BEST PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (2020)

Thanks to Instagram filters, everyone is a photographer these days. But only real photographers know the value of editing raw images to bring out the very best in them.

A raw image is like an unprocessed film seen by your DSLR sensor. Image editing requires correcting several things, including exposure, noise reduction, focus, and highlighting essential objects to make a stunning image.

And there’s tons of advice out there. Most talk about Adobe Photoshop, which seems to be the most commonly used tool.

As great as Adobe is, it’s not the only credible photo editing software out there. In fact, there are plenty of photo editing software available in the market to explore and choose from.

In this ultimate guide, we’ll cover the 18 best photo editing software capable of meeting the needs of all types of photographers.

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. However, these are the tools I fully recommend when it comes to photo editing. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my Privacy Policy in the footer.

Let’s get started.

WHAT IS THE BEST PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE?

Here are my picks for the best photo editing software to try this year:

1 . Adobe Photoshop.

“The creative world runs on Photoshop.”

Adobe Photoshop deserves a special mention in any article about the best editing software. After all, the name “Adobe Photoshop” is pretty synonymous with photo editing by now. It is one of the most popular photo editing software tools present in the market. Photoshop is the primary tool for its legions of fans across the world, including designers, artists, and illustrators.

Unlike Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop is meticulously designed for hardcore professionals who need all the advanced features in one package. You name an editing feature, and the chances are Photoshop will have it. No kidding!

KEY FEATURES:

It is practically impossible to include all the features that Photoshop offers. Here are some key features that would help you to make a better decision:

• Its masking and selection tools are the best in the business
• Incredible cloning and retouching capabilities.
• Photoshop is incredibly fast even with larger size images
• It comes with depth map support for HEIF files and 360 editing tools
• Photoshop supports all of the main file formats like JPG, PNG, GIF, as well as raw files

It uses adjustment layers for non-destructive editing to enhance the appearance of your image.

2. Corel Paintshop Pro 2020

“Professional, subscription-free photo editing for all skill levels.”

Corel paint Shop  is a capable and one of the most inexpensive photo editing software tools out there. Some photographers call it an Adobe Photoshop alternative, but it lacks Photoshop’s most advanced flagship features, including Camera Shake Reduction, 3D modeling, Faces Liquefy, detailed typography, among others.

However, if you want a software for basic yet effective image editing, then Corel PaintShop Pro is not a bad option. Just don’t expect it to be as shrewd as its other more advanced counterparts.

KEY FEATURES:

Some of its unique features which make it worth trying are as follows:

• Perfect for beginners
• 360-degree image editing capability
• User experience is crisp and smooth
• Designers can start working from pre-existing graphic design templates
• Extensive library of gradients, picture tubes, colors, pallets, among others. 

  PRICING PLANS:

  Its offers two paid versions – PaintShop Pro 2018 version is $63.99 and The PaintShop Pro 2018 Ultimate costs $79.99, for a one-time purchase. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

  CONS:

• PaintShop Pro is only available on Windows. No Mac version is coming in the near future. 

3. Skylum Luminar

“The fastest way to make your photos stand out.”

Skylum Luminar is an excellent alternative to Adobe Lightroom. As a result, it has been gaining massive popularity among photographers.

It comes with powerful image editing capabilities with more affordable pricing. Its latest version, Luminar 4, is faster and provides a perfect blend of both Lightroom and Photoshop. With one single software, you get the best of both Lightroom and Photoshop. With one single software, you get the best of both worlds.

KEY FEATURES:

Some of its worth noting key features include:

• Adjustment layers and masks
• Offers 24/7 Technical and Sales Support
• Fast editing controls with a lesser lag time
• Clever shortcuts for automatic management of photographs
• Folders are always updated with the content available on the hard disk
• Viewing options include filmstrip view, gallery view, and single image view
• AI-powered sky enhancer, and accidental AI and sun rays. 

  PRICING PLANS:

  Unlike recurring payment for Adobe editing tools, Luminar comes with a more affordable one-time payment plan of $70. You also get a 60-day money-back guarantee.

  CONS:

  • Healing and cloning tool is not always reliable
  • Handling of workflow and organization could use improvement. Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. However, these are the tools I fully recommend when it comes to photo editing. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.