graphic design apps for iphone 6

Best Photoshop Apps for Your Smartphone

Top 10 Photoshop Apps

Editing images using any free Photoshop alternative may be inconvenient, especially if you travel a lot and are far from your PC. That's why Photoshop apps are becoming more popular nowadays.

Over the years of using various apps, I haven't managed to find the best Photoshop app, because those installed on my iPhone are used for different purposes – some apps add filters, while others can make the skin tone smooth, or remove blemishes.

Since I have been frequently asked to name good Photoshop apps, I've decided to share my personal list of top 10 Ps applications I use for editing images on the go.

1. Lightroom CC Mobile

Batch editing and deep color correction

Pros+

Batch editing
Spot color correction
Deep color grading
Support presets
Healing Brush

Though the mobile version of Lightroom CC provides professional color correction tools: HSL, curves, selective color correction, etc., it is also one of the most popular free programs like Photoshop, since the image editor supports RAW files and has a tight integration with Creative Cloud.

As for the interesting features, I can name advanced batch editing, with the ability to apply Lightroom mobile presets to the whole album of photos. You can also use the Healing Brush to achieve the perfect composition or remove all unnecessary objects.

Of course, Lightroom CC enables you to use ready-made presets or create your own filters for future projects, but there is also the possibility to download presets from Lightroom desktop version, simply changing the file format. Not many apps for Photoshop can boast such a feature.

I should also mention a built-in camera, which supports 2 modes, Auto and Pro. Auto mode is great for everyday shooting in daylight. In the professional mode, you have access to all the standard settings, including exposure, ISO, shutter speed and filters, as well as automatic highlighting of overexposed areas in the image.

Test more free photo editing apps.

2. Photoshop Express

Photoshop app with RAW support

Pros+

Supports RAW, TIFF and PNG files
Tight integration with Adobe desktop programs
Lots of customizable filters/effects
Nice variety of tools for basic image editing
The best Text tool

Cons-

Slow performance while editing RAWs

Photoshop Express mobile application is a standard choice of mobile photographers. This app for Photoshop supports RAW, TIFF and PNG file processing, as well as offers Cloud storage and tight integration with desktop programs of the Creative Cloud family.

Many customizable filters and effects (B&W, grainy, bright, contrast, matte, soft, etc.,). In addition, you will find all the standard tools for basic photo edit, such as cropping, automatic red-eye correction, teeth whitening, the Brush Tool for skin retouching and more.

What I really like about this app is its powerful Text Tool. Photoshop Express offers more than 100 built-in fonts that can be customized by color, size, bold or italics type, as well as add transparency effect, which resembles a watermark.

But mind that editing RAW files, the app feels a bit slow, as you need to wait about 10 seconds or more. So if you have an urgent task, you may get in trouble.

Learn more about how to get Photoshop Free.

3. Snapseed

Photoshop app for auto photo editing

Editors' Rating (4.5/5)
iOS/Android

Pros+

Many auto tools
Perfect filters
Suitable for basic color correction
Ease-to-master UI
Support for presets

Cons-

Confusing integration technique with social networks

Due to its professional automatic photo editing and advanced tools for both image retouching and color correction, Snapseed app is loved by both Android and iOS users.

Opening the application, you will see a regular set of tools – adding text, framing, straightening, cropping, etc. The sharpening feature is very powerful, since it doesn't add excessive grain to an edited picture.

What really makes this application unique is its selective image editing with Control Point technology. This allows you to place up to eight points in the image and assign enhancements. All you have to do is click on the area you want to improve and swipe left/right to darken/lighten it, or up/down to adjust contrast/saturation.

Another remarkable peculiarity of Snapseed that distinguishes it from other apps for Photoshop is the ability to use diverse filters. They are aimed at imitating glass filters on a DSLR camera, thus altering the tonal contrast in monochromatic photos.

View more photo editing software for PC.

4. VSCO

Many customizable filters

Editors' Rating (4/5)
iOS/Android

Pros+

50+ adjustable filters/effects
Integrated community/social network
Advanced built-in camera
Simple slider-based editing

Cons-

Many closed features unless you have a paid subscription
Crashes on older smartphones

Those doing in-context product photography call VSCO the best image editing app. Using it, you can easily give your works a bit vintage, sepia or warm look.

Unlike other Photoshop apps on my list, where filters are too intense, VSCO filters are more gentle and subtle. Many of them have a soft, faded look. Each filter offers customizable saturation, contrast and brightness settings.

As for photo post-processing, the image editor is somewhere between Instagram and a more advanced Snapseed version. You can edit images and publish them in your profile.

Anyway, there is a serious limitation that bothers many Snapseed users – access to only 10 filters in a free version.

Besides, the app can offer just basic photo editing tools. The alluring 130-filter collection and advances photo processing instruments are waiting for users in a paid version. The annual cost is almost $20.

Read more about VSCO Lightroom presets.

5. Afterlight

Possibility to create presets and use third-party ones

Editors' Rating (3.5/5)
iOS/Android

Pros+

RAW files support
Possibility to create and add presets
Professional filters

Cons-

Free functionality is limited
Poor export settings

Afterlight is a popular app available for iPhone users. The application offers not only an image editor, but also a built-in camera.

One of the unique features of the camera in Afterlight is the white balance lock. This is especially useful when shooting in dark conditions.

In addition to the basic settings, such as adjusting contrast, brightness and shadows, Afterlight has a wide range of filters, for almost all shooting styles. You can find several customizable overlays and hundreds of built-in fonts.

Afterlight may be called the best Photoshop app because of its awesome Selective Hue feature. It allows users to select a definite color and make changes to this color only, while keeping the rest of the palette intact. Even slightest alterations of the hue can admirable affect the entire picture.

If the possibility to save, modify and create presets is already familiar to mobile editing specialists, then the chance to download additional filters and filter collections from other sources makes this application unique.

6. Darkroom

Ability to add Live Filters

Editors' Rating (3.5/5)
iOS

Pros+

Unlimited batch editing
Ability to apply live filters to a picture
You can track, cancel and change edits

Cons-

May lag
For iPhone only

Darkroom is a simple and very stylish app for your iPhone with RAW and HEIF support. One of the things that make Darkroom different from a photo editor like Lightroom CC is its tight integration with iCloud Photo Library.

You don't need to import images manually, as Darkroom can directly access your iCloud photo library.

Darkroom offers an extensive set of tools for managing, editing and applying filters to your images. Curves, automatic eye correction, removal of pimples, teeth whitening, skin tone smoothing and more make it one of the best Photoshop editing apps.

The ability to create custom filters is also one of the advantages. You can adjust not only the intensity of the selected filter, but also precisely set such parameters like brightness, contrast, shadows, saturation, selection, temperature, hue, grain, vignette and sharpness.

Thus, if you like the general style of the filter, but you want to increase the number of details in the mid-range, no problem - just adjust the filter curves.

View more about the best photo editing apps for Android.

7. Enlight Photofox

Artistic sketches and many basic tools

Editors' Rating (3.5/5)
iOS

Pros+

Nice set of image editing tools
Artistic sketches and painting filters
You can decorate your photos with funny shapes, stickers and captions

Cons-

iPhone-compatible only
Boring UI

Enlight Photofox is the best Photoshop app with an impressive array of editing tools. It offers standard features such as exposure, tone and color adjustment, etc. and supports working with RAW files.

In addition to the basic instruments and filters, the app has a fantastic set of artistic effects, using which you can turn a recently taken picture into a painting or add design elements.

The support for masks and layers make it very similar to the desktop Photoshop version. The Layers help you combine several images, while the Mask Tool comes in handy if you need to alter colors and apply effects to specific areas of the photo. This gives you full control over the picture editing process.

The main disadvantage of the application is that the free version allows you to use only two layers at a time and limited filters. To get the full functionality, you need to buy a subscription.

8. PicMonkey

Advanced Photoshop app for adding text

Pros+

Perfect Text tool
Lots of overlays
Integrated cloud storage

Cons-

Inconvenient UI and tools layout
No RAW support

PicMonkey was originally designed to work as a collage maker, but over time it has become one of the most feature-rich Photoshop apps on the market. It offers a range of tools, including instant cropping and resizing, customizable photo effects and decorative design elements.

PicMonkey also offers a huge overlay collection, including small animals, stars, hearts, lines, labels, banners, etc. These overlays can be edited by color, size and transparency.

If your gallery is 80% selfies, the Touch Up tool that PicMonkey offers will be indispensable for you. This feature includes teeth whitening, makeup, skin smoothing and eyes lightening.

As for the shortcomings, I can note the inconvenient interface (this is especially noticeable on devices with a small display) and constant advertising, which interferes with the work. You can remove advertising by subscribing to the paid version for $7.99, but there is nothing you can do with the interface.

9. Fotor

Many overlays and ready-made collages

Pros+

Smart filters and effects
Convenient collage maker
RAW files converter

Cons-

Too limited functionality
Lots of ads
Monthly payment

Fotor is a remarkable tool and, in fact, one of the best Photoshop apps thanks to its vast feature set. However, this is true only if we talk about the paid version.

The main advantages of the free version are the quick editing of RAW images and color correction, fixing white balance and other colors and shades. You can open the photo editor in full screen mode for more convenient work, without being annoyed by the interface.

Another interesting feature is the focus. In allows you to change the focus point and blur the background. This is a very interesting tool that is present only in the paid Lightroom version.

The app provides a number of basic tools and 19 sets of various effects, among which 12 are completely free. You can also take advantage of more than 50 overlays.

Despite the fact that the image editor can open and edit RAW files, the processed photo can be saved in four formats - JPEG, PNG, BMP and TIFF.

10. TouchRetouch

The best Photoshop app to get rid of needless objects

Editors' Rating (3/5)
iOS/Android

Pros+

Advanced tools to remove objects
Easy-to-learn app
Portrait editing with spot removal

Cons-

Too narrow-focused instruments
Paid

Thanks to its advanced and effective tools for removing unwanted objects, TouchRetouch took its place among my top 10 Photoshop apps.

Here you can find a standard set of tools such as the Healing Brush, the fast Repair tool, the Quick tool, the Lasso tool, the Eraser and the Clone Stamp that help get rid of unwanted elements and make your picture look balanced. TouchRetouch supports non-destructive photo processing, ensuring your original file is intact.

If you are looking for some original features, you will surely like the mirror effect.

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