Capturing that perfect gram-worthy shot is an art, but some of the most masterful work is done after the photo is taken. To be a true Pic-casso, you need the best of the best Instagram editing apps.
Today, we’ve got a round-up of good apps for Instagram edits, tried and tested for optimal photos and videos. This one’s for you, fellow Instagram creators, social media managers, influencers, and all other IG artists out there.
11 of the best Instagram photo and video editing apps
1. Hootsuite’s photo and video editor
We can’t miss the opportunity to shout out (hoot out?) our own free in-app media editor. When you use Hootsuite to schedule and plan your social media posts, you can edit photos and videos directly from the app with our user-friendly tools.
This system is fully integrated into our social media management dashboard (making Hootsuite the only app you need for building, editing and scheduling posts). A basic Insta editor app, its integration capabilities make it invaluable for busy social media managers and creators.
Pro tips:
- Use the in-app editor to make sure you got your social media image sizes correct (the editor clearly marks which sizes are right for the specific platforms)
- Play around with the different filters to make your content pop
- Easily revert back to your default image or video with the Reset Default button
Source: Hootsuite
Key features:
- User-friendly editing tools like stickers, text overlays, focus, filters, framing, and cropping
- Fully integrated with Hootsuite’s dashboard
- Enables building, editing, and scheduling posts from one place
Price: Free with a Hootsuite subscription! Check out our plans here or grab your free trial below.
Best for: Social media managers and creators who use Hootsuite for scheduling and want a convenient way to edit photos within the same platform.
Still a little unsure on how to actually edit a photo? Here’s a guide on how to edit photos for Instagram.
2. VSCO
VSCO is particularly appealing for its simple yet effective editing tools and presets. As an Instagram editor, it has everything you need.
It’s easy to use and has free photo presets and standard editing tools (think brightness, contrast, saturation, grain, all that good stuff).
You can edit photos within the app and then save them to your Camera Roll to post at a later date, or to upload into your Hootsuite content calendar (hint, hint).
VSCO also promotes a creator community on its platform. You can access curated collections of photos and videos from global creators and see which Instagram editing trends are in vogue. You can also share your work without worrying about likes or follower counts.
Source: VSCO
Key features:
- Access to a creator community
- 15 free photo presets
- Standard editing tools (brightness, contrast, saturation, grain)
- Paid versions offer 200+ presets and advanced editing tools like HSL, Dodge & Burn, Grain, and Multimedia Collage and Montage templates
- Paid versions offer video and GIF editing capabilities
Price: Free version available; Plus membership is $29.99/year; Pro membership is $59.99/year.
Best for: This editor for instagram is great for social media managers and content creators looking for high-quality photo editing tools without any distractions.
3. Darkroom
Darkroom is an easy yet powerful photo and video editor designed for compatibility with Apple products.
This tools prides itself on being ‘nondestructive’. You can edit your photos and videos with adjustment tools and presets, changing them at any time without losing quality. This is great for social media managers who experiment with editing the same photo in different ways — you can always find your way back to the original photo.
Darkroom Plus has premium filters, a curves tool, flag and reject, and 4K video editing.
Source: Darkroom
Key features:
- Favorite and delete images directly in-app
- 12 free photo filters
- Save custom presets
- Darkroom Plus offers premium features and 4K video editing
Price: Free version available with export restrictions; a monthly subscription is $4.99/month; a yearly subscription is $32.99; a one-time purchase is $74.99 for a lifetime of full access.
Best for: Social media managers seeking a blend of simplicity and advanced editing tools, with a preference for Apple’s ecosystem.
4. Photoshop Express
One of the most convenient mobile apps to edit pics for Instagram is Photoshop Express.
Photoshop Express brings the power of Adobe Photoshop to your phone, catering to beginners. Its feature set includes retouching, enhancing, and creative editing, making it a versatile mobile tool.
If you’re a social media manager or creator who snaps photos on your phone, edits them, and uploads them to Instagram, this one’s for you.
Bonus: Here’s a guide on iPhone photography for all you Apple die-hards.
Source: Photoshop Express
Key features:
- Tools for retouching (you can even add makeup), enhancing, dehazing, and reducing noise
- Themes, stickers, overlays
- Smart healing tool
- Premium version offers advanced features like multiple layers and selective editing
Price: A free version is available; premium features will have a fee.
Best for: Social media managers and content creators who need editing capabilities on the go.
5. Adobe Lightroom Mobile
Where Photoshop Express is great for beginners, Photoshop Lightroom is meant for professionals. It’s one of the most robust editing apps for Instagram.
The app runs on any device and combines advanced editing tools with cloud-based storage and syncing. This integration ensures accessibility and workflow consistency across devices so you can edit and produce professional-looking content wherever you are.
Source: Adobe
Key features:
- Comprehensive suite of editing tools, including exposure, contrast, and white balance adjustments
- Presets and profiles for quick application of styles and custom preset creation
- Advanced color and lighting adjustments with the Color Mixer and Tone Curve
- Cloud storage and syncing across multiple devices for a unified workflow
Price: Free version available with robust editing tools; Premium subscriptions start at $4.99/month for advanced tools and increased cloud storage.
Best for: Social media managers and content creators who need professional-grade photo editing, cloud storage, and multi-device syncing. Lightroom is especially beneficial for those who need a seamless workflow between mobile and desktop platforms.
6. Evoto
Evoto is an AI-based photo retouching software. It works well for portrait retouches, background adjustments, and color editing and corrections. With it, you can put your (or your influencers’) best face forward.
If you want a hands-off approach to photo editing, Evoto will work well. You can also edit photos in batches, which is great for high-volume.
Social media managers who are constantly retouching and editing photos for clients will find this app to be a total time-saver.
Source: Evoto
Key features:
Price: After a free trial, price is based on the amount of photos you export. Expect to pay a monthly fee of $7.99 for 100 photos.
Best for: Busy social media managers and creators who need to edit photos in a hurry or who need to batch-edit a high volume of photos.
7. Capcut
Capcut is an all-in-one, user-friendly video editing app that offers a wide range of features for creating polished videos. Its capabilities include splitting clips, reordering videos, adding overlays, text, effects, filters, and accessing a music library.
The intuitive interface makes the video assembly process easy. It’s an attractive option for social media managers looking to produce engaging content quickly and efficiently.
Source: Capcut
Key features:
- Splitting clips, reordering videos, speech-to-text, and adding overlays
- Effects, filters, and a well-stocked music library
- AI-color correction and colorization
- Intuitive user interface for easy video assembly
- Team collaboration capabilities
- Plenty of stock assets (Pssst: Click here for more free stock photos and videos)
Price: Free! Pro accounts are $13.49/month or $145.99/year.
Best for: Social media managers and content creators seeking a versatile and cost-effective video editing tool.
8. Splice
Splice stands out with its approach to catering to users’ video editing experience, from beginners to advanced. You can specify your editing experience and the types of videos you’re interested in creating, which helps the app recommend suitable templates and effects.
Splice offers a robust set of video features, including basic and advanced editing tools, speed effects, overlays, and 4K exports. It’s a potent tool for social media managers who need to create professional-quality videos.
Source: Splice App
Key features:
- Selection based on the user’s video-editing experience
- A well-stocked music library
- Advanced editor workflows to help keep your projects organized
- Basic to advanced editing tools, speed effects, overlays, and 4K exports
- Suggested templates and effects based on user preferences
Price: Free to download; Pro versions vary per subscription.
Best for: Social media managers looking for a customizable video editing experience with professional-grade features.
9. KineMaster
KineMaster is a feature-rich app designed for precision video editing and audio editing. It supports multiple layers, chroma key, speed control, and reverse editing and comes with a vast library of stickers, music, and effects.
While you can do a lot with the KineMaster free version, you’ll end up with a fairly large watermark on your videos. This obviously isn’t ideal for social media managers who are posting on behalf of clients or brands, so you may want to consider a paid version.
Source: KineMaster
Key features:
- Video editing with multiple layers, chroma key, and speed control
- Thousands of stickers, music tracks, and effects
- Thousands of high-quality, trending video templates
Price: Free with ads and watermark; $5.49/month for ad-free and watermark-free experience
Best for: Social media managers and creators needing advanced video editing capabilities and a wide range of creative assets.
10. InShot
InShot simplifies the editing process with features like clip trimming and merging, filters, text, music, speed adjustments, and cropping. It also offers a library of clips for creating engaging intros, outros, and transitions.
Any social media manager who works in vlogging or with influencers will know how valuable templated intros, outros and transitions are.
The Pro version of InShot has more transitions, effects and stickers and removes ads and watermarks for a professional finish.
Source: InShot
Key features:
- Clip trimming, merging, filters, text, and music
- Speed adjustments and cropping
- Cutout, auto-captions, HSL, and tracking capabilities
- Pro version offers additional transitions, effects, and ad-free experience
Price: $3.99/month or $17.99/year
Best for: Content creators and social media managers looking for a user-friendly video editing tool with a range of features for enhancing their videos.
11. Vimeo Create
Vimeo Create is tailored for beginners in video editing, offering a straightforward toolset for assembling photos and videos into templated projects with added text.
While the app’s functionality is basic, it’s a great starting point for those new to video creation. Vimeo Create is great for social media managers who simply need to add some features or flourishes to videos before they go out the door.
Source: Vimeo
Key features:
- Simple assembly of photos and videos into templates with text
- Designed for beginners
- Pro version offers extended features and watermark-free exports
Price: Available for free on a Vimeo Starter Plan.
Best for: New video creators and social media managers who need an easy-to-use app for basic video projects.
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