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Limelight Photo Editing Software Free Download Updated FREE

Limelight Photo Editing Software Free Download

Best complimentary photo editing software

Best free photo editing software - a photo editing program showcased on an iMac and MacBook
(Image credit: CyberLink)

Whether you want to make a few easy photo edits without paying for an expensive full-service editor like Adobe Photoshop, or you lot want to try out a new hobby before upgrading to a more powerful program, y'all'll want to make sure you choose the best costless photo editing software.

In this article, nosotros list a few of the top options available today. Nosotros'll also hash out the pros and cons of each production, so you can determine which free photo editing software will best meet your needs.

If you lot're willing to pay for your editing software, check out our guide to the best photograph editing software available now. Or, if you plan on doing most of your photo editing on the become, be sure to read up on the all-time photo editing apps bachelor for Android and iOS.

What is the best free photograph editing software?

After testing quite a few free photograph editors, in that location was one articulate winner in our view. The best free photo editor you can download today is GIMP, which rivals Photoshop with all information technology can reach, entirely for complimentary. With GIMP, you'll have access to near of the all-time premium photo editor features, like layers, masks, custom brushes, and smart choice tools.

GIMP is an open up-source photo editor, meaning you can likewise customize its source code to completely adapt your needs. There's too support for a big number of third-political party plugins, although these can exist a bit hard to track down. There used to be an official registry on the GIMP website, but this has since been closed.

However, if you're just looking to do simple photo bear on-ups like cropping, enhancing colors, or polishing the odd blotch, GIMP may be a picayune complicated. And it can come with a steep learning curve for newbies. Read on to learn more about our favorite options for the all-time free photograph editing software.


The all-time free photo editing software you can use today

Best free photo editing software - GIMP's logo

GIMP is by far the best all-around free photograph editing software (Epitome credit: GIMP)

one. GIMP

The height costless photo editing software available

Reasons to buy

+

Powerful photo editor

+

Highly customizable

+

Constantly being updated and improved

Reasons to avoid

-

Steep learning curve

-

No centralized addition registry

GIMP is our number one pick for the all-time free photo editor, and it's the but entry on this list that's a legitimate contender among paid options like Adobe Photoshop Elements or Corel PaintShop Pro. Information technology's an open-source platform, which means that GIMP is always being improved, and there are a vast assortment of plugins you can use to customize your feel.

In our book, in that location are merely two downsides to GIMP. Firstly, the chaotic interface means information technology can exist a steep learning curve for newcomers. If y'all enjoy tinkering around with new software this isn't a problem, but users who aren't familiar with photograph editors, or just desire to make a few quick edits, should consider other options.

The other downside to GIMP is the closure of its registry. Several years ago, users were able to download plugins, brushes, and other add-ons from a page on GIMP'south website. Nonetheless, this became too unwieldy for volunteers to maintain. Without this centralized hub, it tin can be a niggling harder to find the verbal plugin you lot need.

All in all, these limitations are pretty small, and GIMP is still hands-down the best gratis photo editing software y'all can get today.

Best free photo editing software - Canva's logo

Canva is a bully option for editing photos for social media (Prototype credit: Canva)

2. Canva

Platonic photograph editor for social media and marketing

Reasons to buy

+

Bully for social media posts

+

Beginner-friendly interface

+

Diverseness of templates

+

5GB of cloud storage

Reasons to avoid

-

Not a full photo editor

Canva is a browser-based photo editor geared towards generating polished and center-communicable social media posts and other marketing materials. If you want to upwards your brand's Facebook or Instagram game but don't take lots of time or coin, Canva provides hundreds of gorgeous and like shooting fish in a barrel-to-customize templates.

Information technology's worth noting that it'south not a total photo editor. Then if yous're looking to remove a lot of blemishes or make other meaning edits, Canva perhaps isn't the right choice for you. However, it does offer a surprising corporeality of built-in filters and photo effects. And the numerous templates available to utilize, covering everything from social media posts to letterhead to brochures, are surprisingly high quality for a free website.

While there is a paid Pro version of Canva that unlocks a few boosted features (like the ability to isolate and delete a groundwork), the costless pick is more than sufficient for beginners looking for an like shooting fish in a barrel way to lift their marketing content.

Best free photo editing software - PIXLR's logo

Pixlr offers 2 browser-based photo editors (Image credit: Pixlr)

3. Pixlr

A simpler web-based editor

Reasons to buy

+

Support for layers and other advanced features

+

Offers a simpler editor in Pixlr 10

Reasons to avoid

-

Only browser based

-

Ads can be intrusive

-

Few templates

If you're looking for a decent competitor to Photoshop that's not equally involved as GIMP, Pixlr E—the more advanced of Pixlr's suite of free photo editors—might be right for you.

For a relatively simple web-based photo editor, Pixlr E supports a surprising slate of more than advanced photograph editing options, like layers, a clone castor, and smart selection. And for users who want a more streamlined interface, there's Pixlr X, which is geared more towards editing photos for social media. However, Pixlr X would exist a more than valuable resource if information technology included a greater library of templates for beginners to get started with.

Unfortunately, Pixlr is only available every bit a download if you have a paid subscription, so free users will be stuck with the browser. And while we didn't always come across an ad when using Pixlr, when we did, we found them intrusive—taking up valuable screen space.

Best free photo editing software - Fotor's logo

Batch processing is the standout feature of Fotor (Paradigm credit: Fotor)

4. Fotor

Great midpoint-level editor with multiple versions

Reasons to buy

+

Enables batch processing

+

Available as a download or in browser

+

Easy impact-up options

Reasons to avert

-

Many features not available with free version

-

Intrusive ads

Fotor is a overnice eye-of-the-route pick for users looking for a fiddling more liberty than they'd become with pure template-driven software like Canva, but aren't advanced enough in their skills for something similar GIMP or Pixlr E.

I nice feature of Fotor is that it's available for free, both in your web browser or as a download for Mac or Windows. The downloadable version likewise features a batch processor tool, which is the existent stand-out feature of Fotor. With the batch processor, you tin can apply the aforementioned filters, frames, or touch-ups to a grouping of images—perfect if all your pictures from Christmas were a piddling overexposed, or if you want to create a slideshow of cohesive images.

Unfortunately, the numerous ads make the spider web-based version difficult to use, and many of the best features, like the 1-click touch-up filter, are merely available with the paid version of Fotor.

Best free photo editing software - an image of Ashampoo Photo Optimizer's box product

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer is a squeamish photo editor for photographers (Image credit: Ashampoo)

5. Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 2020

Height Windows editor for image batch processing

Reasons to buy

+

Easy to utilise

+

Batch optimization

+

Intuitive interface

Reasons to avoid

-

Only bachelor on Windows

-

Optimization can be striking or miss

Like Fotor, Ashampoo'due south stand-out feature is its ability to batch process photos. Ashampoo volition automatically clarify your imported photos and correct for lighting, contrast, sharpness, and color for vibrant results.

In our testing, nosotros found the automatic optimization could be a scrap hit or miss. Yet, Ashampoo still enables y'all to manually suit levels, so if a couple of your photos are a fleck done out, it'due south like shooting fish in a barrel to fix. The biggest downside is that information technology's simply available for Windows, and then Mac users will have to look elsewhere.

Ashampoo is only a photo optimizer, zilch more than. It'south geared towards photographers rather than graphic designers or social media managers. But every bit a costless, simple tool for photographers looking to rapidly correct their photos, Ashampoo is worth checking out.

Best free photo editing software - Paint.net's logo

Pigment.net takes its name from Microsoft Paint but is far more powerful (Image credit: Pigment.net)

6. Paint.net

Elementary online editor with community back up

Reasons to purchase

+

Piece of cake interface

+

Support for layers

+

Community tutorials and plugins

Reasons to avoid

-

Not as powerful every bit some competitors

-

Merely bachelor on Windows

Originally intended as a replacement for Microsoft Paint, Paint.internet retains its namesake's elementary, intuitive interface while adding several avant-garde photo editing features. In that location'southward even back up for layers, which can be rare with free photograph editors, and the Paint.net community has adult quite a few plugins and tutorials to make the program even more useful.

While Pigment.net isn't equally powerful every bit rival GIMP, depending on what yous plan to use it for, that could be considered a strength. If you merely need to make a few simple edits, Pigment.cyberspace is a much more than straightforward option.

The biggest downside to Paint.net is that it is currently but available for Windows, so Mac users will have to consider alternatives.

How to choose the best free photo editing software for you

When choosing gratis photo editing software, you'll want to think about both your needs and your skill level.

A photographer who wants to brand basic edits to photos is going to have different needs than a pocket-size business owner who wants to design a logo, even though both tasks can be achieved with a gratuitous photograph editor. What your stop needs are will determine what tools to look for in your photo editing software.

It's also important to consider your personal feel level. An experienced graphic designer may be completely comfortable starting from scratch, but someone who is inexperienced may benefit from software that comes with templates or tutorials to assist them go started.

Lastly, you want to make sure whatever photo editing software you choose is uniform with your devices. When it comes to downloadable software, there are more options for Windows users than in that location are for Mac users. Nonetheless, several photograph editors are either entirely browser based or offer a browser-based option, which can be accessed from any web browser.

How we test photo editing software

When testing photo editing software, nosotros look at a number of unlike criteria, including:

  • features
  • ease of use
  • versatility
  • device support
  • usefulness for intended audience

Non all photo editing software is built for every user, then nosotros take into account what each photo editor's objective is and for whom each option is best suited when compiling our recommendations.

  • Check out our guide to the all-time alternatives to Photoshop

Sarah James is a freelance writer in Los Angeles. She has written about creativity, culture, and technology for brands like TechRadar, Submittable Content For Creatives, The Billfold, Pittsburgh City Paper, The Toast, and more than.

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Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/buying-guide/best-free-photo-editing-software

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