Best App Like Polarr

Photoshop app on iPhone is arguably the best Polarr alternative, particularly thanks to its latest updates.

• I employed it to get rid of passersby in a cityscape photo, and the Remove Tool did its job so efficiently that I didn’t even need to zoom. Shadows, pavement texture, and lighting all looked natural. Moreover, I tried the Adjustment Brush to isolate contrast exclusively on the buildings, and the app registered my selection perfectly.

If you already have experience using Adobe software, learning this app will be incredibly easy. If you’ve been looking for a desktop-like experience on your iPhone, Photoshop is as close as you can get.

Key features:

• AI-based Remove Tool
• Highly accurate adjustment brush
• Contextual editing feature
• PSD cloud synchronization
• Smart layer support

I used Pixlr to make a quick social media image that doesn’t have the dust and product stickers present in the original photo. The provided Healing brush delivers great results with plain backgrounds and manages to avoid softening the subject’s edges, which is exactly what I wanted.

• Sadly, when I attempted to adjust the deeper shadows, the tool started to smudge the colors. It struggles to deal with intricate textures and layered lighting. However, it’s still a great option if you’re looking for websites like Polarr since its browser version offers terrific performance even on older systems.

Pixlr is pleasantly intuitive and doesn’t require any downloads, which is perfect if you prefer to make your edits on the go in your browser.

Key features:

• Web-based workflow
• Straightforward healing tool
• Quick cutout tool
• Layer-based overlays
• Automated background deletion

A coworker asked me to enhance a group portrait shot at a corporate event. I was supposed to remove cables in the backdrop and adjust the posture of one of the people in the photo.

• I imported the image into Fix The Photo Body Editor&Tune, described the desired changes, and received the enhanced photo within 20 minutes. The image didn’t have any blur or unnatural elements, a result of being edited by actual experienced retouchers rather than AI algorithms.

The process is similar to using specialized photo restoration software, but with quicker delivery and mobile availability. If you want to receive pro-grade results without having to invest in and master premium software, this app should be at the top of your list. Moreover, you can get the first image free.

Key features:

• Manual human retouching
• Personalized shape correction
• Realistic background cleanup
• Quick turnaround
• One free photo

I frequently rely on Lightroom to perform color correction on entire folders of RAW photos simultaneously. I recently had to enhance a café picture, evening out its warm tones, adding more light to the model’s face, and preserving the natural glow of the scene.

• The healing tool needs improvement, and it’s inconsistent for object deletion. However, whenever I need complete freedom to adjust the colors, contrast, and white balance, Lightroom is my go-to. Additionally, I enjoy free Lightroom presets, which increase my productivity and ensure all photos in a series have a consistent look.

If you’re looking for apps like Polarr for PC and mobile that are perfect for intricate retouching, you can’t go wrong with Lightroom, as long as you also use a different solution for intricate object removal.

Key features:

• Robust tone masking
• RAW color grading
• Can be synchronized with your PC/laptop
• Granular exposure control
• Lens correction feature

I used Snapseed to edit a portrait where a part of the model's face was covered in shadow. I employed the Selective tool to increase the brightness and contrast of that area and the enhanced image preserved its natural look.

• The UI feels outdated and accessing several features requires way more taps than necessary. The provided Healing tool is useful for small blemishes, but not accurate enough for large objects.

If you’re looking for free apps like Polarr, Snapseed should still be near the top of your shortlist despite its shortcomings. It's a lightweight offline solution that works great for simple exposure and skin tone adjustments, and adding some final touches to enhance your images.

Key аeatures:

• Selective adjustments
• Curves and ambiance
• Structure enhancement feature
• Non-destructive workflow
• Portrait skin smoothing

I relied on Picsart to touch up a beach photo that suffered from two passersby walking in the backdrop, which I got rid of with the help of the Object Remover. The result was instant, but I needed to manually adjust one side to fix the unnatural sand blend.

• Afterward, I applied a soft filter and converted the photo into a story sticker by leveraging the available templates. This is among the quickest apps I’ve tried for making social media content, even if the quality is very uneven.

If you pit PicsArt vs Lightroom, the latter has the edge when it comes to highly precise edits while the former is better suited for quick adjustments on the go. If you value speed and creativity over precision, Picsart definitely deserves your attention.

Key features:

• Instant object deletion
• AI-based artistic filters
• Collage and story templates
• Add text to images
• Facial retouching presets

I downloaded VSCO to enhance a bunch of sunset photos from my recent trip to Spain. I added one of the film filters, toned down the saturation a bit, and applied some grain, receiving a moody and timeless look that still had its natural appeal.

• This app doesn’t have an object removal feature and its free version toolset is fairly limited. However, if your goal is to establish a coherent visual identity across a set of photos, VSCO is perfect for such a task.

When compared to other free photo editing apps, it offers the most professional-looking filters despite having a limited toolkit otherwise. If you value style over in-depth edits, this is one of the best Polarr alternatives you can try.

Key features:

• Film-themed filters
• Soft grain slider
• Fade and tone settings
• Mood-themed preset collections
• Grid-based preview

To determine the best apps like Polarr that can be used for actual image editing, our team at FixThePhoto stuck to a hands-on approach. We primarily checked out options that support color correction, retouching, and creative filters while still being user-friendly and suitable for creating high-quality images.

We tested all apps on a wide range of photos including portraits, RAW images, travel pictures, and studio headshots. As such, we could evaluate their performance when dealing with different lighting conditions and photography genres.

Applications like AirBrush, Prequel, and PhotoDirector were also tested but failed to make our selection because of overly artificial results, lack of customization, or the absence of advanced tools.

It was crucial for us to test how every app handles automation and manual user input. The leading options provide both fast AI-powered edits and manual masking tools and sliders. Such versatility is particularly relevant when enhancing skin tones or handling challenging lighting conditions.

Additionally, we identified the core problems of each app. Some made the textures look smudged or ruined the natural appeal of the photo. Others disfigured the shadows or applied off-putting color shifts. The highest-rated apps like Polarr didn’t suffer from such issues and consistently managed to provide professional results.

After concluding our evaluations, we hand-picked the most appealing Polarr replacements that provided a lot of customization options without slowing you down or lowering the result quality. You can check out any one of these solutions if you’re interested in getting beautiful edits without a lot of manual work.