Top Photo Editor Software For Pc Fixed
The best photo-editing software today is unrecognisable from the best photo editors just a few years ago. Because of intuitive AI, mundane tasks that once took hours can be done in just one click, leaving you to do the real creative things you want to do. In short, there's never been a better time to update your photo-editing software, and that's why we've picked our very favourite best photo editors available today.
Top Photo Editor Software For Pc
But what is the best photo editing software right now? Creatives will know that Photoshop used to be the go-to best photo editor, with little in the way of competition, but a whole host of different options have entered the market, which includes both paid-for and free options. And because each user needs the best photo editors for very different reasons, we cover everything on this page from simple programs, perfect for quick tweaks to images, to sophisticated tools designed for professional image editors. We've also included links to our full reviews of the, and to find out more about our reviewing process, read our article on how we test software.
Photoshop: Download a free trial for PC, Mac or iPad (opens in new tab)Yep, it's still number one! Photoshop is the best photo editing software, and a seven-day trial lets you try the latest release for free. There's no obligation to buy, but you can convert to a paid subscription during the trial or after.
Affinity Photo: Subscription free! Just $54.99/47.99 (desktop) or $21.99/19.49 (iPad) (opens in new tab)This very capable Photoshop alternative from Serif comes at a one-off price; no subscription needed. This photo editing software provides impressive tools for digital painting, raw editing, retouching and more.
PhotoDirector 365: $49.99 / 49.99 per year (opens in new tab)CyberLink PhotoDirector 365 offers all the features you'd expect from a top photo editing tool at a very reasonable price. A great way to get high-level editing features such as levels and colour adjustment for less.
More than ever, you need software to organize, optimize, and edit your photos. Why? Because storage is ridiculously cheap, phone cameras are more powerful than the point-and-shoots of just a few years ago, and pro-level cameras have passed the 150-megapixel mark. To make the most of the resulting vast numbers of enormous image files, you need to be able to import them into your PC, organize them, pick the best of the crop, adjust them, and print or share them online. The best photo editing software handles all this with ease, letting you do as much or as little post-shoot production as you like. Whether you're aiming for photorealism or Kardashian-like levels of retouching, these are the apps you need.
Here we present the best choices in photo editing software to suit every photographer. For more background on how to select the software that fits your need and what capabilities you can expect in these applications, read our buying guide below the review capsules.
Lightroom Classic is the top workflow software choice of working professional photographers. It shines at letting you import and organize your photo collection, and offers the best tools for correcting and enhancing photos in a raw file process. Lightroom Classic includes features not found in the non-Classic version of Lightroom like printing, soft-proofing, tethered shooting, and plug-in support. It lacks, however, features amateurs and hobbyists can benefit from, like basic video-editing tools and lots of learning content.
Lightroom Classic is primarily for professional photographers. When pros talk about Lightroom, they invariably mean Lightroom Classic. It's also only for those willing to pay a recurring subscription fee. People who refuse to pay a subscription can choose alternatives including Capture One and DxO PhotoLab, but that means doing without Adobe's cutting-edge imaging technology and unmatched workflow and organization tools.
Photoshop is the most powerful image-editing software on the planet. It's often where Adobe puts its latest state-of-the-art features first, including the new AI-powered Neural filters. Photoshop includes the complex layer, masking, text and shape tools, gradients, and filters that professional designers and photographers need. You can also bolster it with a wealth of third-party plug-ins for even more power.
Photoshop Elements includes many features found in Photoshop proper, but it wraps that functionality in a friendlier interface that emphasizes hand-holding. It also dispenses with the subscription requirement. The program's Guided Edits ease the process of creating stunning effects with their photos. You still get layers, filters, and a smart Organizer utility to keep track of your photo collection.
Lightroom appeals to serious amateurs who don't need printing, plug-ins, or tethered shooting capability. It's for those who don't mind paying a recurring subscription fee and like having all their photos backed up to the cloud for anywhere-access.
This longtime Photoshop competitor offers enough tools for many designers and photographers who don't want to make unending subscription payments to Adobe. Corel even updates PaintShop Pro with advanced AI tools like Portrait Mode, Background Replacement, Style Transfer. Designers can work with text, brushes, patterns, and painting tools on both raster and vector images, and hobbyists get a ton of creative effects and filters. Raw camera file support, mask selection, scripts, tone curves, layers, and plug-in support are at your disposal, just like in Photoshop.
PaintShop Pro is for designers and photographers, both amateur and professional, who need deep image editing capabilities including layers, raw camera file support, masking, brushes, text, and textures. You even get some AI fixes and effects. It's great for those who don't want to pay a subscription and don't need Adobe's collaboration and other proprietary tools.
CyberLink makes some of the most powerful and innovative video editing software around, and the company has applied its deep imaging expertise to photo editing in PhotoDirector. The software combines Lightroom-like organization and workflow tools with Photoshop-like layer image editing in a clear, intuitive interface. The company is constantly producing new effects and templates. The software is available as either single purchase or subscription, which adds online storage and a steady stream of updated tools and content.
PhotoDirector is for enthusiasts who want an all-in-one workflow and image editing application. Its also a good choice for those who don't want a recurring subscription fee, though a subscription is an option, which gets users frequent updates and lots of creative content, along with online photo storage. The subscription option also gets users access to stock images from Getty.
Capture One gives Adobe Lightroom Classic the most competition among pro photographers. It is super-powerful professional photo workflow software. It does the best job of interpreting a camera's raw image data to deliver a sharp, accurate photo among software we've tested. It also includes an abundance of adjustments and local edit tools, as well as layers and advanced color grading. A unique Speed Edit feature lets you get to frequently needed tools with a keypress. Capture One still trails Lightroom in some workflow abilities, however, such as face recognition and geotagging.
Capture One is squarely aimed at pro photographers, and its interface could be intimidating to those not willing to put in the time to learn it. It has strong support for tethered shooting, collaboration features, and a new iPad app lets you edit on the go. The program is priced like a professional application, too, available as both a subscription (costing more than Lightroom's) and a one-time purchase.
Any Mac or Windows user who wants to have a lot of fun enhancing their photos should check out the easy-to-use Luminar, whether pro or amateur. The program is a good value for a reasonable one-time price. Lightroom and Photoshop users can also use Luminar as a plug-in for their main photo application.
ACDSee offers a full panoply of photo editing tools for both professionals and amateurs, with features found in both Adobe Lightroom Classic and Photoshop. Easily organize and view your collection and use powerful lighting and color correction tools. Face recognition, layer editing, curves, and gradients are just some of its many capabilities.
ACDSee is suitable for professional photographers and serious amateurs who want both workflow and full pixel and layer editing in one application. Its one-time price will be appealing to those who don't like the required subscriptions for Adobe's competing products.
Novice photographers taking vacation shots with a smartphone to share on Instagram want different software from those shooting with a $52,000 Phase One IQ4 in a studio. We include all levels of PC software here, and reading the linked reviews will make it clear which is for you. Nothing says that pros can't occasionally use an entry-level application or that a prosumer won't be running Photoshop, the most powerful image editor around. The issue is that, in general, users at each of these levels will be more comfortable with the products intended for them.
If you're just starting to dip your toes into photo editing, your options are getting better all the time. The obvious places to get started are with operating systems' free, included applications, Apple Photos, Google Photos, and Microsoft Photos. These all include the basic light and color editing tools in simple interfaces.
Worth particular mention if you're a more ambitious beginner is Adobe Lightroom, the non-Classic version. This includes the Discover community in which photographers and editors can share their entire process from raw image to final product. It even lets you submit your photos for the community to try their hands at. For in-program editing tutorials, Photoshop Elements, with its many Guided Edits that show you how to create arresting effects, is an excellent option. 041b061a72
