10 Best Free Photo Editing App for iPhone in 2024

Check out this list of photo editing services for iPhone that can help you handle even the most complex tasks. Find out all the pros and cons of these services and choose the one to enhance your image.

With the advent of social networks, we began to pay more attention to mobile photography. For example, Instagram has more than 2 billion active users at the moment. Software developers caught this trend and created apps for editing pictures right on your smartphone. You can find lots of options in AppStore.

However, their functions and purposes are different. Some applications are designed to work with color and light, others - to remove objects from the frame. Look at these ten top-rated and recommended iPhone photo editing apps and services.

1. Adobe Lightroom Mobile – For Color Correction

Pros:
- A huge range of image editing capabilities
- User-friendly
- Pretty quick syncing
- Stunning results

Cons:
- High learning curve for good results

Adobe Lightroom Mobile is a functional and easy-to-use free photo editing app. It is a mobile and simplified version of Lightroom, a powerful desktop RAW photo editor. It can become an indispensable assistant for iPhone users who need to complete basic corrections and improve their pictures with a few clicks.

One of this app's strengths is the Lightroom catalog sync feature. It allows a user to work with images taken with a smartphone or a DSLR camera. The program includes image editing tools such as exposure adjustment, bright and dark tones correction, various presets, support for editing photos in JPEG format, and more. The finished picture can be shared with friends on popular social networks.

2. Photoshop Express – For Basic Photo Retouching

Pros:
- Fantastic choice of options
- Provides 2GB of storage
- Many social media templates
- Great sharing capabilities

Cons:
- Key features are hidden behind 'premium'

Adobe Photoshop Express is a mobile version of the world's most popular graphics editor. This app for photographers allows users to combine images, apply various effects, share finished projects with friends on social networks, and more.

Photoshop Express allows you to perform color correction and interact with your gadget's camera. It provides convenient selection and retouching tools and supports photos in any resolution. Unlike the desktop version, this application does not require any special skills. As a bonus, the developers provide users with 2 GB of free space in the Creative Cloud storage.

3. VSCO – A Variety of Filters

Pros:
- Straightforward, beautiful design
- Lots of different filters
- Decent editing options for exposure and color
- Possibility of manual editing

Cons:
- Requires a paid account to use most filters
- Dark-mode isn’t available

VSCO is a powerful photo editing app for iPhone with an excellent interface and many tools for digital image processing. It offers many filters, effects, templates, and frames that will help you turn your ordinary amateur photos into works of art. The Preview Gallery function allows you to evaluate the changes made to the picture. The toolkit is quite good for adjusting the parameters of the built-in camera. You can set the focus mode, shutter speed, color balance, exposure, etc.

The Journal platform allows you to publish photo stories using several images. Try complementing them with your comments and explanations to create a sense of presence. App synchronization is available for Android, iPad, or iPhone devices. This means pictures taken on one compatible device can be edited on another. Of course, you can share your work with friends and relatives through social services like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

4. Snapseed – For Working with RAW Files

Pros:
- There are no ads and payments
- Awesome set of high-end presets and tools
- RAW file support
- Simple photo editing with sliders

Cons:
- Lack of templates

This is one of the most requested photo retouching services for iPhone. This app has a great set of tools and is easy to use. It is suitable for adjusting contrast, sharpening, color correction, cropping, and straightening. The Healing Tool, custom settings, and other advanced editing options are available.

Moreover, you will find many unique filters. You can apply various effects, achieve the desired color shades, and turn ordinary pictures into art pieces with them. When you’ve finished, you must tap once to share your photo on Instagram or WhatsApp or save it to your smartphone. Just click on the icon on the screen, and it will be downloaded to your phone. This app is the perfect solution for beginner photo editors.

5. Facetune – For Face Retouching

Pros:
- Great retouching and face-modification features
- Stunning reshaping options
- User-friendly interface
- Trial period for paid modules

Cons:
- Most features are available through subscription or in-app purchases
- AI features may occasionally freeze

If you need a reliable portrait enhancement app, then this is the one for you. Moreover, it is suitable for working with objects and landscape pictures too. The photo retouching menu bar includes free tools for whitening, softening, adding a matte effect to the skin, and other features to remove imperfections from portraits. You will have to pay for more advanced options, such as large cheeks or other body parts.

You can use a collection of built-in filters to speed up photo editing. Various tools will help you add more aesthetic value to your pictures. For example, you can paint over the desired parts of the picture using the "Paints" menu, add highlights and vignettes, and adjust graininess and exposure. By applying the defocus option, you can make the background blurred by moving your finger over the picture. Besides, you can adjust the intensity of the effects.

6. Picsart – For Adding Stickers

Pros:
- Impressive bundle of tools and effects
- Drawing capabilities
- Amazing filters with good adjustment capabilities
- Layered effects

Cons:
- The free version contains ads
- Sometimes works slowly on AI features

PicsArt is a multifunctional Photoshop app with a range of photo editing options. You can perform color correction, use masks, change the resolution, control brightness and contrast, add frames, text, highlights, various effects, and more.

Besides, you can create stunning collages and photo grids. You can choose the background in the collage yourself. The app includes a lot of presets and templates. You can apply various filters that will make your photo look completely different.

7. Pixlr – For Photo Styling

Pros:
- Google Drive support
- Tons of filters
- Masks and layers
- Simple interface

Cons:
- Abundance of ads
- Less feature-packed in comparison to other apps

Pixlr contains some basic photo editing tools and some advanced options. In addition to adjusting the standard settings, removing the red-eye effect, and cropping your images, you can add stickers and captions and work with textures. The service also contains a good selection of free effects to help you achieve the style you want.

Instagram bloggers consider Pixlr one of iPhone's best photo editing services, thanks to the ability to add captions to pictures. There are many fonts to choose from. Plus, you can create amazing collages.

8. Phonto – To Add Text to the Photo

Pros:
- Comprehensive interface
- Includes over 400 fonts
- Supports third-party fonts
- Amazing text-related editing capabilities

Cons:
- Sharing options could be improved

Phonto is a simple photo editing app for iPhone that perfected editing photos with any kind of text. In addition to various fonts, there is also a large set of stars, hearts, and other stickers. You can change their color and angle using your finger or arrow keys. You can move the finished text, change its angle, and achieve the perfect position if necessary.

Stencil letters provide an exciting appliqué effect. If the built-in collection is not enough, you can add fonts to the collection on your smartphone. In-app purchases allow you to install and change themes blocked in the free version. Despite being easy to use, this app has quite a rich feature set.

9. Darkroom – The 'Smoothest' One 

Pros:
- Feature packed
- Great Apple ecosystem integration
- Decent video editing capabilities
- Nice set of presets

Cons:
- Sharing options could be improved

Darkroom shines with its robust set of tools, including powerful filters, color correction, and photo exposure adjustments. The app’s RAW editing capabilities allow photographers to fine-tune every detail of their shots, ensuring the highest quality edits. For video creators, Darkroom also offers a range of tools such as frame-by-frame editing, color grading, and trimming to produce polished, professional-quality videos.

The app integrates seamlessly with Apple’s ecosystem, allowing users to organize, edit, and export their media directly from the Photos app. With customizable presets, batch editing, and the ability to sync across devices, Darkroom streamlines the workflow for creators who value efficiency and precision. Its powerful yet approachable tools make it a go-to choice for users who want comprehensive editing without complexity.

10. Afterlight - Great at Editing Light 

Pros:
- Filter overcharge
- Great work with light
- Good social media integrations
- RAW image support

Cons:
- Some vital features paywalled
- Occasional Ads

One of the standout features of Afterlight is its extensive filter library, which includes both preset filters and the ability to create custom filters. Users can easily fine-tune their images with tools for adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation, and more. Afterlight also offers unique textures, including light leaks and film grain, allowing users to add a retro or artistic feel to their photos. Additionally, the app supports RAW image editing for those who want to work with high-quality files and get precise control over their adjustments.

Afterlight also includes tools for adding text, frames, and overlays to photos, enhancing the creative possibilities. Its integration with the iOS platform allows for seamless photo management, editing, and sharing directly from your device. Whether you're looking to make quick adjustments or dive into more intricate edits, Afterlight is a versatile tool that caters to a wide range of editing needs, from social media posts to professional photography projects.