5 best photo editing software for Instagram

Instagram is the premier photo-sharing application on the planet. With over a billion users, it has become a household name these days. More and more hobbyist photographers, and now videographers, are taking to the platform to share their latest creations with the world.

Editing takes any photo or video to the next level. Pro photographers take the process pretty seriously and invest heavily in powerful computers and competent software to make their posts stand out. Choosing the best photo editor, however, can be a daunting process, especially if you are a beginner.

This guide lists the best options for editing Instagram posts, including some beginner-friendly apps and the best state-of-the-art software on the market.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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Multiple quality photo editors are available for editing Instagram posts

1) Instagram's built-in photo editor

Instagram has a robust in-built photo editor that works like a charm. It packs a ton of filters to simplify the editing process and even allows manual adjustments for fine-tuning. For the majority of hobbyist Instagram photographers, the social media platform's photo editing tools will suffice.

The results are pretty solid, and with some creativity, you can achieve high-quality results that rival edits done via much more complex software. Meta has invested heavily in building an easy-to-use tool that doesn't have a steep learning curve. The best part is that it is completely free and has no paid features.

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2) Canva

While Canva's photo editing capabilities can be questionable, it is very easy to use and packs an inexhaustible list of effects and filters that can take any photo or graphic to a whole new level. The editor ranks among some of the easiest-to-use software out there; users with zero experience will get the hang of it within an hour.

The best part about Canva is that it's available on the web as well as a free app. Users can pay a $50 yearly subscription to get access to all the features of the platform, but the free version works pretty well for 90% of use cases.

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3) Adobe Lightroom

Adobe has recently made some strides in mobile photo and video editors. We found Premiere Rush to be a robust mobile video editor, and Lightroom has already established itself as the best alternative for those working with stills, making it the best option for editing Instagram posts on a smartphone.

It is worth noting, however, that Lightroom can have a steep learning curve. It is available for free on mobile, and users can upgrade to a paid plan to access all the features. However, the app costs money on Windows and macOS. Users can also upgrade to Lightroom Classic before switching to Photoshop on an iPad or a computer.

We wouldn't recommend first-time photo editors to jump into Lightroom as it can be quite overwhelming. They are advised to start with Canva, Picsart, or Snapseed and then shift to this editor.

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4) Snapseed

Snapseed continues to be among the best Instagram photo editors on mobile. It is relatively easy to use compared to its Adobe counterparts while allowing maximum creative freedom.

Although Google developed the application back in the day, it is available for free on both iOS and Android. This makes it a solid option for those who don't want to spend their hard-earned money on Instagram posts.

Snapseed is pretty user-friendly. Those who want to take things to the next level by opting out of Instagram's built-in photo editor should give the app a try before shifting to more advanced editors like Lightroom or Photoshop.

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5) Adobe Photoshop

There aren't any photo editors on the market that are close to Adobe Photoshop in terms of features and creative freedom. As a wise man once said, if you can think of it, you can do it in Photoshop. The software has only solidified the statement with the latest updates.

Photoshop can be even more intimidating than Lightroom for beginners. We don't recommend the software to those who just want to share a couple of photos with their friends on Instagram. It is better suited for creators and models who want their posts to stand out on the social media platform.

Photoshop isn't free, and users will have to pay $20.99 monthly. Alternatively, one can pick the Photography Plan that bundles both Lightroom and Photoshop for a $19.99 monthly plan. Photoshop can also be used alongside other Adobe apps as part of the Creative Cloud subscription, which will set you back by $54.99 every month.

Photoshop also doesn't have a mobile app. Users will need to have an iPad or a computer running Windows or macOS to edit photos via this software.