The Best Photo Editing Software Of 2025: Expert Tested And Reviewed

2 weeks ago

When you deliberation astir photograph editing software, nan first point that comes to mind is Adobe. Adobe package is often considered nan golden modular erstwhile it comes to imaginative applications, but it is not nan only package developer that specializes successful photo editing.

Whether you are looking for a solution to streamline your workflow, to batch edit a afloat group of wedding images, aliases you want thing that tin adhd a imaginative and creator flair to your photography, location is simply a photograph editing suite retired location for you. Some of my apical picks see Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo 2.

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What is nan champion photograph editor correct now?

My favourite photograph editing package -- unsurprisingly -- is Adobe Photoshop It has each of nan photograph editing devices you could ever request for precocious image editing and workflow management. Subscriptions commencement astatine $23 per month, aliases you tin motion up for a Creative Cloud scheme to bolt connected further imaginative apps.

If you would for illustration a subscription-free photograph editor, cheque retired Affinity Photo 2. While it's not disposable connected Android, Affinity Photo 2 is an fantabulous photograph editor disposable for a one-off costs of only $70, aliases only $19 connected iPad. Graphic and creation packages are besides available.

Also: The champion online photograph editors: Polish your photos and integer creations pinch ease

ZDNET has tested dozens of photograph editing package solutions passim nan years, and we show nan marketplace to find nan champion solutions available. As a erstwhile wedding photographer who still enjoys nan trade arsenic a hobby, I've tried galore photograph editing suites, and I proceed to research them to backmost up my recommendations.

To trim your master workload and bring your photography to life, cheque retired my apical picks below.

The champion photograph editing package of 2025

Adobe Photoshop is nan golden modular for galore photography professionals and for bully reason, making it my apical prime for photograph editing package this year.

Why we for illustration it: Adobe's photograph editing suite has dominated nan marketplace for decades. It is well-known for its precocious and wide assortment of devices and options for image creation and enhancements.

Photoshop tin beryllium utilized for colour adjustment, resizing, masking, layering, and more. Almost each master instrumentality you tin ideate is astatine your disposal, including insignificant corrections to furniture adjustments, colour alterations, generative fills, entity removal, and, of course, basal vulnerability and opposition tweaks.

New features added to caller updates see distracting entity removal, inheritance generation, workflow enhancements, and nan preamble of caller prima polygons.

In February, Photoshop an iOS app, and now, Android users tin subordinate successful and research pinch Adobe's free app for editing connected nan go.

Who is it for: Professional creatives who request a versatile suite of imaginative tools.

Customers see Adobe Photoshop to beryllium intuitive, fast, and 1 of nan champion options connected nan market. I've utilized Adobe Photoshop for everything from photograph editing to imaginative projects for complete a decade, and I agree.

You will salary $23 per month, aliases you tin harvester your scheme pinch different apps done nan $60 per period Creative Cloud subscription. This action includes each of Adobe's imaginative apps, specified arsenic Lightroom, Illustrator, and InDesign. You tin besides harvester Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom for $20 per month, which besides provides you pinch 1TB of unreality storage.

Who should look elsewhere: In nan early days, Adobe Photoshop was standalone software, but it's now offered connected a subscription basis. This alteration is not precisely celebrated pinch semipermanent users. If you want an action without a tie-in contract, I person different recommendations.

Adobe Photoshop specs: Platforms: Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, online | Mobile? Yes | Cloud backup? Yes | RAW support? Yes | Price: Subscription exemplary from $20 per month, free trial

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Adobe Lightroom is specifically designed to trim nan workload during batch image editing and I can't beryllium without it for arena photography.

Why we for illustration it: When I request to edit a precocious number of photos, I ever usage this package to negociate my workflow. It has useful devices including batch opposition and refinement tweaks, resizing, cropping, presets, and masking for applying effects for illustration bokeh. These devices drastically trim nan magnitude of clip you request to edit hundreds of photos, making it a valuable plus for professionals.

Between nan cloud-based strategy and nan desktop-based Classic version, I find that nan erstwhile useful champion for wide editing. But I for illustration Classic's wider scope of tools, including brushes and editing effects.

Both are awesome erstwhile paired pinch a .

Recent see bug fixes, stableness improvements, and an upgrade to scenery and inheritance disguise generation. Adobe has besides improved its generative and group distraction removal functions.

Who is it for: Professional photographers who request an editing solution that focuses connected workflow management.

Subscriptions statesman astatine $12 per month. Like Photoshop, you tin opt for nan afloat Creative Cloud scheme for $60 per period to entree each of Adobe's imaginative apps. You tin besides harvester Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom for $20 per month. A free proceedings is available.

Users opportunity that Adobe Lightroom's devices and ratio are a bonus, but galore study that customer work needs superior improvement.

Who should look elsewhere: If you don't often edit photos aliases you are conscionable starting out, I would hold until you study nan fundamentals of image editing earlier you motion up for Lightroom.

It's not arsenic costly arsenic Photoshop, true, but it mightiness beryllium overkill unless you person accordant bookings for editing work. Or, you could effort retired Adobe's free mobile apps first.

Adobe Lightroom specs: Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, online | Mobile? Yes | Cloud backup? Yes | RAW support? Yes | Price: Subscription exemplary from $12 per month, free trial

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Affinity Photo 2 is nan champion subscription-free replacement to Adobe's Creative Cloud connected my list.

Why we for illustration it: Affinity Photo 2 supports earthy image format (RAW) and comes pinch a wide scope of user-friendly image editing tools. These see photograph retouching functions, layering, cropping, entity removal, colour adjustments, brushes, and filters.

During testing, I recovered Affinity Photo 2 to beryllium a powerful photograph editor without nan steep learning curve I knowledgeable pinch Adobe products. That said, it is easier to study if you already person acquisition editing photos.

Users opportunity that Affinity Photo 2 is simply a reasonable editor but lacks immoderate of nan broad devices of its rival.

Earlier , Affinity introduced 2 caller features, Object Selection Tool and Select Subject, which are optional functions based connected instrumentality learning. Due to concerns astir instrumentality learning setups siphoning intelligence property, they require abstracted downloads and run on-device. Affinity says, "these are installed arsenic pre-trained models, and they do not usage immoderate of your ain information for further training. Furthermore, these operations each activity 'on device' meaning nary of your information leaves your instrumentality astatine immoderate time."

Who is it for: Anyone who wants to debar a subscription to photograph editing software. Instead, you tin make a one-time costs -- an charismatic imaginable if you want a photograph editor but don't scheme connected subscribing.

I would urge Affinity Photo 2 to anyone who likes editing photos and images arsenic a hobby, arsenic good arsenic to photography professionals connected a budget.

The value constituent is surely apt to lure successful photography enthusiasts and professionals alike. Excluding tax, you will salary only $70 for a desktop life license. Alternatively, you could opt to salary $165 positive taxation for a cosmopolitan licence including entree to Affinity Photo 2, Affinity Designer 2, and Affinity Publisher 2. iPad-only licenses are disposable for $18.49, alongside a seven-day trial.

Who should look elsewhere: Android users. Unfortunately, this celebrated package is Mac, Windows, and iOS-only.

Affinity Photo 2 specs: Platforms: macOS, Windows, iPad | Mobile? iPad only | Cloud backup? Yes | RAW support? Yes | Price: One-off, $18.49+, trial

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Skylum's Luminar NEO is an AI-first photograph editor that focuses connected usability, making it an absorbing photograph editing package solution for casual aliases creator users.

Why we for illustration it: It has a clean, easy-to-understand interface pinch photograph editing devices that promote experimentation and having nosy pinch imaginative projects.

You tin usage elemental sliders to heighten your images, play astir pinch contrast, tweak an image's composition, crop, tint, and alteration clarity. Ready-made filters are disposable to alteration everything from colour selections to atom levels.

I find Luminar enjoyable to use, but it should beryllium considered a discuss betwixt basal photograph editing devices and master suites. It lacks immoderate of nan much intricate features utilized successful master editing, but nan package shines for imaginative projects, speedy editing, aliases opening photographers.

Recent person been made to nan software's assemblage and look AI tools.

Who is it for: Creatives who want to research really AI tin beryllium utilized successful image manipulation. You tin return advantage of nan software's 14-day free trial, too.

Users for illustration really easy Luminar NEO is to study and usage arsenic 1 of nan fewer AI-first photograph editing solutions connected nan market.

I for illustration that you tin take betwixt an ongoing subscription aliases a one-off costs for a perpetual license, though I'm not a instrumentality of value scaling based connected OS and level support.

You tin take a life licence pinch a starting value of $119, based connected whether you want a desktop licence aliases support for platforms including Android and iOS. Ignore nan summertime waste timers: this package has been priced astir this level for months. A 30-day money-back guarantee is available.

Who should look elsewhere: It is not considered thing adjacent to an Adobe alternative, and workflow guidance tin beryllium slow. If you want a photograph editor for managing batch jobs, this mightiness not beryllium nan champion action for you.

Skylum Luminar NEO specs: Platforms: Windows, macOS | Mobile? Yes | Cloud backup? Manual only | RAW support? Yes | Price: One-off payment, from $119, trial

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First published successful 2018, Gimp is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program, and it is 1 of my favourite free photograph editing suites.

Why we for illustration it: It's free, unfastened source, powerful, and customizable -- from nan plugins you tin instrumentality to nan personification interface. It's disposable for download for Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux operating systems.

You tin execute various editing tasks specified arsenic retouching and photograph enhancement. Gimp supports a assortment of record formats, including JPEG, TIFF, PSD, and BMP.

If you want to activity pinch earthy image format (RAW), you'll apt want to usage a standalone editor aliases converter earlier opening nan record successful Gimp. The hardware support besides includes USB and MIDI controllers, giving you much power complete your workflow.

Its latest early adopter release, , includes a caller 'overwrite' coating mode, caller matter outline options, and support for respective caller record types, including Photoshop patterns, alongside a caller support module for RAW.

Who is it for: If you're looking for a flexible, free option, Gimp could beryllium nan correct choice. You will request to study really to edit photos properly, but nan squad down this package provides a group of how-to guides and .

Who should look elsewhere: Users opportunity this solution is powerful and fast, but lags down galore paid options successful position of its personification interface. You whitethorn request to show immoderate patience while you study really to usage nan package efficaciously aliases opt for different 1 of our recommendations.

GIMP specs: Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | Mobile? Android | Cloud backup? Yes | RAW support? Minimal, plugin | Price: Free

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Procreate is image editing package for those who want to adhd creator flair to their photographs alternatively than much accepted edits.

Why we for illustration it: Simply put, it is incredibly nosy to use. The package includes hundreds of brushes, galore effects, and is suitable for usage pinch a stylus and an iPad.

If you are looking for a solution that combines photograph editing and art, Procreate is simply a fantastic, affordable action disposable pinch a life license. While it doesn't natively support RAW, it does grip record types, including PSD, JPEG, PNG, and PDF.

Who is it for: Customers for illustration Procreate arsenic a polished, flexible, fast, and intuitive creation and image editing app, particularly for nan iPad. I find nan scope of tools, brushes, and actions enjoyable to activity with, and truthful I would urge Procreate for imaginative image editing and trading work.

Who should look elsewhere: Android and Windows users, arsenic this package is strictly for nan Apple ecosystem. Plenty of users wish location were a adjacent Android alternative, but location doesn't look to beryllium 1 connected nan marketplace astatine nan moment.

A use of this package is really inexpensive it is -- a $13 one-off costs for nan app. It's a pity that Procreate is constricted to nan Apple ecosystem, though.

Procreate features: Platforms: macOS, iOS | Mobile? iOS only | Cloud backup? Yes | RAW support? No (major record types) | Price: One-off payment, $13

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Photo editing software	Platforms	Cloud services, backups?	AI capabilities?	Price
Adobe Photoshop	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, online	Yes	Yes	$20 per month+
Adobe Lightroom	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, online	Yes	Yes	$12 per month+
Affinity Photo 2	Mac, Windows, iPad	Yes	Limited	$70 aliases $18.49 iPad-only
Skylum Luminar NEO	Windows, macOS, app for iOS, Android, ChromeOS	Manual	Yes	$119+ one-time payment
Gimp	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android	Yes	No	Free
Procreate	MacOS, iOS	Yes	No	$13 one-time payment

I've worked antecedently arsenic a master wedding and arena photographer successful nan U.K.. I ever return my setup overseas pinch me, and my interests person now evolved to see candid thoroughfare photography and portraiture.

I person complete a decade of acquisition successful this field, truthful I understand that editing is conscionable arsenic important arsenic shooting earthy images. Personally, it's my favourite portion of nan process.

It is worthy investing successful photograph editing package that is often updated and developed if you'll beryllium utilizing it professionally, and moreover much truthful erstwhile nan package includes intends to trim nan load of editing workflows. If you are editing for nosy aliases for mini projects, a budget-friendly aliases free action could beryllium conscionable what you request to get started.

Choose this photograph editing software...	If you want...
Adobe Photoshop	The champion photograph editing package overall. Adobe Photoshop is nan golden modular successful image editing and has a assortment of master editing tools. There is simply a learning curve and a cost, but you can't spell incorrect pinch this editor.
Adobe Lightroom	The champion photograph editing package for managing workflows. Adobe Lightroom has an awesome and intuitive personification interface and makes batch editing easy. Whether you spell for classical aliases nan cloud, Lightroom is simply a awesome solution for professionals.
Affinity Photo 2	A powerful Adobe alternative. Affinity Photo 2 provides a bully action of editing and retouching devices successful its suite and won't statement you into a subscription, giving you much freedom.
Skylum Luminar NEO	To research pinch AI. Skylum Luminar NEO is an fantabulous action for exploring nan capabilities of generative AI successful photograph editing. It's elemental to study and has an charismatic interface but won't apt beryllium nan correct prime for workflow-based master work.
Gimp	A free option. There is simply a learning curve to utilizing Gimp, but it is very customizable pinch different devices and plugins. Consider this action if you want to research and study astir photograph and image editing.
Procreate	To harvester creation and photography editing. Procreate is simply a celebrated and successful work pinch a monolithic assortment of imaginative tools. Unfortunately, it is only disposable for MacOS and iOS.

When you are deciding connected what type of photograph editing package to effort out, see nan pursuing factors:

The learning curve: You mightiness want to trial retired a beginner-friendly solution if you are caller to nan world of photograph editing. If you dive consecutive into a master suite specified arsenic Adobe Photoshop, it will beryllium overwhelming.
Plugins: This 1 is for professionals. If location are plugins you bask utilizing to streamline your workflow aliases heighten your photos, cheque that nan solution you take supports their usage.
Downloadable tools: Just for illustration plugins, if downloadable styles, brushes, and layering devices are thing you bask using, not each photograph editing package solution will let this. It's worthy checking, first.
Synchronization, backups: You mightiness want a solution that provides backup facilities, syncing, aliases unreality retention options. These features are not ever available, particularly if you usage free software. If these functions are important to you, cheque that nan solution you are willing successful provides them.
Free options: If you are a casual personification and only want photograph editing package for hobbies, a free solution mightiness beryllium enough. However, support successful mind that precocious editing features aliases unreality services mightiness beryllium locked down paywalls.
Platform: Do you want a much accepted photograph editing suite for your desktop PC aliases do you want a compact mobile app? Check package compatibility earlier you buy.
Price: You request to deliberation astir your fund and whether you want to motion up for a subscription to photograph editing software. Many photograph editing providers person made nan modulation from one-time acquisition models to monthly aliases yearly plans. This ensures you person updates and improvements, but it's still a costs to consider.

Photo editing solutions created by ascendant players successful nan photography market, for illustration Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, person existed for years. However, location are besides breathtaking developments and package options from younger vendors worthy considering.

When I was compiling my apical picks for nan champion photograph editing package of 2025, I considered nan pursuing factors:

Platforms: It's important to america that our photograph editing package recommendations support a wide scope of operating systems, platforms, mobile types, and unreality services.
Licensing: Subscription models are now standard, but not everyone wants to adhd yet different subscription to their monthly aliases yearly budget. We included a scope of subscription and licensing options.
Image record type support: We want to spot photograph editors capable to process and grip different kinds of record types, including RAW, PNG, JPEG, and PSD.
Workflows: Not everyone needs devices aliases features focused connected improving image editing workflows. However, we ensured that immoderate of our recommendations included these functions, arsenic they tin beryllium important for professionals.
AI use: We for illustration to spot photograph editing package developers exploring caller technologies and techniques for improving editing. AI is simply a buzzword for galore industries, but we person seen immoderate genuinely useful applications successful nan imaginative space.
Free options: We included free options and alternatives that do not employment a subscription-based exemplary for casual use. They whitethorn connection immoderate paid premium features, but you won't person to salary if you do not want to.
Customer service: Customer service, connected nan whole, doesn't look to beryllium each that impressive, and truthful I person highlighted wherever photograph editors person affirmative aliases antagonistic feedback.

How to level up your photograph editing fast

Embrace nan Adobe Lightroom Community. It's a free, safe abstraction afloat of creatives consenting to stock much than conscionable their last image.

You tin observe and browse images transformed from a RAW root record into a polished extremity photo, search each shape of nan editing process that will hopefully animate you. You mightiness moreover study thing new! You tin besides browse academy resources, travel tutorials school you astir everything from photograph creation to editing wedding images, aliases moreover participate successful "remixing," successful which you edit different participants' photos.

Latest news

Canva began its share sale pinch a valuation of $42 cardinal arsenic rumors of an IPO proceed to circulate.
A rule patient is perchance investigating nan anticipation of a class-action suit involving Sony aft camera users lost access to Capture One Express.
Adobe brought its Photoshop app to Android, allowing users to edit images connected nan go.
Website big Wix launched Wixel, an online photograph editor designed to return connected rival firms including Canva.
While ChatGPT image editing and procreation are popular, a connection of warning: divination mightiness not beryllium its beardown suit. A Greek female is reportedly connected nan roadworthy to divorcing her hubby aft ChatGPT made claims of infidelity aft reference a java cup.

If you're going to usage photograph editing package connected a predominant ground aliases for business purposes, it's worthy subscribing to person caller updates and features. However, if you're dipping your toed successful editing to study nan trade, you mightiness want to instrumentality to a proceedings tally aliases believe pinch free photograph editing options first.

I'd besides propose you look astatine tutorials and guides connected nan photograph editing package you are considering buying to spot if its interface and devices are correct for you.

While free photograph editors connection coagulated devices and functions for illustration tweaking opposition and brightness, resizing, and select applications, astir thin to lack:

Advanced colour management: You won't apt find free editing suites pinch a complete colour gamut aliases spectrum for you to research with.
Large actions and styles libraries: There mightiness beryllium a fistful of options, but they won't beryllium connected par pinch Adobe.
Application bridges, expansive plugin support: If workflow is key, a free photograph editor -- possibly pinch nan objection of Gimp -- will person constricted options for third-party exertion bridges and plugins.

Professional photographers, including myself, typically trust connected Adobe editing package suites, including Photoshop and Lightroom. However, immoderate of america whitethorn besides usage standalone RAW record processors -- nan golden modular for photograph image types -- aliases package designed for workplace setups including CaptureOne Pro. While expensive, we will usage subscription-based devices arsenic they are important to our workflows.

Adobe Photoshop isn't free and location is nary free, ineligible version. However, you tin entree nan package and effort it retired for free by signing up for its free seven-day trial. If you aren't going to spell up pinch subscribing to a plan, retrieve to cancel nan proceedings earlier it ends.

Yes. Microsoft has a Photos app connected nan Windows operating system. However, this app is best utilized for viewing images and very basal editing, specified arsenic image rotation, tweaking brightness and contrast, adding filters, and cropping, alternatively than immoderate precocious editing tasks.

As a creation tool, Canva has existent value, especially for mini business owners. It provides a big of free and premium devices for creation and trading and includes a photograph editor. However, I would opportunity that Canva is champion utilized for basal batch image activity alternatively than intricate photograph editing.

Microsoft Windows PCs and Apple MacBooks travel pinch default photograph editors, but they are very basal and don't connection nan aforesaid functionality you would expect from standalone, specialized editing software. You tin besides find a smaller action of photograph editors for nan Linux operating system.

Adobe Photoshop aliases Lightroom are awesome photograph editing solutions for those partial to Windows PCs. Procreate is an editor disposable for iOS only, but excels successful quick, accelerated editing and image creation. Take a look astatine Gimp for Linux systems.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and instrumentality learning (ML) are algorithms based connected information sets that are now commonly integrated pinch imaginative applications.

These technologies tin beryllium utilized to make insignificant adjustments and amended consistency, thereby optimizing workflows. You whitethorn besides beryllium capable to usage AI to automatically optimize photos, change backgrounds, aliases moreover afloat create images based connected a fewer prompts.

In my experience, AI tin beryllium a batch of nosy to activity pinch and tin execute immoderate awesome editing, but unsocial it doesn't switch accepted editing devices and techniques.

Yes, ChatGPT tin edit photos. However, you are constricted to very basal edits specified arsenic cropping, rotation, and insignificant adjustments. It tin beryllium useful successful a pinch if you conscionable request a mini tweak, but it doesn't switch standalone photograph editing software. That said, one-sentence prompts tin nutrient immoderate entertaining results!

Most of these options I urge person to beryllium downloaded onto your device. However, location are awesome online photograph editors.

Online photograph editing is often free and caters good to beginners intent connected learning nan basics. Pixlr is 1 of my favourite one-size-fits-all online photograph editors, whereas Fotor is simply a batch of nosy for experimenting pinch AI.

Check retired my favorites: The champion online photograph editors: Expert tested

Latest updates

August 2025: In ZDNET's August update, we performed editorial changes and added much accusation connected our apical picks and replacement solutions.
June 2025: In ZDNET's June update, we wrote astir nan latest news concerning our recommendations and made insignificant editorial changes.
May 2025: In May, we performed extended layout and transcript changes.

Alternative photograph editing package to consider

CaptureOne Pro is an fantabulous replacement to Photoshop and Lightroom. Desktop and mobile apps are available, and you tin expect a scope of professional-grade imaginative devices and granular editing functions to greatly heighten your workflow. A free proceedings is available.

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Pixelmator Pro is simply a reasonable photograph and image editor that is suitable for speedy batch editing connected nan macOS system. While I deliberation nan $50 value tag is rather precocious for what it is, arsenic a one-off payment, it's still worthy considering if you want an app for basal and speedy editing connected a regular basis.

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Photopea is simply a free but ad-supported online editor pinch editing features reminiscent of Photoshop. A characteristic photographers will peculiarly for illustration is that Photopea supports some .PSD and .RAW record formats. Tools see colour adjustments, layering, mapping, brushes, and filters. To region ads, you tin salary $15 per 3 months.

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While I americium a Lightroom subscriber, I besides support a transcript of Lightroom Classic connected my system. I find that immoderate of nan devices I emotion to usage are unavailable connected nan unreality version, including my individual postulation of brushes. If you want elasticity first, see nan classical option. Access is now included successful Lightroom plans for $12 per month.

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While we've outlined our favourite photograph editing package overall, we've besides tested and classed nan champion online photograph editors of 2025. If video and multimedia are much up your alley, we've besides recovered immoderate fantabulous online video editors for you to consider.

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