Most of the phone purchases today have camera quality as the main determining factor. Apple’s iPhone offers the best camera according to some while Android flagships have higher megapixels and are equally strong in the camera department.
Photo editing apps allow us to spice up our selfies and other pictures and make a not-so-good picture look awesome. Some apps have filters so cool that they have millions of downloads across Play Store and App Store. We live in a world where more selfies are clicked in a day than calls made. So, the selfies better look good!
Following is the list of 10 most loved photo editing apps of the year 2016-2017(which may continue to shine even in 2017-2018). It’s difficult to settle on one single app as each one offers some features unique to the app. The list is prepared in no particular order and is just a reference for top grossing photo editing apps you must know and use.
1. Snapseed
Developed by Google, Snapseed is one of the best and most downloaded phot editing app not only on Play Store but also on Apple’s App Store. It currently offers 25 Tools and Filters like Vignette, Lens Blur, Frames, Retrolux, etc. One of it’s most liked feature is it’s ability to capture and edit RAW DNG image files that are generally the output file sof DSLR cameras. Other interesting feature is that it allows “Stack” edits, i.e., make some edits to the image save it as a layer and make some more edits… if something goes wrong go back to the last saved layer and continue.
2. Pixlr
Pixlr is an app owned and developed by a company known for it’s expertise in softwares that are used worldwide for designing precise industrial products. So, they must know a thing or two about making your selfies look good. Autodesk Inc’s Pixlr (formerly Pixlr Express) is an easy to use app that allows you to beautify your images with “over 2 million combinations of free effects, overlays, and filters”. The intuitive and clean UI of Pixlr allows everyone from a newbie to a pro to fall in love with this amazing and free! photo editing app. It’s Auto Fix feature allows you to get a beautiful picture with just a single click.
3. Adobe Photoshop Express
Adobe, specially it’s Photoshop software needs no introduction and is synonymous with photo-editing worldwide. So, if you have to select one app from tens of apps you know nothing about, you will go for Photoshop, no doubt at all. And your decision will not be wrong. Adobe Photoshop Express app available for both Android and iPhone users is an excellent option for awesome photo edits. The app based on Adobe’s vast experience in the photography industry has 20+ eye-catching filters or Looks that can be used to transform your photo in a single click. The “Blemish Removal” feature removes spots, dirt, and dust from your photos in one click. Overall, it is a good app specially for simple image edits.
4. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom
If Adobe’s Photoshop Express is too simple for you, there is another awesome app targetting professional photographers. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom app has many advanced features not available in the Express app to please the DSLR users. Lightroom has 5 special shoot-through presets, which can be previewed and applied at capture, and adjusted afterward with full non-destructive capabilities. The in-app Adobe Camera allows you to click awesome moments which can be easily edited. Some other features are available as a paid Creative Cloud subscriber including the ability to edit the photos on Desktop and on the legacy Photoshop software.
5. Prisma
Prisma rose to fame this year after it was launched as an iPhone exclusive. It later released an android app also which tops the charts on Play Store. The app has an Instagram like interface and just one feature. It allows you to add artsy filters to your photos(or picture clicked within the app) making them look like a piece of art. The artworks can then be shared with your friends on social media like Facebook, Instagram and even via Whatsapp or email. After noticing it’s extreme success, many other apps came to ride the wave but Prisma has been able to defend it’s dominance.
6. Facetune
Facetune is one of the best photo editing apps, if you want to edit faces or selfies. Available on both App Store and Play Store, the app boasts to be a digital makeup and touchup tool. Not only that you can even change the shape of your face and add that v-shaped chin or that masculine square jaw in a breeze. Hair, Smile, Skin, Eyes, it allows you to tweak everything you can imagine. Find it difficult to smile while being clicked, no worries, Facetune will add that sweet smile to make your moment perfect.
7. PicsArt
PicsArt Photo Studio is an all-in-one photo editing app for collage making, editing as well as drawing. It has 1000s of free clipart packs, fonts, stickers, collage templates along eith 100s of tools. PicsArt’s newest feature is “Magic Effects” which are AI-powered effects to add art to your photos. It also allows you to make memes by adding text and stickers to your pictures. PicsArt app also has an active community of users who share their artworks and edits on the platform which can be viewed for inspiration and creative ideas to spice up your pictures.
8. VSCO
Unlike other apps in this list, VSCO is more of a community, a platform for art lovers and photographers around the world than a full blown photo editing app. Though it has some awesome tools and filters to edit your pictures but they are subtle and minimalistic in nature. The app tries to keep the original essence of the moment intact without tweaking the picture disproportionately and transforming it to something completely different. So, it’s for the simplicity lovers who just want to make a few minor edits to the image and share it to their friends and the world.
9. Fotor Photo Editor
This app has around 10 completely customizable ‘Edit’ functions to help you with all forms of editing, from minute ‘touch ups’ to extensive images changes. The “Scene Effects” helps you adjust to different lighting situations with complete control over brightness, contrast and saturation. Fotor also gets new filters, frames, effects, stickers and fonts every week to keep the experience fresh and giving you almost unlimited options to choose from and prep up your pictures.
10. PhotoDirector Photo Editor App
PhotoDirector is a powerful yet easy to use app to edit and beautify your pictures. It has all the basic features like cropping, blurring, etc. It also has collage feature, filters, frames, effects but the most impressive feature is the Content-Aware Object Removal feature. The Removal feature allows you to easily erase photobombers and unwanted objects from your otherwise awesome capture. The Overlays feature allows the addition of mood and styles to your pictures in a single click to creatively present the moment with the perfect mood and colour balance.
Did I miss any awesome app? Do you know about better photo editing apps? Share them in the comments section below. And don’t forget to subscribe the Newletter. Become a MeraPhone VIP!
All the posts in the Appy New Year series can be found here.
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