Editing pictures is such a broad term. That could include everything from a small adjustment like cropping your pics all the way to more complex photo compositions and everything in between. So, when you're looking for the best photo editor for Mac, it's not necessarily a one-size-fits-all answer. But don't worry, this article will talk about apps that cover all those levels to help you find the best one for you.
ON1 Photo RAW is definitely going to come up in all your searches for the best photo editing software for Mac. It has a modern and streamlined interface that looks similar to that of Lightroom’s. The software lets you edit RAW files but also comes with many handy features and tools like a Portrait Mode, Focus Stacking or HDR, Layers, Local. Best of all, the built-in screen is simply stunning with a Retina 5K (5,120 x 2,880) resolution and Apple's True Tone technology for accurate color. Apple is very popular with creatives for a good reason, and its macOS software is compatible with the biggest names in photo editing. See other iMacs for photo editing.
Here's a list of the best photo apps for Mac you'll read about:
- Lightroom
- Affinity Photo
- Photoshop
- Gimp
- Photolemur
- Snapheal
- Pixelmator
- Preview
- Fotor
- Google Photos
Editing pictures can quickly create duplicate versions of the same picture. You could end up with an edited and an original copy of all of your photos. So, it's good to get into the habit of checking and cleaning up your duplicates. And thankfully, you can use the app Gemini 2. It's an app that will scan your hard drive for similar-looking, as well as exact copies, and let you delete them within minutes.
1. Lightroom
If you're looking for the best photography app for Mac, look no further than Adobe Lightroom. It's an industry standard for all photographers, from budding amateurs to professionals.
The nice thing about Lightroom is that you can also use it as a photo manager. Cataloging the pictures you edit and even copy and pasting edits between images. It's a robust tool that will allow you to do any retouching you want to your photo.
2. Affinity Photo
Affinity Photo is the app that's going to give you the most bang for your buck. While it's loaded with all of the essential retouching tools like red-eye correction, blemish healing, and cloning. But it also has more powerful editing features like masking, filters, and layer adjustments.
One of the nice things about this app is that it's a non-destructive editor. This means when you make any edits, it doesn't destroy or save over the original image. So, if you push an edit too far and don't like what you've done, you're able to revert back to the original. However, Affinity Photo doesn't have an image management feature. Which may make it easier for some people to use, but it also makes it harder to keep track of which pics you've already edited.
3. Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is arguably the most popular photo editor on this list, and it's also the most powerful one. There is absolutely nothing you can't do with this app. In fact, its name has become a synonym for photo editing. When people say they edited an image, it's not uncommon for them to say, 'I Photoshopped that.'
Best Mac Software For Photo Editing Software
But Photoshop isn't for everyone. Because it's so robust, it might be a bit of overkill if you're only doing basic retouching to your photos. On the other hand, if you're looking for more advanced features, you might find the Adobe subscription is worth the price.
4. Gimp
If you're looking for free photo editing software for Mac, then you'll want to check out Gimp. It's like a much simpler and free version of Photoshop. All the things that might have confused in Adobe Photoshop have been simplified and decluttered in Gimp. It's a great app that gives you total control over your photos, so you can edit them however you'd like.
5. Photolemur
Photolemur bills itself as the easiest and fastest way to edit your photos. Once you import your picture, it analyzes it before using its algorithms and AI to automatically enhance it. And don't worry, you can always adjust how much your pic is improved if you don't like how Photolemur edited your image. Photolemur is a great app for beginners and those of you who are only dipping your toe into the photography water.
6. Snapheal
If you've ever taken a photo only to look back at it and noticed a complete strange photobombing your pic, you can just launch Snapheal. Snapheal is an app that quickly gets rid of anything for your pictures. Whether it's a tiny blemish or an entire person in the background, fire up Snapheal and fix your photos fast.
7. Pixelmator
Pixelmator is a fun and easy-to-use photo editor on Mac that's going to take your photography game to the next level. With the app, you can combine two pictures together using their layers feature. You can make adjustments to contrast, lighting, and other various effects. And the great news is that it's still more inexpensive than both Photoshop and Affinity Photo.
8. Preview
When it comes to making very basic photo edits, look no further to Preview, the default Mac image editor. You can resize and crop pictures with it, but you can also make color adjustments, rotate the picture, or add shapes and text to your pics.
9. Fotor
Fotor is a simple and free photo editor for Mac. Loaded with all the basic tools you could need, like making color adjustments, adding borders or text, and rotating or tilting your images. The app lays out all of these tools in an easy-to-navigate interface, making it not only the most affordable editor on our list but also the easiest to use.
10. Google Photos
Even though Google Photos is usually thought of as a photo library manager, the app also has some useful tools to make small edits to your pictures. You can do things like add filters, adjust the light and saturation, and even rotate or crop your original image. While Google Photos is lighter on the number of tools to edit your pictures, the small adjustments it can make, it does them very well.
There are a ton of incredible apps that can help you edit your pictures. You just need to figure out which one works best for you and your photos. Can you get by with making quick edits in Preview, or do you need all the power an app like Adobe Photoshop can offer you? Hopefully, this article helps clear up some of those key differences between these apps.
With taking photos more and more popular in people's lives, photo editing has become a hot topic. There is countless photo editing software for Mac users. Here we list 15 best Mac photo editing software for you to take into consideration, hope you can find what you like.
Photo Editing Software for Mac
1. Slideshow Maker
Pros: There are professional tutorial that can introduce the detailed steps about how to editing photos with this amazing Mac photo editing software.
Cons: Slideshow Maker is short of an internal photo organizer.
Verdict: Slideshow Maker supports you to edit every photo with different and special effects.
What's more, it is compatible with a range of photo formats like JPEG, JPG, GIF, TIFF and PNG. It is welcome among both beginners and veteran photographers.
Price: Free
Slideshow maker
Here's the video about making slideshows for you. Click it to check.
2. Adobe Photoshop Elements
Pros: Adobe Photoshop has the most professional tools for veteran photographers.
Cons: It has no photo organizer built in this photo editing software for Mac but a separate app instead.
Verdict: As the photo editing industry leader, Photoshop can offer everything you need to help your organize, edit and share your photos.
Price: $99.99
Adobe Photoshop Elements
3. Pixelmator
Pros: This Mac software provides more than 100 original filters to customize the style and texture of the photo.
Cons: This photo editing software for Mac does not have a photo organizer build in.
Verdict: Pixelmator remains full features and affordable price. And it enables high definition photos no matter you are cropping, adjusting or enhancing them. Additionally, the interface of Pixelmator is concise and elegant.
Price: $29.99
Pixelmator
4. Acorn
Pros: Acorn offers multiple mays to share photos and supports various photo formats, such as JPG, PNG, and etc.
Cons: A photo organizer is lack in this Mac photo editing software.
Verdict: Acorn is well-known for its standard editing tools. You can choose 210 font styles in this software. With Acorn, it is easy for you to select, resize, crop your photos. Also, adding text and creating wonderful effects is simple enough.
Price: $29.99
Acorn
5. Corel AfterShot Pro
Pros: More than basic editing tools, this Mac photo editing software also has a photo organizer built in.
Cons: Corel AfterShot Pro only supports photos in TIFF or JPG formats, other photo formats are not available.
Verdict: Corel AfterShot Pro is an easy-to-use tool to manage your mass of photos without too much effort.
Price: $54.99
Corel AfterShot Pro
6. PhotoPad Photo Editor
Pros: It is easy and concise for beginners to practice and improve editing skills.
Cons: This photo editing software for Mac is short at some powerful and important editing functions.
Verdict: With the clean interface and concise design of PhotoPad Photo Editor, beginners can operate this Mac software to edit photos. This software can be downloaded and used on iPad and other tablets.
Price: $24.99
PhotoPad Photo Editor
7. DxO OpticsPro 10
Pros: With a built-in photo organizer, you are allowed to manage, edit and share your photos.
Cons: There are some basic and advanced editing functions missing in this photo editing software for Mac.
Verdict: Though the price is a little high, DxO OpticsPro 10 provides both editing tools and a photo organizer for you to edit and customize your photos.
Price: $129.00
DxO OpticsPro 10
8. ACDSee Mac Pro
Pros: The organizer built in ACDSee Mac Pro can help you better manage and edit photos.
Cons: You are not supported to share options in application and some basic editing functions.
Verdict: There are all kinds of basic and advanced photo editing tools in this Mac photo editing software for you to crop, rotate, straighten and enhance your photos.
Price: $29.95
ACDSee Mac Pro
9. Snapheal Pro
Pros: It is really easy to use with its simple interface.
Cons: You cannot find and adopt any creative filters in Snapheal Pro.
Verdict: Not only as a standalone application, it can also be plug-in with other Mac photo editing software. But it lacks too many advanced editing functions, which will limit the way you edit the photos.
Price: $49.99
Snapheal Pro
10. FX Photo Studio Pro
Pros: There are more than 170 creative filters available for you to choose and adopt.
Cons: FX Photo Studio Pro does not support layers.
Verdict: This Mac photo editing software has a few advanced editing tools. As a result, you are not limited to basic photo editing and you can use it to make stunning edit to your photos.
Price: $39.99
FX Photo Studio Pro
11. Fotor Photo Editor
Pros: With concise interface and easy operation, this software is incredibly simple to use for many green hands.
Cons: You'd better not make professional edits on Fotor Photo Editor, because this Mac photo editing software lakes many advanced editing tools.
Verdict: You are supported to fix photos quickly with the scene selector and other adjusting tools in Fotor Photo Editor.
Price: Free to download
Fotor Photo Editor
12. Pixlr
Pros: Pixlr has perfect filters for you to create and share interesting photos in the social Internet.
Cons: It has little advanced editing tools for professional photographers.
Verdict: If you are looking for a one-click photo editing software for Mac, Pixlr may be a good option for you to edit photos within several steps and share it directly to the social media.
Price: Free
Pixlr
13. GIMP
Pros: You can choose GIMP if you like the style of Photoshop but you don't want to pay the price, because GIMP is totally free.
Cons: Gimp is too complex for the beginners and most users cannot make full use of its powerful editing tools.
Verdict: It is an excellent photo editing software for Mac with multiple customizations for color reproduction. GIMP is basically a free vision of Photoshop.
Price: Free
GIMP
14. Affinity
Pros: Affinity is similar to Photoshop when it comes to some powerful editing functions, but it only needs half the price of Photoshop.
Cons: It is too biased to creating new images.
Verdict: Some common and useful editing tools in Photoshop can also be found in Affinity, and Affinity operates much more easily.
Price: $48.99
Affinity
15. CyberLink PhotoDirector
Pros: This Mac photo editing software ramps up the creative possibilities with a multiply of many powerful editing tools.
Best Photo Editing Apps Mac
Cons: CyberLink PhotoDirector leaves out color derector functions in the ultra version.
Verdict: CyberLink PhotoDirector can be called a decent blend of wonderful features and usability, though its price is a little bit high. But the senior photographers can never miss it.
Price: $169.94
CyberLink PhotoDirector
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Best Mac Software For Photo Editing Freeware
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December 14, 2020 11:20 / Updateed by Jenny Ryan to Photo Editing
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