A great photo editing app offers a way to improve upon what you have already captured, from live to stationary objects. Bring a culinary delight to life, capture your child's first graduation, or document the ins and outs of high-end real estate. With our picks for the best photo editing apps, you can perfect your photos and create vivid imagery with exclusive enhancements to handle a variety of imagery. 

Our picks for the best photo editing apps are suitable for both budding beginners and the more established professional photographers. Whatever you may photograph, our picks can handle it with endless features and competitive pricing that makes enlisting a little help a no-brainer. 

Adobe Lightroom Classic

Best photo editing app

Compatibility

PC Mac iOS

At a glance

From Adobe comes Lightroom Classic, a photo editing app that is specifically optimized for desktop use with built-in desktop management for your photos. There are specific workflow settings that allow you to transition from Library to the Develop Module to Editing Mode based on what you are trying to accomplish. When editing, users are sure to appreciate the added adjustment tools that allow for adjustments to the color, luminance, and depth of your photos. You can also focus on specific areas of your photo with tools like Select Subject and Select Sky, which include AI-powered masks to perfect imaging.There are also new premium presets that Adobe sourced from professional photographers for a variety of industries, like food, travel, and architecture. If you use HDR photography, the HDR panoramic tool allows you to combine multiple HDR photos into a single panorama.

When you are finished with Editing mode, Adobe offers its Metadata panel for more efficient batch metadata editing when you have several images to add. Because Lightroom Classic is connected to your desktop, storage is a simple matter with files organized into files and folders on your PC. 

Pros:

• Fantastic organization skills
• Allows corrections for camera and lens
• Face detection and tagging capabilities

Cons:

• Subscription-based
• Lacking layer editing
• Some users complain of lagging

Pricing

There are several membership plans that offer discounts for students. Plans come with a free 7-day trial.

Lightroom:

• Storage: 1TB
• Monthly price:$9.99
• Includes: Lightroom, Lightroom Classic

Photography:

• Storage: 20GB
• Monthly price:$9.99
• Includes: Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop for desktop/iPad, 20GB of cloud storage

Photography:

• Storage: 1TB
• Monthly price:$19.99
• Includes: Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop on desktop and iPad, 1TB of cloud storage

Full Adobe App Package:

• Storage: Unlimited*
• Monthly price:$52.99
• Includes: Get 20+ creative apps including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and Acrobat Pro

ACDSee Ultimate

Best tools for Windows users

Compatibility

Android iOS PC

At a glance

ACDSee Ultimate is a popular photo editing app that is compatible with multiple camera models. Media management has been taken to new levels with 2022's latest version. Uploading photos are easy with
Mobile Sync, which transfers media from your iPhone to your Windows PC. Also new is ACDSee's new People Mode, which uses machine learning to combine face detection and recognition. The convenient AI assistant helps with the merge and deletion of faces with helpful suggestions for labeling, creating an instant catalog of all of your subjects. Another database-driven tool is Media Mode, an easy way to create and access media folders with the ability to sort and filter your files. For editing, features like Channel Selection, Channel Filtering, and Selection Basket all make for easy work with even easier access.

In addition to parametric photo manipulation, the Layered Editor includes upgraded HDR and Focus Stacking. There is the ability to fine-tune and perfect color with ACDSee's Color Wheel and Luminance Range inside Pixel Targeting. This offers a separate setting for each brush or gradient for highly customized, vibrant color. There is also noise reduction, so you are not distracted by the sound of your controls.

Pros:

• Multiple image editing tools
• Face recognition and geo-tagging
• Integration with cloud storage

Cons:

• Requires purchase
• Busy interface
• Not compatible with  Android

Price

Several membership plans are available, depending on your needs:

Home Plan

• ACDSee products: 4
• Number of users: 5
• Cloud storage included: 50GB
• Monthly price:$8.90
• Annual price:$89.00

Home Pack 2022

• ACDSee products: 4
• Number of users: 3
• Cloud storage included: Unl
• Monthly price: N/A
• Annual price:$189.00

Lifetime License

• ACDSee products: All
• Number of users: -
• Cloud storage included: -
• Monthly price: -
• Annual price:$149.99

A 30-day money-back guarantee is included if you are dissatisfied with your purchase.

Adobe Photoshop Elements

Best for new users

Compatibility

PC Mac

At a glance

Also from Adobe is Photoshop Elements, new and ready for 2022. This program utilizes Adobe Sensei AI technology for facial recognition and is paired with multiple automated editing options. There is the ability to use special effects on just a portion of the photo, like the many animated impacts that come included. You can watch your photo spring to life with animated MP4s and GIFs with both 2D and 3D camera motion. Five Smart Looks are ready-made filters if you prefer not to create your own. 

Photoshop Elements provides 60 Guided Edits for beginners, a series of basic corrections that you can use for minor tweaks and more advanced edits. If you are new to editing or encounter an issue, Adobe offers step-by-step support to help you create your best work of art. Photoshop Elements has a prints and gifts service built-in for easy sharing when you are ready to share your creations. 

Pros:

• Advanced image-manipulation tools
• Excellent tagging tools
• Added support resources

Cons:

• Offers more basic Adobe tools
• Missing lens profile corrections
• Limited customization

Price

You have the option of purchasing Photoshop Elements as a standalone product or as a bundle with Premiere Elements 2022.

Photoshop Elements 2022:

• Annual price:$99.99

Photoshop Elements 2022 & Premiere Elements 2022 Bundle:

• Annual price: