Most people install editing software to edit photos, but there is, in fact, a way to edit photos online. You do not have to install or pay to start editing since the internet offers free online photo editors. There’s a lot to choose from, though, so you have to pick the one that meets your photo editing needs. Before choosing which fits your needs, you might first want to know what an online photo editor is.
What Is an Online Photo Editor?
The basic definition of an online photo editor is a photo editing software that you can use and access online. It is where you can edit an image or sets of images using only a web browser and internet connection. It consists of various tools that allow you to manipulate and enhance your photos according to your preference. Most online photo editors, if not all, come for free but also offer a paid subscription for better access. This is why the use of an online photo editor is one of the best options to start improving your images.
Top Free Online Photo Editors
If you are looking for a free online photo editor that could help you enhance your photos, look no further. Regardless of your experience in photo editing, you will not find it hard to do using the ones on this list.
Photopea
The Photopea is a free online photo editor that looks a lot like Adobe Photoshop and even has some of its amazing features. If you have already experienced using Photoshop, this is something that would feel familiar to you. You can create a new project using their templates or you can start from scratch and import a photo from your gallery. You can also choose the size such as a Facebook cover photo or Instagram image so it would fit perfectly. Photopea offers a lot of tools such as a brush, clone, gradient, and even mask tool. There is also an object selection and erase tool that will allow you to remove parts, say, the background of the object you selected. You can also adjust the brightness or contrast, vibrance, and even the highlights or shadows of your image. There are also auto settings that you can apply and adjust according to your preference. It also supports various formats so you can edit without having problems with it when importing or even exporting images. The best thing about this free online photo editor is it offers full functionality even for free plan users. It will also not include any watermark when you save your image. The only downside of availing of the free plan is it would have ads and would only show on the last 30 steps you did on the History. If you wish to upgrade to Premium, you would not see any ad and would see up to 60 steps from the History. Go to Photopea
FotoFlexer
If you are looking for a photo editing software that is entirely free, FotoFlexer is something to consider. It is simple and easy to use as you only need a click on the functions and you’ll see right away how it would look. Unlike some online photo editing software, FotoFlexer allows you to start editing without having to create an account. You can open and edit your image, create a new one, or use a sample photo from the ones provided. This free online photo editor offers tools to crop, rotate, resize, and draw so you could do a lot on your image. It also allows you to add text, shapes, stickers, and even frames for you to have more customization options. You can arrange which object goes in front or at the back from the Layers icon. There are also available filters so you can achieve the look you want. While some would have a pricing plan, FotoFlexer is free for all users, allowing you to edit without checking your wallet. With this, you can explore everything it offers without limitations. You should note, however, that you can only upload an image with a size not greater than 10 MB. There are also no templates available, so you would have to start from scratch. Considering the basic tools and features available for use, FotoFlexer is an excellent choice. Go to FotoFlexer
Pixlr
The Pixlr is a great free online photo editor that offers a lot of useful features you can enjoy for free. It consists of three different editors which are the Pixlr X, Pixlr E, and Pixlr BG, each with its own unique functions. The Pixlr X is good for quick and easy editing, Pixlr E for more advanced tools, and the Pixlr BG for removing the background. You can create a new image from scratch, use the available templates, or drag and drop files on the clipboard to open. There are tons of features available from the basics to the more advanced. You can crop and rotate your image as well as add text, stickers, or filters with ease. You can also do some adjustments in light and color or use the advanced tools from the Pixlr E editor. It is also easy and quick to remove the background of an image, thanks to Pixlr’s AI and Machine Learning. What makes this free online photo editor great is it allows you to enjoy all these features for free but with some limitations. With the Free plan, you can only use limited stickers and overlays. There would also be ads, but if you avail of either the Premium or the Creative Pack plan, you can get rid of them. Go to Pixlr
Canva
You might have already heard about Canva as it has a mobile app, but do you know you can also use it on your browser? Apart from being an app, it is also a free online photo editor that offers great and advanced features. You can use this in creating brochures, marketing assets, or even social media posts to build your presence. All you need to do is create a free account and you’re good to go. With Canva, you can upload an image from your computer or use free stock images and available templates. You can edit using various tools such as Crop and Flip, or apply some trendy filters and effects for a better look. It also allows you to add stickers, frames, and gradients to your image for free. You can also adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation of an image, giving you fuller customization. Once you finished editing, you may share it straight to your social media accounts or save it to your computer. It supports a lot of file formats such as PNG, JPG, PDF, and also GIF so you can save it in the format you prefer. You should note, however, that the free plan limits the quality of the project you export. There would also be a watermark when you use stock images for Pro users so you would have to upgrade to a paid plan. Go to Canva
BeFunky
If you are looking for a photo editing software that could give you a great output for any purpose, BeFunky is something to consider. This free online photo editor is hard to beat when it comes to ease of use and performance. You can explore all its features with brief descriptions on everyone you click. There are also a lot of options to start with a project since you can edit your photo, create a collage, or make a design from templates. You can also import images from your computer, Facebook, or Google account, or use free stock files. This online photo editor offers a lot of tools that you can use as a free user, but there is, of course, a limitation. Aside from the basic crop, resize, and rotate tools, you can also adjust the exposure, sharpness, and color of your image for free. You can also add text, graphics, frames, and overlays as well as a few effects. It is also possible to move objects to front or back or group them to control all at once. Although it sets limitations for free plan users, it was upfront from the beginning, giving you no false hopes. There are features such as A.I. Image Enhancer, Artsy, and some advanced editing tools that are only for BeFunky Plus users. Once you upgrade your plan, you will have access to the rest of the features and enjoy other functions like Batch Processing. Go to BeFunky
Fotor
Another free online photo editor that also performs well and has an interface that is easy to use is Fotor. It does not slow your system unlike some photo editing software so you can save so much time. You can create a design, make a collage, and edit a photo from your computer or something from the sample images. It also supports several formats such as JPEG, PNG, and even RAW files, which is a significant feature. This photo editing software has some features that BeFunky offers, but some tools make Fotor unique. It has a Beauty option that consists of many tools for beautification such as Blemish Fix, Eye Shadow, Teeth Whitening, and more. There are also Effects, Elements, and Frames available for free but most require a paid plan. You should note, however, that you need to create an account or simply connect your Facebook account to export your image. If you use the features that are for paid plan users, you would have an output with a big watermark. You can get rid of it if you upgrade your plan to Fotor Pro. This plan would let you export your image in HD and give you access to more templates, fonts, and stock images. It will also unlock the 1-Tap Enhance tool and let you use more effects and frames. It is a great photo editing software, yes, but for those who are looking for advanced features, you can’t get it all for free. Go to Fotor
Online Image Editor
The Online Image Editor is one of the simplest photo editing software that you can access using only your browser. You can launch it from your PC, tablet, or even smartphone as long as you have an internet connection. You can import an image from your computer, upload one from a URL, or create a canvas to proceed with editing. There is no template or any stock files, so uploading an image and creating a canvas are your only options. What makes this free online photo editor impressive is it allows you to convert or resize an image while it uploads. That said, you wouldn’t have to worry about the file format and the size of the photo you are going to import. Once done uploading, you can start editing using various tools it offers from the basic to the advanced ones. It also supports animation and lets you upload your fonts so you can add your text in the style you most prefer. You wouldn’t get lost while using the tools, as there is a brief explanation for every feature you choose. Just like Fotor, the Online Image Editor is completely free, as it does not offer any pricing plan. This is perfect for those who want to enjoy all features that a free online photo editor offers. It would have been better, though, if it supports the layers feature to edit the position of the objects easily. Another thing to improve is the way to resize objects and images as it is confusing. Go to Online Image Editor
Lunapic
The Lunapic is a simple free online photo editor that offers a lot of features that you would find useful. It is a browser-based editor that lets you import images from your computer, a URL, or use the stock files available. You can also upload images from your Facebook account, Dropbox, or Google Photos. Once you finished importing, you would see all the tools from the side panel and the tabs from the upper part of the editor. You can edit your image using basic tools such as cut out and rotate, as well as drawing lines and shapes. You can also adjust the brightness, contrast, and color of your image or you can sharpen or blur it, too. There are also many effects and filters available for use, with different arts and animations that come for free. It is also possible to upload multiple images and collage them or animate and turn them into a GIF. Although Lunapic offers tons of features and tools, the application of each action takes more time. Every tool you click would load the browser for you to see how it applied, and undoing it would reload it again. Everything is free, though, so it’s still a great photo editing software. It can also save images in various file formats or share them straight to different websites like Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Go to Lunapic
iPiccy
Another free online photo editor that has a user interface that’s simple and easy to use is iPiccy. With this, you can edit a photo from your computer or the stock files, make a collage, and create a design for any purpose. You won’t need to create an account to access some features, but you may sign up with your Facebook account or an email. If you use an email, you will need to open the one they would send you to activate your account. This free online photo editor offers a lot of basic tools such as Resize, Rotate, and even the Flip tool that most software lacks. It also has some advanced tools like Dodge, Burn, as well as the Erase Background tool. There are also Retouch tools that are the same as Fotor such as Blemish Fixer, Mascara, and Teeth Whitener. If you want to use photo effects, iPiccy has them, too, so you have a lot of customization options with this photo editing software. It also supports large file sizes and can save your image in either JPG or PNG file format. The best thing about iPiccy is it’s completely free so you wouldn’t have to worry about the tools and features you cannot use. You should note, however, that you need to have an iPiccy account to access some features. Worry not because signing up is free and once you activate your account, you would unlock the rest of its features. Go to iPiccy
Taler
If you are looking for a free online photo editor that is great for your brand, business, or store, consider this an option. Taler lets you create original content using templates with sizes suited for different platforms. It has templates for Facebook cover, Instagram stories, and even YouTube banners so you wouldn’t have to guess the size. You can also create banners and graphics that would make a good impression for your brand. Taler also allows you to create one from scratch and upload and edit your image according to your preference. This free online photo editor offers a few but useful tools to apply to your image. You can transform the dimension of your image to fit well on the platform you want to upload it to. It also allows you to adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation of your image as well as refine the clarity, temperature, and more. You can also add text, overlays, and filters to express more creativity and adjust the focus to emphasize the subject. You can use this online photo editing software as long as you want as it is free forever. What’s great is it adds more templates every week, giving you more inspiration for your design. There is a limitation, however, if you do not sign in with a Shopify account. Without an account, you cannot save the template of your project, but you can save the image file. This image file exports in PNG format, though, so you might also want to take note of that. Go to Taler
PiZap
PiZap has been here for over a decade now, and you might have already seen an image years ago with its watermark. It doesn’t come with it anymore, so you don’t have to worry about it. It has developed into something you would love since it offers more and better features. This free online photo editor lets you customize your photo in a quick, fun, and easy way. It will ask you to create an account before you get started, but once you do, you will have access to its features. With PiZap, you can edit your photo, create a collage, or start with a blank canvas. It lets you do basic functions from cropping and rotating to adjusting brightness, contrast, and saturation. You can also add some photo filters and effects as well as text, stickers, and even borders. This also allows you to make a meme with top and bottom text on the image, making it a great photo editing software. Once you have finished editing, you can save your file in either JPG or PNG format. You can also share it straight to your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or even Tumblr. It is worth noting that the free plan lets you save your image in Standard quality only. Upgrading to PiZap PRO would allow you to export in better quality and would give you access to the rest of the filters and other elements. It will also give you more cloud storage and access to PRO tools. Go to PiZap
Crello
If you are looking for a free online photo editor that lets you create a free graphic design, Crello is one to consider. It has a user interface that a beginner would love, as it is simple and easy to navigate. It also offers tutorials from the How It Works option, allowing you to explore everything you can do with Crello. You can start by selecting a format and the template you want to use, then adjust and edit text and images. You would also need to create an account or sign up using your Facebook, Google, or Apple account to customize further. It has a lot of high-quality stock images that you can use if you don’t have some image files to upload. There are also animated graphics available that you can use if you want to export GIF files or social media stories. You can also use various objects from Crello such as stickers, shapes, and frames to personalize it. If you want to resize your project while you’re in the process of editing, you may do so, thanks to its Resize tool. Crello compresses the images from the project to speed up web performance, but it downloads the project in high quality. You should note, however, that you can only download up to five designs every month with the Starter plan. You can break this and download as many as you like if you upgrade to the Pro plan. This paid plan would also unlock the Remove Background tool and would let you collaborate with team members. Go to Crello
Ribbet
Ribbet is one of the photo editing software that even the unskilled ones could use with ease. There’s a Ribbet software that you can download from the website, but for this article, we focus on the Beta version. You can launch the Beta on your browser to edit images without having to install the software on your computer. This updates almost every day with new features as well as fixes to improve their service. Once you launch it, you would need to sign up with an email or with your Facebook or Google account. This free online photo editor allows you to create a collage or upload and edit your image. What makes Ribbet great is it allows you to upload up to five images all at once. There are also available templates that fit well on different platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Ribbet provides all the tools you need for basic photo editing as well as some advanced features. It also lets you add text, overlays, and some effects that are available for free. While you may enjoy some features, there are several effects, overlays, and other tools that you cannot access for free. If you apply those that are for Premium plan users, you can still download them, but it would have a watermark. You can also save up to only five projects per month, but once you upgrade your subscription, there is no limitation. Go to Ribbet
Quick Picture Tools
True to its name, Quick Picture Tools lets you do a quick image edit using one tool at a time. It has a user interface that is a little out of date, making it less easy to navigate. What makes it something to consider are the descriptions and instructions it provides on every tool you use. It also shows a sample output below the instructions so you can see how it would look like. This free online photo editor offers only a few tools, but you will find more functions on each tool as you go. With Quick Picture Tools, you can combine images, blur a part of an image or its edges, and make the corners round. You can also add drawings and text that you can customize according to the color and style you want. These drawings and text can come in neon, too, so there are more customization options than you may have expected. The best thing about Quick Picture Tools is it is completely free so there’s no pricing plan to choose from. That said, you only need a browser and internet connection to enjoy everything this free online photo editor has to offer. Go to Quick Picture Tools
Editor.Pho.to
Editor.Pho.to possesses a modern look and has a user interface with controls that you can navigate with ease. It does not require you to create an account so you can start editing as soon as you open an image. You can upload photos from your computer or Facebook account, or use the ones from the sample photos. This online photo editor lets you crop, rotate, and adjust the exposure, sharpness, and colors of an image. You can also add text, stickers, and frames but you can personalize it more with the available Effects and Textures. Although it’s true that it doesn’t have many advanced tools, it is still a great option for those who want to do simple touch-ups. Once you finish editing, you can choose the size and quality of your output before you export it. You can also save your image in JPG or PNG format or share it straight to various platforms. Editor.Pho.to doesn’t charge you for anything you use from the software. It is completely free so there is no need for you to input any card details and you don’t need to sign up, too. Go to Editor.Pho.to
What to Consider When Choosing a Free Online Photo Editor
When choosing an online photo editor, there are things that you first have to think about. To help you pick the one that suits your needs best, here are the things you should consider when choosing a photo editor.
Security
Whenever you try anything for free, the first question that you must find the answer to is whether or not it is safe to use. Since an online photo editor offers services for free, it is valid to think that it might be getting something from you that you do not know of. It is not impossible to happen that software uses the files you upload for other things aside from its primary purpose. There are only a few things you can do to check if the free online photo editor is safe to use or not. You can start by viewing the site information from the address bar and check if the connection is secure. It may not be an assurance that it won’t use your files for other purposes, but it is still a good way to identify if a website is safe to use. You can also look for available articles or reviews online about the free online photo editor that you’re going to try. With that, you can have a clearer picture of what it’s like to use that certain editing software. All the online photo editing software mentioned on this list is safe to use, so there is nothing to worry about. One example is Crello, which guarantees that it does not disclose any of your personal information nor make it available to a third party.
Subscription
For those who are not aware, a free online photo editor is not entirely free, as there are subscription tiers. Most software, if not all, has a free plan (the type of subscription that this article is mostly about) and a paid plan. There are limitations for free plan users that you can only break once you upgrade to a paid plan. That said, you should also see the pricing plans of the free online photo editor to know what you can and cannot use. It is also important that you know what features you are looking for, as it would help with the decision making. If you can access all the features you need with the free plan, there is no need for you to upgrade your plan. If the features you need are only available for the paid plan, make sure it’s something you would use often, if not always. This way, you would know if it’s worth spending your money on or not. There are some, however, that don’t have any subscription tier, which is great for those who do not want to spend a cent. FotoFlexer, one of the free online photo editing software from the list above, doesn’t have any pricing plan. That said, it offers full services for free.
Editing Tools Available
The editing tools available on a free online photo editor are also something that you should highly consider when choosing. The tools would define how much you can do to customize your photos. It is important to know what photo editing software offers for you to not get disappointed. Some would only offer the basic editing tools while some would include advanced customization options. You should look for the ones that allow you to crop, resize, rotate, and adjust the exposure as well as the color of the image. Some also let you apply filters or presets, which can be helpful if you want to add a pleasant touch. Some even have a tool that removes the background of the subject, which can come in handy when you want to replace it with a different one. Not all editing tools are available for free, though, so you should find out if you can use them with the plan you chose. One example of a free online photo editor that offers a lot of editing tools is the Photopea. It gives you full functionality for free, but it would have ads and could only show 30 steps in History. Considering the customization options and its free service, this is worth exploring.
Image Converter or Compressor Inclusion
Aside from the editing tools available on the free online photo editor, these are the other tools that might come in handy. The image converter and compressor tools would help you solve your problems with the file format and file size, respectively. You might not think you need it at the moment, but you will need it, eventually. If you have opened an image and encountered an error message saying the file is not supported or too large, this is your solution. It is important to consider the ones that include these features so you wouldn’t have to switch to another software. There is only a few online photo editing software that offers these, though, so you should check them out. From the list above, the Online Image Editor has both extra tools while Fotor has an image converter tool. If these do not please you, you can try another online image compressor or image converter. You might also want to consider asking what an online photo editor supports to avoid having to convert. This brings us to the next consideration, which is the file format support.
File Format Support
There are times that you would have an image file with a format that your device does not support. For example, if you have a TIFF file and you tried to open it with your old Android phone, there is a chance it won’t read it. This can also happen with some photo editing software if it doesn’t support the file format you import. That said, you must know what a free online photo editor supports. It is also important to know the formats that software supports when exporting to avoid having a problem later. You wouldn’t want to edit a photo and find out later that you can’t save it in a format that your device supports, would you? You might want to go with those that support JPG formats as it is the most common format that any device can read. There is also an option to convert your photo’s file format using an online image converter. With that, you wouldn’t have to get frustrated as it will solve your file format problems. If you are looking for a free online photo editor that supports various file formats, you can consider some from the list above. To name a few, Photopea and Lunapic can save edited images in several file formats such as SVG, JPG, PNG, and more.
Ease of Use
Another thing that you should think about when picking a free online photo editor is how easy it is to use. Most online photo editing software from this list is easy to use, while some would take more time for you to be familiarized. Taking more of your time does not always mean it’s not worth exploring, though. Some may seem more complicated but offer much better features and customization options. Some would also have pop-ups to guide you throughout the photo editing process. To name one, BeFunky is a software that lets you customize your photos in no time, as it has a user interface that is easy to navigate. It is also an excellent choice for beginners, as there are pop-ups to show you the steps on how to perform a certain function. There are other options from this list that are easy to use, such as Taler, iPiccy, Canva, and many more.
Stock Library and Templates
Although this is not something you would use most often as you have your photos, a stock library could sometimes help. You can use this if you want to replace the background of your image with the ones from the library. If you are afraid to upload any file from your computer to practice editing, you can also use some royalty-free images. You should note, however, that not everything from the stock library is free to use. That said, you should consider the available stock files of the free online photo editor to know how you can maximize them. Another thing that you might also want to look for in a free online photo editor is its collection of templates. With templates, you will not have to stress yourself on what to put on your image, as you will have everything you need. You only have to modify a little, say, edit the text, change some colors, and adjust the position of your image. Templates come in different sizes, too, so it is indeed helpful when you want to do a quick image edit. If this is what you’re after, there are a lot of photo editing software from this list that you can use. One prominent example is the Pixlr X, which offers a lot of templates in different sizes such as square, vertical, and even wide. It also allows you to use some stock files, but there is a limitation for free users.
Output Quality
If there is something that you should highly consider, it is the output quality since this is the one you’ll upload or print. When picking the free online editor for you, you should find out if it can retain the resolution of your image or not. Not all photo editing software can support an HD download or higher. This will affect how people will see it since low-resolution images would also make inferior quality. Another thing that comes out when talking about the output is the watermark that the software might include. This sometimes happens with free plan users if they use some features that are not part of the free subscription. One example of this is Fotor which includes a watermark in your image when you use certain effects and frames. There is a way that applies to most photo editing software to get rid of the watermarks and export files in high resolution. All you need to do is upgrade your plan and you will break these limitations and unlock other premium features.
Benefits of Using a Free Online Photo Editor
Each editing software offers a lot of advantages aside from the satisfaction you get from its services. You might have already known these, but for those who need a little more convincing, this article needs to include it. To name a few, here are the benefits of using a free online photo editor.
There Is Always a Free Plan
Every photo editing software available out there has a free plan for you to have a glimpse of what it’s like to use one. Although it is true that there is a limitation, the free subscription from any free online photo editor is enough to cater to your needs. It will let you do the basic editing functions and would even let you use some templates and some sets of collage. This is helpful as there is no need for you to input your card details before you even get started.
No Need to Install Anything
Another benefit of using a free online photo editor is there is no need for you to install the software on your computer. That said, you would not have to wait for a couple of minutes, or maybe hours, for you to start exploring the photo editing software. You would only need a stable internet connection and an updated browser, and you’re good to go. This will also save your computer’s storage, allowing you to have more space for other programs. Another advantage of not installing the photo editing software is you do not have to update anything. You always get the most updated version as it is web-based and those who maintain it do all that job for you.
Compatible With High-End or Low-End PC
One of the best things about using a free online photo editor is there is no system requirement that you must consider. You can use it regardless of the type of PC you have as long as you have an updated browser. This is possible since online photo editing software doesn’t rely much on your device’s system but more on the version of your browser.
Wrap-Up
Although there are a lot of photo editing apps available for download, a free online photo editor is still a great option. You can get the same output quality even without having to install anything, saving you time and storage space. There is also no need to spend even a cent as all the online photo editing software offers a free plan for you to avail yourself. Using the ones mentioned on the list above would certainly allow you to edit images with ease and have a great outcome. With all the benefits a free online photo editor offers, it is clear that you will never go wrong with using one. If you also want to create and edit some videos, there are also free online video editors you can use such as Clipchamp and InVideo. This can also help you create marketing assets with ease and with great output quality.
