If you are a blogger, a photographer, or just enjoy taking photos, then you have probably dabbled in the world of photo editing. There’s certainly no shortage of photo apps out there, but how do you know which ones are best? In this post, we break down the best photo editing apps for Mac.
Affinity Photo ($49.99)
If you’re looking for a photo editing app that goes above and beyond for the pricetag, while still allowing you complete creative control over your images, then it might be worth it to take a peek at Affinity Photo.
Affinity Photo is similar to Photoshop in that is supports unlimited layers, groups, layer adjustments, filters, masking, and more. You have access to more vanity editing tools, like red-eye fix, burn, blemish, clone, and patch.
A notable benefit of Affinity Photo is the nondestructive auto-saving, so you never have to worry about losing your work.
Affinity Photo is a great editing software if you’re interested in the capabilities of Photoshop, but not the pricetag. Check it out today!
GIMP (Free)
Somewhat similar to Affinity Photo is GIMP, which also mimics Photoshop.
Similar to Photoshop, GIMP allows you full control over editing your photos. It’s essentially an advanced image manipulation program, with a full suite of bells and whistles for your editing pleasure.
Also similar to Photoshop, you can add layers to your photos. More in line with Instagram and other app-based editing tools, you can also edit and tweak colors, adjust contrast, crop, adjust saturation, and so much more. GIMP is a great intro tool for the pricetag and the ease of use.
Fotor (Free)
Another solid free option for photo editing software is Fotor. Fotor is a simple and straight-forward photo editing app that focuses on some of the more basic elements of photo editing, such as color, filters, borders, cropping, and more. Fotor also has a built in collage function, which is nice since many times you have to download a separate app for that!
Lightroom (Free Trial/$9.99 per month with Photoshop)
When you look into photo editing software, one of the first things that’ll pop up is Adobe’s Lightroom, and for good reason! It’s essentially a staple in the photo editing community. Many bloggers and professional photographers are a fan of Lightroom, as it’s a great tool for editing a large batch of photos at once with the same filter, or “preset.†With these presets, you can apply the same editing style en masse to a large number of photos, which is a huge time and energy saver.
Pretty much anything you want to do with your photo, you can accomplish with Lightroom. It’s incredibly advanced, and can complete a number of photo editing functions, including fixing blown out backgrounds, and sharpening dull, blurry images.
The big drawback of Lightroom is the price tag. It’s only $9.99 per month, but that’s on top of already having a Photoshop program in the Adobe Creative Suite family, which is expensive. If you want to give it a try, you can download Lightroom free for 30 days as part of a trial period.
Pixelmator ($29.99)
Pixelmator is a unique photo editing app allows you to combine two different photos into one (while still allowing you to edit over each layer), add shapes, gradients, filters, tints, and more, and completely change and edit your photography to make it fit perfectly to your aesthetic. You can even mask and cut off certain areas of the photo, giving you more creative control over your final image.
Similar to other photo editing apps, you can also adjust contrast, color, saturation level, definition, and so much more. It’s a great alternative to Photoshop, and offers some truly unique capabilities.
Snapheal ($7.99)
If you’re looking for more of a quick-fix app, then Snapheal will be your best bet. Snapheal is more about cleaning up a photo than it is editing it and adding a whole bunch of layers. The tools can either remove large objects or smaller imperfections depending on the mode. You can even adjust the masking tool, use a magic rope, or clone stamp your way to a new photo.
What About Editing Apps?
In some cases, you may not need to turn to a full-fledged software program – you may be able to get away with an app. This is especially a great option is you primarily take photos with your phone – you won’t have to worry about transferring them to your computer to edit them.
Some of the top-rated photo editing apps out there are Snapseed, VSCO, and Afterlight. Check them out for yourself.
Which Software is Right for You?
All of these software options carry the benefit of not requiring any sort of complicated multi-device setup: no https://www.koincable.comcords needed! Think about what your strengths and weaknesses as an editor are. Think about what your needs dictate – do you use photographs professionally and require a more professional editing program? Then maybe you should choose Lightroom. Do you just want to spruce up your Instagram feed? Then maybe Snapheal is the right solution for you.
Also, think about your budget. Do you have money to spend on a photo editing app? Or are you in the bootstrapping phase of starting up a business where every penny counts? If you can afford to spend some money on a photo editing app, what’s your budget?
Another great way to help you decide is to reach out to friends and colleagues who you know use photo editing apps. Which ones do they prefer? Sometimes a word of mouth recommendation carries a lot more weight and credibility than a Google Search ever could.
Give them a try to figure out which one you like best – it will be a good way to expand your skillset and teach yourself something new!