The best editing apps provide finer granularity without sacrificing usability, make it easier for you to understand the effects of edits with before-and-after comparisons, and maximize your view of the photo without hiding necessary controls.

Ease of use: The best photo editing apps have fluid, easy-to-navigate interfaces that make it simple for you to find the settings you’re looking for, adjust the things that need fixing, and send your finished photos where you want them to go.

They should also produce good-looking results and be able to effectively correct problems in your original photos. But just having a lot of adjustments isn’t enough.

Generally speaking, the more options an editing app provides, the more we like it, as long as the interface isn’t too cluttered. The best go further to offer stuff like healing brushes, a histogram, curves, split toning, layers and masks, correction for chromatic aberration, and more.

Powerful adjustments and great-looking output: Most photo editing apps offer the basics, such as brightness, contrast, and sharpening.

The best free photo editing apps