If you want to enhance your photos without having to break the bank, there are varieties of capable, reliable, and incredible software options for you to choose from. Quite a number of them have custom filters that can be easily applied to your images, while others are more detailed and professional with unique tools to give your image a high-grade finish. Either way, knowing your options will help you decide on the best one that suits your needs. To guide your selection process, see our best 7 picks of cheap photo editing software.

Top 7 Best Photo Editing Software

  1. Adobe lightroom – Best for Non-destructive Photo Editing
  2. Adobe photoshop – Best for Professional Photo Editing
  3. Pixlr Editor – Best for Free Online Editing
  4. Portrait Pro – Best for Photo Retouching
  5. GIMP – Best for High-Quality Photo Manipulation
  6. Luminar – Best AI-powered editing solution
  7. Paint.NET – Best cost-effective editing software

1. Adobe Lightroom – Best for Non-destructive Photo Editing

Pricing Info – Free trial available.

Starting plan: US$9.99/month, Photography plan (20GB). USUS$9.99/month, Photography plan (1TB). USUS$19.99/month

Adobe Lightroom is a remarkable photo editing option and this is not an overhype. The cloud-based software is perfect for both personal and professional photo editing. As compared to photoshop, Lightroom gives you total control over your photos with its special features. Lightroom’s AI organization is next to none and with this powerful feature, you can create, modify, organize, save and share your photos conveniently. Easily manipulate your photos with non-destructive edits and custom filters. If you’re willing to invest in the subscription plan, then you would find more advanced features and unlock a new level of photo editing in one single solution. The software supports batch importing, editing, and downloading of images and works perfectly for professional editing needs.

Key Features

  • Preset options and custom filters
  • Nondestructive photo edit
  • Raw file editor
  • AI organization.

Reasons to Buy

  • Powerful and intuitive user interface
  • Nondestructive photo editing; retains the quality of the original image.

Reasons to Avoid

  • No advanced tools or heavy editing.

2. Adobe Photoshop – Best for Professional Photo Editing

Pricing Info – Free trial available. Photoshop Plan: US$20.99/ month. Photography Plan (Lightroom + Photoshop): US$19.99/ month.

Adobe Photoshop is another photo editing solution from Adobe Inc. that does way more than just basic photo editing and doubles as software for graphic design and digital art. If you’re familiar with the application and know the basics, you can easily edit your photos and be creative with it. Highly effective tools to work with, enabling you to adjust exposure, and colour balance, edit photos, clean blotches, or integrate photos.

Lightroom or Photoshop? Lightroom is just perfect for basic photo editing but if you’re looking for something more professional and advanced, Adobe Photoshop has greater prospects. You get to take photo manipulation to another level with photoshop and make intricate edits to your photos.

Key Features

  • Smart object
  • Image Layers
  • Photographic filters
  • Retouching tools
  • Field blur.

Reasons to Buy

  • Can be used for intensive photo editing
  • Best for professional use.

Reasons to Avoid

  • High-priced solution.

3. Pixlr Editor – Best for Free Online Editing

Pricing Info – Free option. Premium: US$4.90/ month. Creative pack: US$14.99/ month.

Want something clean, simple, and easy to use? Pixlr AI editor is optimized to cater to your needs. Both beginners and experts can get the knack of using the platform as its features are super easy to use but still generate optimal results. The online editor lets you edit images in any format, all you need to do is load the application on mobile via the Mobile editor or on a computer and start editing.

Key Features

  • AI Editing tools
  • Thousands of overlays, icons, decorative and texts
  • Recommended templates
  • Software Updates.

Reasons to Buy

  • Provides exclusive video tutorials
  • Expansive resource bank and software tools
  • No account registration is required.

Reasons to Avoid

  • Not fully optimized for mobile.

4. Portrait Pro – Best for Photo Retouching

Pricing Info – Standard: US$44.95/ month. Studio: US$69.95/ month. Studio Max US$139.95/ month.

Portrait Pro is your go-to software application for photo retouching. The editing suite saves you a lot of time and delivers terrific edits in minutes. The highly intuitive software uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and manipulate core body parts in portraits. Eye enhancements, image and body relighting, body thinning, chin shadows, and natural skin smoothing are only a few of the many things you can do with the solution. The application also offers advanced features and benefits like the smart filter, exclusive to the PortraitPro Studio and Studio Max plans.

Key Features

  • Neck & shoulder slimming
  • Body relighting
  • Chin shadows
  • Hairline correction
  • Realistic digital makeup
  • Hair colour and highlight
  • Eye enhancements
  • Smart filters
  • Image relighting

Reasons to Buy

  • A superb option for photo retouching
  • Gives photos a natural and smooth finish.

Reasons to Avoid

  • Minor editing anomalies.

5. GIMP – Best for High-Quality Photo Manipulation

Pricing Info – Free software. No monthly subscription fee.

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) is an open-source online editor with a powerful framework that supports advanced image manipulation and photo retouching. There is so much you can do with GIMP if you let your imaginations run wild. GIMP is developed with powerful tools and striking features to transform your editing game. Compatible with various operating systems including GNU/ Linux, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS, to name a few. Also, if you need a productivity boost, GIMP has special features like customization options and third-party plugins for optimum functionality.

Key Features

  • Customizable interface
  • Photo Enhancement
  • Digital Retouching
  • Hardware Support.

Reasons to Buy

  • Excellent interface
  • Plugins are free to download
  • Collection of free resources to guide the editing process.

Reasons to Avoid

  • Limited third-party plugin options
  • Cannot handle large image files.

6. Luminar – Best AI-powered editing solution

Pricing Info: Free version available. Luminary: US$47, Luminar Plus: US$67, Luminar and Aurora HDR Plus: US$118. Discounted prices for 1 computer license.

Luminar ranks high on the list of powerful AI editors and is built for the innovative creator with ingenious features to help you edit photos like a pro. Any user would find Luminar very satisfying to utilize. Developed by Skylum, Luminar is steadily becoming the best option for photo editing and retouching and this is mostly due to its vast benefits and editing potential. Luminar lets you conveniently manage, edit and export your images. Arguably the first software exclusively powered by AI, Luminar is designed to function both as a single editing solution or integrated into other editing software as a third-party plugin. Luminar is optimized for PC and Mac OS and available as a plugin for Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.

Key Features

  • AI Skin and Portrait Enhancer
  • Sunrays, Accent AI, and Smart Contrast
  • Unique Photo Effects.

Reasons to Buy

  • Easy-to-use software
  • A great choice for professional photographers and editors
  • Terrific user interface
  • No barrier to creativity
  • No additional charges.

Reasons to Avoid

  • Requires functionality improvements
  • Limited editing options and tools
  • Complicated pricing plans.

7. Paint.NET – Best cost-effective editing software

Pricing Info – Free.

Paint.NET is an amateur editing software option compared to others. However, it gets the job done and meets the standard requirements of a photo editing solution. Software navigation is seamless and easy to use with standard features and tools that help you manipulate images to your liking. One of the very few editing software to have an active online community where you can get helpful resources, useful information, thoughtful tutorials, assistance, and plugins to aid your editing process. If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-use photo editing tool, then you can try out this option for free.

Key Features

  • Layer feature
  • Supports several image file formats
  • Optimized for hardware
  • Automated software updates
  • Multiple language support.

Reasons to Buy

  • Free solution
  • Easy-to-use and straightforward navigation
  • Access to helpful editing resources.

Reasons to Avoid

  • Amateur software solution with limited features and editing tools.

References

  • https://pixlr.com/e/
  • https://www.anthropics.com/portraitpro/
  • https://www.gimp.org/
  • https://skylum.com/luminar