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10 Best Photo Editing Tools in 2024

best photo editing tools

We all need high-quality photos to upload on social media. However, the default photo editors of desktop and mobile devices lack editing features. In this regard, we need third-party software that has a large library of presets and manual tools. Here we will help you with the best photo editing tools in 2024. 

Photo editing allows us to improve the outlook of an image. We use a software known photo editing tool to edit the photos. There is a wide range of techniques involved in editing a photo. And, the software you have chosen must have features that you want to change in your photos. 

That’s why choosing the right photo editing tool is important. It can save you time and help you achieve your goals. In this article, we will introduce the 10 best tools that can help you edit the photos like a professional editor. 

10 Best Photo Editing Tools in 2024

To choose these 10 photo editing tools we have used criteria like speed and ease of use, specialized features, accuracy in editing, AI integration, output options, advanced presets, skill level of the editor, and the subscription plan. 

01. Adobe Photoshop Express | Alternative to Photoshop

adobe photoshop express

Adobe Photoshop Express is an alternative to Photoshop. It has both the mobile and web versions. So, it allows you to have Photoshop on the phone, meanwhile, editing photos without downloading the heavy files of Photoshop on your desktop. 

Adobe Photoshop Express is one of the best photo editing tools for beginners. It allows you to edit your photos with less effort than Photoshop for the desktop. Photoshop Express is a simplified version of Photoshop. The interface helps with quick and easy photo edits.

Here you will get basic photo adjustment tools like image resizing, cropping, brightness, and saturation. Also, it allows you to edit the background of your photos with a click.  Moreover, Photoshop Express offers a large number of presets. Using these presets you can create specific effects. 

02. Canva | Beginner-Friendly Tool

Canva

Canva is the best option to start photo editing. Its drag-and-drop tool is beginner-friendly and ideal for photo editing. You can also design posters, social media graphics, and more. 

Canva is the first choice for those who want quick edits and designs. Specially the digital marketers use this tool to create appealing visual content. It has a vast library of pre-made templates for social media, flyers, and more. You can easily integrate text and other design elements into photos. So, you are just one click away from creating striking content for your social media.

Indeed Canva is a powerful photo editing software. It is available for mobile devices and the web. All you need to do is create an account to use this program. Additionally, you will get access to a large number of features without purchasing them. 

03. Pixlr | Best Photo Editing Tools

Pixlr, Best Photo Editing Tools

Pixlr is another best photo editing tool for beginners. It is available for web and mobile devices. Pixlr is not a complex software like Photoshop. Yet, it is rich in features that help to remove flaws from your photos. Here you will get more control over the edits than basic editors like Canva. 

Pixlr offers basic editing tools like crop and resize. Also, the color correction tools like brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, and more to improve the look of your images. Pixlr has different kinds of filters. Using these filters, you can create vintage effects, and black and white effects with just a click.

Additionally, Pixlr has layers, masks, blending modes, and brush tools. These tools give the professionals more control over the presets. Moreover, here you will get the auto-correction tool. It automatically adjusts the image’s exposure, contrast, and color balance. And the AI background removal lets you get rid of the background. 

04. Fotor | Popular Photo Editing Tools

Fotor

Fotor is another popular image editing tool for beginners. This online photo editor has basic tools to adjust the image. Also, the creative presets allow the creation of artistic effects. So, using this tool you can quickly edit your photos. 

The AI integration allows us to improve the image with a click. Also, it smoothens the skin and removes blemishes. So, removing the spots from the portraits becomes easier.  You can also use the collage maker to combine multiple images into a creative layout. Moreover, it has different templates for creating graphics, posters, and social media content. 

Fotor is available on the web and smartphones. This tool is Free with in-app purchases. The premium plan (Fotor Pro) costs around $8.99/month. It unlocks more advanced tools, templates, and effects.

05. BeFunky | Great Photo Editing Tools 

BeFunky

BeFunky is another great option for beginners. You can access this tool online or download the mobile app and install it. It has a lot of graphic design features. The easy-to-use interface makes it suitable for professionals and beginners. It has a one-click portrait touch-up and basic photo editing tools. Also, the filters, effects, and overlays allow creative editing. 

BeFunky also allows a great deal of features for free of cost. These features are enough for beginners. However, the premium version is $9.99/month. You can use this program for social media graphics and collages. Also, people love this for fun and creative edits. 

06. Adobe Photoshop | Best Photo Editing Tools for Beginners

Adobe Photoshop, Best Photo Editing Tools

Talking about professional photo editing tools, Adobe Photoshop tops the list. This software brought a revolution in the world of photo editing and digital art. And now it is one of the best photo editor tools across the globe. Photoshop has all the professional features that you can ever imagine to turn raw photos into pieces of art. 

However, Photoshop is helpful for both the beginners and the professionals. Yet most people are usually frightened to start their photo editing journey with Photoshop. But this software can give you the best ways to be an expert in the photo editing industry.  The latest edition of Adobe Photoshop is more helpful for beginners. It allows you to remove the background with just one click. And the accuracy of this automatic background removal looks impressive.

Meanwhile, the gmGenerative AI has added more fun to photo editing. All you need is to select the image and give a command to the AI to fill the selected area. Thus professional photo editors are creating eye-popping designs. However, generative AI is only available after purchasing the software. 

Adobe Photoshop is the go-to choice for professionals who need precision, power, and flexibility in their photo editing. Its extensive capabilities make it suitable for photographers, graphic designers, digital artists, and anyone working in visual content creation.

07. Capture One Pro | Professional Photo Editor

capture one pro

After Adobe Photoshop has earned praise from professional photo editors. This software is most likely used by the photographers. The reasons for its being a popular photo editing tool are the advanced RAW processing capabilities and superior color grading. That’s why the studio photographers are using this tool for the studio photography. 

Capture One also supports a wide variety of cameras. It maintains the maximum resolution and dynamic range in the images. The striking color reproduction of this program makes it helpful for flawless photos. This nondestructive editing tool allows professionals to experiment and fine-tune their work without affecting the original image.

Capture One has advanced skin tone editing tools along with advanced color editing tools. It helps to edit portraits to the ultimate accuracy. You get precise control over brightness without altering color, allowing for detailed tonal adjustments without color shifts. It helps create specific effects. 

While Photoshop excels at detailed editing, manipulation, and compositing, Capture One is built for photographers, focusing on RAW processing, color grading, and tethered shooting. Many professionals use both tools in tandem, starting in Capture One and finishing in Photoshop.

08. Affinity Photo | Photo Editing Software

Affinity photo

Affinity Photo is another photo editing software designed for professional photo editors. It has advanced tools that allow quick edits. One of the main reasons for affinity photos is their affordability. You can get this software at a lower price than Photoshop.

In Affinity Photo, you will get high-end features and features to retouch your images. The layers-based editing system helps edit our images non-destructively. So, you can adjust the brightness, contrast, or balance color in a layer without implying them on another layer. Additionally, the masks and clipping path help you cut out the subject from the background. 

Additionally, the Affinity Photo allows to creation of high-quality illustrations. Here you will get a wide variety of customizable brushes, including raster and dynamic brushes, for painting and illustration. Also, it supports PSD files, so, you can open, edit, and export Photoshop files. 

Another crucial feature of Affinity Photo is its ability to handle large files. It’s built to work with multi-core processors. Thus, it takes advantage of GPU acceleration for faster performance compared to some other professional software.

Additionally, this tool has macro support. So, it can save you time by automating the tasks. This feature is helpful for batch photo editing

09. Adobe Lightroom | Best Picture Editing Tools 

Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom is a must-learn software for professional photo editors. Its powerful features and a large library make it ideal for quickly improving the outlook of an image. Additionally, the custom profiling option for the different camera brands creates precise tonal effects.

The library module of Photoshop adds another plus point to professional photo editing. It allows to create folders to organize the images. Also, you can search the images by using keywords. Moreover, you will get smart collections, facial recognition, and cloud-syncing features. It gives flexibility in managing the images.

Lightroom offers excellent raw image processing features. The presets come with different color grading features. Thus, it has become ideal for portrait photographers and event photographers. They can quickly adjust the colors using Adobe Lightroom. 

Adobe’s Sensei AI powers several tools in Lightroom, including automatic tagging, image search, and auto enhancement tools. The Auto Tone feature provides intelligent, AI-powered adjustments to exposure, contrast, and tone. The Adobe Lightroom also comes with a mobile version. From the cloud storage, you can download the edited image from anywhere.

For these numerous features, Adobe Lightroom has become an integral part of the professional photographer’s life. 

10. Luminar Neo | Photo Editing Tools

Luminar Neo

Luminar Neo is the last photo editing tool on our list. Moreover, it has a user-friendly interface along with advanced features. That’s why Luminar Neo is helpful for beginners. 

The AI tools make your photo editing journey easier. The Relight AI corrects the colors in your image. All you need is to click on the tool and it will automatically fix the exposure issues in both the foreground and background.

Meanwhile, the Sky AI detects the sky. Then you can replace the sky with a new one automatically. Also, you will get the Structure AI and Noiseless AI to make your photos attractive. 

FAQ | Best Photo Editing Tools

What is the Future of Photo Editing?

AI will control the future of photo editing. Tools like Adobe Sensei and Luminar’s AI are already dominating the field. However, traditional editing skills will remain valuable. The new technologies will be critical for the next generation of photo editors.

How Much Does It Cost to Edit a Photo?

Well, there are different categories of photo editing services. The pricing of photo editing depends on the categories. However, the simple background removal service starts at $0.25.

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Final Thoughts| Best Photo Editing Tools

So, these are the 10 best photo editing tools in 2024. The first 5 tools are beginner-friendly while the last 5 are for professionals. The AI integration in these programs helps with quick edits. That’s why, both the professionals and the beginners can use any of these programs. 

However, you can hire expert professionals to edit a large number of photos. Many photo editing websites like Clipping World can assist you with this case. Contact them to get a free trial

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