If you've outgrown the standard photo editing apps on your phone, such as those preinstalled with the camera or the effects included on Instagram, does that mean you have to pay a ton for high-end software? Absolutely not.

Desktop operating systems typically include photo software that can serve consumers' needs at no extra cost. For example, the Microsoft Photos app included with Windows 10 and Windows 11 may surprise you with its capabilities. It provides a comprehensive set of image tools, including auto-tagging, blemish removal, face recognition, and support for raw camera files. It can automatically remove backgrounds or objects from a scene, and it creates editable albums based on the dates and locations of the photos.

On macOS, Apple Photos also does those things. Both programs sync with online storage services: iCloud for Apple devices and OneDrive for Microsoft devices. (You can now access iCloud Photos in Windows 11's Photos app, too.) Both photo apps allow you to search based on detected object types, such as "tree" or "cat," within the application.

Ubuntu users also get photo software at no cost. One option for them is the capable-enough Shotwell app. For more sophisticated editing, the venerable GNU Image Manipulation Program, better known as GIMP, is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It features a multitude of Photoshop-style plug-ins and editing capabilities, but lacks creature comforts and usability. For free Lightroom-style workflow options, look to Darktable and RawTherapee, which are also available for all major desktop platforms.

At the very top end of the image editing pyramid is Photoshop. Its color tools, drawing abilities, layered editing, filters, plug-in support, selection capabilities, and text tools make it the industry standard. (Adobe removed its 3D editing tools from Photoshop because of the changing graphics hardware landscape; you can find 3D functionality in the company's Substance 3D line of applications.) The company continues to add unique, state-of-the-art features.

Photoshop (and its included companion, Adobe Camera Raw utility) is where you find Adobe's latest and greatest imaging technology, such as the previously mentioned Firefly generative AI features, as well as Content-Aware Crop, Detail Enhancement, Neural Filters, Perspective Warp, and Subject Select. The program offers a comprehensive suite of tools for professionals in the imaging industry, including Artboards, Design Spaces, and realistic, customizable brushes.

Pros need more than this one application, though, and many use workflow programs like ACDSee Photo Studio, Lightroom, AfterShot Pro, or Photo Mechanic for workflow functions like importing and organization. In addition to its workflow prowess, Lightroom offers mobile photo apps, allowing photographers on the go to get some work done before returning to their PCs.

If tethered shooting—controlling the camera in the software from the computer while it's attached—is part of your workflow, you should try Capture One. It gives you a lot of related tools, along with top-notch raw file conversion. Lightroom Classic is also strong in this area.

Photoshop has the most image editing capabilities, though it doesn't always make producing those effects simple. Its edits aren't nondestructive like those of Lightroom and some other products. Anyone with less intensive needs can obtain all the necessary Photoshop features from competitors, such as Corel PaintShop Pro or Serif Affinity Photo.

DxO PureRAW is another tool professionals might want in their kit due to its excellent lens-profile-based corrections and DeepPrime noise reduction. Topaz Photo AI is another top choice for removing camera sensor noise. Skylum Luminar, too, comes with unique AI-powered features, such as automatic power line removal, which can instantly enhance many a landscape or cityscape. It also has unique depth-based lighting options. You can use it as either a standalone app or as a Photoshop plug-in.

Capture One, DxO PhotoLab, Lightroom, PaintShop Pro, and Photoshop all have precise tools for local selections. For example, they allow you to select everything in a photo within a precise color range and refine the selection of challenging content, such as a model's hair or trees on the horizon.