It is common that people require a photo editor to take away any unwanted objects, retouch portraits, adjust colors, sharpen low-resolution or blurry images, or replace distracting backgrounds. The new generation of AI photo editors can accomplish these tasks more quickly and simply by minimizing the manual effort previously needed to perform detailed photo editing and creative edits.
Here, we compare 6 top photo editors in 2026 in terms of photo editing features, AI abilities, image quality, ease of use, speed of processing, platform compatibility, and price.
How We Test & Choose These Photo Editors
We test all photo editors by using real-life editing tools rather than basing our testing on the features advertised. The key factors which we take into account are:
- Editing features: The quality of the tool in terms of its ability to crop, fix colors, retouch portraits, delete objects and edit backgrounds.
- AI-capable tools: The quality and usefulness of automatic enhancement, upscaling, generative editing, and smart selections.
- Image quality: Edited photos should be sharp, natural and devoid of any visible artefacts.
- Ease of use: The speed at which beginners and experienced users learn the interface and accomplish common edits.
- Processing speed: The speed with which the software is able to process, export, and perform AI-related tasks.
- Platform compatibility: Support on Windows, MacOS, mobile platforms or web browsers.
- Pricing: Do the features and performance make sense to free users, amateur creators, and professionals?
6 Best Photo Editors in 2026
HitPaw FotorPea, Best Overall Photo Editor
HitPaw FotorPea is an artificial intelligence photo editor that allows individuals to achieve visible effects without taking a lot of time to edit the image manually. It can refocus a portrait that was a bit out of focus, remove noise in a night image, fix an old family snapshot, enlarge a small product image, or perform other creative tasks with the same program.
The app features of automatic improvement and more expressive editing options make it suitable for beginners, content creators, online sellers, and photographers.
Key Features
- Several AI enhancement models: There are dedicated models for face restoration, upscaling, denoising, sharpening, colors enhancement, low-light photos, text, animation, and other problems that are specific to images.
- Auto and Custom modes: Auto Mode may examine a picture and choose an appropriate enhancement method, whereas Custom Mode provides a greater amount of control to the user on which model to apply to a specific photograph.
- Repair blur and noise: FotorPea can remove motion, focus, and compression blur as well as remove grain and noise on low-light pictures.
- Image upscaling: The AI improvement software can increase the size of low-resolution images and restore their details, making them better to print, use in product catalogues, and use on a larger scale.
- Photo restoration: Photographers can use the tool to restore old photos rather than restoring each pixel of the photograph.
Pros
- Easy for beginners
- Several AI improvement applications.
- Suitable for portraits and low-resolution pictures.
- Supports batch processing
- Can be found on Windows and Mac.
Cons
- Certain advanced features are available on a paid plan or credits.
- Hard-to-analyse images might still require manual adjustment.
How to Edit and Enhance Photos with HitPaw FotorPea
Step 1: Install HitPaw FotorPea and Upload Your Photo
Open the ai photo enhancer and start HitPaw FotorPea. To start editing, either click Choose File or drag your picture into the workspace.
Step 2: Choose an AI Enhancement Model
To do automatic analysis of the photo, choose Auto Mode. Custom Mode lets you select a particular model to sharpen, denoise, face restore, colour enhance, or upscale, too.
Step 3: Preview the Before-and-After Result
After processing, you can use the preview, which compares the original photo with the enhanced version. Examine key features like faces, edges, colours, and background areas prior to saving.
Step 4: Export the Enhanced Photo
If you like the outcome, then press Export to save the final picture. Select the desired output settings and save the improved photo to your device.
Adobe Photoshop — Best for Professional Photo Editing
Adobe Photoshop is designed to suit photographers and designers who require fine control of intricate image editing. In addition to typical retouching and colour correction, it enables layer compositions, intricate masking and advanced manipulation of commercial, editorial and creative work.
Adobe Firefly also introduces generative AI into the workflow, allowing users to extend a scene or substitute an area they have selected without having to reconstruct an image. It is particularly useful to experienced users with challenging professional edits, as it is quite deep.
Key Features
- Generative Fill: Prompted image replacement/removal/creation: Use text prompts to replace or remove content in selected images.
- Generative Expand: Scale the canvas and create new environments, mixing with the original environment.
- Layer and Mask Controls: Construct complicated edits with separate parts adjustable.
- Selection and Retouching Tools: Fine-tune subjects, fix flaws, and isolate challenging subjects like hair or edges.
Pros
- Extremely accurate editing controls.
- Superior in layered and composite art.
- Good environment for professional creative work.
- Appropriate for the design and photography of high-end projects.
Cons
- May be daunting to beginners.
- It is more expensive than several lightweight editors with regard to subscription cost.
- More learning and practice are needed to work on advanced workflows.
Luminar Neo — Best for AI-Powered Photo Editing
Luminar Neo is geared towards accelerating the process of enhancing photos using smart tools that automatically make numerous sophisticated adjustments. It is particularly useful for photography that deals with portraits, landscapes, lighting, and background adjustments. RAW files, layers, masks and non-destructive editing are also supported by the software to enable more precise adjustments. Its new additions have increased portrait functions and AI background filters.
Key Features
- Sky AI: Substitutes skies and integrates them into the scene in a natural manner.
- GenErase: Erases the unwanted elements and recreates the missing part.
- GenSwap: Swaps out the objects of choice with AI-generated content.
- Bokeh AI: Applies a background blur that is adjustable to create more emphasis on the subject.
Pros
- Fast AI-based adjustments
- Excellent at portraits and landscapes.
- Supports RAW editing
- Simple interface
Cons
- Certain AI tools can be an additional expense.
- Weak in state-of-the-art graphic design.
- Desktop and mobile versions are separate, so available features may differ across devices.
Pixlr — Best Online Photo Editor
Pixlr is tailored to individuals who like to perform tasks without having to download the entire desktop application. It helps to generate social posts, clean up images of products, resize images, and do some quick corrections in case one works with various devices. Pixlr, in addition to regular editing functions, has AI-powered features that make it easier to fill areas of choice and isolate a subject and a background. It can be easily set up and is thus a convenient option among students, marketers, small businesses, and casual creators.
Key Features
- Generative Fill: Generates new content within an image area of your choice.
- Background Remover: Automatically removes the background while keeping the main subject.
- Batch Editor: Edits several images in a single workflow.
- Adjustment Controls: Fine-tunes brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness and other image controls.
Pros
- No installation needed
- Convenient across devices
- Useful free tier
- Quick learning curve
Cons
- There are limited AI credits.
- There are limitations in the free version.
- Fewer high-end controls
GIMP — Best Free Open-Source Photo Editor
GIMP is a free, open-source photo editor that is compatible with Windows, macOS and Linux. It provides retouching and restoring tools, image compositing and original graphic creation to photographers and designers without a subscription. This open-source framework also enables a great deal of customization via scripts and third-party plugins. New versions have improved non-destructive workflows and increased support of modern image formats.
Key Features
- Non-Destructive Filters: Overlay filters and make alterations to the source layer without altering the layer permanently.
- Layers & Masks: Add elements and determine which parts of an image are subject to changes.
- Colour Management: Enables workflow control of digital and printed work with colour precision.
- Plugin Support: Add to the functionality with community-written scripts and add-ons.
Pros
- Completely free
- Highly customizable
- Operates on popular desktop operating systems.
Cons
- Interface takes practice
- Less built-in AI.
- Plugins are needed to perform some tasks.
ON1 Photo RAW — Best for Photo Editing & Organisation
ON1 Photo RAW is a program that integrates RAW processing, image processing, effects, retouching and overlay editing into one application. Large collections can be more easily managed because they can be browsed by photographers and placed in their libraries without the need to import them into a separate catalogue. Its 2026 release has better AI masking, built-in Resize AI and better tools to refine challenging subject matter like hair and fur.
It is especially useful for photographers who desire to work and complete their tasks without having to switch between multiple programs.
Key Features
- Keyword AI: Automatically creates searchable keywords based on the content of images.
- Subject & Background Masks: One-Click Isolation of areas to make corrections.
- Resize AI: Scales images, reconstructing detail and minimising visible noise or artefacts.
- Integrated File Browsing: Combines photo organisation, RAW development, layers and effects in a workflow.
Pros
- Strong library management
- No subscription required
- Efficient RAW workflow
- Useful batch tools
Cons
- Numerous controls to study.
- Desktop-focused workflow
- MAX is more expensive.
Comparison Table of 6 Best Photo Editors
The following table compares the six editors based on their best use case, supported platforms, existing pricing model and average experience in processing. Processing speed is a real-world comparison, not an official benchmark, because it is also determined by hardware, file size and internet connection.
FAQs About Photo Editors
1. Which Photo Editor Is Best for Beginners?
HitPaw FotorPea can be recommended to beginners due to its AI tools that can automate most of the typical editing processes. Users are able to enhance blur, faces, noise and resolution without having to learn the complicated controls.
2. Can AI Photo Editors Improve Low-Resolution Images?
Yes. AI upscaling has the potential to expand low-resolution images and restore their sharpness and minimise pixel enlargement. The final quality remains to be determined by the amount of detail in the original image.
3. Can Photo Editors Remove Backgrounds and Objects?
Yes. The separation of subjects and the erasure of backgrounds, along with the removal of undesired objects, can be done automatically by many modern editors. Photoshop, Pixlr and FotorPea are some tools that enable these edits to be done much faster than by hand selection.
4. What Is the Best Free Photo Editor?
Gimp is among the best free alternatives for desktop users. It provides layers, masking, retouching, colouring, and support for plugins without a subscription.
5. What Is the Best AI Photo Editor?
HitPaw FotorPea is a good general AI-enhancing tool, as it offers upscaling, restoration, denoising, sharpening, and portrait enhancement all in a single workflow. It is particularly suitable for users who desire quick results with little manual editing.
Conclusion
The most appropriate photo editor will depend on your preferences for professional control, AI automation, access via a browser, free editing, or organisation of photos. The six tools have a variety of users: each one is used by a different type of user, both beginners and professional photographers working with advanced RAW workflows.
HitPaw FotorPea is a comprehensive option that allows users to quickly edit their photos, improve image quality, store them, and upscale images, with the help of AI in an easy-to-use workflow.
