Have you ever dreamed of becoming the next big Instagram influencer, sharing your photos, videos, and stories with thousands of followers across the globe? While Instagram success doesn’t happen overnight, it’s certainly not out of reach. It starts, of course, with taking gorgeous, relevant photos and curating them into a unique feed.
Having a masterful eye and strong camera skills is just the beginning. Editing like a pro is the next step. If you’ve ever wondered what apps Instagrammers use to edit their photos, we have the answers. These Instagram photo editor apps are the best of the best, and they’ll go a long way toward helping you gain traction on your favorite social media platform.
The best photo editing apps for Instagram
These are our favorite Instagram photo editors, used by professional influencers, celebrities, and real people just like you:
- VSCO
- Snapseed
- Prisma
- Afterlight
- Adobe Lightroom
- Huji Cam
- Foodie
VSCO: Most popular Instagram photo editor for influencers
The VSCO photo editing app includes popular filters that are all over Instagram. In fact, the hashtags #vsco and #vscocam have been used just under 400 million times to date. The question is, what makes VSCO such a hit with Instagrammers?
The app focuses on building a cohesive theme across Instagram with unique filters that let photographers develop their own style. It also comes with white frames for Instagram photos, which help add a pattern to an Instagram feed. The free version includes 10 popular filters, but to reap the benefits of all that VSCO has to offer, you’ll want a premium subscription at $19.99 per year.
Snapseed: Powerful tool for professional Instagrammers
Snapseed wasn’t created for beginners. It is a powerful tool for photographers who want to create the best possible images for Instagram from their mobile devices. Unique editing tools include professional film filters, edit brushes, masking, reshaping, and auto adjustments.
Every change you make is saved in Snapseed’s history log, so it’s easy to change any of your edits at any time. The #snapseed hashtag has more than 13 million posts on Instagram, and the Snapseed account features photos that use the app and the hashtag.
Prisma: Best Instagram photo editor for fine art filters
The Prisma app is unique in that it makes use of artificial intelligence to alter the structure of your photo to replicate a variety of popular art techniques. The Prisma filter library contains more than 300 art style filters, and a new art filter is released every day.
In addition to the amazing collection of filters, you can also use Prisma’s image enhancement tools to make fine adjustments before sharing your creation on Instagram. Use the hashtag #prisma for a chance to be featured on the official Prisma Instagram account.
Prisma has 2 Premium Subscriptions (1 & 12 months):
– Prisma Premium – 1 Month - $7.99
– Prisma Premium – 12 Months - $29.99
Afterlight: Best Instagram editor for selective color and double exposures
Afterlight is another powerful photo editor that lets you maximize your creativity without expending too much effort. Precise photo enhancement tools are complemented by more than 130 filters, 60 textures and overlays, and several frames and borders.
Want to add selective coloring to an otherwise black and white photo? Simply use the selective hue sliders to create a bright pop of color. Blend photos together to create unique double exposures that will impress your Instagram followers.
You can also save your favorite combinations of tools and filters to create a cohesive Instagram theme. Afterlight is free to download, but premium features require a subscription of $17.99 per year and $2.99 monthly.
Adobe Lightroom: Sets the standard for photo editing in a small package
If you already use the powerful Lightroom software to edit photos on your computer, you’ll be familiar with the interface utilized by the free mobile app. Free features include beautiful Lightroom presets (filters), interactive tutorials, and an advanced photo mixer. Premium features include the ability to edit RAW photos, a healing brush for removing distractions, and Creative Cloud storage.
Photographers who use Lightroom are passionate about their craft and often use Instagram as their main portfolio. For great examples of Lightroom’s capabilities, follow @lightroom and @lightroom_ig on Instagram.
Lightroom premium membership plans :
Adobe Lightroom on the App Store
Huji Cam: Popular Instagram editor for retro photographers
If you search for the #huji hashtag on Instagram, you’ll find more than 800,000 results, all with Huji’s signature look: analog film, random light leaks, blurred edges, and the iconic date stamp in the corner.
Huji became an Instagram sensation with celebrities shortly after its debut, in part because of its nostalgic feel and disposable film look. In an era when retro has become trendy, you may find yourself turning to Huji Cam for a taste of 90s nostalgia.
Foodie: Best Instagram photo editor for food photographers
Did you know that there are special filters made just for photos of food? Food photography is notoriously difficult to master, but thanks to the Foodie app, you can create professional shots of your favorite meals with the tap of a finger before sharing them on Instagram. Food-centric filters have appetizing names like Milk Tea, Crema, and Picnic. Tag #foodieapp for a chance to be featured on @foodieapp.official.
There you have them, the Instagram photo editors that will bring you closer to that coveted influencer status! Take the next step toward Instagram success with these fabulous photo editing apps that take the guesswork out of creating Insta-worthy shots.
