Ready to start editing your images like a pro? Here are the best free photo editing softwares you can use in 2020 :

  1. Adobe Photoshop Express
  2. GIMP
  3. Paint .NET
  4. Pixlr
  5. Pixlr X
  6. PhotoScape X
  7. Fotor
  8. Photos Pos Pro
  9. InPixio
  10. BeFunky

01. Adobe Photoshop Express

Best for: Mobile photo editing.

For the longest time, people tried to find a free version of Photoshop, preferably online. Until, one day, Adobe finally heard their prayers and launched Adobe Photoshop Express, a trimmed-down online and mobile version of the industry’s leading software.

Unlike its paid counterpart, Adobe Photoshop Express is not aimed at professional photographers and media creators but to beginners or those looking for high-quality software for quick edits. This can be easily noted on the features offered and their accessibility.

With Adobe Photoshop Express you’ll be able to access basic image editing actions, such as contrast, perspective, saturation, exposure, and spot removal, as well as selecting preset dynamic effects. While there are not nearly as many tools as in the professional version, they are polished to perfection and offer a great user experience. The Express version of Adobe’s photo editing software also includes a ‘decorate’ category, which allows users to add text and easily create fully customizable collages.

You can edit images that are saved on your device or share them directly from Adobe Creative Cloud, Dropbox, Facebook, or Google Photos. All edits made on Adobe Photoshop Express are non-destructive, meaning you can go back to the original photo at any time.

The + : Advanced filters, minimalist interface, professional results

The – : Only output format available is JPG, runs on Flash, limited tools

Platforms: Web and mobile (iOS, Android, Windows)

Paid version: Complete Adobe Photoshop editor for desktop starts at $9.99/month

The 10 Best Free Photo Editing Softwares 2020

02. GIMP

Best for: Advanced users.

GIMP is widely considered the best free photo editor available on the market. The software includes a wide range of tools, ranging from basic actions to professional-quality features. Beginners will highly benefit from its selection and montage tools, cropping, color adjustment, and automatic image enhancement tools. On the other hand, advanced users will find a number of tools catered to them, such as content-aware resizing, face swap, animated gifs, layer masks, curves, and personalizable brushes.

All of these features make GIMP an amazing free Photoshop alternative for those who already know Adobe’s flagship software. On top of that, its interface is fully customizable and there are numerous plugins that can be added for free.

GIMP is an open source software with a large active community behind it. This means the platform is constantly updated and improved, all while users can continue to use it for free.

This photo editing software can be installed on desktop devices running on any operating system, or downloaded as a portable version that can be added into a USB key for usage flexibility.

If you want to give this advanced photo editor a try but are not familiar with the discipline’s jargon, you might want to start by taking a look at this photography terms glossary.

The + : Professional tools and features, open source program, developer support

The – : Steep learning curve, no mobile version, cluttered interface

Platforms: Desktop only (Linux, OS X, Windows)

Paid version: No

The 10 Best Free Photo Editing Softwares 2020

03. Paint.NET

Best for: Beginners and limited devices.

Paint.NET was initially created by a Washington State University student as a replacement for Microsoft Paint. But the original drawing program has developed into an intuitive free photo editing software aimed to those looking for an easy-to-use free image editing software that offers high-quality results.

The software has a clear and straightforward interface that supports hotkeys functions, making it a great option for inexperienced users who don’t want to spend a lot of time trying to figure out how the program works. Plus, this simplicity makes it possible to smoothly run Paint.NET on less powerful devices, such as notebooks.

Despite being targeted to novice users, Paint.NET offers a wide arrange of photo editing tools including brightness, contrast, hue, curves, levels, layers, gradients, and unlimited undos. On top of that, the software supports plugins created by its ever growing community of developers on the software’s forum. These plugins can be used to access more advanced features, such as the popular 3D rotate/zoom tool for image recomposition.

The + : Intuitive interface, great for slow devices, full history access

The – : Limited tools, not as powerful as other alternatives, no advanced features

Platforms: Desktop only (Windows)

Paid version: No, but you can support the project by purchasing Paint.NET for $6.99

The 10 Best Free Photo Editing Softwares 2020

04. Pixlr Editor

Best for: Professional-level online editing.

Many see Pixlr Editor as the best free online photo editor, and consider it to be almost as powerful as the top desktop editing software. Its proficient capabilities start the very moment you open an image, as Pixlr Editor allows you to do so from your device, a URL, or even straight from Facebook. This is especially valuable for non-photographers who want to edit existing images for new purposes.

The program’s interface is notably similar to Adobe’s editor, which has led people to consider Pixlr Editor the best online version of Photoshop – yes, even including Photoshop Express itself. The long list of professional features included in the program are unmatched by most of the other free photo editors in the market. Among these, we find exposure, levels, automatic enhancement tools, sophisticated color pickers, customizable brushes, layers, and masks.

The main disadvantage of Pixlr Editor is that it requires Flash, a plugin that Adobe is planning to stop supporting soon. In order to overcome this obstacle, Pixlr has developed an HTML-based paid version of Pixlr Editor that includes advanced editing tools, PSD templates support, premium fonts and stock images, layers, and more.

A free, more simple HTML version of the program is also available online under the name Pixlr X, which we describe in detail below. With the launch of the beta version of Pixlr Editor 2020, it seems like the company might be looking to merge both of its free photo editors into a single platform. Keep on reading to know more about this simplified alternative. The software can also be used on mobile with its native apps for Android and iOS.

The + : Powerful features, doesn’t require any downloads, numerous uploading options

The – : No batch editing capabilities, displays ads, runs on Flash

Platforms: Web and mobile (iOS, Android)

Paid version: Pixlr Pro costs $5/month

The 10 Best Free Photo Editing Softwares 2020

05. Pixlr X

Best for: Quick online edits.

While Pixlr Editor is seen as the best online photo editor like Photoshop, Pixlr X is considered the best free HTML alternative to Photoshop Express. This software was developed as the successor of Pixlr Editor in hopes to avoid obsolescence once Flash is out of the picture. Unfortunately, moving from a Flash platform to an HTML one required a lot of trimming down on the original editor’s features.

Notwithstanding this feature minimization, Pixlr X has established itself among the best free photo editing software in the market. The program maintains the slick design of its predecessor while focusing on one-click tools that will cover all your basic editing needs, plus some. You’ll be able to edit your images’ colors and saturation, crop and resize, get rid of unwanted elements with the touchup tool, and adjust the white balance. Other more niche tools, such as red-eye removal and fill light will allow you to take your portrait photography to the next level.

Overall, Pixlr X is an outstanding online photo editor for beginners and non-professional photographers, who will see all their media needs covered. Those looking for more advanced tools, such as brushes or layers, might want to stick with Pixlr Editor until Pixlr X evolves to include these features.

The + : One-click edits, straightforward interface, doesn’t require any downloads

The – : Limited tools, no advanced features, less powerful than Pixlr Editor

Platforms: Web on desktop

Paid version: No

The 10 Best Free Photo Editing Softwares 2020

06. PhotoScape X

Best for: Novice users looking for impressive features.

PhotoScape X’s list of tools seems to be nearly infinite. The software, which is described as an “all-in-one photo editing software” is heavily focused on one-click enhancement features that allow beginners to easily bring their ideas to life.

The program includes thousands of filters, frames, brushes, shape crops, smart cut out tools, a color picker, and clone stamps. Photographers will be able to take full advantage of the RAW conversion feature, while those with a large collection of images to process will be happy to hear about the several batch editing tools the software includes, such as format change, resize, and rename.

PhotoScape X’s capabilities also include much more creative options, such as collage, merging, stickers, effects, text, and brushes. These tools are especially catered to users who want to create original content for their social media profiles or email marketing campaigns.

In order to make sure users make the most of the tens of thousands of creative options in PhotoScape X, the photo editor’s website includes a long list of video tutorials that show how to use each tool to achieve the desired effect. If you are interested in more advanced tools, check out the software’s paid version, which includes a wide selection of manual editing tools.

The + : Thousands of one-click filters and effects, supports many file formats, creative templates

The – : Interface might be confusing, lag problems, no advanced tools

Platforms: Desktop only (OS X, Windows)

Paid version: PhotoScape X Pro (only Windows) for $39.99

07. Fotor

Best for: Straightforward image enhancement.

Fotor offers a long list of basic tools and features, ranging from simple edits like brightness and saturation to more complex concepts such as wrinkle remover and teeth whitening. Fotor also boasts a large selection of effects, frames, stickers, and text options primarily aimed to social media sharing.

In addition to its photo editor, Fotor also includes collage and design sections. In these segments, users can choose from diverse premade templates to build their creations with. These templates are categorized by use, such as general colleges, social media posts, marketing resources, documentation, and ads. This enables novice users to easily create high-quality content for all their needs, without having to worry about anything other than the visual appearance. Some of the templates and more high-end tools are only available on the paid version of the software.

Overall, Fotor might be best defined as an image enhancer rather than a photo editing software. Photographers and other media creators will most likely require more sophisticated capabilities than the ones available through Fotor. Yet, the program’s offerings comprise all a small business needs to make the most of their online presence.

The + : Creative composition tools, batch image processing, user-friendly creative templates

The – : No manual edition capabilities, no plugin support, displays ads

Platforms: Web and mobile (iOS, Android)

Paid version: Fotor Pro starts at $3.33 per month

The 10 Best Free Photo Editing Softwares 2020

08. Photos Pos Pro

Best for: Beginners aiming to expand their post-processing skills.

Photos Pos Pro was developed with an ambitious goal in mind: creating the perfect photo editing software for beginners and experts alike. In order to do so, the program actually offers two different interfaces for users to pick from.

The advanced layout includes a broader range of tools for more sophisticated manual edits, including layers, brushes, masks, gradients, actions, textures, and RAW conversion. All edits can be made in image batches, potentially saving a lot of post-processing time.

On the novice interface, Photos Pos Pro’s layout is significantly decluttered and heavily focused on automatic edits that can rapidly provide beautiful results. These image enhancements are mainly distributed through filters and creative effects that users can pick and choose from.

Users can access Photos Pos Pro Premium’s more advanced features for free during a 21-day period, allowing them to get a full taste of the program before deciding which option best suits their needs.

The + : Novice and advanced interfaces, numerous filters, batch image processing

The – : Export resolution limited to 1,024 x 2,014 pixels, no advanced tools, steep learning curve

Platforms: Desktop only (Windows)

Paid version: Photo Pos Pro Premium is available for $29.90

09. InPixio

Best for: Quick, creative edits for online sharing.

InPixio is actually composed by six different programs focused on specific photo editing tools. These are:

  • Photo Editor – for basic image correction
  • Photo Maximizer – to zoom in and produce high resolution photos
  • Photo Focus – to create clear images
  • Photo Eraser – to remove unwanted object
  • Photo Cutter – to change the background
  • Photo Clip – to create photomontages.

Essentially, InPixio offers a user-friendly program which allows those with minimal photo editing skills to create beautiful images to share on social media or with their close ones. The software’s most notable features include hundreds of filters, blur effects, creative frames, textures, tone sliders, preset creation, and automatic online sharing capabilities.

InPixio is also available for iOS, where it focuses on quick image enhancements and offers creative tools such as frames, text, and filters. The Pro version of the software offers a wider range of manual editing features, as well as photo restoring tools.

The + : One-click social media sharing, easy to use, supports all image formats

The – : Limited manual editing, free version includes watermarks, not completely available on OS X

Platforms: OS X, Windows, iOS

Paid version: InPixio Photo Editor PRO for $19.99

10. BeFunky

Best for: Creative image enhancement online.

BeFunky offers easy-to-use photo editing tools that enable users of all levels to easily achieve professional results. Its interface is uncluttered and user-friendly, making it easy to find the right tools and see the effects on the image in real-time. All edits can be seen in the image’s history, and users can easily undo or redo if necessary.

Much like Fotor, BeFunky’s program is also divided into three sections: photo editor, collage maker, and design creator. In fact, looking at them side by side, it’s easy to see just how similar the two programs are. BeFunky seems to be the clear winner in terms of both number of photo editing features and design composition templates, yet most of them are only available for premium users.

The photo editor’s capabilities include a significantly wide arrange of tools, from basic editing like exposure and contrast, to portrait touch up capabilities, artsy effects, creative overlays, and textures. Each of these sections offers both free and premium features which users can test beforehand.

As for the collage and design sections, both display a long list of fully customizable templates for users to choose from. All three products are offered on BeFunky mobile, which is also available for free or with a premium subscription.

The + : Drag and drop composition features, stock image access, numerous creative templates

The – : Most editing tools are paid, displays ads, collage and design categories require subscription

Platforms: Web and mobile (iOS, Android)

Paid version: BeFunky Plus starts at $6.99 per month

The 10 Best Free Photo Editing Softwares 2020