Finding The Best Photo-Editing Software. To find our picks for the best free and paid photo-editing software, we turned first to expert sources, such as PCMag.com, Tom's Guide, TechRadar.com and elsewhere. We also looked for user input, turning to sources such as Amazon.com and B & H Photo. Best Desktop for Photo Editing: Apple iMac Pro 27″ All-in-One Desktop, Space Gray (MQ2Y2LL/A) The new Apple iMac Pro is powered by the Intel Xeon W 8-Core processor. The base clock speed of the processor is 3.2 GHz, while the maximum speed is 4.2 GHz. 10 awesome iOS photo editing apps you need to try. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac. Or whatever else, Pixelmator for iPad is one of the best tablet-based graphics apps on the market.
- Best Photo Editor For Pc
- Best Photo Editor For Windows 7
- Free Photo Editor For Mac
- Best Photo Editor For Mac
These free photo editors are the best of the best and will get you just as good results as the expensive Adobe Photoshop.
The free photo editors below have tons of features and tools that you let you change or enhance your photos in just about any way you can imagine. You can also customize the interface of many of the programs so you can get the perfect working environment for you.
This list includes free photo editors that you have probably heard of as well as some hidden gems that for sure are worth checking out.
If you're looking for more options for free photo editors, maybe a free online photo editor will have what you need; you can use one in your web browser without having to download the software. To edit photos on your phone or tablet, a free photo editing app is what you need. If you only want to resize some photos, there are resources for that, too.
of 10
GIMP
What We Like
- Similar to Photoshop in interface and capabilities.
- Add-ons, including those created for Photoshop, add great functionality.
- Generate files in all common image formats.
What We Don't Like
- Interface not as sleek or pleasing as Photoshop.
- Can be a bit buggy.
- Lacks layer grouping, adjustment layers, and some other common Photoshop elements.
GIMP is likely the most popular free photo editor program. It's full of professional features and provides a very friendly and flexible interface.
The toolbox, layers, and brushes panes of GIMP are separated from the main canvas so you can truly adjust how you want to work without losing any of the features you need access to.
Various input devices are supported, add-ons can be installed to extend GIMP's functionality, and file formats like TIFF, PSD, PNG, JPEG, and GIF are supported.
There are tutorials on the GIMP website if you need help along the way. You can learn about layer masks, asset folders, brushes, and more.
GIMP works with Windows (10 down through 7), Linux, and Mac operating systems.
of 10
Paint.NET
What We Like
- Lots of plug-ins available.
- Clean, easy-to-use interface.
- Good choice for intermediate users.
What We Don't Like
- Windows only.
- Lacks some advanced and commonly used features, such as burn and dodge.
Similar to GIMP, Paint.NET provides the ability to move its window panes around to customize the interface to your liking. Paint.NET also provides plug-ins to support new file formats and add new effects.
Included are layers, effects, and a whole host of basic and advanced things like a clone stamp, pencil, text maker, and paintbrush tool.
Several image file formats like BMP, JPEG, TGA, and DDS are supported.
of 10
Inkscape
What We Like
- Cross-platform compatibility.
- Large, active community; lots of help and tutorials available.
- Excels at detailed drawing and line-specific editing.
What We Don't Like
Best Photo Editor For Pc
- No PMS or CMYK color support.
- Sizeable learning curve.
- Rendering can take a while.
Inkscape is a vector graphics editor, more akin to Illustrator as opposed to a photo manipulation package, but still has a lot of useful features.
The interface can be a bit cluttered but that's only evidence of the vast number of tools it includes. Nearly all the tools you'll be using often are planted along both sides of Inkscape for easy access.
Circles, arcs, 3D boxes, ellipses, stars, spirals, and polygons can be created using Inkscape. You can also draw straight or freehand lines.
Tons of file types are supported both when opening and saving. Among many other useful features, you can work with layers, apply a huge number of filters to a picture, and use spell check along with the text tool.
Like most photo editing programs, Inkscape supports extensions.
Inkscape works with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. Windows users can also download a portable version that's perfect for editing straight from a flash drive.
of 10
Adobe Photoshop Express
What We Like
- Familiar interface for Photoshop users.
- Control intensity of tool effects.
What We Don't Like
- Limited format support.
- Flash-based web access only.
Adobe has the free Photoshop Express program that you can use as a Photoshop alternative if you don't want to pay for their full software. Of course, it is missing some of Photoshop's features, so it's not as functional, but it still does a lot.
When you first open the Photoshop Express image editor, you can load an image from your computer or take a new one directly from your webcam. Once a photo is open in Photoshop Express, the menus on the left make it really easy to access all the one-click options like filters, crop tools, image corrections, the red eye remover tool, and more.
This photo editor also has borders, a spot healing brush for one-click touch-ups, effects like grain and fade, and a noise reducer. There's also a button you can click to quickly see the original photo for comparison with your edits.
Best Photo Editor For Windows 7
Something really great about this image editor that you won't find in some similar programs is that with nearly every tool, you have full control over the intensity. This means you can slide a bar left or right to decrease or increase a tool's effect to get it just right.
Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Android, and iOS users can install Photoshop Express.
Free Photo Editor For Mac
of 10
Krita Desktop
What We Like
- Quick access to full-screen mode.
- Particularly well-suited for comics and manga.
- Lots of well-designed tools and brushes.
What We Don't Like
- Cluttered interface.
- Tool settings not easily accessible.
- Lacks some features of other programs.
Krita Desktop is really easy to work with and is certainly an advanced image editor. Like some of these other programs, you can work with layers in addition to many other tools located in a floating toolbox off to the side of the program.
There are plenty of other features available as well, such as brushes and blending modes, advanced selection, and masking tools, drawing aids, filters, symmetry tools, and effects.
One thing worth mentioning is that, with the press of the Tab key, you can maximize the canvas to fit your entire screen, getting rid of all the menus and tools so you can have a huge space for working without any distractions.
Krita Desktop works with Windows (7 and newer), Linux, and Mac (10.12 and newer). There's also a portable version for Windows.
of 10
InPixio Photo Editor
What We Like
- Broad format compatibility.
- User-friendly interface.
What We Don't Like
- Trial version applies watermarks to images.
- Windows only.
This free photo editor from InPixio is designed for simplicity, but that doesn't mean it's void of helpful features. The program itself is easy to understand and navigate, and you can do everything from add frames and designs to crop, change the brightness, and more.
With the one-click presets and frames, a before and after view, and easy-to-access editing tools, you can finish editing in no time and even share your picture directly on Facebook or Flickr from the Share menu.
If you like how you've edited something and want to apply those same edits to another photo, it's as easy as making a custom preset.
Lots of image file types can be opened in this program, and if saving to your computer, you can pick from JPG, PNG, TIFF, JXR, and WDP.
If you need help using this photo editor, you can refer to their online tutorials.
Some features are only available in the premium version; those are marked off in the program with a large 'Premium' banner.
InPixio Photo Editor runs on Windows computers, iPhone, and iPad.
of 10
Pixia
What We Like
- Compatibile with common file formats.
- Open files directly from clipboard, camera, and scanner.
- Rich enough in features to satisfy advanced artists.
What We Don't Like
- Interface is outdated.
- Windows only.
Pixia has an outdated and unappealing interface, but the functions and tools aren't at all undesirable for a free photo editor.
Layers and layer masks are supported, as well as creating shapes, selecting objects, and common photo editing tasks like changing the color adjustment and tone balance, color filling, and selecting from different paint brushes.
All the standard image file formats can be opened with Pixia including those with Photoshop's PSD extension. Images can even be opened directly from the clipboard, a camera, or a scanner.
of 10
Artweaver Free
What We Like
- Full-featured and easy to use.
- Supports layers.
- Good variety of brushes and effects.
What We Don't Like
- Photoshop plugins and screen playback work only with premium version.
- No Mac version.
Artweaver manages to include tons of useful image editing tools in an easy to use program. It has a tabbed interface to avoid clutter, supports using pen tablets, and works with some of the most popular image file formats, such as JPEG and PSD.
Standard editing tools like a crop, text, paint bucket, and gradient tool, among others, are included, but Artweaver also lets you save and replay events, use brushes, create and work with layers, customize the layout of the palettes, and import images directly from a scanner or camera, among other things.
The screen mode can be changed from regular to fullscreen to have even more room to edit images.
of 10
PhotoScape
What We Like
- Easy to use.
- Compatible with both Windows and macOS.
What We Don't Like
- Lacks functionality typical of other programs.
- Can be slow.
- Only PhotoScape X still gets updated.
PhotoScape has several sections at the top of the program where you can open different tools to perform different actions. Viewer, Editor, Combine and Animated GIF are just some of PhotoScape's sections.
The editing feature has dozens of frames to choose from, each with the option to round the corners and adjust the margin and frame line settings of the frame.
You can also add objects and text and crop an image freely or use one of several presets (e.g., 16:9, Legal Ratio, and US business card ratio).
Some more tools included in PhotoScape is a red-eye remover, clone stamp tool, spot remover, paintbrush, and, among others, an effect brush (like grayscale, blur, darken, and brighten).
With each tool you select, a description of what it does and how to use it is displayed to the right, which is very helpful and not usually a feature included in programs like this.
PhotoScape is available for Windows 8–XP while PhotoScape X is for Windows 10 and macOS.
Unfortunately, another program attempts to install during setup, but you can easily skip this by deselecting it.
of 10
CinePaint
What We Like
- Very powerful, despite being free.
- Works with images and videos.
What We Don't Like
- No Mac version.
- Infrequently updated.
CinePaint's interface is very mundane, colorless, and boring, but that doesn't mean the tools aren't useful because they are.
Layers are supported so you can overlay images on each other, change their blend mode, and edit their opacity. You also get a selection tool with CinePaint, among many other common tools.
The first thing you'll notice when you use CinePaint is that when you're opening a photo to edit, you're unable to preview it to know that you're selecting the correct one, which is too bad.
Are you struggling to choose the best laptop for photography?
Selecting a photography laptop can be a struggle. There are so many options out there, packing impressive storage, memory, and high-resolution displays. So which laptop is best?
![Best Best](/uploads/1/2/6/1/126154402/226327704.jpg)
Fortunately, there are a few photography laptops that rise above the rest. In this article, we’ll share them with you.
So read on to discover the absolute best laptop for photography.
The Best Laptop for Photo Editing Revealed:
Here’s a quick rundown of the list:
The Best Laptop for Photography: How to Choose?
The best laptop for photography must be fast.
It must be powerful.
And it must have a gorgeous high-resolution display.
That’s how we chose our five parameters for evaluating the best laptop for photography:
- Processor: A newer, faster processor is best for editing photos.
- GPU power: The best GPUs take on some of the processing burden.
- Storage volume: Photos take up a lot of space. More storage is always better.
- Memory: More memory means faster processing.
- Display: A high-resolution display is fundamental for photo editing.
1. Apple 15.4” MacBook Pro With Touch Bar (Top Choice)
- 15.4” inch display with HD resolution
- 2.9 GHz Intel i9 processor
- AMD Radeon Pro 560X graphics card
- 512 GB of internal storage
Best For: Serious photographers looking for the best processor and display combination money can buy
Free photo editor for mac online. Here’s the absolute best laptop for photography:
The 15.4” MacBook Pro.
Why?
First, the processor is a 2.9 GHz Intel Core i9 Six-Core–which is both fast and powerful. With the i9, you shouldn’t have any problems running photo editing applications.
Second, this MacBook Pro comes with 32 GB of RAM. This is enough memory for just about anything. When using this MacBook to edit photos, you’ll be just fine.
Not to mention the storage: This MacBook offers 2 TB –which is enough space for a couple of weeks of shooting on the go.
And the GPU is also impressive. This Apple computer includes the AMD Radeon Pro 560X, which comes with 4GB of RAM.
Finally, the 15.4” display is incredible, sporting a 2880 x 1800 resolution.
267 Reviews on B&H
- 2.9 GHz Intel Core i9 Six-Core
- 32GB of 2400 MHz RAM - 2TB SSD
- 15.4' 2880 x 1800 Retina Display
- AMD Radeon Pro 560X GPU (4GB GDDR5)
- True Tone Technology
- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) - Bluetooth 5.0
- Touch Bar - Touch ID Sensor
- 4 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) Ports
- Force Touch Trackpad
- macOS
B&H price as of 2019-09-06
2. HP 15.6” ZBook Studio G5 Mobile Workstation
- 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7
- 16 GB of RAM
- 512 GB of SSD drive storage
- Ultra HD resolution display
Best For: Serious photographers looking for a beautiful photo editing display
The HP 15.6” ZBook is not our first pick for best photography laptop.
But it’s pretty darn good. And it would make any photographer happy.
For instance, the HP ZBook is powered by a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7–which is more than enough processing power for photography work.
To add to that, the graphics card is a NVIDIA Quadro P1000–which comes with 4 GB of RAM.
Related Article: Best Video Editing Laptops
Next, check out the memory: 16 GB of RAM. While not quite as impressive as the MacBook Pro, 16 GB should satisfy every photographer out there.
And did I mention the 512 GB SSD drive storage?
Another great thing about the HP ZBook Studio G5 is the display. The 15.6” display boasts a resolution of 3840 x 2160 (UHD).
Which means that your photos will look incredible–they’ll be crisp, clear, and sharp.
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P.S. if you are taken aback by the current review score on HP.com, you may want to check the stellar reviews this laptop got on B&H.
3. HP 15.6″ ZBook Studio x360 G5 Multi-Touch 2-in-1 Mobile Workstation
- 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7
- 16 GB of RAM
- 512 GB SSD drive storage
- Ultra HD resolution display
- Touchscreen
Best For: Serious photographers who prefer a touchscreen for photo editing
The HP 15.6” ZBook Studio x360 is almost identical to the ZBook Studio reviewed above.
- Both use the P1000 graphics card.
- Both sport an incredible 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor.
- And both offer a powerful combination of 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD storage.
Even the displays are identical. They’re both ultra HD, 15.6” screens that look amazing.
But there’s one thing that sets this laptop apart…
…and that’s a touchscreen.
For photographers who prefer to do photo editing with their hands, then this is the option to get.
Plus, this laptop is ultra-flexible. Best image editor for mac. The display can fold 360 degrees–going from laptop to tablet in seconds.
You might be wondering:
If this laptop is so impressive, why not rank it above its brother?
The answer is simple: Price. These extra features cost more–and for some photographers, such features won’t be worth the extra bucks.
* Get an extra 20% off all Business Laptops and Mobile Workstations! – SUMMER20 – (Expires: 2019-08-01)
4. Asus 15.6” ZenBook Pro 15 UX550GE Multi-Touch Laptop
- 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor
- 16 GB of RAM
- 512 GB of SSD storage
- Ultra HD display
- Touchscreen
Best For: Serious photographers looking for a touchscreen display
If you want a second touchscreen option, check out the Asus 15.6” ZenBook Pro.
The Asus 15.6” ZenBook Pro 15 UX550GE is a multi-touch laptop, powered by a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor. Paired with the processor is 16 GB of RAM.
That’s a potent combination. One that promises to easily satisfy all your photo editing needs (and then some).
Plus, the 512 GB of SSD storage should hold you over for a few days of shooting in the field.
The 15.6” display sports ultra HD resolution–so your photos will look incredible.
Asus 15.6' ZenBook Pro - 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor
- 16 GB of RAM
- 512 GB of SSD storage
- Ultra HD display
- Touchscreen
Product from Amazon. Updated on 2019-09-06. We may get a commission.
5. Asus 15.6” TUF Gaming FX504GE
- 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7
- 8 GB of RAM
- Full HD display
- 128 GB M.2 NVMe SSD and a 1 TB HDD
Best For: Photographers who also want to do some video editing
Now, the Asus 15.6” TUFis a gaming laptop. It’s designed to handle the pressures and demands of the latest resource-hogging games.
Which means that, for photo editing, it performs flawlessly.
First, the laptop is powered by a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor–one that’s supported by 8 GB of RAM.
No, it’s not the 32 GB of memory offered by a MacBook Pro. But it’s more than enough for most photo editing operations.
This Asus also offers a full HD display–perfect for photo editing.
Plus, the laptop is powered by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU with an integrated 4GB of memory. https://skyeytea.weebly.com/best-python-editor-for-mac.html.
Also of note are the dual storage units: a 128 GB M.2 NVMe SSD and a 1 TB HDD. For the traveling photographer, this amount of space will surely be appreciated!
Asus 15.6' TUF Gaming Laptop - 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7
- 8 GB of RAM
- Full HD display
- 128 GB M.2 NVMe SSD and a 1 TB HDD
Product from Amazon. Updated on 2019-09-06. We may get a commission.
Related Post: Best Computers for Video Editing
6. Dell 15.6” XPS 15 9570 Multi-Touch Notebook
- 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7
- 16 GB of RAM
- 512 GB SSD
- 15.6” display with 4K resolution
- Touchscreen
Best For: Photographers looking for an ultra HD resolution display
The Dell XPS is a popular laptop–and for good reason.
It’s powerful, offering a 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7 processor and 16 GB of RAM. That is more than enough power for photo editing work.
Plus, the Dell XPS sports a 512 GB SSD. This is perfect storage for photographers who spend several days in the field.
Despite all this power, the major selling point of the laptop is its display:
- 15.6 inches
- Touchscreen
- Offering 4K resolution (3840 x 2160).
This is perfect for photo editing (or viewing of any type).
So with the Dell XPS…
Best Photo Editor For Mac
…you won’t be disappointed.
Dell XPS - 2.2 GHz Intel Core i7
- 16 GB of RAM
- 512 GB SSD
- 15.6' display with 4K resolution
- Touchscreen
Product from Amazon. Updated on 2019-09-06. We may get a commission.
![Photo Photo](/uploads/1/2/6/1/126154402/569500163.jpg)
Related Article: Best Desktops for Photo Editing (8 Picks for 2019)
The Best Laptop for Photography: Conclusion
Hopefully, you now know which laptop is best for your photography needs.
Remember:
All of these laptops offer powerful processors–enough to quickly edit your photos at home or in the field.
All of these laptops offer incredible displays.
And all of these laptops have impressive amounts of memory and storage.
With specs like that, it’s hard to go wrong!
Related Article: Best Budget Laptops for Photography (5 Picks Under $500 in 2019)
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