The Best Picture
Color Inverter

Color inversion allows creative professionals to achieve an unusual effect and fully transform their image. By swapping opposite hues, you can give photos a magical feel. There is no need to use dedicated pro-level software to perform this task and pay for subscription trying only one function.

My colleagues and I recently decided to create a professional series of surreal photos with inverted colors. To discover the best app for this project, we decided to test the most popular ones people recommend on Reddit and Instagram that allow users to get an inverted image. When testing them, we focused on their usability, the quality of outputs, and the variety of uses.

Negative Image is the most intuitive application on this list and the first one in both app stores. What makes it different from the rest is that it allows me to invert colors in specific areas of a photo while leaving the rest of the image as it was before.

• I decided to test this app to invert the colors of a black-and-white image as you can see above. It did not take me long to complete the task. I was pleased by the fact that I was able to isolate the subject and invert only the background but it looked weird. Now when everything is inverted the men’s teeth look strange and a bit scary and I can’t adjust it.

However, as this app does not allow me to fine-tune adjustments using sliders, it was impossible to tweak brightness and contrast with high precision. Besides, the free version has too many distracting ads, and users can save their images only in the premium version.

Negative Image has been updated a long time ago, which makes its performance a bit inconsistent.

The second place is set be Negative Me which allows me to perform one-click edits to quickly transform my photos by inverting the colors. The application has streamlined functionality, as it was built specifically for users who value efficient performance. The biggest minus is that you can’t use it if you have an Android phone.

• Negative Me helped me invert an old picture I discovered in our FixThePhoto archives. It was fast and simple. After selecting a photo, I had to wait for a few seconds until it was inverted. The outcome as you can see above looks nice but the girls hair is too bright and I can’t change them in the Negative Me app.

Even though it allows me to invert colors with ease, its functionality is limited. It does not have extra image adjustment tools. While it’s suitable for performing quick conversions, it’s hardly suitable for users who want to edit their images at an advanced level.

In contrast to Negative Me, the FixThePhoto Body Editor & Tune app includes all possible editing tools, including a color inverter. After downloading this app, users can order high-quality manual editing provided by a team of experienced retouchers behind the app. It is better than other similar solutions that rely only on AI-driven tools.

• As I wanted to test the app, I uploaded a portrait photo and asked the experts to perform a color inversion on the background. Besides, I requested them to edit the model’s facial features. The result surpassed my expectations - the inverted background looked eye-pleasing and had nice contrast, while the model looked natural and elegant. If you take a look at the sample, you will understand that these experts outdid themselves and it was free, because you don’t pay for your first photo.

In addition, I asked them to make the model slimmer. I was also interested in fixing face asymmetry. They coped with both tasks perfectly. You can edit the first photo for free. If you are not fully satisfied with the result, they will further enhance your photo at no extra cost.

I have been using Adobe software when working on my projects for a long time. This is why I decided to test Photoshop Express to see whether it can invert a picture with high accuracy on my phone.

This app has a streamlined design and a variety of color tools similar to Photoshop. Its interface is quite intuitive, making it suitable even for novice users. It comes with detailed guides that allow users to learn how to utilize every tool. The icons are easy to understand as well.

• For the test here I took not a difficult portrait, but a landscape photo. Chose a suitable effect and configured other settings like contrast. It helped me improve the quality of an output image. I also liked the Spot Healing tool. With it, I was able to delete distracting details with high accuracy.

I also like the fact that this app allows me to zoom and make precise edits. However, I was disappointed by the low-precision color inversion effect. Even though the in-built tools occasionally allow me to achieve pro-level results, the paid version of the app hardly offers a great value for the money, especially if you don’t plan to use it often. For people who do not need to make such edits frequently, FixThePhoto Body Editor & Tune is a better option to consider.

Snapseed is a popular app that comes up at the top of search results whenever I search for a picture color inverter. However, this editor has more advanced functionality, making it invaluable for other edits as well. This application it suitable for cropping and rotating photos, adjusting WB and tonal contrast, as well as performing other tasks.

• I decided to use Snapseed to invert the colors in my cityscape photo. Before applying the filter, I adjusted the curves and improved the contrast to improve the quality of the output photo. I liked the streamlined editing process. The final image had rich and beautiful hues but the trees almost become white, unfortunately as you can see above.

I also decided to use the healing tool to remove imperfections and give the background an immaculate feel. The only shortcoming of this photo inverse app is that it is rather difficult to understand where to find all these functions and sliders, especially for newbies. While it has plenty of professional tools, it may take you a while to figure out how to use them.

I’ve used PhotoDirector previously when I needed to edit my travel pics and apply filters to photos taken during various events. This app allows me to perform such tasks with ease. Nonetheless, I have never used it to perform color inversion. I was extremely pleased by the fact that it allowed me to invert my photos with ease.

• I decided to apply the filter to a floral picture to give it a surreal and magical feel. It was important for me to invert the green tones without affecting the rest of the photo. This image inverter performed the task with high accuracy and helped me adjust the intensity of the effect. Using the in-built slider, I was able to fine-tune the result to create an attention-grabbing image. I also decided to adjust the curves and was able to add a dramatic feel to my photo.

Even though I like the pro-grade tools available in the app, I believe that beginners will find it difficult to use more advanced features like layers or HSL tools.

The free version is quite limited. Despite some shortcomings, this AI photo editor still has impressive functionality, so make sure to test its tools before paying for the premium version.

I decided to add Pixlr to this list, as it is suitable for all sorts of color adjustments. Using it, I can make colors richer or apply overlays to my photos. It allows me to achieve excellent results whenever I use it. With it, I can invert the colors in selected areas of my photos to fully transform them.

• To test the available tools, I uploaded a photo of a sunset with muted colors and wanted birds be the center of the image. I inverted the photo to create a dreamlike effect and then applied the Color Replace tool to enhance specific areas. I like the result and fully satisfied.

This photo color inverter also has an effects library. I was able to apply a layered filter to the final version of my photo to make the hues even more vibrant. The only disadvantage was that the app crashed once when I was performing an advanced color correction. Even though I was able to complete the task on time, you should be aware of this issue before installing the app.

My team and I thoroughly tested the most widely used apps, photo inverters, used by creative professionals. We wanted to check whether the applications we selected were delivering a consistent performance, had intuitive functionality, and were able to produce professional-quality negative photos. Besides, we decided to choose apps with cross-platform functionality that had versions both for iOS and Android devices.

The first thing we did was to check the ease of use. It’s especially important for beginners who don’t have an extensive technical background or experience with using color inversion tools. When testing each app, we tested whether they have intuitive interfaces, allowing users to quickly find the color inversion tool. The most convenient applications are easy to navigate, which enables creatives to make them an integral part of their workflows. Tata also checked how long it took her to perform a basic task, such as inverting the colors in a photo or performing an inversion.

The next thing we did was test editing features and customize them. Many people want to access other tools besides color inversion features to adjust brightness, fix contrast, or add filters. This is why we were looking for an app with extensive functionality to ensure it delivers great value for the money. We wanted to discover an app with intuitive color inversion settings. Such solutions are typically suitable for making professional edits, performing layering, or adding masks to specific areas.

We were also paying attention to performance. We wanted to find apps that allow users to invert a pic and support different file sizes and formats. Besides, we were considering loading times, responsiveness, and glitches. If an app crashes often, it may cause delays and prevent a professional from meeting tight deadlines.

Finally, we analyzed the available export options. We wanted to find apps that support different resolution options and popular image formats for those who want to get high-quality inverted pictures when working on professional projects. In addition, we decided to find apps that allow users to quickly save and share enhanced photos on social media and cloud storage platforms.