You probably know that you can edit a photo to make it better. In this digital age there are a lot of options for Photo Editing Software, but what works best for your price range and needs? Most cameras and phones come with some kind of editing or enhancing features. But let’s say you want to move beyond the basics, where do you turn next? What Photo Editing Software is right for you?

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As a graphic designer, I have to recommend Photoshop. I know it costs an arm and a leg, and now they have a monthly subscription service so you are always paying. What most people don’t know is that you can download CS2, an older version, for free. Even better? Adobe offers the entire CS2 suite for free, including Illustrator, After Effects, InDesign and more. Go to adobe.com and sign up for an Adobe ID, then log in to the site, accept the terms and conditions, and choose the language you want to download. It’s that easy. While CS2 isn’t supported and doesn’t get updated, it might just be what you need.

adobe.com

A new program I just recently discovered is Photolemur and it is phenomenal. You load your images and have the program run its diagnostics on your photo, you can adjust some of the settings. I’ve found it to be a real time saver and able to fix and adjust some things I would never be able to do myself.

https://photolemur.com/

I know a lot of people swear by GIMP for photo editing. GIMP has a ton of options and a huge library of plugins. I haven’t found GIMP to be that user-friendly and the learning curve to be steep, but if you want free and powerful, this might just be the thing you need.

https://www.gimp.org/

PicMonkey is well known in the blogging community. It is not a true Photoshop alternative. It is fun and easy to use. PicMonkey offers a premium subscription that offers you more control and software functions. The free version limits you to editing online.

https://www.picmonkey.com/

Fotor is an online program that offers photo editing, photo collage, graphic design, HDR, and beauty retouching. Fotor also offers a paid upgraded program. Because I can do a lot of the functions in other programs with my design background, I have to say I am most impressed with the beauty retouching.

https://www.fotor.com/

Another well-known program in the blogging universe is Canva. It offers more than just photo editing and is often used to make social media graphics.

https://www.canva.com/

Pixlr comes highly recommended, however, I have not tried the program. It works on a lot of different platforms and it is free.

https://pixlr.com/

Sumopaint is another online program I understand is free with ads. It seems to be very powerful but it is another program I don’t have experience with. There is a pro version you can access with a yearly fee.

https://www.sumopaint.com/

With all these options you might be asking, “which program is right for me?” Well, that isn’t an easy question to answer. I would say if you are already working with one program and you are happy with the results, stick with it. If you need a different function that the program doesn’t offer, take a look around, try a few programs out. If you are looking for the simplest way to edit and improve your photos without much effort, I highly recommend Photolemur. In the end, I would suggest steering clear of working with all of them. It is just too much to learn and not be able to master any one of them. If you can find a program that works for you and you don’t need to pay for the pro or ungraded version, that would be the route to take. If you find you need to pay, then I would ask yourself if online or download is necessary. What other options might you need in the program beyond photo editing?

If you have tried any of these programs, I would love to hear your take on them in the comments below. I bet your experience would help someone else in making their photo editing program decisions.