If you want to make manual color and exposure corrections, there are half a dozen sliders to let you do exactly that. In our tests this worked particularly well on landscapes, but wasn't always great for other subjects. You can also choose individual photos to enhance with the software's one-click optimization tool. Importing pictures is a breeze, and once they've been added to the pool, you can select several at once to rotate or mirror, saving you valuable time. Its interface is clean and uncluttered, and utterly devoid of ads (although you'll need to submit an email address before you can start using it). If you've got a lot of photos that you need to edit in a hurry, Ashampoo Photo Optimizer could be the tool for you. However, if you have an Apple computer, there are some great free photo editors for Mac as well.

Since we’ve put a few of these Adobe alternatives through their paces, we thought we’d help you find the ideal one by putting together a list of the best free photo editors for PC, including some free photo editing software for beginners.

If you’re hoping to just do some simple edits like cropping or straightening an image, consider getting one of the free apps instead (unless, of course, you’ve got deep pockets and only want the best of the best). A handful, including GIMP – our current top pick for the best free photo editing software, even boasts advanced tools like plugins, masks, and layers. That’s especially since there are some fantastic free photo retouching apps for Windows that come with all the vital features. Most folks who just want to edit their vacation photos or dabble in photo editing do not need them. Non-pro users however, might find them a bit of an overkill. They, alongside cameras, lenses and a laptop for photography, are necessary tools of the trade, which means they can count the subscription cost as an overhead expense. It makes sense for professional photographers and photo editors to gravitate toward something as robust as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.

Alternative photos app for mac