The best photo editing apps.

PicCollage: Magic Photo Editor is the top pick, and it suits someone who just wants a simple collage or quick photo edit for a social post without a steep learning curve. It's the least aggressive of the group about locking you out of basic use. Every option on this list nudges you toward a subscription eventually, so go in expecting to hit a paywall the moment you want more than the basics.

The filter. Every app here is rated 4.2 or better, has been updated in the last eighteen months, and has no significant number of reviewers reporting it broken. Price is not the rule on this list — some are free, some are not.

Top pick

PicCollage: Magic Photo Editor

Cardinal Blue

View on the App Store ›

Free4.8★ (1,846,684)Updated Oct 6, 2026unverified

Verdict

PicCollage is easy to use for basic collage and photo editing, but many of its better features sit behind a subscription paywall, which frustrates users who expected a free app.

Best for

Someone who wants a quick, simple collage maker for casual social posts and doesn't mind sticking to basic tools without paying.

The catch

Core creative features are locked behind a subscription, and several reviewers say the free version barely lets you do anything meaningful.

Native app

FaceApp: Perfect Face Editor

FaceApp Technology Limited

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Free4.7★ (1,788,920)Updated Oct 26, 2026unverified

Verdict

FaceApp does one thing well—realistic face and age editing—but the reviews describe an app that keeps pulling features behind a paywall, with several users warning others not to subscribe.

Best for

Someone who wants a quick, realistic face-aging or face-swap effect for a single photo and doesn't mind paying to unlock it.

The catch

A recurring complaint is that core editing tools sit behind a subscription and that the free feature set has been shrinking over time, so casual users hit a paywall fast.

Native app

Picsart AI Photo Editor, Video

PicsArt, Inc.

View on the App Store ›

Free4.7★ (1,196,372)Updated Oct 6, 2026unverified

Verdict

Picsart packs AI background removal and design tools into an easy-to-use editor, but its free trial and subscription flow has burned enough users with surprise charges that it's worth caution.

Best for

Someone building social media graphics or a small business's visual content who wants AI-powered editing tools and is comfortable canceling trials manually before they auto-renew.

The catch

Multiple reviewers report being charged immediately after starting a free trial, with refunds refused, so read the trial terms carefully before signing up.

Native app

CapCut: Photo & Video Editor

Bytedance Pte. Ltd

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Free4.6★ (1,125,229)Updated Oct 27, 2026unverified

Verdict

CapCut is easy to use and full of templates and auto-subtitling that people like, but a large share of recent reviewers describe an increasingly aggressive paywall that blocks basic export and login functions, plus crashes and lag.

Best for

Someone making quick social videos who's fine hitting pro upgrade prompts and doesn't need to export large projects reliably every time.

The catch

Multiple reviewers report being locked out of their own videos, unable to export without upgrading or creating an account, and losing access even with an active subscription — this isn't a rare complaint but a recurring pattern.

Native app

BeautyPlus-Selfie Photo Editor

PIXOCIAL TECHNOLOGY (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.

Buy from PIXOCIAL TECHNOLOGY (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD. (not on the Mac App Store) ›

Free4.8★ (348,868)Updated Sep 26, 2026unverified

Verdict

BeautyPlus packs a large set of editing and beautifying tools, but the dominant theme in recent reviews is frustration with aggressive subscription paywalls, including people accidentally signing up for costly annual plans after a short trial.

Best for

Someone who wants heavy AI-driven face retouching and filters and is willing to pay a subscription for it without expecting a one-off purchase option.

The catch

Many reviewers report being funneled into a free trial that converts into an expensive yearly subscription, with basic edits locked behind the paywall.

Native app

Who should skip this entirely.

If you need to edit photos professionally, for client work, or for anything you'll export repeatedly at full quality, skip every app on this list. The recurring pattern here is trial conversions, surprise charges, and export lockouts once you're already invested in a project. Someone in that position should instead look at desktop-grade editors sold as one-time purchases, or a paid tier of an established tool like Lightroom, where the pricing and features are transparent upfront rather than discovered mid-edit.

Questions.

Which of these apps is actually free to use?None of them are fully free in practice. Each one gates real editing power behind a subscription, though PicCollage lets you do basic collage work without paying.

Which app has the worst subscription complaints?Picsart and BeautyPlus stand out for reviewers reporting silent trial-to-paid conversions and difficulty getting refunds. CapCut's complaints are more about being locked out of exporting your own finished work.

Is any of these good for editing videos, not just photos?CapCut is built around video editing with templates and auto-subtitling, and Picsart also covers video alongside photo tools. Both have paywall issues that can affect exporting your finished project.

Should I start a free trial on any of these?Only if you set a reminder to cancel before it converts. Multiple reviewers across Picsart, BeautyPlus, and CapCut describe being charged automatically with no easy refund path.

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