Today there are 83 different photo editing software for Mac. We spent 53 hours comparing the top 50 to find the seven best you can use to edit photos on Mac devices.
What is the Best Photo Editing Software for Mac?
- Luminar Neo — best of the best
- Adobe Lightroom — best for photographers
- Affinity Photo 2 — best for layer editing
- Fotor Photo Editor Pro — best user interface
- Pixelmator Pro — best budget option
- Adobe Photoshop — best for professionals
- GIMP — best free software
1. Luminar Neo
Our Verdict — Best Of The Best
Price: Starts at $9.95/month
Luminar Neo is the best photo editing software across the board. We think it’s the best of the best because of its streamlined photo editing features and effective one-click AI image enhancement.
The Best Part:
- It has the best one-click AI extensions. You can edit your favorite photos professionally in one click through a variety of AI-powered extensions.
The Worst Part:
- It is relatively new in the photo editing software space. Other tools such as Adobe Photoshop have been around for decades, with more established features and a larger user base for tutorials/community.
Get it if you want a professional photo editing app with one-click extensions for spectacular photo edits.
I recommend you get started with the monthly Pro subscription for $14.95/month, with all of the AI-powered Luminar extensions.
(30-day money-back guarantee)
Best For
Luminar Neo is best for amateur and experienced photo editors who want a streamlined photo editing experience without missing out on advanced features.
Top Features
- Advanced visual effects. Get industry-standard editing results through a variety of pre-made photo enhancements created by other Luminar artists.
- Keep it tidy. Use the Luminar Library tool to seamlessly manage and organize your photo collections, with the ability to search for pictures without exiting the software.
- Pro-level portraits. Get natural-looking results for facial editing using the most powerful portrait and skin retouching tools in the market.
- Advanced editing tools powered by artificial intelligence. Leverage AI-powered tools to make a wide range of fine-tuned edits that maintain a natural look.
- Streamlined complex photo editing. Easily create professional-grade pictures images on the desktop version. It’s SO easy to use.
Pricing
Luminar Neo offers three pricing plans:
- Explore: $9.95/month for solo individuals wanting to test Luminar’s main functions.
- Pro: $14.95/month for individuals or teams of two that want access to their powerful AI extensions and full software features.
- Lifetime: $149/lifetime for solo users looking for a set-it-and-forget-it plan, with the option to add on AI extensions for an extra $299 one-time fee.
All paid plans offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Annual subscriptions provide up to a 33% discount.
Try Luminar Neo today with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Our Verdict — Best For Photographers
Price: Starts at $9.99/month
Adobe Lightroom is the best editing software for photographers because of its popularity amongst professional photographers, its user-friendly interface, and its sheer power.
The Best Part:
- A comprehensive photo editing app for photographers. Subscribing to Lightroom gives you access to a wide variety of graphic design tools with advanced color correction, unlimited layers, and batch editing.
The Worst Part:
- A steep learning curve. Adobe Lightroom caters to professionals and may be difficult for newbie users to get used to.
Get it if you want a powerful photo editing app for Mac to hone your professional editing skills as a photographer.
I recommend you get a $9.99/mo Lightroom-only subscription to get the hang of it, then upgrade to the Photography plan for $19.99/mo.
(7-day free trial)
Best For
Adobe Lightroom is best for amateur and experienced photographers who want the best editing results for their shots.
Top Features
- Slick interface and intuitive controls. Access advanced features for photo editing on your Mac through a slick all-in-one interface that feels very intuitive, once you’ve gone past the steep-ish learning curve.
- Machine learning features. Generate spectacular photo edits using built-in artificial intelligence that automatically edits your work based on professionally edited photos in a database.
- Large user community. Collaborate with other photographers or learn how to use Lightroom features with the help of Adobe's 26 million plus subscriber base.
- RAW format processing. Use advanced tools to edit RAW images and get the highest image quality out of your camera.
- Leverage organizational tools to keep it professional. Organize, search, and categorize your photo gallery using Adobe Sensei-backed photo intelligence and management features.
Pricing
Adobe Lightroom offers three pricing plans:
- Lightroom (1TB): $9.99/month for photographers looking to experiment with photograph editing software.
- Photography: $19.99/month for professional photographers familiar with Lightroom and looking to use Photoshop for detailed image editing.
- Creative Cloud All Apps: $54.99/month for professional individuals willing to go further than only image editing.
All paid plans offer a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Annual and monthly plans come with a 1TB Adobe Creative Cloud storage space.
Try Adobe Lightroom today with a free 7-day trial.
Our Verdict — Best For Layer Editing
Price: Starts at $69.99
Affinity Photo 2 is a photo editing tool that offers a range of powerful tools. We think it’s the best for experienced online photo editors because of its high level of precision and advanced layer photo editing features.
The Best Part:
Smooth handling of complex editing tasks. Powerful image manipulation for the largest image files with no lag or issues with processing images.
The Worst Part:
Missing professional features. It lacks a few feature equivalents such as Adobe’s sky selection and automatic subject selection.
Get it if you want an advanced photo editing software app that handles higher levels of complexity at a fraction of the competition's prices.
I recommend you get the Lifetime Deal for $ 69.99, then invest some time into reading instructions and following tutorials to shorten the learning phase.
(30 day free trial)
Best For
Affinity Photo 2 is best for professional image editors who want a software app that goes the extra mile, without breaking the bank
Top Features
- The best 360-degree photo editing app. Easily edit 16-bit and 32-bit 360-degree files, and use any effects you want by seamlessly switching back to a non-360 view.
- Raw file editing. Get access to advanced tools that can restore damaged raw photos, fix imperfections, and remove blemishes on a whim.
- Comprehensive brush options. Control the size, flow, precision, and opacity of your brushes with a set of powerful professional tools.
- Best-in-class layer editing system. Combine several masks or multiple images, and stack several layers together for unlimited creativity.
- Advanced lens correction tools. Correct lens distortion, vignetting, or chromatic aberrations you find in your images, with a few clicks.
Pricing
Affinity Photo 2 offers four pricing plans:
- MacOS: $69.99 one-time purchase for individuals looking to use the full version Affinity Photo 2 for editing and retouching images on Mac.
- Windows: $69.99 one-time purchase for users who want Affinity Photo 2 on Windows.
- iPad: $19.99 one-off payment for individuals looking to use Affinity Photo 2 on iPad.
- Affinity V2 Universal License: $169.99 one-time purchase for versatile digital artists who want access to Affinity's whole set of apps on all platforms (MacOS, Windows, and iPad).
All paid plans offer a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Try Affinity Photo 2 today with a 30-day free trial.
Our Top Three Picks
Here’s a quick summary of our top three picks:
- Luminar Neo — best of the best
- Adobe Lightroom — best for photographers
- Affinity Photo 2 — best for layer editing
Here’s a quick comparison of our top seven picks:
Tool | Entry Offer | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
Luminar Neo | None | Starts at $9.95/mo |
Adobe Lightroom | 7-day free trial | Starts at $9.99/mo |
Affinity Photo 2 | 30-day free trial | Starts at $69.99 one time |
Fotor Photo Editor Pro | Free plan | Starts at $8.99/mo |
Pixelmator Pro | Free plan | $49.99 |
Adobe Photoshop | 7-day free trial | Starts at $20.99 |
GIMP | None | Free forever |
Here are the top 50 photo editing apps for Mac that we considered in this review:
- Luminar Neo
- Adobe Lightroom CC
- Affinity Photo 2
- Fotor Pro
- Pixelmator Pro
- Adobe Photoshop CC
- GIMP
- Apple Photos
- Adobe Photoshop Elements
- CameraBag Photo
- Canva
- darktable
- Capture One Pro
- DxO PhotoLab
- Movavi Photo Editor
- PhotoDirector 365
- Photoscape X
- Pixlr X
- Preview
- ACDSee Photo Studio for Mac
- Aurora HDR
- Befunky
- DxO OpticsPro
- Exposure X7
- Google Photos
- ON1 Photo RAW
- PhotoBulk
- Photolemur
- PhotoPad
- Photopea
- PhotosRevive
- Picktorial
- Picsart
- Polarr
- Quantum HDR
- Topaz Studio 2
- TouchRetouch
- GraphicConverter
- Luminance HDR
- Monument
- Noiseless
- PhotoScape X Pro
- SizeMyPics
- RAW Power
- SKRWT
- Snapheal
- VueScan
- XnView MP
- Photomatix Pro
- Adobe Bridge
Frequently Asked Questions About Photo Editing Software Apps for Mac
What is the best photo editing software for Mac?
The article names Luminar Neo as the best of the best, starting at $9.95 per month. It also highlights Adobe Lightroom as best for photographers and Affinity Photo 2 as best for layer editing.
Is there free photo editing software for Mac?
Yes, the article lists free options including GIMP, which it calls the best free software, along with Apple Photos pre-installed on every Mac. Canva is also mentioned as a user-friendly choice with a free plan.
How much does photo editing software for Mac cost?
Prices in the article range from free to around $20.99 per month, depending on the tool. Subscription options start at $8.99 per month for Fotor Photo Editor Pro, while one-time purchases include Pixelmator Pro at $49.99 and Affinity Photo 2 at $69.99.
Which photo editor is best for professional photographers on Mac?
The article recommends Adobe Lightroom as best for photographers, starting at $9.99 per month. It cites Lightroom's popularity among professional photographers and its RAW format processing as the reasons.
What is the best budget photo editing software for Mac?
The article names Pixelmator Pro as the best budget option at $49.99. It is listed as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription.
Is there a photo editor for Mac without a subscription?
Yes, the article points to one-time purchase options including Affinity Photo 2 at $69.99, Pixelmator Pro at $49.99, and Adobe Photoshop Elements at $99.99. It notes Adobe Photoshop Elements offers a straightforward experience with no subscription required.
Which photo editing software is best for professionals on Mac?
The article names Adobe Photoshop as best for professionals, starting at $20.99 per month. For layer editing specifically, it points to Affinity Photo 2.
Can I try photo editing software for Mac before buying?
Yes, the article notes several tools offer free trials, including a 7-day trial for Adobe Lightroom and a 30-day trial for Affinity Photo 2. It adds that other options provide money-back guarantees.
How were these Mac photo editors chosen?
The article states the team spent 53 hours comparing the top 50 products out of 83 total options. The result is a shortlist organized by use case, such as best of the best, best for photographers, and best free software.
The Bottom Line
To recap, here are the best photo editing software for Mac to try this year:
- Luminar Neo — best of the best
- Adobe Lightroom — best for photographers
- Affinity Photo 2 — best for layer editing
- Fotor Photo Editor Pro — best user interface
- Pixelmator Pro — best budget option
- Adobe Photoshop — best for professionals
- GIMP — best free software