21 Best Photo Editing Apps for iPhone & Android
I’ve tried way too many photo editing apps over the years. Some were amazing, some were… well, instantly deleted.
But here’s the thing: when you find the right app? Editing your photos starts feeling fun again. Like, actually fun.
Whether you’re trying to glow up your selfies, clean up that one perfect shot from your trip, or just play around with filters on a Sunday night — having the right app on your phone makes all the difference.
So I put together this list of my absolute favorite photo editing apps that actually work in 2025.
Some are free, some use AI magic, and some just make your photos look like they were edited by a pro — even if you’re editing in your pajamas at 2 am (been there).
All of these work on both iPhone and Android, and I promise: no junk, no outdated apps from 2012. Just real ones that I’d recommend to a friend.
Let’s jump in?
1. Snapseed
Snapseed is one of those apps I downloaded thinking I’d use it once… and then never deleted.
It’s clean, it’s free, and it just works — no weird ads, no pushy upgrades, no nonsense.
I mostly use it when a photo feels almost perfect but needs a tiny fix — like brightening up a dark corner, softening harsh shadows, or making a sunset look the way it actually felt in real life.
What I love is that it doesn’t try to be all trendy or flashy.
You just open your photo, slide things around, and boom — way better. And if you mess up? One tap and it’s undone.
It’s like the chill friend who always makes you look good in group pics without trying too hard. If you’ve never tried it, trust me — it’s worth keeping on your phone.
2. Adobe Lightroom Mobile
If Snapseed is the chill friend, Lightroom is the one who always looks put together and somehow edits her photos like a pro — because she kind of is.
But don’t let the name scare you. The mobile version of Lightroom is actually super beginner-friendly, and once you play around with it, it’s hard to go back.
It’s perfect when you want more control over your edits — like really dialing in the lighting, fixing weird colors, or making your photos feel soft and moody (or bright and glowy, whatever vibe you’re into).
There’s a bunch of built-in presets you can try too — I use them when I’m lazy and just want my photo to look good now.
It’s one of those apps that makes you feel like you know what you’re doing… even if you’re editing in bed in your hoodie, half-asleep.
3. Remini
Okay, Remini is straight-up sorcery.
You drop in a blurry old photo or a low-quality selfie, and this app somehow brings it back to life — like, crystal clear, sharp, and glowing.
I’ve used it on grainy childhood pics and honestly got emotional seeing the results.
It’s especially good for close-up shots — faces, details, anything that needs a serious glow-up. The AI does all the work, you just tap a button and wait a few seconds.
That said, don’t expect it to fix everything — sometimes it goes a little too smooth or adds extra shine, but most of the time it’s shockingly good.
If you’ve got old pics, throwbacks, or just want your current ones to look like they were taken on a $2,000 camera — Remini’s the move.
Just a heads-up: it’s free to try, but you’ll probably want to upgrade if you plan to use it a lot.
4. VSCO
VSCO is for the girls (and let’s be honest, anyone) who want their photos to feel soft, dreamy, and just… effortlessly cool.
You’re not slapping glitter all over the place — you’re making your pics look like they belong on a curated Instagram feed or the front of a lifestyle magazine.
The filters (they call them presets) are seriously gorgeous — not neon or overdone, but warm, moody, vintage, clean — you get to pick your whole vibe.
I mostly use it when I want a photo to feel “aesthetic” without spending ten minutes on each edit.
It’s not overloaded with tools, but it gives you just enough to make your photos look way more intentional.
And let’s be real: posting something edited with VSCO just hits different. It’s like… oh, she gets it.
5. Picsart
Picsart is the app you open when you’re feeling a little extra — like you don’t just want to tweak the brightness, you want to turn your photo into a whole vibe.
It’s got filters, of course, but also stickers, text tools, AI backgrounds, collages, effects — honestly, it’s kind of like Photoshop and Instagram had a baby.
I’ve used it to blur messy backgrounds, add sparkles to selfies, make custom story posts, and even create Pinterest graphics when I didn’t want to open my laptop.
It’s fun, it’s chaotic in the best way, and once you get the hang of it, it opens up so many creative options.
Just be warned — it’s easy to get sucked into editing for an hour because there’s so much you can do.
But if you love experimenting or just want something that can do it all in one place? This is the one.
6. Lensa AI
Lensa blew up for a reason — those AI selfies? Wild.
But it’s not just about turning yourself into a magical forest queen (although that part is fun). The real magic is in how good it is at editing portraits. It smooths skin, brightens eyes, softens the background — but it somehow keeps everything looking natural, not plastic.
You still look like you, just on your best day.
I’ve used it on those random photos where I look tired or the lighting is trash, and it seriously saves them. The AI takes care of the touch-ups in a few taps, and if you want to get creative, you can dive into the avatar and art-style edits too.
It’s not something I use every day, but when I want to feel “flawless” with minimal effort? Lensa’s my go-to.
7. PhotoRoom
PhotoRoom is basically your personal background-removing assistant — but way cooler.
I first downloaded it just to erase messy backgrounds from product pics, but it turned out to be so much more than that. You can instantly cut yourself out of any photo, drop in a new background (white, gradient, aesthetic room, you name it), and it looks shockingly clean — like studio-quality clean.
It’s perfect if you’re selling something, making content, or just want your photo to look crisp without distractions. It also has templates for Instagram posts, profile pics, mockups — all those little things that usually take forever. And the AI does all the heavy lifting.
If you’ve ever tried to manually erase a background with your finger, you’ll understand why this app feels like a lifesaver. It’s quick, easy, and honestly kind of addictive.
8. Canva
Canva is like that one friend who always shows up with everything looking perfect — her Instagram stories, her invites, her vision board… and somehow, she’s not even trying.
That’s the Canva effect. It’s technically a design app, but the photo editing tools? Lowkey amazing. You can crop, filter, adjust lighting, and then add text, stickers, or drop the photo into a full-on template — all in the same place.
I use it when I want a photo to do more — like turning a cute pic into a birthday card, or making a Pinterest pin on my phone. It’s super drag-and-drop, very beginner-friendly, and there are a ton of aesthetic templates that make you feel like a graphic designer… even if all you did was swap out the text.
Honestly, once you start using Canva, it’s hard to stop.
9. AirBrush
AirBrush is one of those apps I downloaded on a whim and now refuse to delete.
It’s made for selfies, but not in a fake, overdone way — it just knows how to fix the little things without making you look like a wax figure. You can smooth your skin, brighten your eyes, whiten your teeth, and even tweak your lighting — all with super simple tools that feel more “soft touch” than “full glam makeover.”
I’ve used it when I looked tired in a photo, or when the lighting wasn’t doing me any favors, and it always pulls through. It also has a really clean interface, so even if you’ve never edited a photo in your life, you’ll figure it out in two seconds.
If you want your selfies to feel polished but still you, this one’s a keeper.
10. Fotor
Fotor is one of those apps that doesn’t get talked about enough — but once you start using it, you’re like… wait, why isn’t everyone using this? It’s super beginner-friendly but still gives you all the editing tools you actually need.
Think filters, lighting fixes, crop, blur, shadows, highlights — all the usual stuff, but laid out in a way that makes sense. But the real magic? Its AI tools.
You can enhance a photo in one tap, swap out a background, or fix blemishes without digging through ten menus. It’s like a “quick fix” app, but with enough power to actually transform a photo if you want to go deeper.
I use it when I don’t feel like spending forever on edits but still want my photo to pop. It’s simple, solid, and always comes through.
11. Facetune Editor
Facetune’s been around for a while, but the newer version — Facetune Editor — is way more refined than people think.
It’s not about turning yourself into a totally different person; it’s more like giving your photo a gentle polish. You can smooth skin, fix flyaways, tweak lighting, and even play with makeup filters or change your background completely if you’re feeling bold.
It’s especially handy for portraits and selfies where you just want things to look a little softer or more put-together without going full filter mode.
There are also fun features like relighting and reshaping that are surprisingly easy to use.
Whether you’re editing a casual pic or a profile photo, this app gives you enough control to make small tweaks that make a big difference — all without needing a full editing tutorial.
12. Polarr
Polarr is the kind of app you go to when you’re over the basic filters and want your photos to actually feel something.
It’s known for its custom filter creation — which sounds intense, but honestly? It’s way easier than it sounds. You can take a vibe from one photo and save it as your own filter to use again and again.
It’s great for creating a consistent look, especially if you’re posting on Instagram or Pinterest. The editing tools go deep too — lighting curves, color overlays, grain, sharpness — it’s all there, but tucked into a super clean layout.
And if you’re not in the mood to build your own style from scratch, there’s a whole library of cool, artsy presets made by other users that you can try instantly. It’s like having an aesthetic playground right on your phone.
13. Tezza
Tezza isn’t just a photo editing app — it’s a whole vibe. Everything about it feels curated, stylish, and aesthetic in that effortless “how does she do that?” kind of way.
The filters (or presets, if we’re being fancy) are soft, dreamy, and warm — perfect for lifestyle shots, travel photos, outfit pics, or just making your coffee cup look like it’s in a magazine.
There are also editing tools for lighting, grain, and dust — little touches that give your photo texture and mood. It’s not overwhelming, and honestly, the interface is just… pretty.
Tezza is perfect if you want your photos to have that look without spending 15 minutes tweaking every detail. Quick, gorgeous edits that give your feed a glow-up? This app totally gets it.
14. SnapEdit
SnapEdit is one of those apps that quietly shows up, does its job perfectly, and leaves you wondering how you ever lived without it.
It’s made for those moments when something (or someone) ruins your photo — a random stranger in the background, a trash bin, wires, signs, clutter… gone in one tap. The AI object remover is the star here.
You just highlight the thing you want out, and it blends the background like it was never there. No weird smudging or obvious edits — just clean, smooth fixes that save your photos without hours of work.
It also has face touch-ups, background blurring, and a few other tools if you want to go further, but the simplicity is what makes it great. It’s basically your “why is this in my photo?” fixer — fast, easy, and weirdly satisfying.
15. Prequel
Prequel is that app you open when you want your photo to feel extra — like dreamy, sparkly, retro, cinematic extra. It’s all about vibes here.
You’ll find filters with glitter, grain, soft glow, VHS static, light leaks, and tons of trending effects that make your photos (and videos) stand out in a scroll. It’s especially popular for stories, reels, and Pinterest-style content where you want your visuals to catch attention without looking overdone.
The app’s layout is super scrollable too — you can preview effects in real-time and find your favorite look in seconds.
Prequel isn’t the app for subtle edits — it’s for when you want your photo to feel like a whole aesthetic. Whether you’re going for soft & vintage or bold & glowy, this one knows how to bring the drama (in a good way).
16. Adobe Photoshop Express
Photoshop Express is one of those apps that doesn’t make a big fuss, but quietly gives you exactly what you need when you want to fine-tune a photo.
It’s built by Adobe, so it’s got some serious tech behind it — but the layout is clean, simple, and super beginner-friendly. You can fix crooked photos, smooth skin, reduce noise, sharpen blurry shots, and even remove red-eye (yes, people still need that sometimes).
There’s also a decent set of filters if you just want a quick refresh, but where it really shines is in those small, precise edits that actually fix things. It doesn’t try to be flashy — just solid, practical, and trustworthy.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by too many editing options, this app keeps things clear and easy while still giving you the good stuff.
17. YouCam Perfect
YouCam Perfect is totally made for the selfie crowd — but in a way that feels fun and light, not overly filtered or fake.
It has all the usual beauty tools (skin smoothing, eye brightening, face shaping, etc.), but the real charm is how quick and playful it is. The edits are super customizable, so you can go full glam or just clean things up a little without going overboard.
There’s also background removal, stickers, collages, and templates if you want to get creative beyond just touch-ups. And the built-in AI helps speed everything up — it can auto-enhance your photo in one tap, or give you just the right amount of glow for that natural-but-better look.
It’s the kind of app that feels like it knows what you’re trying to fix, and makes it easy without turning you into a filter.
18. Darkroom
Darkroom feels like it was made for people who care about how their photos look but don’t want to spend forever editing.
It’s sleek, intuitive, and has this clean layout that makes you feel like you know what you’re doing — even if you’re just messing around with sliders. You get all the pro-level stuff like curves, color grading, HSL adjustments, and RAW support, but it never feels overwhelming.
What makes it stand out is how fast it is. Everything happens in real-time, and you can copy edits across multiple photos in one go — a total time-saver if you’re editing a batch.
It’s especially loved by iPhone users, but the Android version has been catching up fast. If you’re after that polished, editorial look without diving into complicated software, Darkroom totally delivers.
19. Bazaart
Bazaart is where photo editing meets design, in the most fun and surprisingly easy way.
If you’ve ever wanted to cut yourself out of a photo and drop into a dreamy background, layer in some text, add shadows, stickers, or aesthetic overlays — this is your app. It’s like a lightweight Photoshop but way more intuitive.
The background remover is super clean, and you can literally drag, drop, resize, and create whatever vibe you’re going for. It’s perfect for collages, story graphics, product mockups, or just making something that looks totally different from the original photo.
And even though it sounds like a lot, it’s really beginner-friendly — everything just snaps into place. Bazaart is one of those apps that makes you feel creative, even if you’re not “artsy.”
You just start playing with it… and suddenly you’ve made something gorgeous.
20. Dazz Cam
Dazz Cam is pure nostalgia in an app — and not the tacky kind.
It recreates that vintage film look so well, you’d swear the photo came from a disposable camera in 1997. We’re talking light leaks, grain, timestamp overlays, lens flares, and even the occasional little “mistake” that gives it character.
What makes it fun is how unpredictable it feels — kind of like an actual film. You never really know how the final shot will turn out, and that’s the charm.
It’s a favorite for mirror selfies, night shots, and random moments that you want to give that raw, retro vibe. There are tons of camera options inside the app (like VHS, Polaroid, Super 8 styles), and each one has its own personality.
If you’re into moody, artsy, Y2K edits — Dazz Cam is a whole vibe.
21. 1984 Cam
1984 Cam is what you open when you want your photo or video to look like it was shot on a glitchy camcorder at a 90s house party — in the best way possible.
It’s gritty, it’s grainy, and it leans hard into that raw, analog aesthetic. The filters are full of static, flicker, light leaks, and those classic VHS timestamp overlays that make everything feel like a lost memory.
There’s no polish here — just pure vintage chaos that somehow feels cooler than most high-def edits. Whether you’re taking a moody city walk, a bedroom mirror pic, or filming something random just for the vibe, 1984 Cam gives it that nostalgic punch.
It’s artsy, edgy, and weirdly addictive once you start playing around.
My Final Take
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to photo editing apps — and honestly? That’s the fun part.
Some of these apps are perfect for quick fixes, others are full-on creative playgrounds, and a few feel like magic. The best one for you totally depends on your vibe.
Want clean, easy edits? Snapseed’s your girl. Going full aesthetic? Tezza or VSCO. Selling stuff online? PhotoRoom’s a no-brainer. Just trying to erase your ex from the background? SnapEdit’s got you.
You don’t need to download all 21 (unless you’re curious, in which case… go for it).
Just find the one or two that match your style and make editing feel fun again — not like a chore. Your photos deserve better than basic filters. And now you’ve got all the tools to glow them up.