By now, it's clear that creating great visual content is critical for marketers -- and that's especially true on social media.

Every bit of 2017, Instagram has doubled its monthly active user base of operations in the last two years, which means a lot more people are viewing and sharing photos in 2018. Plus, visual content is 40X more likely to go shared on social media than other types.

In other words, people like to be shown, non told -- and in plough, they share.

For that reason, it'southward of import for marketers to know how to create compelling photos for their business concern' social networks and blogs. And while it can be worth putting the investment of fourth dimension and money into photo editing software on your computer, many of us are using our phones to have pictures and could stand to edit them without uploading them to a desktop. That's particularly truthful when you lot're posting in real time, like at an event. Download Now: The Marketer's Guide to Photoshop

Luckily, there are numerous smashing cheap and gratis photo editing apps out there for mobile devices -- some of them fifty-fifty cost only a few bucks. Just which apps are the best?

Bank check out our short list of 12 apps beneath -- organized past apps that are uniform with both iOS and Android, apps offered just for the iPhone, and apps designed to edit confront-focused photos.

All-time Photo Editing Apps for Android

one. Afterlight

$0.99 | iOS | Android | Windows

There was a time when I was a bit more sometime-school in my photograph editing. I counted on Instagram tools alone, sometimes combining them with the "enhance" feature on my phone's Photos app. Then, I learned about Afterlight -- a somewhat rudimentary tool, simply one that has all the features you lot need to do a basic photograph edit.

From decision-making the color tones, to adjusting exposure and effulgence, to rotating and straightening a photo, it has everything you demand for lighting or color fixes. It also contains 74 filters, including a Fusion feature that lets you mix tools, filters, and textures to create your own personal look. Into frames? Afterlight has a whopping 128 to choose from, boasting a perfect pairing with Instagram.

My favorite tools, though, have to exist the ones for Brightness and Shadows. Some pictures practise well with a decrease in shadows and increase in brightness for cleaner, fresher look. Only flipping those around tin can also create a more than mysterious, night feel -- That's what I did with this photograph of tree ornaments.

Afterlight_before.png Afterlight_after.png

2. VSCO Cam

Free | iOS | Android

Over the past few years, VSCO Cam has become a highly popular photograph editing app for mobile. While it does boast a wider set of editing tools than most other editing apps, its principal claim to fame is its filters.

These filters have a softer, more than authentic look that resembles existent film, compared to the over-saturated looks of many Instagram filters. Plus, it's great for when you demand to edit a photo on the fly. But upload the photograph to VSCO Cam, slap on one of the great filters -- I used C1 beneath -- and call it a twenty-four hour period. (There are more filters bachelor for purchase, too.)

Before picture of tropical scenery on VSCO photo editing app After picture of tropical scenery on VSCO photo editing app

3. Photoshop Limited

Free | iOS | Android

Believe it or not, Adobe Photoshop isn't just for your computer. Adobe Photoshop Express puts virtually of what people love nigh Adobe'south popular photo editing program in their pockets -- lighting, colour, and sharpness options included.

Photoshop Express is especially useful for making photograph collages -- something the app's developers probable highlighted for mobile users who want to share many photos at in one case on Facebook or Instagram. The app's "Decorate" setting even allows you to comment your photo with digital stickers earlier saving and posting directly on social media.

Although this photo editor makes Photoshop's best features hands attainable, keep in mind it does acquit the natural limitations of a mobile app. Specifically, you tin simply upload JPG files smaller than 16 megapixels (MP).

However, what it does on a smaller platform is withal super impressive. You should as well try like Adobe photograph editing apps such every bit Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Capture.

Hither'south how Photoshop Limited helps you lot choose different collage orientations for multiple photos:

The collage making setting on Adobe Photoshop Express mobile app

four. Snapseed

Free | iOS | Android

Snapseed is another app that's bang-up for basic epitome enhancements. It'southward got all the classic adjustment tools, such every bit tuning, cropping, and straightening. Plus, its sharpening tool is one of the best we've seen -- it really does enhance a photograph'southward particular, without making it expect grainy, like many other photo sharpening adjusters out there.

Just what makes this tool peculiarly unique is its "Selective Adjust" tool. Information technology allows yous to pinpoint an expanse in a photo and conform the brightness, contrast, and saturation of that single point. So if you want viewers to focus on a certain part of your photo -- say, the buds in the centre of a plant -- so you lot can make the buds more vivid.

Want more help with Snapseed? Google, the maker of the app, created a dedicated support page with tips and instructions.

Snapseed_Tools.png Snapseed_Select Adjust.png

five. SKRWT

$0.99 | iOS | Android

Ever taken a picture of something straight-on -- a doorway, a edifice, your nutrient -- and found the perspective was simply a little bit askew or tilted? The SKRWT app lets y'all arrange the perspective of your photos to brand the lines look make clean and foursquare.

Have a expect at what I was able to do with a simple window shot.

Before:

Before picture on SKRWT photo editing app

Afterwards:

After picture on SKRWT photo editing app

At offset, the "before" image doesn't look that skewed, but seeing the "after" version really shows what a deviation symmetry can make. If it bugs you to see a photograph that's slightly at an bending, and so this app is well worth the dollar.

6. Live Collage

Free | iOS | Android

Collages made on Photoshop Limited can be great, whether it's to show a comparison (similar a before-and-after series), or to highlight multiple photos from the same event or theme. Just our favorite photo collage app is Live Collage, by and large because of its broad multifariousness of layouts. Information technology contains several options for photograph organisation, both classic and fun, with interesting and colorful backgrounds. Plus, yous can add customized text in different fonts, colors, and sizes.

If you lot're strapped for time, there are basic photo editing options inside the app, too, making it a handy one-terminate shop.

Example collages on Live Collage photo editing app Sample photo collage made on Live Collage photo editing app

vii. Instasize

Free (Premium Available at $4.99/month) | iOS | Android

If yous find yourself switching back and forth between unlike apps to crop, tweak, and apply filters to your photos, Instasize offers a multifariousness of photograph-editing tools in one place. While cropping and resizing are the app's breadstuff and butter, Instasize also offers a good selection of additional features: manipulating exposure and brightness, tint and warmth, shadows and highlights, dissimilarity, sharpness and saturation. There'south also a broad selection of photograph filters to choose from.

The app also serves up robust dazzler editing tools, unique borders, a collage creator, and the ability to add text -- making it easy for anyone at any skill level to add a creative and professional touch to their photos.

Screen Shot 2020-01-24 at 9.51.12 AM

8. Foodie

Free | iOS | Android

If you're annihilation like I am, your personal social media feeds are loaded with images of nutrient. It's no wonder that food-specific apps are coming out of the woodwork to make photos look even more delectable.

Called out by Bustle for taking "food pictures to some next level gorgeous," Foodie uses more than 30 filters and other editing features to turn what might otherwise be a humdrum snack into a visual feast.

When I applied the CR2 filter to a photo of chocolate candy, this was the result:

M&Ms before being edited on Foodie photo editing app M&Ms after being edited on Foodie photo editing app

Best Photo Editing Apps for iPhone

9. Photographic camera+

$ii.99 | iOS only

With the highest cost tag on the list, you take to wonder what makes Camera+ so special. When it was first released, Lifehacker called it "The Best Photographic camera App for iPhone," with TIME writing, "If the iPhone's standard camera is like a digital point-and-shoot, the Camera+ app is like a loftier-quality SLR lens."

While the app has many of the classic photograph editing tools like colour tints, retro effects, and crops, there are a few gems that brand it unique. Outset is its paradigm stabilizer, which helps you capture the sharpest photos possible before you lot fifty-fifty take a picture. Information technology besides lets you zoom in up to 6X, which can actually upwardly the quality of your shot if you're trying to hone in on something far away.

Finally, its Clarity filter is what The Wall Street Periodical'southward Kevin Sintumuang calls its "secret sauce -- it adds pro-camera crispness to well-nigh any shot." I'd accept to agree -- merely check out how information technology enhanced this photo of my dog.

Before picture of black dog on Camera+1 photo editing app

Sharpened picture of black dog using Camera+ photo editing app

x. Mextures

$0.99 | iOS just

Mextures is one of the more than advanced apps on this list -- and its crown jewel is layer-based editing. That allows users to stack dissimilar aligning layers on top of each other, moving and editing them individually, allowing for nearly limitless creativity. You tin also apply multiple filters, textures, and blending models to the same photo to create a really unique look. If you find an editing formula yous actually like, you can save it to apply to other photos later, or even share it with your friends.

Here's what happened when I took a simple photograph of candlesticks on a white background only and applied iii enhancements -- Waterfront overlay, Bokeh Baby Overlay, and the Color Dodge blending mode.

Mextures_before.png Mextures_after.png

11. Enlight

$3.99 | iOS but

I'll just say how I feel: This app is incredible.

Winner of the Apple Design Honour in 2017, Enlight will change the fashion you see even the most ordinary picture the next time you open your iPhone camera. Among its x different photo editing features, the app's Photo Mixer allows y'all to alloy multiple photos together -- or combine a photograph with text -- for a super artistic result.

Co-ordinate to Les Shu of Digital Trends, Enlight is "a powerful Photoshop-similar app, minus the steep learning curve."

Check out a stunning example of what the app'southward Photo Mixer tin can exercise beneath.

Photo Mixer function of Enlight photo editing app for iPhone

Best Confront Editing Apps

12. Facetune

$3.99 on iOS | $v.99 on Android

Never take a selfie y'all don't like once again. Facetune is considered the pinnacle photo app in more than than 120 countries, assuasive you lot to brand upwardly for unflattering mobile photos with professional-level corrections to numerous facial features.

The app offers 8 unlike types of corrections and enhancements to a person's face in a given photograph -- including to the hair, eyes, peel, and smile. Taking a new professional headshot? I highly recommend you lot touch on it up in the Facetune app earlier adding the photo to your LinkedIn profile (non that I don't call back you lot're beautiful already).

Here'due south just 1 instance of a skin tone correction washed with Facetune, making all the difference:

Skin tone correction using the Facetune photo editing app

13. Visage Makeup Editor

Free | iOS | Android

Disclaimer: At that place'due south admittedly nothing incorrect with under-eye circles. We all accept them, and we sometimes wear them like medals. (Nosotros do, even so, accept issue with and don't recommend a lack of slumber.)

That said, when it comes to sharing photos of ourselves on social media, vanity sometimes enters the pic. Audio familiar? There's an app for that.

We like the Visage makeup editor, which instantly retouches photos and lets you add some special furnishings, like a "Popular Art Fashion" filter that can make your selfie expect slightly Warhol-esque. The app comes equipped with some interesting backgrounds, besides as lighting and color features, with more than available for purchase.

The simply drawback? The free version is a bit advert-heavy, and unless you upgrade to pro, your finished product will exist stuck with a branded hashtag at the bottom.

Visage_before.png Visage_after.jpg

GIMP

GIMP stands for "generic image manipulation program." Information technology'due south available for download on both Mac and PC and has an incredibly similar interface to Photoshop -- just slightly less intuitive. This is a dandy alternative for someone who wants to do some detailed photo editing that involves layers, color manipulation, and other more avant-garde blueprint strategies.

Hither's a quick beginner'southward guide:

While Photoshop will give you the quickest, smoothest editing experience, GIMP will get the job done if y'all need to exercise a more intricate edit of a photo but don't have the resources for a subscription. This could exist not bad for beginner photographers, marketing or journalism students, or people in a function where they'll demand to exercise light editing without a software upkeep.

Photos from Apple

Apple's Photos app is gratis to those who have an Apple computer. In fact, its pre-downloaded on to all Apple computers.

This software'due south interface is really like shooting fish in a barrel to empathize, however information technology is very basic. While you can add together filters, crop, remove blemishes, whiten teeth, and use other basic tools that are mutual to most free photo editing apps, you won't be able to do anything fancy.

If you lot're a nature, architecture, or portrait photographer that just wants to add an extra impact or refinement to your photos, this software will be more than than suitable. Merely, if y'all want to practice special effects or something out of the ordinary, y'all'll desire to consider software that's more advanced, like GIMP, or a paid Photoshop subscription.

Apple Photos Photo Editing InterfaceIf you have Photos and want to use it, simply click into the app and printing File > Import to import your images. In one case they're in, double click on the photo to expand information technology. Then, click Edit in the top right corner.

If you just want to do a quick colour correction, you can besides click the Heighten wand next to the Edit button.

Pixlr

For those who don't want to download a programme, such as GIMP, you lot could also try Pixlr. This editing software has a very similar interface and editing toolset to GIMP. The cardinal divergence? It'south all online.

Pixlr Interface

You don't even need a membership to showtime editing your showtime photo. All you take to do is become to Pixlr'southward website and click the CTA on its homepage that says "Use Pixlr Editor." In one case you exercise that, you'll exist instructed to choose a photo or brand a canvas.

So, y'all'll exist sent to the editing page. Again, it's very similar to GIMP. The tools are all pretty similar, but the interface is a little brighter and the icons are a little bigger. This might make a detailed editing process a chip easier on the eyes.

Fotor

Like Pixlr, Fotor is a slightly-more basic complimentary online photo editor. It includes many of the editing tools you'd demand for light editing. For those who don't know what epitome editing symbols look similar, yous might enjoy Fotor considering they replace those with buttons that merely say want each feature does.

Hither'south a quick image of what the basic interface looks similar. Users who want more features tin can also upgrade to a plan which is $iii.99 per month.

Fotor Photo Editing Interface

If you want to see the product in action, here's a tutorial the Fotor shows new users:

Now Comes the Fun Function

Run into how easy it is to create and share visual content? Of course, mastering these apps will crave a bit of do, just if you're unsure where to start, just expect around yous -- that'southward what we did when we tried each of them.

Recollect well-nigh your marketing goals for this year. Then, inquire yourself what kind of photos volition help you attain them. From at that place, y'all can pick and choose the all-time apps from this list.

Then start getting visual. We tin't wait to run into what you create.

Want to learn more near video editing? Cheque out 10 Easy-to-Use Tools for Creating Animated Images and Videos.

Marketer's Guide to Photoshop

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Originally published Sep 3, 2019 7:00:00 AM, updated February 04 2020