Web content is taking a turn toward graphics (images, stories, and videos) whether SEO teams and content marketers like it or not. In fact, according to invideo, online videos make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic, and 79% of people say they’ve been convinced to download or buy a piece of software by watching a video.

Hence, to serve exactly that need, we bring forward a list of the best photo editing software that will be a turning point in your professional career:

1. Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020

Top-rated photo editing software for serious photographers. 

Source – mahsu.com

This one is our top pick for the best editing software for the year, 2020. Owing to its easy-to-use interface and underlying power, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 becomes an option for both beginners and professionals. 

To make the software accessible to users with all experience levels, Adobe has added three editing interfaces namely, Guided Edits, Quick Edits, and Expert Mode. Moreover, the software features an Ai powered intelligent editing system, a subject selection tool, and a skin-smoothing tool. 

Compatible OS: Windows and macOS         

Free Trial: Available             Cost: $99.99                      

Recommended For: Enthusiasts and professionals 

Best Used For AI-powered photo editing. 

Required Skill Level: Novice 

Pros: Automated features

Potential Downside: Auto creation cannot be turned off.

Read more: Adobe Premiere Pro vs. Final Cut Pro X: What’s the Difference?

2. Corel PaintShop Pro

Photo editing software for novices and beginners. 

Source – fileinfo.com

The new PaintShop Pro is an incrementally improved version of the older version. It is not only a powerful editing tool but also boasts an easy to acquaint interface. It has a set of varied tools to provide top-notch results such as 360-degree photo editing, touch screen compatibility, and a new streamlined workspace. 

The Corel PaintShop Pro is often compared to Photoshop Elements, as both portray exemplary performance and ability to do justice to a photograph. The only edge that Adobe has over Corel is that Elements is supported on both MAC and windows, but Corel is only limited to Windows when talking about this particular software. 

Compatible OS: Windows            

Free Trial: Available                         Cost: $79.99                      

Recommended For: Enthusiasts and beginners 

Best Used For: Powerful features and creative tools 

Required Skill Level: Content aware cloning 

Pros: Powerful and creative tools for professionals. Potential Downside: Limited to Windows users 

3. Adobe Lightroom

Preferred for quick touch-ups and editing images on the go. 

Source – digitaltrends.com

This is a cloud-based software that allows you to edit your photos on virtually any device. For photographers who want to touch up their clicks on the move, there is no better option than Adobe Lightroom. 

The program comes with interactive tutorials and features like auto-tagging generic keywords, full-resolution cloud backup, and some easy to use tools for making images look better. Professionals are into hardcore editing might not want to use Adobe Lightroom as it lacks the ability to remove unwanted objects and add texts and multiple layers. 

Compatible OS: Windows, MAC, Android, IOS        

Free Trial: Available             Cost: $119.88/yr                     

Recommended For: Professionals and Enthusiasts 

Best Used For: Image touch up 

Required Skill Level: Novice

Pros: Supports most of the operating systems

Potential Downside: Cannot rename a photo or its edited version. 

4. Affinity Photo

Best in class budget photo editor. 

Source – boingboing.net

This software has a steeper learning curve than most other editing software. But, that can be overlooked given its features fit for professional users, such as Photoshop-like exposure controls, layers, and paintbrushes. 

You can make Affinity Pro yours at just a minimal cost of $50. What adds to its overall experience is the recent update that added support for various third-party plugins, Smart Objects, and Canon CR3 raw files. 

Compatible OS: Windows and MAC OS            

Free Trial: Available                        Cost: $49.99                    

Recommended For: Professionals and enthusiasts 

Best Used For: RAW processing

Required Skill Level: Medium 

Pros: Budget pricing Potential Downside: Custom workspace not available. 

5. GIMP

Best free, open-source photo editor. 

Source – visualmodo.com

GIMP OR GNU Image Manipulation Program lets you get under its hood and alter the source code to best suit your needs. It’s editing ability is considered to be at par with many paid editors. 

It gives you features to create and edit layers, exposure control, special-effect filters, and a lot more. The only setback about this is that it does not provide users with appropriate guidance, making it difficult to get acquainted with. 

Compatible OS: Windows, MAC and LINUX   

Free Trial: Available                      Cost: Free of cost                      

Recommended For: Beginner and Enthusiasts

Best Used For Advanced photo editing tools. 

Required Skill Level: Novice

Pros: Free and open-source Potential Downside: Steep learning curve