Top 10 Best Photo Editing Apps for 2021

Last Updated on February 24, 2024

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Scroll through your App Store or Google Play Store and you’ll find thousands of photo editing apps, which is great! But with that many to choose from, all offering seemingly identical features, how do you find the best one?

To help your grid stand out, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 best photo editing apps that will get you that instant double tap and follow.

Read on below to see our top picks for this year.

Since its launch in 2012, Instasize has been one of the go-to apps for content creators and creatives. Originally popular for its easy resizing and cropping tools, Instasize has now grown into a robust, all-around, photo editing app. It offers color editing tools where you can adjust your photo’s contrast, saturation, and grain, as well as advanced beauty tools where you can edit out blemishes with a quick tap.

But if you are going for instant edits, Instasize also offers some of the best selections of professional-grade filters in the market. With 100+ filters to choose from, you’re sure to find the one that fits your brand and aesthetic.

• Price:Free to download with premium subscriptions starting at $4.99
• Availability: iOS and Android

Photo Credit: App Store

Made is a new storytelling toolkit created specifically for Instagram Stories and other similar platforms. The app offers 80 on-trend templates that help your effortlessly transform simple content into engaging and truly unique stories. By understanding the true function of platforms like Instagram Stories, Made has created a storyboarding feature that allows you to build your entire narrative from start to finish.

Other notable features include the ability to add custom backgrounds, 16 diverse fonts, and 10 professional-grade photo filters. If you want a photo-editing app that understands your storytelling needs, then there’s no better one.

• Price:Free to download with premium subscriptions starting at $4.99
• Availability: iOS 

Photo credit: App Store

Afterlight is known for having one of the most complete editing suites in the mobile app market. It gives users the ability to adjust brightness, fix clarity,  select from a bunch of filters, and more. It also has a cool selection of overlays that can be adjusted and tweaked with a slider.

One of the favorite Afterlight features is the “Fusion” tool which allows users to combine two of their favorite filters into one.

• Price:Free to download with subscriptions starting at $2.99
• Availability: iOS and Android

Photo credit: App Store

PicsArt provides the standard suite of editing tools such as cropping, color adjustment, and beautifying effects, but what the app is famous for is its “Sketch Effects” feature which allows you to add cool doodle lines on top of your photo. The app also gives you the option to completely change your photo’s background and add other artsy and magical effects that can’t be found in any other app.

• Price:Free to download with in-app purchases starting at $0.99
• Availability: iOS and Android

Photo credit: App Store

VSCO is quite possibly one of the most popular apps on the list for their aesthetically pleasing presets that make your photos Instagram-ready in no time. Premium users get access to over 200+ of their custom presets which can be tweaked to your liking with the help of their editing tools. They also have weekly photo challenges and a community of like-minded creatives that post inspiring content.

• Price: Free to download with in-app purchases starting at $0.99
• Availability: iOS and Android

Photo credit: App Store

Enlight Pixaloop deserves a spot on this list for the unique features it offers. What makes this app stand out is its ability to add moving elements to still shots. This effect, which is quite difficult to achieve in regular editing standards, is made possible with a few taps.

You can, for example, make clouds move on your photo to create a timelapse effect.

• Price: Free to download with in-app purchases starting at $3.99
• Availability: iOS and Android

Photo credit: App Store

Tezza was created by a famous Instagram influencer of the same name so you’re sure to achieve double-tap worthy content. The app offers a well-curated selection of presets as well as some pretty “dust” overlays that easily turn regular photos into Instagram gold.  You can also choose from their built-in templates to create cute collages.

• Price: Free to download with subscriptions starting at $1.99
• Availability: iOS and Android

Photo credit: App Store

Facetune is a photo editing app primarily used to enhance and retouch selfies and portraits. Some of its most used features allow you to whiten, smoothen, and remove blemishes. Aside from using it on faces, however, you can also use some effects to emphasize parts of your photo.

The app is very easy to use as all you have to do is glide your finger on top of the areas you want to edit.

• Price: Free to download with in-app purchases starting at $0.99
• Availability: iOS and Android

Photo credit: App Store

You can’t mention photo editing apps without thinking of Adobe, especially if you want to achieve professional-grade edits. Its app version packs quite a number of advanced editing tools from color correction and other add-on effects. They also have presets available so you can easily achieve the look you want with minimal effort.

• Price: Free to download starts at $4.99 for premium
• Availability: iOS and Android

Photo credit: App Store

As its name implies, Foodie was created for budding food photographers who want to achieve instantly drool-worthy shots. If you love taking food shots or even regular flatlays then this app is worth the download. If you need a little guidance in achieving perfectly framed shots, the app has a grid feature, which turns yellow once the shot is good to go.

• Price: Free
• Availability: iOS and Android

Posted by:Igor Ovsyannnykov

Igor is an SEO specialist, designer, photographer, writer and music producer. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the life of their dreams. When he is not writing in his favorite coffee shop, Igor spends most of his time reading books, taking photos, producing house music, and learning about cinematography. He is a sucker for good coffee, Indian food, and video games.

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