Admit it, you seldom swing photos on Instagram or Facebook without first adjusting the colors and hiding blemishes, so in this article we’ll show you six of the best photo editing apps so you can just do this on your (Android) smartphone can do.
We are looking at free apps in this case. All of the apps in the list allow you to make edits without paying for them. Almost all apps do offer the possibility to access more functions via an in-app purchase. In some cases, an in-app purchase also ensures that a watermark is removed or that you don’t see any advertisements in the app.
Photoshop Express
Let’s start with the best known: Photoshop Express. This app from Adobe is derived from the successful Photoshop program for the PC. With the app, you can do all kinds of basic operations, such as retouching spots on the face or red eyes from the flash of the camera. The app also includes many professional options. For example, you can reduce mist and fog in landscape photos and eliminate noise from photos that are grainy or dark.
If you have taken a photo of a building, you can also straighten it with Photoshop Express. With the app, you can also create collages or immediately cut out photos for use as a Facebook banner or profile photo. You do need to sign up for an Adobe account for free to use the app.
PicsArt Photo Editor
PicsArt is an app that focuses on quick editing of your photos. Don’t be fooled by the question of which paid subscription you want to take out: you can simply close this window by pressing the cross. You will find dozens of filters in the app and with the pro version you get access to many more. Nice is that you can choose templates for making fun posters or photos that look like they were made with a Polaroid.
PicsArt is not only suitable for photos, by the way: videos can also be shortened and you can apply effects to them. It is even possible to paste a photo on a video. This option does require an in-app purchase. Registration is mandatory with PicsArt if you want to use it for more than a few days.
Snapseed
Snapseed is a photo editing app from Google. The app is very versatile and contains a lot of professional retouching and editing options that are normally only in expensive software packages. The app does take some getting used to and is not as simple as Photoshop Express, for example. You can do edits in layers, just like you are used to from desktop programs; edits can be saved as a “look” that you can then use for other photos.
In addition to all these professional functions, Snapseed naturally also offers filters and effects and you can combine two almost identical photos into a photo with double exposure.
AirBrush: Easy Photo Editor
AirBrush is for people who post a lot of selfies on social media. You can easily edit your own portrait photos with the app. The app’s slogan is “Fine-tune your photo back to the real you”. This seems a bit contradictory to us, but if you prefer to have slightly fuller lips or don’t want to show wrinkles as pontifically on Facebook or Instagram, then this app is definitely for you.
The app has all kinds of tools that are immediately applied to your face. You just have to move the slider left or right to shorten your chin, make your eyes bigger or smaller and adjust the width of your face. There are also a few buttons that can automatically whiten your teeth, remove acne or detect and remove dark edges around your eyes.
The app is free to use, but many functions are behind a payment wall. For 17 euros per year you can change things without limits.
Comics and Cartoon Maker
The name says it all: with Comics and Cartoon Maker turn yourself into a comic hero. Choose a good portrait photo and select one of the styles at the bottom of the image. To adjust the filter, you have three sliders at your disposal. They have no name, but can, for example, change the number of strokes and change the contrast of the image. The quality of the filters is very good and your photo will look like it is from a comic strip within a minute.
In the next step, add speech bubbles or choose one of the dozens of stickers that the app provides. You can save the image or share it through the known channels. The app is completely free to use, you only have a small advertising bar at the top occasionally, but this is not very annoying.
Background Eraser
If you want to quickly remove the background of a certain photo, you have countless apps for this. The app Background Eraser is one of the better. You choose the diameter of the eraser and start swiping at the edges of the object that should be left. You can choose to set a so-called “offset”. This way you swipe something under the eraser and the part above your finger is wiped out.
You have an image with a transparent background that you can use in another app. Or you can save the photo and edit it further on the PC with a program such as Photoshop, Gimp or Affinity Photo. Afterwards you choose how hard or soft the lines between the object or the person and the background are.
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