Photo Editing Software Test & Comparison 2024

Fotoworks XL 2 is photo editing software suitable for both beginners and professional users who want to quickly edit a photo. The most notable feature of Fotoworks XL 2 is its ease of use and intuitive program interface. The menu structure is well-organized and easy to navigate, allowing users to quickly familiarize themselves with the various tools and options. Whether you need to make basic adjustments like cropping, rotating, and color adjustments, or more complex edits like retouching, montages, or filter effects, the program provides all the necessary tools.

Fotoworks XL 2 offers countless filters and effects that allow you to give your images a personal touch. From classic black and white filters to creative distortion effects, there are numerous possibilities to enhance or transform your photos.

The speed and performance of Fotoworks XL 2 are impressive. This simple photo editing software for beginners responds quickly to commands and carries out edits swiftly without compromising image quality. Despite having many advanced features, Fotoworks XL 2 remains accessible enough for beginners who are not yet familiar with photo editing.

Adobe Photoshop CC is offered as a subscription-based photo editing software. The smaller version costs US$9.99/mo and includes this program, 20 gigabytes of Adobe cloud storage, and Lightroom CC. By paying double the price US$19.99/mo, you also get Lightroom Classic CC and 1 terabyte of cloud storage. However, handling such data volumes requires a fast internet connection, which is also helpful during the initial installation of Photoshop CC. The installation is done exclusively through the internet, with the installer downloading well over 2 gigabytes of software data. After installation, Photoshop CC can be used offline, but the software regularly checks for activation. However, you can go offline for a few days without any issues.

If you don't want to subscribe, you can unlock Photoshop CC at the same price using a prepaid card, but you'll need to pay for a full year in advance. Typically, it is available starting from US$119.88/yr, slightly cheaper during promotions, but interested users should expect at least. Activation is done using an Adobe ID created during installation. Photoshop can be installed on multiple computers but can only be actively used on a maximum of two simultaneously. If you want to switch computers, simply sign out from the old device and activate Photoshop on a new PC. By the way, if you also want to use other photo editing software from the Creative Cloud like Premiere Pro alongside Photoshop and Lightroom, you should choose a complete subscription for US$54.99/mo.

Version 24 of the photo editing software serves as the foundation for Photoshop CC. Therefore, it's no wonder that the range of features is enormous. However, compared to older versions, the current version is relatively easy to use, thanks to the increasing number of tutorials that provide detailed guidance on tasks such as portrait editing. This is also due to improved techniques. Photoshop CC increasingly utilizes AI technology, which simplifies tasks like seamless selection of image elements, whether it's cutting out a person for a collage or removing unwanted elements. Precise automatic selection is possible through the Adobe Cloud, albeit at the cost of speed. It can take up to two minutes for a selection to return from the cloud.

Mastering Corel PaintShop Pro will take some time, even if you already have advanced image editing skills. The latest version of this iconic image editing software has significant improvements. It allows you to adjust depth of field while cropping images, easily add text layers, and utilize various brushes and color palettes.

Similar to popular photo editing tools, Corel PaintShop Pro is also equipped with the tools you need to edit HDR or RAW file formats. Additionally, this photo editing software has impressive graphic design options. You can easily add additional layers to your shots or apply masks to them. The extensive library of creative content allows you to choose from a variety of patterns, gradients, and color palettes and try out new things.

Corel PaintShop Pro also features powerful digital art and drawing capabilities, allowing you to create digital paintings. For example, the Pic-to-Painting tool uses neural networks to clarify your images and apply a variety of painting styles to your photos. Corel PaintShop Pro is also a wonderful option for portrait photographers, as it provides features that simplify portrait enhancements.

Adobe Photoshop Elements is a simple photo editing software designed for both beginners and professionals. It is powerful, similar to Adobe Lightroom, and is designed to simplify photo editing. The app was released as a stripped-down version of Adobe Photoshop and is specifically aimed at social media users who need image editing software to pre-process and enhance their images.

The intelligent editing features of Adobe Photoshop Elements make colors more vibrant, select objects in images and automatically colorize them. The photo editing software has an extensive library of effects that allow you to easily enhance your photos with just one click. Additionally, this photo editing application allows you to create collages and memes that you can share with your friends on all popular social media platforms.

The latest version of this photo editing app includes enhancements that allow you to automatically remove skin blemishes or delete objects from your images. Adobe Photoshop Elements has impressive photo editing features that even inexperienced users can use to create great photos.

Over the years, the free photo editing software GIMP has become one of the most popular options for inexperienced image editors. GIMP was released in 1996 and has since evolved into a powerful image editing software that allows users to edit their images in various ways.

The color and image editing tools of this image editing software allow you to easily adjust saturation, color, and contrast of your images while working with multiple layers and masks. The software structure of GIMP is intuitive, and you will quickly become familiar with it even if you are completely inexperienced in image editing.

Cropping images or adjusting brightness and contrast are simple operations that anyone can quickly learn. GIMP also supports a variety of file formats, so you don't have to worry about compatibility of your photos with the photo editing software. If you're looking for a continuously evolving and user-friendly photo editing tool, GIMP is one of the best options for you.

With the update of PhotoDirector 365 photo editing software for Windows and macOS, users receive new tools for more detailed facial retouching, among other features. The iOS and Android app has also been updated.

One of the standout advantages of PhotoDirector 365 is its extensive selection of available photo editing tools. The new face tools in PhotoDirector allow you to individually shape eyebrows, eyes, lips, and nose. After marking the respective areas, you can adjust the distance, size, height, width, and angle of each facial feature.

Another innovation in PhotoDirector 365 is the "Black Mist" effect, which creates diffuse and softer lighting effects. This effect, also known as the "Black Mist Filter," emphasizes diffuse light and creates a more serene image atmosphere. All parameters of the effect can be individually adjusted. Additionally, the program's user interface, particularly the launcher, has been redesigned. With the update, CyberLink has also added new content packs with stickers, background music from the "Rock" category, and new fonts.

Photo Explosion 5 Deluxe is image editing software with a user-friendly interface designed specifically for beginners. It provides easy navigation to various image editing tools. The software includes an extensive collection of templates that can be used to create impressive calendars, collages, and greeting cards. It also offers a wide range of features such as color correction, scaling, cropping, filters, and effects.

For more experienced users, Photo Explosion 5 Deluxe also provides advanced features such as masking, layer support, and advanced color correction. These features enhance the editing capabilities of the software. Additionally, the software allows seamless integration with social media platforms, allowing users to directly share their edited photos on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

DxO is known for its detailed lens and camera reviews. With their own RAW and image editing software, DxO PhotoLab, they provide a comprehensive solution for photographers. In addition to the full-fledged image editing DxO PhotoLab, the company offers the RAW converter DxO PureRAW as a standalone photo editing software at a discounted price.

DxO PhotoLab impresses with numerous innovative features and excellent lens profiles for automatic corrections. The company has invested a lot of technology from its own testing lab into the development of lens profiles. Although I have only worked with the free trial version of DxO PhotoLab a few times, I was already impressed in a short amount of time. I particularly liked the customizable user interface and the precision of the retouching tools.

It is also worth mentioning that DxO PhotoLab includes the award-winning Nik Collection, a comprehensive collection of filters that DxO acquired from Google in 2017. Additionally, DxO PhotoLab also features the popular film-look filters (in the Elite version). If I weren't already using Lightroom and Luminar, DxO PhotoLab would probably be my first choice!

PhotoScape X is a comprehensive collection of photo editing tools that go beyond simple photo editing software. The best part is that it is available for free. Within PhotoScape, you will find a RAW converter, an image viewer, an editor, a print tool, a GIF animator, and countless other software functions that would normally require separate programs to be installed.

Although the free version of PhotoScape has several limitations in terms of photo editing, it is still sufficient for countless simple projects. Additionally, it offers various filters and effects. Don't be discouraged by the simple interface - it hides a lot of functionality.

Movavi Photo Editor is a user-friendly image editing program that precisely serves the purpose of improving photo quality, retouching images, removing misplaced objects or image defects, cropping objects, replacing backgrounds, adding texts, as well as applying effects, frames, and filters to photos.

Modern smartphones and cameras allow even inexperienced hobby photographers to take good photographs. However, these images often lack the final touch compared to professional photos. Professional photos are optimized using photo editing software for beginners or professional photographers to achieve brilliant colors, perfect sharpness, or targeted image corrections. However, dealing with such often expensive programs requires learning, a lot of time, and experience. If you want to avoid this effort and are looking for easy-to-use image editing software, the affordable Movavi Photo Editor could be a good choice.

PhotoPad is a comprehensive photo editing software that offers a wide range of tools, filters, and effects. It is ideal for photographers and graphic designers who want to edit their photos and achieve impressive visual results. One of the main strengths of PhotoPad is its inspiring program interface. The software features a lightweight and intuitive user interface that allows users to navigate through its numerous functions effortlessly. The editing tools are logically and clearly arranged, making it easy for users to quickly find the tools they need. Additionally, the software provides extensive tutorials and help files to guide users through the editing process.

Another important feature of this photo editing software is the variety of filters and effects it offers. The software includes a majority of preset filters that can be applied to images to give them a unique look. Users also have the option to create custom filters and effects using the software's advanced editing tools. PhotoPad has multiple export options, including the ability to save images in formats such as JPEG, PNG, BMP, and TIFF. The software also supports direct sharing of edited photos on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr. In summary, PhotoPad is a versatile and powerful photo editing software suitable for both beginners and professionals. With its user-friendly interface, a wide range of editing functions, and numerous effects and filters, it is an ideal solution for anyone looking to enhance their photos.

Pixelmator Pro is a powerful image editing software created by the Pixelmator team. It is perfect for professional photographers as well as enthusiasts. With a multitude of features, it stands out among image editing software. The user interface of Pixelmator Pro is extremely user-friendly and easy to use. The dark theme of this photo editing software is pleasing to the eyes and makes the colors of the images truly shine. Additionally, the software is responsive, allowing for editing of large files without delays or performance loss. This is ensured by the use of state-of-the-art technologies such as Metal and Core Image.

Pixelmator Pro has all the essential features that a photographer needs to edit their images. It provides tools for adjusting saturation, exposure, hue, color balance, and much more. Moreover, Pixelmator Pro includes advanced features like machine learning-based auto enhance, which automatically optimizes photos to achieve the best possible look. The software follows a non-destructive editing workflow, where the original image remains unchanged, and changes can be undone or adjusted at any time.

It's great that free image editing is possible, as demonstrated by the impressive free photo editing software Pixlr. Pixlr is widely regarded as the most recognized free online photo editing software and is often compared to the most well-known desktop software.

This cloud-based image editing software is not only powerful in performance but also allows opening photos from your home PC, a web address, or directly from Facebook.

The program's user interface closely resembles Adobe's editor, leading users to consider Pixlr as the most popular online version of Adobe Photoshop, possibly even better than Adobe Photoshop Express.

The available tools and features are impressive: automatic image enhancement, exposure and saturation adjustments, red-eye removal, dodge/burn tool, layers, customizable brushes, masks, and curves. Additionally, the Pixlr ditor offers a wide range of filters to create stunning effects.

Paint.NET is a free option for inexperienced photographers as photo editing software for beginners who don't want to incur any costs for photo editing. The photo editing tools are neatly organized in menus, allowing you to quickly access them when needed. Paint.NET can be particularly useful if you want to edit multiple images simultaneously, as each photo is displayed in a separate tab, making it easy to switch between them.

The selection of photo editing tools in Paint.NET is diverse enough to allow you to crop images, apply effects and filters, or add text layers. You can also easily combine two or more photos into a single image using the software's selection tools. Furthermore, Paint.NET provides you with the tools to reduce the contrast between the brightest and darkest areas of your photos to give them more vibrancy.

A photo editing software shows you all the steps taken in photo editing in the history window, allowing you to quickly undo any mistakes. Paint.NET is an excellent choice for beginner photographers looking for a simple yet powerful image editing software to optimize their photos for sharing on social networks.

Fotor is a photo editing software for beginners or advanced users. However, that doesn't mean you can't enhance your snapshots taken with the camera using this software. Fotor is an image editing software for Mac and Windows that offers a collection of templates for creating Facebook or YouTube covers, Instagram posts, or website banners in just a few clicks.

In addition to templates, Fotor has an extensive library of effects that allow you to make your photos more vibrant and dynamic. This photo editing app is ideal if you want to retouch skin blemishes, whiten your models' teeth, or remove red-eye effects. Fotor gives you access to over a hundred collage layouts, allowing you to easily combine your images and try different options.

The batch processing features of Fotor are one of the reasons why beginners and advanced users choose this app for processing their images. It supports all common file formats, so you won't have any issues opening your photos regardless of the camera you used.

With the free photo editing software for beginners, IrfanView, you can not only view images but also perform basic image editing. However, there are numerous differences compared to image editing software like GIMP or Photoshop. We will show you what you can do with this freeware.

IrfanView not only allows you to view your photos but also offers image editing capabilities through the "Image" menu. Although it doesn't support working with layers like GIMP and Photoshop, this accessibility makes it a user-friendly software for beginners. You can add efficient effects and filters like relief, sepia, explosion, or color changes with just a few clicks without needing prior knowledge.