Best photography apps of 2024
Photography apps (1 - 5)
| Best price |
| PicsArt | Adobe Photoshop Touch | Snapseed | Camera360 Ultimate | Camera MX | PicsPlay Pro | PicSay Pro | Camera Zoom FX | Camera360 | Fotor | |
| Image |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| General info | ||||||||||
| Ad-freeAdverts can be distracting and obtrusive. Apps and blogs without ads are more aesthetically pleasing, nicer to use, and make the content stand out. | ||||||||||
| Ad-freeAdverts can be distracting and obtrusive. Apps and blogs without ads are more aesthetically pleasing, nicer to use, and make the content stand out. | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Compatible with AndroidIt is compatible with a range of Android devices such as smartphones and tablets. | ||||||||||
| Compatible with AndroidIt is compatible with a range of Android devices such as smartphones and tablets. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Free appYou can download the app for free, from platforms such as Google Play or the App Store. | ||||||||||
| Free appYou can download the app for free, from platforms such as Google Play or the App Store. | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Compatible with iOSIt is compatible with a range of iOS devices such as iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch. | ||||||||||
| Compatible with iOSIt is compatible with a range of iOS devices such as iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Available on PCThese services are ideal if you want to use the app while sat down at your computer, as well as on-the-go. | ||||||||||
| Available on PCThese services are ideal if you want to use the app while sat down at your computer, as well as on-the-go. | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Total score for "General info" | ||||||||||
| Total score for "General info" | ||||||||||
| Photography | ||||||||||
| Image rotationThis can be used to rotate the image for an interesting effect, or more commonly to correct the image if it is at a slight angle. | ||||||||||
| Image rotationThis can be used to rotate the image for an interesting effect, or more commonly to correct the image if it is at a slight angle. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ |
| Photos captureYou can take photos within the app. This allows you to do everything from capturing the image to editing all within one app, instead of having to import an image taken with another camera app. | ||||||||||
| Photos captureYou can take photos within the app. This allows you to do everything from capturing the image to editing all within one app, instead of having to import an image taken with another camera app. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Brightness adjustmentIf your photo is too bright or dark, you can adjust the brightness in order to get a well-balanced image. | ||||||||||
| Brightness adjustmentIf your photo is too bright or dark, you can adjust the brightness in order to get a well-balanced image. | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Manual white balanceWith manual white balance you can choose the most accurate setting and avoid the green, blue or red hue which can occur in auto mode. You can also change the setting for artistic effect. | ||||||||||
| Manual white balanceWith manual white balance you can choose the most accurate setting and avoid the green, blue or red hue which can occur in auto mode. You can also change the setting for artistic effect. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Tone curve adjustmentAdjusting tonal curves allows you to selectively adjust the exposure and contrast within an image. | ||||||||||
| Tone curve adjustmentAdjusting tonal curves allows you to selectively adjust the exposure and contrast within an image. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Total score for "Photography" | ||||||||||
| Total score for "Photography" | ||||||||||
| Effects | ||||||||||
| HDR adjustmentYou can add an HDR-style effect to the image, whereby the darker areas appear brighter and the bright areas appear darker - giving your image more dynamic range. This gives you an image which looks more akin to how the human eye sees it, rather than a camera. | ||||||||||
| HDR adjustmentYou can add an HDR-style effect to the image, whereby the darker areas appear brighter and the bright areas appear darker - giving your image more dynamic range. This gives you an image which looks more akin to how the human eye sees it, rather than a camera. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Number of filtersFilters allow you to apply effects to your image with one touch, usually with a range of effects such as retro films or sketches. | ||||||||||
| Number of filtersFilters allow you to apply effects to your image with one touch, usually with a range of effects such as retro films or sketches. | 23 | N.A. | 27 | 123 | N.A. | 200 | 30 | 61 | 100 | 90 |
| Sharpening toolImage sharpening tools emphasize the edges within an image. This can be applied to a blurred image to make it appear sharper and more detailed. | ||||||||||
| Sharpening toolImage sharpening tools emphasize the edges within an image. This can be applied to a blurred image to make it appear sharper and more detailed. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Mirror effectYou can apply a mirror effect to the image, allowing you to experiment with creating symmetrical images. | ||||||||||
| Mirror effectYou can apply a mirror effect to the image, allowing you to experiment with creating symmetrical images. | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Number of framesThe app offers more frame styles to add around the border of your image. | ||||||||||
| Number of framesThe app offers more frame styles to add around the border of your image. | N.A. | N.A. | 23 | N.A. | N.A. | 34 | N.A. | 15 | N.A. | 23 |
| Total score for "Effects" | ||||||||||
| Total score for "Effects" | ||||||||||
| Social features | ||||||||||
| Publishing platform includedIt includes a publishing platform so that you can publish your photos to a website as a portfolio, or to a private web address to share with friends and family. | ||||||||||
| Publishing platform includedIt includes a publishing platform so that you can publish your photos to a website as a portfolio, or to a private web address to share with friends and family. | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Photo challengesUsers are given regular challenges to complete such as taking a photo of a particular place or object, with the best ones being singled out for exposure and sometimes prizes. | ||||||||||
| Photo challengesUsers are given regular challenges to complete such as taking a photo of a particular place or object, with the best ones being singled out for exposure and sometimes prizes. | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Total score for "Social features" | ||||||||||
| Total score for "Social features" | ||||||||||
| Features | ||||||||||
| Collage creationYou can create collages using lots of your images, usually with custom frames and shapes. | ||||||||||
| Collage creationYou can create collages using lots of your images, usually with custom frames and shapes. | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ordering photo printsYou can order physical copies of your photos directly within the app, such as different size prints and photo books. | ||||||||||
| Ordering photo printsYou can order physical copies of your photos directly within the app, such as different size prints and photo books. | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Privacy optionsYou can change your privacy settings so that not all content is available for public viewing. | ||||||||||
| Privacy optionsYou can change your privacy settings so that not all content is available for public viewing. | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Photo with audio recordingThe app captures a period of audio when you take the picture. | ||||||||||
| Photo with audio recordingThe app captures a period of audio when you take the picture. | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ |
| Shows when a user was last activeYou can see the activity history – e.g., “User last active yesterday at 9:30.” | ||||||||||
| Shows when a user was last activeYou can see the activity history – e.g., “User last active yesterday at 9:30.” | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Total score for "Features" | ||||||||||
| Total score for "Features" | ||||||||||
How to choose the best photo app for your style of photography
App stores are littered with photo apps, some with advanced image editing tools, others with preset filters. When searching for the best photo app, you need to look at the features and decide which is the app that fits with your style of photography. You have to take into consideration the photo editing features (to spruce up some photos), the types of filters (to add some flair and make your photos stand out), and social media features. Our guide presents all the key features to help you figure out which app is the right one for you.
Photo editing features
There was a time when most of us were content with the photos we took with our cameras. However, times have surely changed and cameras have evolved; now, we want to fine-tune the photos we take with our smartphones to make us casual photographers appear professional. Popular photo editing apps, such as Instagram, VSCO Cam, and EyeEm, have a myriad of editing options that make all of the photos taken on a smartphone better than they originally look. Smartphone cameras are still somewhat inferior to dedicated standalone digital cameras. They require a little bit of assistance to make their photos stand up to the mark against the ones taken with a DSLR.
For portrait photography, one of the most important features is the red-eye correction. Fortunately, several photo apps have a solution for eliminating the red-eye effect. If you take a photo in low-light conditions, you may also want to use the brightness enhancing function to make your photos brighter. Sometimes, even if the lighting conditions are optimal, the colors might not be as intense as they should. For example, when photographing through glass, the vivid colors you see through the window might not appear as such on the image. To fix this, you can raise the contrast levels to make the differences between colors stand out even more. If you want to make the colors in your photos even more vivid and striking, you can control the saturation levels to enhance the intensity of colors. In addition, most photography apps have various cropping and stitching features, enabling you to create collages. Most, if not all apps run the gamut from the very basic to the more advanced features.
In recent times, high dynamic range (HDR) has risen in prominence, with many apps now incorporating this added feature. HDR is an imaging technique that enhances the dynamic range of luminosity of pictures. Having this feature activated makes your photos much brighter and more life-like, resembling the real object you see with your eyes. By adjusting and using higher exposure levels, this effect is achievable, and most apps include this feature.
Filters and add-ons
Some of the most popular apps are filter-based photo apps. People love filters, and they make your photos stylistically different, giving them an artsy look. Popular apps, for example, Instagram and VSCO Cam, have a myriad of filters that modify the look and style of your photos. If you are looking for a very comprehensive library of filters to give your photos stylistic appeal, then you can opt for PicsPlay Pro, which has over 200 filters.
Photo collages are useful if you want to illustrate your memories. You can create a montage of photos in a variety of designs. If you want a simple collage with only four quadrants, almost any app has that option. If you are looking for more complex, irregular designs, then apps like Pixlr and Fotor should be on your list. Instagram has also launched its own photo collage maker, Instagram Layout, to instantly add the photos you edited within the app in a collage.
Other cool add-ons that you can implement with these apps are incorporating frames to your photos and adding captions to them. In the past, such features were reserved for professional editing software. Nowadays, many free apps have these functions included. Adobe has even come out with its own Photoshop apps for mobile.
Social media integration
All popular photo apps have built-in social media plug-ins that enable you to share your photos with friends instantly. The most popular app at the moment is Instagram because it's a social network by definition, and it also allows you to share your Instagram photos on Facebook with just one tap. More and more apps have added social media integration to make posting photos easier. Besides Instagram, other photo apps like Prisma, Pixlr, Fotor, VSCO Cam, and EyeEm have social media integration options. These apps have geotagging options and support hashtags to make your photos easy to find.
Moreover, you have the option to use photo apps to upload your photos to the cloud. Android users can use Google Photos to store all of the pictures they take on their Google Drive. Of course, iPhone users should not feel left out; people using iOS can use iPhoto to store all of their photos on the cloud. Google Photos and iPhoto are great apps for taking photos and instantly saving them online. Furthermore, apps like VSCO Cam or EyeEm also give you the option of creating an online portfolio with all of your photos. If you are pursuing photography professionally, these apps offer a simple way of creating and sharing your portfolio. Whether you are simply keeping a photo diary for yourself and your friends, or you are trying to start a creative career, photo apps are valuable tools for improving your photos.
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