Here is a detailed list of the best photo editing apps for mobile, with their key features and functionalities:
1. Adobe Lightroom
- Key Features:
- Professional editing tools with advanced color correction.
- Adjust exposure, contrast, highlights, and shadows.
- RAW file support for high-quality editing.
- Presets to apply filters quickly.
- Non-destructive editing, which means your original image remains untouched.
- Sync across devices with Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Best For: Serious photographers who want granular control over photo edits.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose Lightroom?: It’s a favorite among professionals for its powerful editing tools and ability to handle RAW files. Its integration with Adobe’s ecosystem makes it a go-to choice for anyone already using Adobe products.
2. Snapseed
- Key Features:
- Tools like healing, brush, structure, HDR, and perspective adjustments.
- 29 different filters and effects.
- Precise control over brightness, contrast, and color saturation.
- RAW file support and non-destructive editing.
- Selective adjust feature to edit specific parts of an image.
- Double exposure and blending features.
- Best For: Users looking for a free, yet professional-level photo editor.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose Snapseed?: It offers a lot of professional-level features for free, making it great for both beginners and seasoned photo editors who want detailed control.
3. PicsArt
- Key Features:
- Variety of filters, photo effects, and stickers.
- Drawing tools to add artistic elements to photos.
- Ability to make collages and apply frames.
- Advanced AI tools for background removal and blending.
- Social platform to share and discover edits.
- Best For: Creative edits and social media posts.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose PicsArt?: It’s an all-in-one creative suite that’s perfect for those who love to create vibrant and stylized images with a vast selection of filters, effects, and tools.
4. VSCO
- Key Features:
- A wide range of film-inspired filters.
- Manual adjustments for exposure, contrast, and temperature.
- VSCO Grid, a social platform for sharing your photos.
- Subscriptions for advanced editing tools and more presets.
- Basic video editing functionality.
- Best For: Minimalist, film-like edits with a focus on artistic styling.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose VSCO?: If you love film photography aesthetics, VSCO’s unique filters and simple interface make it a popular choice for stylish, understated edits.
5. Adobe Photoshop Express
- Key Features:
- Quick tools for crop, rotate, flip, and straighten.
- Built-in blemish remover and red-eye correction.
- Apply text, borders, and frames.
- Various filters, effects, and collage creation tools.
- Customizable options like watermarking.
- Best For: Quick, easy edits on the go.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose Photoshop Express?: For those already familiar with Adobe products, Photoshop Express provides a streamlined version of Adobe’s editing software that’s perfect for quick edits and sharing on social media.
6. Canva
- Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop editor with pre-designed templates.
- Create social media graphics, posters, banners, and more.
- Built-in photo editing tools for basic adjustments.
- Thousands of stock images and elements.
- Collaboration features for team projects.
- Best For: Social media graphics and photo design.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose Canva?: Canva is the best tool for designing social media posts or presentations quickly. Its templates and intuitive drag-and-drop functionality make graphic design easy even for non-designers.
7. Afterlight
- Key Features:
- Over 130 unique filters, textures, and gradients.
- Advanced tools like selective hue and color toning.
- Blend modes and artistic overlays for unique effects.
- Frames, cropping, and real-time photo editing.
- Double exposure feature for combining images.
- Best For: Creative and artistic edits.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose Afterlight?: If you love experimenting with textures and overlays, Afterlight provides a rich toolkit for creating unique, artistic photos.
8. Prisma
- Key Features:
- Turns your photos into artistic masterpieces using AI.
- Filters inspired by famous painting styles (e.g., Picasso, Van Gogh).
- High-quality image transformation in just a few taps.
- Best For: Artistic photo transformations.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose Prisma?: For those who love creating art-like images, Prisma offers a fun way to turn everyday photos into stunning works of art using AI-powered filters.
9. Bazaart
- Key Features:
- Background removal using AI.
- Layer-based editing with the ability to combine multiple photos.
- Add text, stickers, and graphic design elements.
- Create collages and custom visuals.
- Best For: Graphic design and photo manipulation.
- Platform: iOS.
Why Choose Bazaart?: It’s perfect for those who want to create complex designs, collages, and photo manipulations with an easy-to-use interface.
10. Pixlr
- Key Features:
- Wide selection of tools for cropping, resizing, and applying filters.
- Overlays, effects, and blending modes for creative edits.
- Easy-to-use interface with quick editing options.
- Collage maker for combining multiple images.
- Best For: Beginners who want a balance between functionality and simplicity.
- Platform: Android, iOS.
Why Choose Pixlr?: It’s one of the best apps for beginners, offering simple yet powerful tools for everyday edits and creative projects without overwhelming users with too many options.