are simply not supported purely technically.

Advantages

• rich set of tools;
• deep optimization;
• original and effective approaches;
• “smart” tools based on artificial intelligence;
• combination of price and features.

Flaws

• Some users lack support for extensions.

Facetune

Supported platforms: iOS, Android

Price: Free for the basic version or 6190 rubles for premium

It's the #1 selfie editing mobile app on the App Store and Google Play. It is used by more than 100 million users, and it has already become a kind of standard for correcting photos taken on a smartphone.

With FaceTune you can make your skin smoother, whiten your teeth, remove all pimples, make your face more chiseled, add makeup or even change your hair color. All this in a couple of clicks and at a high level.

Advantages and disadvantages

• A complete set of retouching tools that allows you to remove any imperfections from your face.
• Professional filters designed specifically for portraits and selfies.

Among the disadvantages, it is worth highlighting the very high cost. This is made worse by the fact that most of the features are only available in the premium version. Without it, many will find the program boring and limited.

Paid photo editors on PC

Premium software offers users advanced functionality and is suitable for processing any complexity. All programs in this review can be tested for free before purchasing.

PhotoMASTER

Choose PhotoMASTER if you want to achieve high-quality results in minimal time. The software comes with a large set of automatic functions and can independently analyze and improve images. Manual editing is supported, including changing ready-made presets. The editor is compatible with Windows 7, 10, 8 and XP; thanks to its light load, it can be used on a weak PC and laptop.

Possibilities:

• Quickly replace or remove background.
• Color correction, working with color channels, HDR.
• Adding effects, sun rays, halos, highlights, etc.
• Plastic surgery of the face and figure, retouching manually or in automatic mode.
• Creating photo collages and postcards, adding text, frames, stickers.

The photo editor is suitable for users of all levels. This is an excellent solution for retouching and quality enhancement, as well as graphic design.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is consistently included in all ratings of the best photo processing programs. After all, it's not for nothing that the word "Photoshop" has become synonymous with the editing process in general. The editor is designed for professionals who need all the advanced features in one package.

Possibilities:

• High-quality retouching of portrait photographs.
• Creation of graphic designs, web templates, typographic layouts, etc.
• Combining images into collages, digital art, photo manipulation.
• Removing unnecessary objects from the frame.
• Creation of animation and 3D objects.

The software is used by everyone involved with graphics and photographs: photographers, illustrators, retouchers, artists, designers.

Luminar AI

Luminar AI is a multifunctional, but at the same time quite budget-friendly photo editor based on artificial intelligence. The software pays special attention to ready-made presets, with which you can improve your photo in a couple of clicks. Luminar can be used as a standalone program or an extension for Photoshop, Lightroom, Apple Photos.

Possibilities:

• Working with layers and masks.
• Functions for replacing the sky and adding sun rays.
• Tools to enhance portrait photos.
• Large collection of filters and effects.

The software is suitable for users with an average level of skills who want to carry out semi-professional photo processing. The software has high system requirements and takes up a lot of memory.

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo is not a very well-known software in the editing field, but it is one of the best. It almost rivals Photoshop in terms of power and toolset. The main disadvantage is that the program is difficult to use, so there will be a learning curve. And it has not been translated into Russian.

Possibilities:

• Editing vector and raster graphics, PSD projects.
• Working with text, layers, masks, smart objects.
• Processing macro photography with focus stacking.
• Correction of lens and perspective defects.
• Precise selection, cutting, deleting and moving objects in the frame.

The software is suitable for advanced users: it can be used for retouching, creating panoramas, photo manipulation, and digital paintings.

Lightroom

Lightroom is another development from Adobe, which is included in all the TOP photo editors. It has all the tools you need to enhance, organize, and share your photos. Basic functions allow you to remove imperfections, crop and stylize photos, and remove unwanted elements. Lightroom puts almost no load on the system, but its controls are not very convenient.

Possibilities:

• Overlay filters for styling and quick enhancements.
• Color calibration of photographs.
• Correction of distortions and correction of camera defects.
• Color correction, working with curves, saturation, brightness, HSL.
• Image detailing and digital noise removal.

The editor is suitable for quickly improving photos and putting things in order in your photo archive.

DxO PhotoLab

DxO PhotoLab is a great Photoshop alternative for professional photographers. Allows you to process RAW and convert them to JPG and other graphic formats. The software combines a photo editor and photo organizing tool and comes with ready-made presets. The editor includes many settings: optical distortion, tone curves, masking and much more.

Possibilities:

• Correction of optical distortions.
• Correct the color scheme manually or using ready-made presets.
• Advanced editing of lighting in the frame.
• Brings detail and clarity to blurry photos.
• Working with masks and processing individual areas of the photo.

DxO PhotoLab is suitable for professional raster photo processing. The controls are quite complex, so beginners should look for a simpler alternative.

Corel PaintShop Pro

Corel PaintShop Pro is one of the simplest options for people who want a basic yet functional photo editor. PaintShop comes with everything you need for editing and graphic design. There is an operating mode specifically for beginners with recommended tools and ready-made settings.

Possibilities:

• Intelligent background replacement.
• Collection of photo effects and filters.
• Improve photo quality in one click.
• Automation of actions using scripts and plugins.
• Supports RAW, HDR and 360° photos.

PaintShop is a good alternative to Photoshop for users with intermediate skill levels. It can be used for editing, photo manipulation, collages.

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate is a functional photo editor on your PC, based on the “all-in-one” principle. The software combines advanced tools and a simplified interface. The software can also be used as a file manager. The mobile synchronization feature allows you to send photos to the program directly from your mobile device.

Possibilities:

• Working with frame geometry, correcting distortion and lens defects.
• Color correction, including tonal separation.
• Lighting adjustments.
• Adding frames, logos, text, vignettes.
• Applying photo filters and creating custom presets.

The ACDSee application is a good solution for photo processing, but it is not the best option for portrait photo retouching.

CyberLink PhotoDirector

CyberLink PhotoDirector comes with an extensive set of tools, from simply enhancing selfies to creating digital paintings. The photo editor is designed for users with any skill level, and you can independently choose which mode to work in: simplified or professional. However, even the advanced version can be mastered quickly enough thanks to convenient navigation.

Possibilities:

• Automatic color scheme correction and filter application.
• Removing unnecessary objects from the frame.
• Processing individual image fragments.
• Gradient masks and radial filters.
• Creating an HDR effect.

The program is suitable for improving amateur footage and creating simple layouts.

Home Photo Studio

Home Photo Studio offers an impressive set of tools that allow you to edit photos and edit photos, as well as create collages, postcards, calendars and generally engage in graphic design. The software is easy to learn and hardly loads the computer's CPU.

Possibilities:

• A collection of effects, including artistic, plastic, optical.
• Correction of camera and horizon defects, noise reduction, distortion.
• Catalog of improvements: correction of shadows and highlights, white balance, etc.
• Adding artistic and 3D frames, vignetting and masks.
• Editing individual areas of images using brushes.

A home photo studio is suitable for amateur photographers with an average level of skills who need to process photos at a high level.

VSCO

Supported platforms: iOS, Android

Price: 1590 rubles per year

A once popular photo editor for mobile devices, it has turned into a kind of art space and social network for lovers of exquisite photographs. Beautiful, stylish, with a basic set of tools for photo processing.

VSCO has everything you need for simple color correction and light adjustments. But VSCO became popular not because of them, but because of a series of unique filters. More than 200 presets with settings that simulate popular cameras.

The social component of VSCO is different from that of Instagram. Nobody needs likes or comments here, only creativity and nothing more. This allows you to concentrate on the photo and not stumble upon irrelevant content.

Advantages and disadvantages

• The best filters with film imitation.
• A large set of photo editing tools.
• Regular photo challenges in the built-in social network.

The downside is the limited functionality of the free version.

Darkroom

Supported platforms: macOS, iPadOS, iOS

Price: 1550 rubles per year

A convenient tool for editing and preparing photos for publication on social networks. Darkroom was originally created as an application for making changes to RAW images on mobile devices, but later grew into a full-fledged editor for professionals and amateurs.

In Darkroom, you can edit DNG files using convenient curves, select individual shades and completely change them to any color you like, apply premium filters to photos, and place watermarks on your photos.

Darkroom also supports editing several pictures at once and framing frames with matching frames.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Possibility to pay for the application in full or use a subscription.
• High performance on both PC and mobile devices.
• Expanded support for RAW and ProRAW (Apple's proprietary format).

Unfortunately, the algorithms for working with shadows and light in Darkroom are much inferior to most of its competitors, and this is the main drawback of the application.

Free photo editors for your computer

Programs with a free license usually cannot boast of rich functionality. But this is a good start for beginner retouchers and photographers.

GIMP

GIMP is the best desktop photo editor for those looking for an alternative to Photoshop. The software comes with professional-level functions that will help you create projects of any complexity. The program allows you to edit raster photos, connect a digital tablet and draw pictures. The disadvantages are that the controls are confusing; most functions require manual configuration.

Possibilities:

• Creation of digital art, collages, promotional materials.
• Work with an unlimited number of layers.
• Color correction, work with curves and levels is available.
• Stylize photos using built-in photo effects.
• Selecting, cutting, deleting, copying, moving areas of a photo.
• Resize and compress weight while maintaining high quality.

The photo editor is great for designers, illustrators and photographers with an average level of editing and graphic design skills.

Fotor

Fotor is a shareware photo editor for Windows that can also be used online. It supports RAW format, which is quite rare for free programs, and comes with a set of automatic functions to get you started quickly. The application has an easy to use interface. The downside is the lack of Russian translation.

Possibilities:

• Basic processing: resizing, cropping, brightness, noise reduction.
• Processing of color scheme, HSL and HDR.
• Makes blurry images clearer.
• Enhance portrait shots and apply virtual makeup.
• Add frames, text, stickers and emoji.

Fotor is a great option for amateur and beginner photographers who edit images for personal use.

Paint.NET

Paint.NET is a compromise between advanced and simple photo editors. The program includes basic options, which nevertheless allow for high-quality processing. Since the control panel is similar to the classic Windows editor, you can master this product in literally seconds.

Possibilities:

• Working with layers, including overlays, blending and transparency.
• Adjusting levels and curves, color correction, hue changes.
• Adding artistic effects.
• Rotate, reflect and flip the frame.
• Drawing tools.

Paint.NET is a simple alternative for beginners who need to do some basic improvement.

Canva

Canva is one of the most popular online services that will help you create a graphic design for social networks or process an image. Its simplified interface allows you to edit graphics without any knowledge or skills. The site offers a set of filters that allow you to change frames automatically.

Possibilities:

• Crop and straighten images.
• Quick retouching of portrait photos.
• Stylization of photographs as paintings.
• Removing, replacing and blurring the background.
• Overlay frames, text and graphics.

Canva is suitable for beginners who want to create photo content for websites, social networks, and marketing materials.

Photoscape

Photoscape combines a photo editor, viewer, collage maker, screenshot, and RAW converter. The software allows you to edit files in batch mode and create GIF animation from pictures. The application operates in Russian and has a slightly outdated, but easy-to-use interface.

Possibilities:

• Automatic level processing and contrast changes.
• Overlaying frames, geometric shapes, pictures, text.
• Sharpening, toning, working with brightness and color.
• Removing unnecessary objects in the frame.
• Basic retouching, red eye correction.

Photoscape is suitable for basic enhancement and is a good solution for beginners and users without retouching skills.

Inkscape

Inkscape is designed for vector illustration and is available for free download, even for commercial use. The application allows you to customize the work panel according to your preferences and change tool settings. The software is available for Windows, Mac and Linux; users can expand the functionality using third-party extensions.

Possibilities:

• Convert raster images to vector.
• Drawing elements from scratch or tracing.
• A large set of photo filters that imitate various types of paints.
• Advanced work with typography.
• Photo manipulation, transformation, grouping of objects.

Inkscape is an ideal tool for beginning designers and illustrators who don't want to invest in expensive software.

PixBuilder Studio

PixBuilder Studio is a functional editor with filters and effects and support for layers. Despite its simple Paint-style design, the application offers a large set of tools, including photo editing. The program allows you to process projects in PSD format and also supports RAW.

Possibilities:

• Editing color, adjusting temperature, levels, shades.
• Possibility of creating digital paintings and photomontage.
• Sharpen a photo or apply blur.
• Processing individual areas of the image.

The software is suitable for beginner digital artists and amateur photographers who do not require advanced processing.

Pixlr

Pixlr is a popular online editor that allows you to work without registration. The photo editor can also be installed on a Windows PC. The desktop and online versions work in two versions: X - simplified for a quick start, and E - for advanced processing. Both modes offer an impressive range of options to enhance your shots in manual and auto mode.

Possibilities:

• Creation of graphics for social networks and advertising using ready-made templates.
• Portrait retouching and removal of unnecessary objects.
• Add titles, stickers and frames, create a double exposure.
• Cropping a photo in any shape.
• Deformation using plastic tools.

Pixlr is suitable for simple graphic design projects and users who like to publish photo content on social networks.

Luminar

Supported platforms: Windows, macOS

Price: 5660 for the basic version, 16930 rubles for the full set of features

A powerful photo editor with a large number of functions based on machine learning, which can be used both as a separate application and as a plugin for Photoshop or the built-in macOS media library.

Luminar is interesting because it has unique features. For example, quickly replacing the sky using a built-in neural network that selects different sky options for the selected frame. Or an automated system for decorating portraits. Luminar also has the Aurora HDR add-on, which allows you to add an HDR effect to any frame.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Unique technologies supported by artificial intelligence.
• Easy setup and intuitive interface.
• Possibility to pay once and use the editor without a subscription.

Disadvantages: too high cost compared to competitors and high system requirements.

Photolemur

Supported platforms: Windows, macOS

Price: 3250 rubles

The best editor for those who don't know how to edit photos or need quick processing. Photolemur uses a powerful machine learning system for automatic color correction, retouching and light balancing.

By default, the editor offers to select one of the styles and set the degree of “saturation” of it. This is usually enough to achieve the desired result, but if you wish, you can make spot changes on top of the applied filter.

Photolemur is suitable for both highly artistic 4K photos and home selfies. Any of them will look much better after automatic processing by artificial intelligence.

Advantages and disadvantages

• No need for manual photo editing.
• Wide selection of styles.
• The ability to apply AI filters to multiple photos at once.

No deficiencies found. Completely copes with its task.

Comparison of the best photo processing programs

Product	Developer	Website	Size, MB	Peculiarities	Price
Picasa	Google	The site is closed	9,5	Development stopped	For free
GIMP	Peter Mattis, Spencer Kimbell	230	—	For free
Photo Editor by Aviary	Elies Guzman, Adobe	closed from 2022	479	Development stopped	For free
PhotoScape X	MOOII Tech	357	There is a Pro version	For free
Pixlr	Autodesk	150	There is a paid subscription	For free
Adobe Photoshop	Adobe	1.27 GB	Allowed 7 days for review	RUR 16,224/year
PhotoDirector	CyberLink	670 MB	Trial period 30 days	from $3.42 per month
Movavi Photo Editor	Movavi LTD	130 MB	Work based on artificial intelligence	1790 RUR
PhotoMASTER	AMS Software	178 MB	—	980 RUR
DxO Photolab 2	DxO Labs	282 MB	No Russian language	from 9500 rubles

Let's summarize: as can be seen from the article, it is not necessary to spend money in order to correct minor defects or apply distorting, corrective filters to images. Free photo editors in some cases cope with this task no worse than paid ones. Such applications will create a good home darkroom that will save money and save low-quality photos. But for real experts in this craft, the capabilities of free editors may not be enough. Then you will have to spend money, getting a real weapon in return in the fight against a seemingly hopelessly damaged photo.

Found a typo? Select the text and press Ctrl + Enter

TouchRetouch

Supported platforms: macOS, iOS

Price: 1098 rubles

One of the best photo editors for removing unnecessary objects from photos. Touch Retouch is a highly specialized product, but it does its job almost perfectly. It uses machine learning capabilities to remove unnecessary elements from backgrounds of any complexity - be it a gradient, mosaic or bokeh.

If desired, Touch Retouch can be used to retouch faces (remove pimples, moles, warts, etc.) or to remove an entire person who, for some reason, does not belong in the photo (be it a random passer-by or an ex-spouse).

Advantages and disadvantages

• Powerful algorithm for removing objects from photos.
• Background restoration function of any complexity.
• Low cost.
• The simplest interface that does not require even basic skills in working with photo editors.

The program has no downsides as such. Touch Retouch copes with the stated task with a bang.

RAW Power

Supported platforms: macOS, iPadOS, iOS

Price: 3790 rubles

A photo editor built around Apple's proprietary RAW decoder. That is, all the algorithms used in RAW Power were created by Apple, and the editor is a shell for managing these algorithms.

RAW Power allows you to fine-tune color and light in DNG files with lots of detail. The program has all the necessary tools for quickly processing a large number of frames. This makes RAW Power a professional tool for developing RAW images, but it is not suitable for everyday use and full-fledged retouching.

Advantages and disadvantages

• A simple interface for editing a large number of frames at once.
• Convenient system for organizing and filtering images.
• Ability to make changes to the metadata of each file.
• Supports all macOS and iOS APIs.
• Function for editing photos taken on iPhone in portrait mode.

The cost of the editor is identical to the cost of Pixelmator Pro, but the RAW Power functionality is noticeably inferior to most competitors.

Best Paid Photo Editing Apps

1. SKRWT

   • Available for iOS and Android | 129 rubles

   Best for: Adjusting the perspective of your photos

Have you ever taken amazing photos that just don't quite line up? Perhaps the perspective was slightly tilted or distorted?

SKRWT eliminates these problems.

This photo editing app allows you to adjust the perspective of your images so that everything matches perfectly. Has automatic cropping and perspective correction. Or, if you prefer, you can use the "4-point correction" to manually edit the perspective of your image.

You can also use the app to correct lens distortion, a common problem with smartphone cameras. It's no surprise that SKRWT says it's "the missing link in high-quality smartphone photography."

2. Facetune

   • Available for iOS and Android

   Suitable for: Professional selfie editing

Do you love taking selfies? Facetune is another portrait photo editing app designed to help you look your best.

It allows you to quickly make professional adjustments to your images. You can smooth your skin, whiten your teeth, remove blemishes and even reposition your facial features with just a few movements and touches.

You can also change the background of your selfies using a selection of fun graphics.

Facetune is best used in moderation—if you get carried away, your selfie can quickly look like a wax doll.

Luckily, you can press and hold the blue button at the bottom of the screen to switch between the original image and the edited version. This way you can easily determine if you have gone too far.

3. TouchRetouch

   • Available for iOS and Android | 119 rubles

   Best for: Removing unwanted objects from photos.

Have you ever taken a photo that had an object in it that you wanted to remove? Well, TouchRetouch is a photo editing app that allows you to do just that.

You can use this photo editing app to remove things like telephone wires, poles, power lines, street signs, or trash cans. You can also remove blemishes, pimples or even those pesky photobombers.

Moreover, the application is very easy to use. In fact, you can remove most objects with just one tap. However, if you need help, the app has tutorials that will teach you how to use it to its full potential.

4. Pixelmator

   • Available for iOS only | 1790 rubles

   Best for: Huge range of photo editing features

Pixelmator covers all the bases. It combines the tools needed by both photographers and graphic designers into one mobile app.

It is a feature-rich layer-based photo editing app. You can use it to enhance images, add graphics and text, or create complex artistic compositions. The application has ready-made templates, collages and effects.

The best part? The interface is very easy to use.

The app also works seamlessly with Pixelmator desktop software, so you can edit anywhere and at any time that suits you.

5. Mextures

   • Available for iOS only | 179 rubles

   Best for: Quick and professional layer editing

Mextures is a layer-based photo editing app that makes advanced photo editing easy.

You can use the app to layer various edits and adjustments on top of each other and edit them individually.

In addition, the application has many beautiful filters for quick editing. And you can save your editing formulas to apply them to other photos in the future.

It's also great for applying dust, film grain, textures, gradients or light leaks.

6. Distressed FX

   • Available on iOS | 15 rubles

   Best for: Unleashing your creative potential

This is a photo editing app with a twist. Distressed FX allows you to add a wide range of textured overlays to your images to create something stunning.

With this photo editing app, you can turn images into photos, add additional elements that you wouldn't otherwise have at your disposal, and much more.

Users of the app praise it for being "easy to use" and having "so many options to free up your creativity."

If you want to create unique visual effects, you can achieve it with this amazing application.

7. Superimpose X

   • Available on iOS | 449 rubles

   Best for: Creating stunning double exposure images

It's the perfect app for creating Photoshop-style effects that will wow your Instagram followers.

Using masks, layers, and blending modes in Superimpose X , you can create stunning double exposure images that add a new dimension to your brand.

The app offers up to eight layers on iPhone 7 and above. For masking, it allows you to adjust the brush strength and size to get edges and other details. You can also use other masking features such as Magic Wand and Lasso to automatically mask out your images. And of course, Superimpose X offers a mask library where you can store masked images for later use.

Additionally, the app allows you to adjust the saturation using desaturation, dodge, burn, and other brushes. If you want to present a unique brand on social networks and other Internet resources, this application is for you.

Afterlight

Supported platforms: iPadOS, iOS

Price: 1390 rubles per year

One of the fastest growing photo editors for Apple mobile operating systems. Afterlight contains the most comprehensive photo editing tools available. You can use it to adjust color, lighting, shadows, exposure, etc. There is also a function for inserting text over photos and a huge collection of custom filters.

The developers of Afterlight 2 consider the Fusion filter system to be the main advantage of the editor. Its meaning lies in the ability to combine existing presets with manual user settings in different proportions to achieve the most suitable effect.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Easy to learn interface.
• Large selection of filters and effects.
• A complete set of tools to edit every detail of your photo.

Among the shortcomings, we can highlight only weak support for RAW files (they are exported, but the available format details are not used).

The best free photo editing programs

Free applications for editing graphic files should be inferior in functionality to their paid counterparts. It is necessary to have limitations, limited opportunities compared to their famous brothers. But is it? Below you will see how pleasantly they can surprise you. So what are the photo editing apps selected in our article? Review includes:

• Picasa;
• GIMP;
• Photo Editor by Aviary;
• PhotoScape X;
• Pixlr.

Picasa

A small photo editing program named after the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. Allows you to download images to your computer from a scanner and camera, which will eliminate unnecessary fiddling with files on digital devices. It will automatically index all available graphics on your computer’s hard drive and will not allow important files to be lost. Will create CDs based on your favorite photographs. Looking at them you will immediately remember what is inside. Also, there is the ability to create a slide show, you must agree, it’s cool to launch such a show during a party.

Developer	Interface language	size, MB
Google	More than 11 plus Russian	9,5

Pros:

• creating collages;
• writing geographic coordinates to EXIF ​​metadata;
• assigning keywords to photographs;
• facial recognition technology;
• publishing images on blogs, sending by email;
• saving a duplicate file when editing the original.

Minuses:

• inconvenient image size editing;
• incorrect display of GIF files;
• non-standard default file sorting.

Reviews: “An interesting program that parses and indexes all graphic files on the computer.”

GIMP

They say that professional photo editing programs cannot be free. GIMP is clear proof that this opinion is wrong. This is a graphic application for drawing and photo retouching, which is compared in professionalism to the legendary Photoshop. GIMP is used for graphic design elements, icon creation, layout images, interface components. Allows you to completely reconfigure mouse actions, keyboard combinations, and supports various input devices. It is also used for image processing using scripts in many programming languages.

Developer	Interface language	Size, MB
Peter Mattis, Spencer Kimbell	over 21 plus Russian	230

Pros:

• customizable interface;
• process automation;
• integration with many programming languages;
• a large number of scripts and plugins;
• presence of a dark theme;
• working with PDF format.

Minuses:

• hotkeys do not always work correctly;
• Using the new color selection tool causes the program to close

Reviews: “I haven’t found a better program for editing photos on a PC for free, no matter how much I searched.”

Photo Editor by Aviary

A convenient photo processing program suitable for beginners and professionals. Adjusts the contrast and brightness of the picture, retouches the face, for example, whitens teeth, hides skin imperfections. In addition, the editor has added the function of applying effects, placing text, and stickers. The easy, intuitive interface is conveniently located, allowing you to quickly process photos. This helps you save time by not wasting it exploring numerous tools and menus. All you need to do is open the photo and apply the desired tool that appears under the photo.

Developer	Interface language	size, MB
Elies Guzman, Adobe	Multilingual, including Russian	479

Pros:

• processing brightness, contrast, saturation;
• creating collages;
• tools for adding text;
• possibility of applying stickers;
• application of cosmetic effects;
• does not require an Internet connection.

Minuses:

• no technical support;
• big size;
• cessation of development.

Reviews: “Whites teeth with high quality, removes stains from photographs. It’s a shame that the developer closed this project.”

PhotoScape X

A universal graphic editor that combines the functions of many different programs. It can be used to replace utilities focused on editing, organizing, cataloging, composing and other photo management. Usually you need several products to perform these types of tasks, but now there is a universal program - Photoscape. An interesting feature of the utility is the Face Finder - a selection of similar photos via the Internet. This feature is useful when searching for your friends, personal photos and simplifying the workflow of designers.

Developer	Interface language	size, MB
MOOII Tech	more than 37 languages ​​plus Russian, Ukrainian	356

Pros:

• convert multiple images into animated GIFs;
• working with 3D objects;
• replacing the background image while maintaining the state of objects;
• batch processing;
• recording macros;
• viewing metadata.

Minuses:

• By default, only English and Korean are installed;
• slow batch processing.

Reviews: “An excellent combine, the only thing that spoils the impression is the inconvenient loading of the Russian language - you have to download it separately.”

Pixlr

No matter where you are, no matter what operating system you are using, you can always edit a photo. If you have Internet access, you will be able to process images directly in your web browser window. You can easily save disk space by freeing it from heavy programs. The work, based on artificial intelligence technologies, will cut out a strand of hair, remove the background of a photo, and apply many other filters in one click. Pixlr is suitable for amateur and professional photographers; it will be with you wherever the Internet is available. If the connection is poor, the utility can be downloaded to your PC.

Developer	Interface language	size, MB
Autodesk	English Russian	online, 150 mb

Pros:

• rich library of stickers, frames, icons;
• easy to learn;
• ideal for quick photo editing;
• applying artistic effects in one click;
• intuitive navigation;
• does not slow down even on weak computers and portable devices.

Minuses:

• presence of advertising in the free version;
• A monthly subscription is required to unlock full potential.

Reviews: The difference between this photo processing program and others is the ability to work with it without installing it on your computer.”

Focos

Supported platforms: iOS

Price: 749 rubles per year

Another highly specialized photo editor. It made the list of the best because it performs very specific tasks. Focos allows you to edit depth map files, that is, footage taken on an iPhone in portrait mode.

Focos makes it possible to change the appearance of the background blur, making it similar to the identical effect in popular DSLR cameras. You can change the degree of background distortion or make the blur swirl.

You can also use Focos to change the subject of focus after the fact, after the photo has been taken and saved. But Focos' signature feature is still 3D lighting. You can place virtual light sources anywhere in the frame, and they will affect the photo just like real ones.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Unique functionality not available in other editors.
• Low cost.
• User-friendly interface.

There are no disadvantages.

Raw Photo Processor

Supported platforms: macOS

Price: Free

The simplest free tool for developing RAW files in the Apple operating system. This is not a full-length editor. There's not even an option to crop the frame or add clarity to the photo. Only tools for changing colors and shadows.

This is a DNG document converter to get the most out of a RAW file, and then export it to Photoshop to continue editing, changing small details, adding more complex effects, etc.

Advantages:

• Free.
• Supports any RAW file formats.
• Integration with Adobe editors.

Flaws:

• Lack of many features found in other popular photo editors.
• Outdated interface.