Choosing the best photo editor is something most people occasionally have to do because we live in a digitally and technologically advanced age where people are constantly sharing digital images and using them for other purposes such as blogging.
- GIMP is a free software suitable for photo editing tasks like image authorizing, photo retouching and image composition. GIMP is a very powerful software with features and capabilities you might not find in other similar software.
- Easily edit your photos with Canva's photo editor! Add filters, frames, text, and effects with our free online photo editing tool!
Fotor is another photo editing software solution that boasts an intuitive interface. Some of its main features include: design templates, filters, HDR effects, and portrait retouching. Alternatively, if you are looking to create a bit more informal design, there are countless shapes, fonts and stickers that you can play around with.
With so many photo editing applications out there, it is very important to compare different options and features in order to ensure you end up with the best photo editor for your needs.
Best Overall- Movavi Photo Editor
Movavi photo editor is a full-featured photo editing tool which not only allows you to easily remove unwanted objects or tourists from images, but also enables you to replace image background, add watermarks and captions etc. What's more, with Movavi photo editor, you can enjoy 1-click photo quality enhancing with its Magic Enhance tool. Cropping, resizing, rotating, straightening tools will help you get more aesthetically pleasing composition. Movavi Photo Editor delivers much more than everyday photo editing apps – try the awesome object and background removal features!
Below is a list of the top 15 best free photo editor software 2018. The list is divided into three categories to make your selection easier.
1. SOFTWARE
a) PhotoScape
PhotoScape is a package deal kind of software. It includes all the major features you need to edit your pictures. Some of PhotoScape's capabilities include: blooming, red-eye removal, filters, cropping drawing pictures, text, balloons, frames, backlight correction, white balance adjustment, brightness, color, resizing, raw converter, rename, color picker, screen capture, splitter, print, animated GIF, page combine, batch editor and viewer.
- Beginner friendly
- Easy to use
- It has numerous features and capabilities
- Fast
- Flexible operation
- There are explanations for everything in order to make it easy for a beginner to understand what they are doing.
- It still needs some additional features such as background changing ability. Other than this, this software does not have any other disadvantage.
b) GIMP
GIMP is a free software suitable for photo editing tasks like image authorizing, photo retouching and image composition. GIMP is a very powerful software with features and capabilities you might not find in other similar software. GIMP can be used as a professional photo retouching program, a simple paint software, an image renderer, an image format converter or an online batch processing system among others. This software is extensible, expandable and modular. GIMP was designed to include extensions and plugins that make it possible for you to do almost everything with the software. This software also has a scripted interface that enables you to achieve anything from the simplest task to the most complicated task.
- Great alternative to Photoshop
- It is free
- Easy to use
- IT has numerous features
- Beginner friendly
c) Paint.NET
Paint.Net is one of the best full-featured photo editing software. It has a streamlined and intuitive interface and provides you with all the tools you need to edit your photos. This software supports layers, special effects and unlimited undo among others. It also has a growing active online community that is very friendly and provides plugins, tutorials and any other help you might need. It is perfect for beginners and expert photo editors.
- Fast download
- Small footprint
- Great for basic image manipulation
- Requires some additional features in order for a user to be able to do advanced photo editing.
d) Picasa
Picasa is a great software. You can use it to share, print, organize, find and transfer images. This software organizes all your pictures in one album so as to save you the hassle of going through your files to locate an image you want to edit. Picasa works with PSD, BMP, GIF, movie files and JPEG. Picasa is compatible with most digital cameras and it is able to detect your USB driver to import images into the software. The editing tools included in this software include: color switch to black and white, color enhancing, red-eye removal, custom and standard cropping among others.
- Easy file sharing
- Image import saves you the hassle of going through your files to get images
- Easy to use
- Fast download
- User-friendly interface
- Google no longer supports this software. This means there will not be any more updates for the software.
e) Photo! Editor
Photo! Editor is a basic photo editing tool that you can use to optimize and fix your digital images in just a few clicks. This photo editing software has basic tools such as clearing skin imperfections and wrinkles, red-eye removal and retouching tools such as color optimization. The software also features a cropping utility, lighting effects and a caricature tool that enables you to add hilarious effects to your pictures. Another great thing about Photo! Editor is the fact that it gives you an option to compare your original image with the edited image. This enables you to know whether or not you are moving in the right direction. This software is perfect for beginners and professional photo editors.
- Easy to use
- Numerous features
- Fast download
- Comparison feature enables you to compare your original image with the edited image
- User-friendly interface
- Beginner friendly
- It experiences crashes when used for a long period of time.
f) Raw Therapee
Raw Therapee is a software that is specialized for processing photos in their raw format. This software is more complex compared to other similar programs. Some of the features of this program include: retouching, adjusting exposure, shadows, highlights, white balance, color panels, perspective, sharpness, cropping, resizing, batch editing, raw file editing and filters among others. This software is perfect for hobbyists, professional photographers and anyone who needs a high quality editing software.
- Easy to use
- Has many features and tools
- Can be used for advanced editing
- Batch editing
- Raw file support
- Complex interface
- No pre-set filters
- Harder to learn compared to other photo editing software
2. FREE ONLINE IMAGE EDITORS
a) Pixlr
Pixlr is an online photo editing tool with numerous professional features such as brushes and layering. This photo editing tool has very advanced features that make it a major rival for desktop photo editors. Therefore, if you are looking for an online photo editing tool that would offer you the same service as a desktop photo editor, Pixlr would be a perfect tool. This software is perfect for beginners as well as professional photo editors.
- Easy to use
- Advanced features
- Numerous tools
- Free
- User-friendly
- Pixlr gets very slow at times especially when you are using editing tools like smudge tool. This is caused by the complexity of the editing tool.
b) PicMonkey
PicMonkey has all the basic features you need to edit your photos like brushes, effects and filters. Apart from this PicMonkey includes a number of design features like whole themes, textures and overlays among others. If you are looking for a photo editing tool that you can use to do basic enhancements and add text to your images, PicMonkey is the best software for you.
- It is free
- It has numerous features
- Can be used for basic photo enhancement
- User-friendly interface
- Easy to use
- It cannot be used for very advanced photo editing.
c) Fotor
Fotor is a powerful online photo editing tool with great usability. With Fotor, you can achieve very good photo editing results in a very short time. This photo editing tool has a variety of functionality tools that you can use to edit your photos. These include: brushes, layering, rendering for HDR and automatic enhancement algorithms among others. Fotor also has an easy design functionality that enables you to complete editing tasks quickly. This photo editing tool can be used for both basic and professional photo editing.
- Beginner friendly
- User-friendly interface
- Easy to use
- Numerous editing features and tools
- Can be used for both advanced and basic photo editing
d) BeFunky
BeFunky is probably the easiest online photo editor you can use. This online photo editing tool has a very intuitive and simple interface which makes it perfect for beginners who might not have any experience in editing. It has all the basic features you need to perfect your pictures. Some of these features include: layering, brushes and preset filters among others. Apart from this, BeFunky also gives you the option of adding graphics, texts and overlays to your pictures.
- It is very easy to use
- Intuitive interface
- Numerous features
- Fast
- Beginner friendly
- BeFunky can only be used for basic photo editing. This is is because it lacks advanced features which are required for professional photo editing. Therefore, if you are looking for a professional photo editor, BeFunky is not the photo editor for you.
e) Adobe PhotoShop Express
Adobe Photoshop Express is an online photo editing tool offered by Adobe. The funny thing about this online photo editing tool is the fact that it looks nothing like PhotoShop. This is odd considering that both editors are offered by Adobe. Nonetheless, Adobe PhotoShop Express has a very intuitive interface and covers all the basics very well. One of the best features of this online editing tool is the film strip view that is provided at the bottom of the editor page when you are using a number of adjustment tools. Instead of using a slider to adjust the white balance, saturation and other subjective tweaks, this photo editing tool displays the changes incrementally allowing you to choose your favorite from the different options provided. Adobe PhotoShop Express also has advanced tools like distortion, sketching and tinting.
- Free
- Great for advanced and basic editing
- Easy to use
- Great PhotoShop alternative
- Numerous tools and features
- You have to create an account to use this online editing tool.
3. MOBILE
a) Adobe PhotoShop Mix ( Available on Android and iOS)
Adobe PhotoShop Mix is perfect for cutting out, combining and seamlessly blending different pictures to create high-end multi-layered images. This application has numerous features and tools that you can use to transform your basic images to look like professional images. Adobe PhotoShop Mix is only compatible with android, iPhones and iPads and it is free.
- This app can be downloaded for free
- It is very easy to use
- Fast
- Numerous tools and features
- Can be used for basic and advanced photo editing.
- Great PhotoShop alternative
b) AirBrush Easy Photo Editor(Available on both Android & iOS)
Airbrush Easy Photo Editor is the best application if you want to make your pictures perfect. This app has all the features you need to achieve perfect results. Some of the features include: blemish and pimple remover, perfect skin, teeth whitening, eye brightening, retouching effects, photo lengthening, real-time editing and radiant filters among others. With this application, you can transform a very basic and dull picture to look like a professional picture. It is free and it is compatible with both android and iOS.
- Very easy to use
- Constantly being updated
- Numerous features
- Free
- Compatible with both android and iOS
- Saves edited images in separate folders
c) Cupslice (Android only)
Cupslice is among the most trending apps on social media. This app has numerous powerful features that enable you to transform your pictures. This app features numerous filters that you can use to tweak your photos to make them appear brighter and unique. The best thing about the filters is the fact that they leave your picture looking very natural. This way, it is very hard to tell that you have edited your picture. The app is very easy to use and it is only available for Android phones.
- Easy to use
- Free
- Powerful features
- Natural filters
- Doesn't take up too much space
d) Fotor Photo Editor (Available on Android and iOS)
Fotor Photo Editor is a one stop app for editing, sharing and selling pictures. Fotor has evolved from being one of the most user-friendly photo editing applications to a growing photography community platform. Apart from editing pictures on this app, you get the opportunity to connect with numerous photographers around the world. This enables you to get inspiration, make new friends and learn new photography skills. It is a great platform for photography enthusiasts, hobbyists and professional photographers. This application provides you with all the photo editing tools you need to transform your pictures. Whether you want to edit your picture to post on social media or use it for professional projects, Fotor will work very well for you.
- It is free
- Photography community platform
- User-friendly
- Fun
- Numerous editing tools
- Perfect for beginners and professionals
- It does not have a delete option for pictures. This leads to a lot of memory use up which is not great if you have a limited amount of space on your phone.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you love sharing pictures on social media or you are a professional photographer, you will really benefit from these photo editing tools. They are easy to use and you can find one for all your devices. Test them out to find out which one works best for you.
You may also like:
How to Use Pixlr Photo Editor
How to Remove Unwanted Objects from Photos
Top 10 Professional Photo Editors for Pro-photographers
10 Best iPhone Photo Printers Review
What is the best free photo editing software like Lightroom?
Adobe Lightroom is the industry standard to convert your raw file and organizing them smartly.
As a bonus, you can edit raw files to make your photo stand out with easy to use tools.
But what about your budget if you don't have enough buck to pay Adobe every month?
Is there any alternative to Lightroom apps that let you edit raw files as well as organizing them?
Fortunately, Yes.
In this guide, I am going to introduce you to those apps that have better editing and photo organizing capabilities.
And of course, all of them are free to use.
So, let's dive into this guide.
Contents
- 2 9 Best Free Photo Editing Software like Lightroom in 2020
Lightroom Overview
Lightroom is the best photography app for photographers for its advanced raw converting system.
With it, you can see your raw files from your camera and let you organize them.
The best benefit of Lightroom is you can preview your raw files which is almost impossible on your desktop.
Not only it lets you organize and convert raw files but also helps you to edit and develop raw photos.
Adobe Lightroom has packed with a lot of adjustment tools like exposure, highlight, and contrast.
Using those tools, you can easily make your photos pop up.
If you prefer curves than those tools, then Lightroom has also packed with curves.
Something I love most about Lightroom is it has slider-based tools. That means you can easily use LR and change the image just moving the slider from right to left.
Preset is another useful feature I love.
With presets, you can easily change the look of a photo with a single click. It saves a lot of time and quicken your image editing workflows.
HDR photo editing, Panorama, Lens distortion, and a lot of things you can do with Lightroom.
The only downside of Lightroom is it's a subscription-based photo editing software for pc and mac.
Besides that, Lightroom is an excellent photo editing software for photographers.
Related Article: How to Get Lightroom for Free?
9 Best Free Photo Editing Software like Lightroom in 2020
- Darktable
- Raw Therapee
- Lightzone
- IrfanView
- Chasys Draw IES
- Apple Photos
- Microsoft Windows 10 Photos
- PhotoScape X
- Pixlr X
01. Darktable Vs. Lightroom
Darktable is an open-source image editing software that can be used as a Lightroom alternative.
If you use Lightroom ever, then you can't find any difference with its interface with Darktable.
The interface of Darktable divides into three main modules. They are:
- Lighttable
- Darkroom
- Other
LightTable has packed with primary editing tools and lets you organize photos.
From this module, you can open a photo in Lightroom.
Besides, you can preview your raw files here in this module.
Therefore, you can sort and organize photos like Lightroom using geotags, stars, folder, date, and so on.
On the other hand, the Darkroom module lets you develop raw files.
In this module, you can find all the raw file developing tools like curves, exposure, and much more.
Like Lightroom, the tools of Darktable are also slider-based. It means you can adjust your photos just moving the slider.
On top of that, Darktable offers non-destructive editing workflows. As a result, you can keep your original file intact.
Nonetheless, Darktable is a free photo editing software.
If you want to try this software as your next Lightroom, then download it from here.
02. Raw Therapee Vs. Lightroom
Raw Therapee is another open-source photo editing software on this list.
This free image editing software is solely designed to develop and process raw files.
Like Lightroom, it is also a non-destructive photo editor that allows you to keep the original image untouched.
The only lack of Raw Therapee compared to Lightroom is you can't organize your photos by folders.
All you need to do is- organize the photos manually which is a time-taking process.
However, Raw Therapee is an excellent software for developing raw files.
For enhancing the raw files, it has packed with advanced editing and color details tool.
Though the interface of Raw Therapee is similar to Lightroom, it has a steep learning curve.
Once you learn it, you can get benefit from this software.
The downside of Raw Therapee is it doesn't have any sorting and organizing system.
It means you can't organize photos using Raw Therapee for efficient editing.
03. LightZone
LightZone is also a cross photo editing software that compatible with Linux, Windows, and Mac.
As it is an open-source image editor, you don't need to spend a single buck to use it.
For quick and efficient editing, it has a separate module called Edit.
You can find Styles, History, and a lot of editing tools on the right.
The styles of this software works similar to Lightroom preset.
Using them, you can create different photo effects to make your image stunning.
Most importantly, LightZone also offers non-destructive editing workflow. It means it doesn't affect your original photos and keep the file untouched.
However, I recommend you use this software for developing your raw files.
But when it comes to organizing photos, then it's worth looking for an alternative.
04. IrfanView
IrfanView is another free photo editing app for viewing, organizing, and sorting raw files or others.
Using this free image editor, you can organize photos by using tags, icons, folders, and names.
Though it is an image viewer and photo organization app, it comes with editing tools to edit images.
With IrfanView, you can convert raw files, create slideshows, and perform batch editing workflows.
Keep in mind; I recommend you Irfanview for organizing and sorting images.
If you are looking for hardcore or advanced raw photo editor, then it is not the app you seek.
In this case, you can use Darktable or Raw Therappe.
Another downside of Irfanview is its interface seems a bit old.
Overall, it is an excellent software for image viewing and organizing photos.
05. Chasys Draw IES
Chasys Draw IES is a versatile photo editing software for Windows.
The free image editor has packed with every tool you need to give a stunning look to your photo.
This free photo editor app comes with three different photo editor suits:
- Chasys Draw IES Artist
- Chasys Draw IES Converter
- Chasys Draw IES Viewer
Chasys Draw IES Artist has packed with advanced editing tools like layers, adjustment layers, and so on.
With it, you can do the trickiest photo editing workflow like cut out image background from complex photo.
Chasys Draw IES Converter helps you to convert raw files in a lightening way.
On the other hand, Chasys Draw IES Viewer helps you to organize and develop raw files.
For photographers, Chasys Draw IES Artist may be a good selection.
The downside of this app is it has a steep learning curve.
So, if you are looking for an easy to use app for organizing and doing basic editing tasks, then it's better to try a new one.
06.Apple Photos
Apple Photos is a built-in app for organizing, sorting, and editing photos for Mac users.
Right off the bat, Photos helps you to organize and view raw files as well as other formats in a smart way.
You can sort images using date, name, rating, ISO, and a lot.
The built-in software of Apple is faster and performs better than any other free photo organizing software on this list.
Even it works better than LIghtroom.
Apple Photos doesn't only let you organize photo but also come with editing capabilities.
With it, you can make adjustments like correcting brightness, adjust clarity, and so on.
Moreover, you can crop & resize photos with the built-in software of Apple.
Like Lightroom, the tools of Darktable are also slider-based. It means you can adjust your photos just moving the slider.
On top of that, Darktable offers non-destructive editing workflows. As a result, you can keep your original file intact.
Nonetheless, Darktable is a free photo editing software.
If you want to try this software as your next Lightroom, then download it from here.
02. Raw Therapee Vs. Lightroom
Raw Therapee is another open-source photo editing software on this list.
This free image editing software is solely designed to develop and process raw files.
Like Lightroom, it is also a non-destructive photo editor that allows you to keep the original image untouched.
The only lack of Raw Therapee compared to Lightroom is you can't organize your photos by folders.
All you need to do is- organize the photos manually which is a time-taking process.
However, Raw Therapee is an excellent software for developing raw files.
For enhancing the raw files, it has packed with advanced editing and color details tool.
Though the interface of Raw Therapee is similar to Lightroom, it has a steep learning curve.
Once you learn it, you can get benefit from this software.
The downside of Raw Therapee is it doesn't have any sorting and organizing system.
It means you can't organize photos using Raw Therapee for efficient editing.
03. LightZone
LightZone is also a cross photo editing software that compatible with Linux, Windows, and Mac.
As it is an open-source image editor, you don't need to spend a single buck to use it.
For quick and efficient editing, it has a separate module called Edit.
You can find Styles, History, and a lot of editing tools on the right.
The styles of this software works similar to Lightroom preset.
Using them, you can create different photo effects to make your image stunning.
Most importantly, LightZone also offers non-destructive editing workflow. It means it doesn't affect your original photos and keep the file untouched.
However, I recommend you use this software for developing your raw files.
But when it comes to organizing photos, then it's worth looking for an alternative.
04. IrfanView
IrfanView is another free photo editing app for viewing, organizing, and sorting raw files or others.
Using this free image editor, you can organize photos by using tags, icons, folders, and names.
Though it is an image viewer and photo organization app, it comes with editing tools to edit images.
With IrfanView, you can convert raw files, create slideshows, and perform batch editing workflows.
Keep in mind; I recommend you Irfanview for organizing and sorting images.
If you are looking for hardcore or advanced raw photo editor, then it is not the app you seek.
In this case, you can use Darktable or Raw Therappe.
Another downside of Irfanview is its interface seems a bit old.
Overall, it is an excellent software for image viewing and organizing photos.
05. Chasys Draw IES
Chasys Draw IES is a versatile photo editing software for Windows.
The free image editor has packed with every tool you need to give a stunning look to your photo.
This free photo editor app comes with three different photo editor suits:
- Chasys Draw IES Artist
- Chasys Draw IES Converter
- Chasys Draw IES Viewer
Chasys Draw IES Artist has packed with advanced editing tools like layers, adjustment layers, and so on.
With it, you can do the trickiest photo editing workflow like cut out image background from complex photo.
Chasys Draw IES Converter helps you to convert raw files in a lightening way.
On the other hand, Chasys Draw IES Viewer helps you to organize and develop raw files.
For photographers, Chasys Draw IES Artist may be a good selection.
The downside of this app is it has a steep learning curve.
So, if you are looking for an easy to use app for organizing and doing basic editing tasks, then it's better to try a new one.
06.Apple Photos
Apple Photos is a built-in app for organizing, sorting, and editing photos for Mac users.
Right off the bat, Photos helps you to organize and view raw files as well as other formats in a smart way.
You can sort images using date, name, rating, ISO, and a lot.
The built-in software of Apple is faster and performs better than any other free photo organizing software on this list.
Even it works better than LIghtroom.
Apple Photos doesn't only let you organize photo but also come with editing capabilities.
With it, you can make adjustments like correcting brightness, adjust clarity, and so on.
Moreover, you can crop & resize photos with the built-in software of Apple.
However, Apple Photos is not recommended for those who are looking for software that has advanced editing capabilities.
But for photo organization and basic editing workflows, Apple Photos is what you look for.
07.Microsoft Windows 10 Photos
Like Apple Photos, Microsoft Windows 10 Photos is also a built-in app for viewing and sorting images.
The performance and workflow of this Microsoft built-in app is similar to Apple Photos.
With it, you can view images and organize photos.
Also, you can do basic editing tasks like cropping and resizing with Microsoft Photos. Even it lets you remove unwanted objects from an image.
Therefore, Microsoft Photos lets you adjust brightness, exposure, and clarity of a photo.
Indeed, you can't find any difference between Apple Photos and Microsoft Photos.
However, the downside of Microsoft Photos is it takes time to view large files. Even I trouble to open jpg and png formats.
At the same time, you can't perform advanced editing workflows like retouching and color correction with it.
08. Photoscape X
Photoscape X is a free raw converter app that you can use to convert your raw files to jpg.
Using Photoscape X, you can also view images both individually and slideshows.
Comparing with Lightroom, you can find every editing tool to make your photos enticing.
The free photo editor lets you crop & resize photos, adjust brightness, contrast, and much more.
In this app, you can also find over 20+ adjustments, effects, and frames to bring back life to your images. Therefore, other editing tools like filters and collage templates are also available on this software.
Something Lightroom has but Photoscape X lack is the non-destructive editing workflows. It means you can't keep your original files intact.
Therefore, Photoscape X doesn't come with any organizing system. You can't organize photos and sort them by folder and name.
Photo organizing and viewing raw file are something you are looking for, then Photoscape X might not for you.
But for developing the raw files, you can definitely consider this free image editor.
09. Pixlr X
Pixlr X is an online-based photo editing software that you can use as a Lightroom alternative.
The interface of this online photo editor is intuitive and easy to understand. It divides its interface into three different modules:
- Edit
- Graphic Designer
- Collage Maker
Pixlr Edit module is the backbone of this software. You can find all the editing tools in this module.
Basic editing tools like cropping & resizing, cut out, adjustment tools are available on Pixlr.
Beauty retouching tools like blemish remover, wrinkle remove, and eye enhancer let you make our portrait enticing removing the imperfections.
Therefore, a lot of filters and effects are available in Pixlr X to make quick adjustments.
On top of that, Pixlr X has packed with free collage templates to create amazing collages. Even you can make graphic elements like business cards with Pixlr X.
The flaw of Pixlr X is you can't organize photos and develop the raw files completely.
But for doing basic adjustment and beautify retouching workflows, Pixlr X can be your next go-to software.
Free Photography Editing Software Download
Verdict
All the free photo editing software I have included are free and you can use them as Lightroom alternative.
Among them, Darktable and Raw Therappe are on my priority list.
Both of the two apps offer non-destructive editing workflows, developing raw files, and organize them smartly.
Keep in mind; offering the same features don't mean they are equivalent to Lightroom.
Adobe Lightroom is the industry standard and offer the best experience ever.
So, finding the best software similar to Lightroom is impossible.
But you can do your job with the free photo editing software I listed.
Another thing- the app you already use is the best for you as you are introduced to it.
So, you can get the most out of the app easily.
For recommendation, I suggest you to use Darktable or Raw Therapee as the Lightroom alternative.
Best Photo Editing software, free download
Sohel Rana
Sohel Rana is the founder, content crafter, and SEO's at Pic Editor Review. He has grown his passion over years about writing on software, how-to guide, and product description.
