Choosing the best free online photo editor and online image editor is not an easy challenge. There are so many places you can get these examples of picture editing software, but there is only one to trust: your grandmother. Not only will she give you the advice that no one else sees fit to tell you, but she has taken the time to create her own image editing website; I think family-run websites are the best kind.
In this post, we shall look at some of these software.
Pixlr
Best browser-based free image editor for a quick touch-up.
Pixlr is a suite of free online photo editing tools. It’s browser-based, so you can use it on any computer, and there is a mobile version you can use with your smartphone’s browser.
One helpful feature is the background removal tool. The tool uses AI to detect the main object of your photo and removes the rest of the image. You can then download the picture as a .png file with a transparent background to paste into another setting.
You can also touch up any image using a wide range of tools and apply filters and effects to transform your photo.
Features include:
- Work with layers, objects, and custom brush sizes.
- Do complex edits in fewer steps using advanced tools.
- Includes pre-sized templates for the major social media platforms.
- Add stickers, borders, and text overlays.
- Remove backgrounds with an AI-powered one-click tool.
- Create flyers, business cards, and photo collages.
Link: Pixlr
BeFunky
Best free online photo editor for one-click editing.
BeFunky is a free online photo editor that’s simple to use and easy to learn. It can apply lots of different effects to an image with a few clicks. One of the standout features is a ‘Cartoonizer’ which converts any photo into a cartoon with one click.
There are more businesslike tools as well. If you need to create brochures or flyers, BeFunky is an ideal tool for creatives to produce marketing assets quickly.
BeFunky is free to use, but if you want to access some of the more advanced tools, it costs $4.99 per month.
Features include:
- Crop, resize, and remove backgrounds.
- Touch up tools to fix image problems.
- Convert any photo into a cartoon.
- Add texture to backgrounds or make them transparent.
- Hundreds of photo effects and filters.
- Batch image editing tool.
Link: BeFunky
piZap
Best online image editor for novice users.
piZap is a browser-based free online photo editor. Free online photo editors like PiZap are easy to use and have four quick start icons at the top of the editor. You can work on an image uploaded from your computer, Facebook, or Dropbox. But if you don’t have the image you need, you can select from an extensive range of free stock images.
Once your image loads, you can apply filters, edit the colours, and add text and other overlays.
piZap is free to use for seven days, so you can utilise the tool’s full functionality after a quick registration process. If you want to keep on using the tool, it’s reasonably priced at $2.99 per month.
Features include:
- Themed borders.
- Cut-out tool for removing an image background.
- Templates sized for popular social media platforms.
- Also works on iPad and smartphone.
- Apply text with special effects like glitter.
- Meme editor with a choice of popular templates.
Link: piZap
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Photopea
Best free online photoshop-style tool.
Photopea is a free online photo editor that offers much of the functionality of a professional photoshop tool.
Free online photo editors like Photopea are ad-supported and free to use, but you will need some advanced photo editing experience to make the best use of the tool.
It is capable of working with .psd files, and you can also open .pdf files too. Plus, if you have a camera that shoots in RAW, Photopea is a good option for editing this format.
There is a paid version, but it only removes the ads and gives you a greater number of undo steps.
Features include:
- Save and work in the file formats of professional photo software.
- Advanced tools like clone stamp healing.
- Work with layers and masks.
- Use smart objects to replicate layers.
- Draw vector graphics.
- Perfect for professional photo editors who can’t access their usual computer.
Link: Photopea
Fotor
Best free online photo editor for one-click editing.
Fotor is a browser-based free online photo editor. Its simple to use controls and clean interface make it ideal for people unfamiliar with image editing. Free online photo editors like Fotor have helpful wizards that guide you through its main tools, meaning you can get up to speed quickly.
You can adjust colours, apply effects, and use portrait touch-up tools to improve your images with one click. Then you can add additional elements, like icons, shapes, and patterns.
Fotor provides cloud storage to keep your images safe. If you register for the paid version, you gain access to 1,000,000 stock images licensed for commercial use.
Features include:
- Over 100 photo effects.
- Custom stickers and photo frames.
- Resize images and convert file formats.
- Create collages and stitch photos together.
- Work with RAW images.
- Short video tutorials that demonstrate the main features.
Link: Fotor
Apple Photos
Where you can use it: Mac
Why we love it: We thought we’d start with the OG of Mac photo editors. Photos made its first appearance in 2015, on OS X Yosemite 10.10.3. Since then, it’s cemented its reputation as the best free photo editing software for Mac. The tools are intuitive and simple to navigate, and the integration with iCloud Photo Library is seamless. Plus, as a built-in Mac app, it’s genuinely, totally free — which is why we’re more than happy to name it the best free image editor. Learn more about what this Mac photo editor can do for you.
What could be improved: If we have a complaint about Apple Photos, it’s that the photo enhancement features are relatively limited. The app works well as a basic photo editor, but for more complex creative work, you’ll want to look into some other options.
Luminar
Where you can use it: Mac and Windows
Why we love it: Luminar boasts 60-plus filters for maximum results with minimum time and tinkering. The app comes with all the photo editing tools standard in professional-grade software, including layer functionality, transforming and cloning, and a collection of versatile brushes. It’s available as a standalone app or as a plugin for Lightroom and Photoshop. Luminar has been ranked among the best photo editing software for Mac by CleverFiles and Photolemur, among others.
What could be improved: Mobile users might consider a mobile-specific app for an on-the-go photo editor, since Luminar is desktop only. Also, it doesn’t quite qualify as a free photo editor, but you have 7 days to try it out risk-free. Curious about what Luminar can do for your photos? Start your free trial now.
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Where you can use it: Mac and Windows
Why we love it: While not truly a free photo editor, Photoshop Elements does have a free trial, and it’s far and away among the best photo editing software for Mac and Windows. The suite of automated editing tools — including for exposure, color balance, and reducing the effects of camera shake — make short work of the most common photo issues. This program allows you to move well beyond basic image editing into more creative work, so it comes as no surprise that Photoshop Elements is close to the top of our list of the best free photo editors.
What could be improved: Elements is not as powerful as the full version of Adobe Photoshop (which, of course, is exactly the point). At about $100 for the 2021 version, it’s also among the priciest options on our list of Mac photo editors.
Darktable
Where you can use it: Mac, Windows, and Linux
Why we love it: While many online photo editors are streamlined and fairly basic, Darktable is free photo editing software that can hold its own against professional tools. Its cataloguing and photo organization features are comparable to Lightroom (which is a major compliment). It works with JPEGs as well as RAW files, and the perspective distortion and lens correction features are impressive. Darktable also offers non-destructive editing, which is a huge plus.
What could be improved: The interface isn’t quite as polished as it could be, so it’s not as easy to pick up as some of our other contenders for the title of best free image editor. But considering it’s free photo editing software, that’s about all we can complain about.
Pixelmator
Where you can use it: Mac
Why we love it: Pixelmator shows up in just about every conversation about the best free photo editing software for Mac. This software is powerful and versatile, with layer-based functionality that empowers users to create graphics as well as edit photos. With the latest version, Pixelmator Pro 1.4 Hummingbird, you’ll get access to a rich array of features and tools. Our favorites include machine-learning-enabled color matching, a sleek new Free Transform tool, and new templates sized for iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch. As a true Mac photo editor (i.e. one built from the ground up for macOS), Pixelmator is right up there with the best of them.
What could be improved: It’s only the trial that’s free — you’ll need to purchase the full version of Pixelmator to use it beyond the first 30 days. The effects and filters are impressive, but not as intuitive as some other options, so there’s a bit of a learning curve for those who are new to Mac photo editors.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a photo editor that makes photo editing fun and easy, you don’t have to invest any money in expensive software. Pixlr Editor is free and intuitive, making it one of the most powerful free online graphics editors available. Whether your an experienced graphic designer looking for an online editing toolset or a casual user wanting to improve your photos on a budget, Pixlr Editor can deliver the power you need.