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The best online photo editors: Expert tested and reviewed
Professional photographers need an extensive range of photo editing tools alongside their camera kits, lenses, and accessories.
As a professional photographer myself, I know that photo editing software is critical to my workflow to bring out the best in my images, whether to make changes to exposure and add bokeh or to add more creative effects. Adobe Lightroom is the gold standard for many photographers, but many alternative online photo editors are also excellent options, and some now also utilize AI.
Among my favorites are Pixlr, Adobe Lightroom, and Canva. We have a great selection of options for you to test out, depending on your online photo editing needs.
What is the best online photo editor right now?
The ZDNET team has worked with photo editors for decades, from the most basic software reminiscent of Microsoft Paint in its early days to professional-grade editing suites, including Adobe Photoshop. Thanks to mobile technologies and AI, the photo editing industry continues to evolve, so we are continually testing market offerings to stay informed.
Our favorite online photo editor is Pixlr. While its free offering is limited, Pixlr is affordable and provides a range of useful photo editing tools alongside AI for experimentation. If you want to try it out, prices begin at $1.34 per month.
To find the most suitable online photo editor for you, check out our top picks below.
The best online photo editors of 2025
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If you’re looking for a powerful online photo editor, Pixlr is an option you should check out.
Pixlr heavily promotes AI image editing and generation, as you can see from all of its marketing. But if AI isn’t for you, you can still use a wide set of tools to quickly edit individual photos, with features including filters, pens, brushes, erasers, cropping, layering, and more available.
During testing, I found the editor very easy to use — but it would help if you have experience in photo suites such as Photoshop, as the layout is quite similar. As a bonus, this online platform supports PSD file uploads. But, as many users note, you may find the daily limit of three saves for free frustrating.
When it comes to AI editing, in my opinion, it doesn’t beat traditional editing processes and is sometimes clunky — but it is still fun to use.
There are two plans available: Plus and Premium. The Plus plan, available for $2.24 per month or $1.34 per month on an annual plan, is ad-free, grants unlimited saves, and 80 monthly AI credits. Alternatively, you can pay $7 per month (or $4.54 per month on a yearly plan) for a Premium subscription with 1,000 monthly AI credits, access to an editing resource library, and a private mode for AI image editing and generation.
A seven-day free trial is available.
Pixlr features: Editing options: Range of tools | Mobile? Android, iOS | Cloud backup? Pixlr library | PSD support? Yes | AI?: Yes | Free option? Yes | Price: $1.34+/month
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Fotor should be on your radar if you want an online photo editor focused on creative effects and filters.
Once you’ve signed up with an email address and verified yourself, you can access a massive range of editing tools, including batch editing, graphic design, image generation, collages, and auto enhancement. I found the software very easy to use, albeit slow, and I liked exploring the range of templates and filters available.
However, in the same way that AI has proven less than reliable in the creativity department, don’t expect a perfect result if you rely on AI alone. Frankly, some of the edits generated were comical. Despite this, I think Fotor is a fun online suite, regardless of whether you pay.
However, some customers have reported billing issues, and free edits are often limited to preview sizes only with watermarks.
To access advanced editing tools, you will need to subscribe to either Fotor Pro or Fotor Pro+. You will have access to ad-free editing, a wider range of AI tools and templates, between 2GB and 10GB of cloud storage, and brand kits. Prices begin at $3.33 per month for Fotor Pro on an annual plan. Monthly plans are expensive, starting from $9 per month.
A seven-day trial is available.
Fotor features: Editing options: A huge range including filters, AI tools | Mobile? Android, iOS | Cloud backup? 2GB – 10GB | PSD support? No | AI?: Yes | Free option? Yes | Price: $3.33+/month
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Adobe’s creative products are the gold standard in photography and among its offerings is a web option for the Lightroom photo editing suite.
I’ve used Adobe Lightroom for years as a professional photographer, and although generative AI training has caused many subscribers concern, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom are still extremely popular.
If you need an online option, Lightroom for the web is part of the overall Lightroom package. While AI tools are available, Lightroom specializes in traditional edits and fine-tuning, including contrast and exposure, cropping, masking, sharpening, blur, and color profiling.
There is no free version and so you will need to subscribe. Lightroom alone (on desktop, mobile, and the web) is $12 per month, or you can combine Lightroom and Photoshop for $20 per month. You could also opt for access to Adobe’s full creative suite — including apps such as Adobe Express, Firefly, and Illustrator — for $60 per month. Annual plans are also available.
A demo or seven-day trial is also available online.
Adobe Lightroom features: Editing options: The most comprehensive professional tools on the market | Mobile? Yes | Cloud backup? Yes, 1TB | PSD support? Yes | AI?: Yes | Free option? No | Price: $12+/month
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One of our favorite free online photo editing solutions is Photopea.
Adobe Photoshop users will be the most comfortable using this web photo editor as the layout, tools, and menus are very similar. This does mean that Photopea might be a bit daunting at first for those new to photo editing, but taking on the learning curve is worth it.
I enjoy using Photopea and appreciate that you don’t need to go through a lengthy sign-up process or hand over any details to use the platform. Editing features on offer include cropping and resizing, cloning, erasing, brushes, blurring, layering, filtering, masking, and more. PSD support on a free program, too, is a massive bonus.
Photopea is ad-supported, which means that you can use the editor for free. However, you can remove these distractions by paying $15 for three months.
Photopea features: Editing options: Similar to Photoshop | Mobile? No | Cloud backup? No | PSD support? Yes | AI?: Yes, limited | Free option? Yes | Price: $15 per three months
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If you want an online photo editor for marketing and social media purposes, Canva could be the most suitable option for you.
Canva made it onto our recommendations list as more than a standalone photo editor — it is a community of designers and creatives that have pooled resources to help you create and maintain a brand, as well as produce images and videos for online purposes.
Don’t expect much in terms of advanced photo editing with Canva; instead, this is an option if photo editing is part of a wider marketing push. Still, you can crop and resize images, adjust exposure, light, and contrast; apply filters, and experiment with creative effects.
A 30-day premium trial is available. If you would like to sign up for a monthly subscription, Canva will cost you $15 per month. Alternatively, annual plans are cheaper (but require upfront payment) and are the equivalent of $10 per month.
Canva features: Editing options: Basic image editing, marketing tools | Mobile? Android, iOS | Cloud backup? 1TB (paid) | PSD support? Yes | AI?: Limited | Free option? Yes | Price: Free – $10+/month
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|
Online photo editing software |
Beginner-friendly? |
Cloud services, backups? |
AI capabilities? |
Price |
|
Pixlr |
A short learning curve |
Pixlr library, local saves |
Yes |
Free/$1.34+/month |
|
Fotor |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Free/$3.33+/month |
|
Adobe Lightroom for web |
A steep learning curve |
Yes |
Yes |
$12+/month ($120 yearly) |
|
Photopea |
A steep learning curve |
PeaDrive |
Limited |
Ad-supported, $15 every three months |
|
Canva |
No |
Library/1TB (paid) |
Limited |
Free – $10+/month |
I’ve worked as a professional event photographer and I always take my kit abroad with me, alongside a few smartphone lens accessories.
With over a decade of experience in this field, I understand that editing is as important as shooting raw images. Editing is my favorite part of the process.
While I often use standalone editing software during my workflow, I have experimented with online options, and many of them provide quality tools and adjustments that can vastly improve my image quality. While you’re deciding on the best choice for you, consider the following:
|
Choose this online photo editing software… |
If you want… |
|
Pixlr |
The best online photo editing service overall. Pixlr has an intuitive interface reminiscent of Adobe Photoshop and while some learning is required, it has a range of tools for in-depth editing, alongside AI assistance. However, you will need to subscribe for unlimited saves. |
|
Fotor |
To experiment with creative effects. Fotor heavily promotes AI, and while not always accurate, it is a lot of fun to use and offers countless filters and effects. It’s a good option for marketing and brand kits, too. |
|
Adobe Lightroom for web |
A professional editing suite with workflow management. If you’re a professional photographer and you need a multiplatform option with the best editing tools on the market, Adobe Lightroom is the best option. |
|
Photopea |
A free online photo editor. Photopea offers editing tools similar to Adobe Photoshop, so you should expect a learning curve if you’re unfamiliar with the software. However, it is free and powerful, so this isn’t a huge trade-off. |
|
Canva |
A photo editing platform with a marketing twist. Canva is best suited to light, quick photo editing when your images are intended for marketing campaigns and social media. |
When you’re deciding on a type of online photo editing service, consider the following factors:
- The learning curve: If you’re new to online photo editing, you might want to start with a beginner-friendly solution. Advanced tools, including styles and layering, could complicate matters.
- Use cases: Consider what you want from an online photo editor. Traditional stills? AI-based tweaks? Photos filtered and compressed for social media? Many services specialize in particular areas.
- Cloud storage and backups: You might want a solution providing backup facilities and cloud storage options. Many online photo editors offer these services, but they might be hidden behind a paywall. You will also likely need to sign up for an account.
- Free options: A free solution should be enough if you’re a casual user and only want to use online photo editing software for hobbies or basic edits such as image resizing. However, editing functions or the number of images you can alter will likely be restricted.
- Price: You need to think about your budget and whether you want to sign up for a subscription to an online photo editor. We recommend that you consider this if you plan to use an online editor frequently or if there are tools that you particularly enjoy using.
- Terms and conditions: Ensure that you check out an online photo editing service’s terms and conditions before you upload images. Some services, especially if they’re free, may lay claim to any photos uploaded to their servers, or may use them to train AI models.
Photo editing software created by prominent players in the photography market, including Adobe, dominates the standalone and PC software market. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t much to be said for online editing products, many of which suit different use cases and mean you can avoid being locked into long-term subscriptions to complex software.
When I was compiling ZDNET’s top picks for the best online photo editing services of 2025, I considered the following factors:
- Licensing: Subscription models are now standard, but not everyone wants to add yet another subscription to their monthly or yearly budget, especially for an online service. I’ve included a range of subscription and licensing options, as well as very affordable options.
- Free options: I included free online photo editor options and alternatives that do not employ subscription-based models by default. They may offer some paid premium features, such as storage or advanced editing tools, but you won’t have to pay if you don’t want to.
- Image file type support: I want to see online photo editors able to handle different file types you may upload to their servers, including raw, PNG, JPEG, and PSD.
- Storage: You might not need it, but I’ve included services that do offer cloud-based storage for your photos.
- Workflows: Not every online photo editing service will offer workflow tools or dashboards, but I expect clear, efficient workflow management setups when a service is aimed toward professionals.
- Mobile support: It’s useful when online photo editors also have mobile support. While this isn’t always available on every platform — such as Android or iOS — it’s always a bonus, especially for editing on the move.
- AI use: I like to see online photo editing software developers exploring new technologies and techniques for improving editing, regardless of whether AI tools are available as desktop software or online services. AI can be particularly enjoyable to use in creative applications.
If you use photo editing software frequently or for business purposes, it’s usually worth subscribing to, as you’ll often be able to use paid features and receive updates.
However, if you’re a hobby photographer, you just want to experiment with creative tools, or you only need to resize or make basic edits to images occasionally, use a free online solution to begin with.
There are plenty of alternatives to Adobe Photoshop online, although they vary in sophistication, tools, and capabilities. You should expect free tools to have more limits than paid, subscription-based online services.
Furthermore, many developers don’t want to appear like Photoshop clones — they will, instead, focus their efforts on particular areas, like creative AI tools or mobile compatibility. However, if you’re looking for solutions with Photoshop-level suites, take a look at Pixlr or Photopea as a starting point.
Professional photographers, including myself, often rely on Adobe editing software suites, including Photoshop and Lightroom. However, there have been concerns over Adobe licensing terms and AI training, and so some photographers may have moved elsewhere.
Typically, we like editing suites that allow for workflow management and offer more than basic editing: styling, actions, brushes, and perhaps AI modifications are all popular.
Yes. The Google Photos app provides some basic editing functions, including cropping, image sharpening, rotating, and flipping. This app will do in a pinch, but you won’t find any advanced editing features. There’s also the AI-based Magic Editor app for Google Photos users.
If you type a query into a search engine such as “free resize image online,” you’ll find plenty of websites where you can upload your image and change its size or resolution. Options include Canva, Adobe, and simpleimageresizer.com.
Artificial intelligence is being integrated into creative and photographic applications at a rapid pace.
Now found in desktop software, mobile apps, and online photo editing services, AI can be used for batch editing and for making minor adjustments, altering backgrounds, introducing blur and bokeh, and even generating new images based on the source photos you provide.
In my opinion, AI can be fun to work with, and I’ve enjoyed exploring creative image work (and song generation) using its applications. However, it’s not a replacement for human eyes and in-depth editing.
Alternative online photo editing software to consider
