The Ultimate List of Photo Editing Software
Photos are at the very core of graphic design, so one of the most useful tools to have in design work is photo editing software. Whether you’d like to put together a portfolio of your own photos, or take photos to use for a client’s website, or just retouch photos for fun, a reliable photo editing app is essential to have and know how to use.
Photo editing software has come a long way since it was first introduced in 1987. This first software was called Display, and for years, only professionals were able to access it to manipulate and edit photos digitally. Today, there are numerous photo editing software tools available on the market, at all price ranges.
This guide is for professional designers, social media content creators, graphic design students, artists, or anyone who loves to create with photos. We have curated 12 photo editing tools across platforms to help you find the right one for you. Among these, you are sure to discover the perfect photo editing software to enhance your images.
What to Look for in Photo Editing Software
Choosing a photo editor means finding a balance between power and ease. A clean interface with a gentle learning curve is key, especially for students or those new to editing. Apple Pencil support on iOS devices is a plus for precise touch-ups, while cross-platform compatibility (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, or Web) ensures you can work anywhere. Cloud syncing with services like iCloud or Google Drive keeps your projects accessible.
Core features matter: retouching for cleaning up images, color correction for vibrant palettes, batch editing for efficient workflows, and RAW support for high-quality photography. Some editors also pair well with vector tools like Amadine for mixed media art—check their guide on drawing over photos for creative ideas. Pricing ranges from free to subscriptions (US$5–US$20/month) or one-time purchases, so you can test without committing.
The List of Photo Editing Software for All Designers
Here is our lineup, ranging from full capability suites for professionals to beginner-friendly apps. These tools are tailored for any graphic design tasks that require photo editing, like creating social media visuals, posters for advertising, or preparing a portfolio. Each of these software tools has strengths, so there is something that will work for you, no matter the level of skill or unique use case.
Most have core features, like retouching, color correction, batch editing and RAW support. But some have a bigger learning curve, while others make it easy to start editing quickly the first time you open the software. And, several of these are available across Mac, Windows, iOS, Android and the Web. This can be helpful if you want to repurpose photos that have been edited, and incorporate them in later pieces of mixed media art. There are also a variety of price ranges: from free, to a subscription, to a higher priced one-time license.
Adobe Photoshop is the photo editor that has been around the longest out of the list (since 1990), and has long been considered the industry standard for that reason. It’s best for professionals who want precise editing ability and control over every element of a design. It also works well for those already using other Adobe suite products.
Photoshop offers:
- Layer-based editing for complex designs, and for masks and blends
- Advanced retouching tools for precise fixes and removing blemishes
- Supports RAW files and integrates with Adobe CreativeCloud
- Apple Pencil compatibility for editing on the iPad
Photoshop is available on Mac, iOS and Windows, and on Android in beta version. Choose Photoshop if you’re not daunted by a steeper learning curve, and if you need to edit compositions with layers or photo composites.
Lightroom is Adobe’s photo editing tool that makes it easy to manage large sets of images. It’s best for those who have thousands of images to process.
Lightroom offers:
- Batch processing for consistent edits on many images at once
- Presets speed up styling for cohesive portfolio looks
- Easy organization through photo tagging and cloud syncing across devices
Lightroom is also available for Mac, iOS and Windows, and on Android in beta. It has an easier learning curve and more intuitive editing tools, like sliders to adjust color and brightness. This tool is an excellent choice for working with client photo shoots, or for organizing and editing entire photo collections.
GIMP is a free, open source editing tool that began as a student project in 1995. As an open-source photo editor, it’s ideal for casual users and students who want solid quality editing, yet are budget-conscious.
GIMP offers:
- Support for layers, filters and customizable brushes
- Retouching and color correction
- Extensible via plugins for added design functionality
- Desktop only (no iOS version)
GIMP works on Mac, Windows or Linux, so it can be used on a desktop or laptop. It’s a good choice for students or casual designers who want to use Photoshop-style features (like control over layers) to edit photos, without paying for a subscription.
Affinity Studio is a top choice for professionals or advanced designers who need the full range of editing features and prefer a free version of the well-known tool. It is built to use in a professional workflow, with real-time adjustment layers, larger image support, super steady pan and zoom at maximum refresh rate. It’s also capable of fast loads of huge files, making it ready for professional projects.
Affinity Studio offers:
- Advanced RAW editing with precise tone mapping and retouching
- Layer-based editing with non-destructive adjustments
- Support for iPad and Apple Pencil for detailed work
- Exports to PSD for compatibility with design workflows
Affinity Studio is available on Mac, Windows and iPadOS. It is a free pick for designers needing pro features without recurring fees.
Luminar Neo is a great photo editor for creators who are ready to take their editing to the next level using AI [https://amadine.com/useful-articles/artificial-intelligence-in-graphic-design]. It allows users to implement quick, imaginative edits with tools like relighting or sky replacement. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to make photo edits on an iPad.
Luminar Neo offers:
- AI-powered tools for things like sky replacement, portrait enhancement, or relighting
- Presets for quick, stylized design effects
- Layers and masking for blending multiple images
- User-friendly interface, well suited for iPad editing
Luminar Neo is available on Mac, Windows, iOS and iPadOS. This tool suits designers who want to use AI to speed up their edits, and make bold creative moves, such as in social media.
If you’re new to photo editing, and want to get started without watching tutorials, Canva is an easy tool to use, thanks to its web interface. This web-based tool means you can jump right in from any device. It is perfect for social media creators or users who want to put together a quick design with photos, thanks to hundreds of templates included.
Canva offers:
- Template-driven workflow, making it easy to customize branding assets and social media content
- Full range of photo adjustments (filters, cropping, text overlays)
- Cloud-based collaboration for collaborative workflows
- The free tier includes thousands of graphics and templates
Canva is web-based, so it works across Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. This is the perfect tool for fast edits, and fun, creative designs, especially for social media, presentations or personal projects.
When you simply need to make a few photo fixes without extra installations, consider Pixlr. This tool is browser-based and lightweight, so it is great for editing photos on a mobile device. It has a simple interface, but enough filters, overlays and retouching tools to change up your images. Pixlr also has AI tools, providing quick options for background removal and color adjustments.
Pixlr offers:
- Browser-based with no download required; ideal for fast, web-based editing
- Lightweight interface with easy access to filters, overlays, and retouching tools
- AI-powered features allow for a one-click background removal and color adjustments
- Free version offers enough features for most image edits
Pixlr is available on the web, so it works across all platforms. It is the perfect solution for designers who want convenient, fast edits on the web or the ability to perfect photos from your mobile device—all without the hassle of installing software.
Fotor aims to provide easy online photo editing capability for everyone. It is perfect for beginners since the interface is intuitive and it has a short learning curve. The AI features claim to enhance photo quality with just a quick click. Fotor offers additional features like background removal and replacement, and object removal for elements like text or stamps.
Fotor offers:
- Simple interface with one-tap enhancements and filters
- Collage and batch editing for social media or portfolios
- Cloud syncing for access across devices
- Basic retouching for portraits or product shots
Fotor is web-based, so it’s compatible with all operating systems. It’s a worthy choice for students, new designers, or casual hobby editors who want easy, cloud-based photo editing.
Are you without any budget at all, but needing a quality photo editor? Darktable might be your answer. Darktable bills itself as an open-source alternative to Lightroom, and it’s free. It has advanced RAW editing capabilities. It also offers non-destructive editing and color grading tools, with a modular workflow similar to Lightroom. This means organizing and processing huge image sets is no problem. It has a slightly steeper learning curve, but if you’re an Adobe user and know your way around Lightroom, you’ll have no problem diving in.
Darktable offers:
- Open-source and free
- Non-destructive RAW editing with sophisticated color grading and masking tools
- Modular workflow that supports detailed organization and batch processing
- Frequent updates from the community so features keep improving
For photographers and designers who already use technical workflows and need a tool for RAW image editing for print or digital images, all without paying a dime, Darktable is a solid option.
Snapseed is a photo editing software tool built for mobile users who want something free and easy to use. This app is perfect for Google users who want to edit photos on the go and don’t want to buy a subscription.
Snapseed offers:
- 25 filters and presets
- High control over color and exposure
- Selective editing capability for specific areas
- Free, with no ads or in-app purchases
Snapseed is compatible with iOS and Android devices. If you’re a designer or student and you want a budget, flexible iPhone or iPad photo editor, look no further.
PhotoScape is a desktop photo editor that is ideal for students or even more advanced designers, wanting simple tools for bulk image tasks. PhotoScape X packs a lot of features into a beginner-friendly app, like drawing pictures, cropping, filters, film effect, light leak, red eye removal, and the ability to create animated GIFs. It can also handle RAW images.
PhotoScape X offers:
- Batch processing for resizing, renaming, or applying effects to many photos at once
- Collage and GIF creation for creative design projects
- A wide range of simple retouching and filter tools
- Even the free version offers useful design tools
PhotoScape X runs on Mac or Windows computers. It’s an excellent choice for students or serious designers who want straightforward tools with creative options and the ability to handle bulk image tasks.
Capture One says it is “made for pros and used by all”, and by that it means it offers high control over RAW image processing, and highly precise color grading. It excels in tethered shooting, making it a popular tool for studio and commercial photography. It has advanced layering and a customizable interface so users can streamline huge workflows. This tool is not for beginners, but if you need way more than the basics and you want to get the full effect of what a photo editor can be, Capture One is the tool for you.
Capture One features:
- Professional-level RAW image editing with precise color grading
- Robust tethered shooting functionality for live shoots and camera control
- Layer-based editing and local adjustments for advanced photo enhancements
- Customizable interface optimized for efficient workflow and batch processing
Capture One is compatible with macOS, Windows, and iPadOS. It is a top tool for professional photographers who want to do tethered shooting in studio settings. It’s also great for creatives who want to take their photo work to the next level with the most powerful editing capabilities available.
Free vs. Paid Photo Editors: Which Should You Choose?
For students, casual enthusiasts, anyone needing quick, easy fixes for photos, free photo editing software like Snapseed, Darktable, or Pixlr will provide more than enough features. These free tools cover essential capabilities, like color correction, exposure, filters, retouching, and even some AI-powered effects. And, these work in a browser or on mobile devices. These choices are ideal for casual use without any cost or software installation.
However, professional photographers and advanced users will want the wider range of features, like robust RAW image support, high-volume batch processing, superior color grading, tethered shooting, and detailed local adjustments. These only come with paid software, Capture One, Adobe Photoshop or PhotoScape X Pro offers dedicated tools that streamline workflow efficiency and meet the highest quality expectations for print and digital media.
FAQ
What is the best free photo editing software?
Snapseed and Darktable stand out for excellent tools to edit photos for free.
Which software do professional photographers use?
Capture One and Adobe Lightroom lead the way with advanced capabilities.
Is there a good online photo editor that doesn’t require downloading?
Yes, Pixlr offers a browser-based solution with AI features for quick, no-install edits. Canva is also web-based, with plenty of editing features in the free version.
What are the best free photo editing tools?
Darktable is a great free photo editor for more advanced photographers.
GIMP, Fotor, Snapseed and Pixlr are all solid free basic editing tools for more casual users and beginners. Try them all to find out which interface you find easiest to use.
What photo editing app offers a lot of AI features?
Many apps, including Adobe, Canva and Affinity Studio all incorporate some form of AI in their photo enhancement tools. But Luminar Neo bases its features around AI editing, so it stands out in this area.
Photo Editing on Mac, Windows, iPad, and iPhone
When choosing photo editing software, consider where and how you will usually edit photos. If you’re on a desktop device, both Mac and Windows users have access to a full range of editing software, including Capture One, Photoshop, Lightroom and PhotoScape X Pro.
For mobile users on iPad or iPhone, apps like Snapseed and Pixlr offer excellent editing without sacrificing quality or speed. Web-based editors like Canva and Pixlr also run across all platforms without installation so they are quick to get started with.
For designers and photographers who want to take it a step further and combine photo editing with vector graphics design, Amadine is a powerful vector drawing software that is great for incorporating photos. It is compatible with Mac, iPad and iPhone making it a great companion to photo editors, to help expand creative projects and add to your portfolio.
Thinking about where you’ll edit photos most, whether you prefer to work on a mobile or on a desktop, your budget, and how many features you actually need will guide you to the right editing software. With all the options available, there is an optimal tool for every photo editing task.
Conclusion
In the end, the best photo editing software comes down to experience level, budget, and expectations of features. Free photo editors like GIMP, Pixlr, Snapseed, and Darktable can handle everything from simple tweaks to detailed edits, making them a solid choice for beginners, students, hobbyists and anyone working on a small budget. Web-based editors like Canva, Fotor and Pixlr make it easy to edit from anywhere. For experimenting with AI photo editing, Luminar Neo is worth trying out.
For professionals working with thousands of images, or those who need features like advanced RAW support and collaboration tools, it is important to invest in paid tools, like Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Affinity Studio or Capture One. These are built to support workflows across platforms like Mac, Windows, and mobile devices, and offer the best in the industry, with photo editing features far beyond what any basic tools deliver.
The best way to choose a photo editor is to try out a few different apps—most of these tools offer either a free version or at least a trial period. This lets you see what fits best with the way you edit and the kind of creative projects you do.
If your work includes illustration or branding, adding a companion vector program like Amadine will give you even more ways to build visual content. The Amadine blog provides loads of inspiration and tutorials. It is a helpful resource for designers who want to know more about incorporating photos in vector designs to produce mixed-media art.
Overall, there may be no one absolute “best” editor—but there is indeed at least one (or a few) tools from our list that will win out for your individual creative style and photo editing needs.