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Table of Contents
Best Apps For Filters On Photos
- VSCO – Our Choice
Customizable filters
One-tap filters with customizable intensity
Advanced picture editing tools
Integrated camera
Delicate color and B&W presets
None
vsco filter app logo
VSCO
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Verdict: VSCO is one of the most popular filter apps, where you can fine-tune all filters. Instead of the usual “Filters” section, VSCO offers “Presets”. Each collection of free VSCO presets resembles a film effect.
In the Presets section, you will find a wide range of both color and B&W filters organized into separate collections. After applying a filter, VSCO offers a single slider for adjusting the intensity of effects. With its help, you may soften the effect or make it more intense. Moreover, it is possible to make additional adjustments, like setting color, exposure, sharpness, skin tone, film grain, vignette, etc.
The presence of a built-in camera is another advantage. You can snap pictures right in VSCO and immediately continue editing them. The camera has some fine adjustments, in the form of a focus point, ISO and white balance. Besides, you get access to a full range of 130+ VSCO filters as well as additional picture correction tools by signing up for a VSCO membership ($19.99 per year).
vsco filter app interface
- Snapseed
Wonderful set of filters for portraits
Adjustable filters
Portrait enhancement filters
Powerful selective picture editing tools
Non-destructive image editing
May be complicated for a newbie
snapseed filter app logo
Snapseed
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Verdict: Snapseed’s set of filters makes it the best filter app for experienced photographers. Filter categories include black and white, vintage, grunge, grainy film, Retrolux and Glamour Glow. A part of presented filters isn’t as delicate as in similar applications. However, they are adjustable, so you can lower the intensity of effects.
One of the distinctive features is non-destructive picture editing. It means that you may delete or change any individual edit at any time in the future. Once you have made some changes to a shot, tap the “Edit History” icon at the top of the screen. Here you can remove any of the layers.
Snapseed allows adding HDR effects and adjusting curves with a designated control point in your shots. In addition, Snapseed provides a brush mask and healing customization functions, just like professional software. This photo editing app is available for free.
snapseed filter app interface
- A Color Story
Over 100 filters, including 40 motion effects
100 adjustable filters
Possibility to create unique, custom filters
Over 40 motion effects
Selective edits and batch photo processing
Possible crashes
Batch editing slows down the performance
a color story filter app logo
A Color Story
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Verdict: A Color Story is one of the best filter apps that provides more efficient adjustments than Instagram’s integrated filters. It is mainly aimed at correcting colors in images. The filters increase the brightness and saturation of all colors, including white. On the whole, Color Story freshens up the shot, making it more original.
This filter app offers more than 100 filters, including 40 motion effects: lens flare, bokeh, light leakage, glow and texture. You may move, resize, rotate these effects and adjust the transparency. In addition, it is possible to create your own filters and save them for future use.
Aside from filters, Color Story provides 20 additional tools, including brushes, curves, sliders for adjusting shadows, exposure, etc. The batch editing feature lets you apply filters and other changes to multiple shots at once. Though the app is free, you may encounter in-app purchases.
a color story filter app interface
- Darkroom
Advanced filters for Insta pics
Filters are conveniently organized into categories
Advanced image improvement tools
A huge variety of color and B&W filters
You can create your own custom filters
Only 12 free filters
Batch editing may lag
darkroom filter app logo
Darkroom
Verdict: Darkroom is a powerful, feature-rich editor offering a large selection of filters. An interesting feature is that you can apply a filter to a “live photo”. Photo filters range from bright and colorful to faded vintage and monochrome. They are organized into categories, including landscape, portrait and black and white. You may adjust the intensity of a filter with a slider.
You can create your own filters and save them as presets for future use. In addition, a free version of Darkroom provides batch editing mode, so you can apply filters and other adjustments to the whole album of shots at once.
Also, Darkroom has a collection of advanced picture editing tools. Among them are HSL, curves, selective adjustments, shadow settings, exposure, healing brush, and more. Most of the tools Darkroom provides are completely free. But there are only 12 free filters, while the full, premium collection consists of 50 options.
darkroom filter app interface
- Afterlight
Filters created by famous photographers
Filters from professional photographers
A large number of overlays
You can create presets
Filters are conveniently grouped by color
Free functionality is limited
Very rare updates
afterlight filter app logo
Afterlight
Verdict: Afterlight is a filter app that offers plenty of professional filters created by famous photographers. Each filter is designed to convey a certain mood in a shot, not just raise brightness, contrast, etc. They range from cool and fresh to grungy and vintage, giving you great flexibility for different styles.
You may use filters separately or in combination with the manual adjustment tools: edit the tone, saturation and intensity of an effect. Additional special effects include selective coloring, double exposure and dust textures. By the way, many Instagram photographers use this application for photo editing.
Aside from ready-made filters and overlays, you may create your own presets and use them in the future. Also, it is worth mentioning that regular presets in Afterlight are grouped by color. On the top of each filter, you will see a line of a single color – blue, green, red, purple or orange. It indicates that a filter belongs to a certain category. This is made for users’ convenience. You can use free or paid version. Keep in mind that the former also has in-app purchases.
afterlight filter app interface
- Photoleap
Advanced filters with the mask tool
Duo filters
Basic adjustment tools
Possibility to adjust ready-made filters
Mask tool for advanced color correction
Some filters are available by subscription
photoleap filter app logo
Photoleap
Verdict: This filter app appeals to users with a broad range of high-quality, fully customizable filters. Besides, it comes with many powerful tools, so you can give your photos a professional look without resorting to advanced desktop programs. Photoleap can satisfy both skilled artists as well as average users who want to improve their images before outputting them to social networks.
Among the features, you’ll find layers and blending modes, cool effects, filters, brushes, tonal adjustments, and more. Thus, you can embody your creative ideas on the go and share the results with followers. The process is very simple.
For advanced users, it provides the “Mask” tool needed for point correction. For instance, you can use the B&W filter for the sunset (the background of the shot), and for the foreground (the main object in the shot) – a contrasting red color, thereby making the shot expressive, unique. Just like Afterlight, this app is free to download. But most filters and tools, including the Mask, are only available in the paid version, priced at $3.99.
photoleap filter app interface
- Instagram
Standard photo filter app
30+ filters for free
Great for beginners
Advanced camera
You can apply “live masks”
No advanced photo enhancement tools
Requires skills of working with other programs
instagram filter app logo
Instagram
Verdict: Instagram is the most popular social network and a basic photo editor. The application offers more than 30 filters that you can use for free. The most popular are Clarendon, Juno, Ludwig, Lark, Gingham, Lo-fi. But these filters are used by every other person, so there is no uniqueness in the final shot. For this reason, Instagram occupies the seventh place on my list of the best filter apps.
There are sliders to adjust the filter’s intensity. Besides, the application lets you tweak exposure, color, sharpness and fade. Adding tilt-shift or vignette effects is possible as well.
The integrated camera deserves special attention. Here you can find not only photo and video shooting functions but also other modes, such as boomerang, superzoom, hands-free. You may apply a filter, as well as use a variety of “live masks” and overlays for each of these shooting styles.
instagram filter app interface
- Retrica
The best camera app with filters
Easy to master
55 free filters
Out-of-focus blur option
Helpful randomization mode
No way to upload a picture from the gallery
Even the Pro version has paid content
retrica filter app logo
Retrica
Verdict: Retrica is a great filter app with a film-like effect, transforming your smartphone into a retro camera. I’ve had no idea that Retrica provides such a vast variety of filters – 80 in total, 55 in the free version. Besides, the application offers a randomization mode, a timer, interval shooting and a blurring effect. The out-of-focus blur feature is very useful, allowing you to focus only on yourself and blur the background.
The same as Instagram, this camera app for iPhone offers plenty of options for creating shots, videos, gifs and even collages. Aside from a large selection of real-time effects and filters, Retrica offers stamps, stickers, drawings, cutting options and texts for decoration.
However, I don’t like the fact that you have to make an extra in-app purchase in both pro and free versions to save pictures exported from the library.
retrica filter app interface
- Polarr
The largest number of free filters
A huge number of free filters
Top-quality weather effects
Multi-platform app
Allows adding watermarks
Pro version involves monthly expenses
Interface and tools arrangement aren’t very convenient
polarr filter app logo
Polarr
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Verdict: Polarr offers an impressive number of filters for photos (including more than 150 paid ones) to edit Instagram photos. All of the filters are organized into different artistic categories, which greatly simplifies the work. Similar to other filtering apps, it allows adjusting the intensity of an effect using a slider.
Unlike in most free filter apps, here you can not only create your own filters for future use but also share them with other users. Another benefit of the application is the ability to add weather effects to the shots. You can add subtle light flare, snow and clouds at the touch of a button, create stunning sunsets or raindrops to convey a melancholic mood. Polarr can also serve as a reliable photo collage app, so don’t hesitate to test its capabilities.
When you buy Polarr Pro for $2.49/month or $23.99/year, you have an option to work closely with the desktop version. You can apply a couple of filters and overlays using your smartphone, and send a photo to the desktop to see the finished result on a big screen.
polarr filter app interface
- Mextures
Beautiful film filters
Clear interface
Remarkable film filters
Unlimited number of layers
Huge collection of textures
Frequent freezes
No support for RAW
No batch editing mode
mextures filter app logo
Mextures
Verdict: Mextures provides a variety of remarkable film-style filters and the possibility to turn photos into B&W. You may add and mix an unlimited number of effect layers to create unique images. After applying a filter, use available photo editing tools to adjust the color, exposure and sharpness.
Another interesting feature of the application is a huge collection of structures, film grain effects, light leaks and colorful gradients. They add a wonderful mood and artistic edge to the shots.
All changes made to a filter/texture can be saved as a separate preset and used in the future. In addition, you may find ready-made presets created by other users in the personal store. Mextures is a paid app, costing $1.99. Make an in-app purchase and get more collections of filters to experiment with.
best filters for photos
- VSCO
Popular photo filter app with subtle film-inspired presets:
One-tap filters with adjustable intensity
Subtle color and B&W presets add a classic film look to your photos
Editing tools for cropping, exposure, color, grain, fade, and more
Built-in camera and photo-sharing community
Price: Free (with a subscription fee for additional filters and tools)
Best Filter App
VSCO (pronounced visco) is one of the best photo filter apps for beautiful, understated edits.
Many apps contain garish and overpowering filters, but VSCO filters are more subtle.
The filters in VSCO are called “presets.” Each preset makes your photo look like you shot it with a film camera.
Best Filter App
The app has a wide range of color and black and white filters, organized into collections. Each collection contains filters suited to particular types of photography or editing styles. This makes it easy to choose the best photo filters for your images.
Once you apply a VSCO preset, you can adjust its strength to tone down the effect.
Best Filter App
You can make further adjustments using a selection of editing tools. These include color, exposure, sharpness, skin tone, film grain, vintage fade, and vignette.
Best Filter App
You can organize filters and editing tools so that your favorites are always easy to find. The VSCO app also has a built-in camera and photo-sharing community.
VSCO is free to download from the App Store. It includes a basic collection of 10 filters as well as a set of photo editing tools.
You can access the full range of over 130 filters, as well as additional editing tools, by subscribing to VSCO X membership ($19.99 a year).
Learn how to use VSCO with our in-depth tutorials:
How To Use VSCO Filters To Create Beautiful iPhone Photos
VSCO App Tutorial: How To Shoot & Edit Beautiful iPhone Photos
- A Color Story
Photo filters that make colors pop and whites appear bright:
Over 100 filters with adjustable strength
Create custom filters saved from your editing steps
Over 40 movable overlay effects, such as textures, light leaks, and lens flare
Editing tools, including selective edits
Batch edit many photos at once
Price: Free (with in-app purchases)
Best Filter App
A Color Story focuses on bringing the colors in your photo to life. This photo filter app makes colors pop and whites appear bright. In general, the filters add a fresh, modern touch to your photos.
Best Filter App
You can create custom filters, and save them for future use. The app has over 20 editing tools, including the option to apply edits to selected parts of your image.
A Color Story also has a wonderful collection of moveable overlay effects.
Best Filter App
These include lens flare, bokeh, light leaks, glows and textures. You can move, resize and rotate these overlays. And you can adjust the opacity to blend the effect with your photo.
The batch edit feature lets you apply filters and other edits to several images at once. This is a great time-saving feature when you have a lot of similar photos to edit.
A Color Story is free to download on the App Store. It comes with a selection of free filters to get you started. You can download many more filters and effects, starting at $0.99 per collection.
- Afterlight 2
Full-featured photo editing app with customizable photo filters and overlays:
Free filter packs created by well-known mobile photographers
Filters are customizable with editing tools
Create your own unique filters for future use
Dust and light leak overlays
Selective editing tools and double exposure
Price: $2.99 (no in-app purchases or subscriptions)
Best Filter App
Afterlight 2 is an all-in-one photo editing app, with a large collection of free filters. Filter packs are created by well-known mobile photographers. Each pack is designed to evoke a specific mood.
Afterlight 2 filters are quite subtle. So you don’t have to worry about them overpowering your photos.
Best Filter App
They range from bright and fresh to grungy and vintage. This gives you plenty of choice for different editing styles.
You can customize existing filters using a range of editing tools. Or create your own custom filters for a unique look.
The app has a selection of dust and light leak overlays.
Best Filter App
You can edit your images using a wide range of adjustment tools. And you can also blend two images to create beautiful double exposures.
Afterlight 2 is available for $2.99 on the App Store. The price includes all filters, and there are no in-app purchases or subscription fees. The app is updated with new free content every month.
Click here to learn how to use the Afterlight photo editor.
- Snapseed
Powerful photo editor with customizable iPhone filters:
Large collection of customizable filters
Black and white, grainy film, and grungy textures
Vintage, noir, and “retrolux” filters for a retro look
Portrait enhancement and glamor glow filters
Powerful selective editing tools
Price: Free (no in-app purchases or subscriptions)
Best Filter App
Snapseed offers a wide range of filters for getting creative with your iPhone photo editing. Some of the Snapseed filters aren’t as subtle as other filter apps. But the filters are customizable, so you can tone down the effects if you wish.
Filter categories include Black & White, Vintage, Grunge, Grainy Film, Retrolux and Glamor Glow.
Best Filter App
The Portrait filter is perfect for enhancing your portrait photos. It brightens faces, smoothes skin, and makes eyes sparkle.
Best Filter App
Snapseed also has a set of filters under the Looks tab. Again, you can customize them to suit the photo you’re editing.
Best Filter App
This app is a powerful photo editor with an excellent set of professional editing tools. You can apply edits to only certain parts of the image, giving you ultimate control over your photos.
Snapseed is free to download from the App Store. Everything in the app is free. There are no in-app purchases, subscriptions or upgrade fees.
Click here for a complete guide to Snapseed photo editing.
- Instagram
Apply filters and edits right before you share your photos on Instagram:
Great selection of flattering iPhone filters
Adjustable filter strength
Editing tools for cropping, color, exposure, and sharpness
Add a vignette or tilt-shift effect
Edit and share your photos within a single app
Price: Free (no in-app purchases or subscriptions)
Best Filter App
Instagram is one of the most popular photo-sharing apps. If you use Instagram to share your iPhone photos, you can apply a filter right before you post your image.
Instagram has a great selection of filters, although not as many as some of the other apps we’ve covered. Some of its iPhone filters have a subtle vintage feel. But there are also options for creating a fresh or moody vibe.
Best Filter App
You can adjust filter strength using a slider. And there are editing tools for fine-tuning color, exposure, fade, and sharpness. You can also add a vignette or tilt-shift effect.
Best Filter App
Instagram is free to download from the App Store. All filters and editing tools are free to use, and there are no hidden charges.
Check out this tutorial to learn how to edit your iPhone photos with Instagram.
- Darkroom
Powerful photo editor and filter app for editing Live Photos and still images:
Good selection of color and B&W filters
Filters can be applied to iPhone Live Photos as well as still images
Includes filters designed for landscape and portrait photos
Create your own custom filters
Powerful photo editing tools
Batch edit many photos at once
Price: Free (with in-app purchases)
Best Filter App
Darkroom offers a good selection of free filters. And there are plenty more premium filters available to buy. The great thing about Darkroom is you can apply filters and edits to Live Photos as well as still images.
Filters range from bright and colorful to faded vintage and monochrome. They’re organized into categories, including Landscapes, Portraits, and B&W. You can adjust the filter strength using a slider.
Best Filter App
You can also create your own filters and save them for future use. The batch edit feature lets you apply filters and other edits to many photos at once.
As well as one-tap filters, Darkroom has an impressive collection of editing tools. These include standard color and exposure tools, as well as curves and selective color.
Best Filter App
Darkroom is free to download from the App Store. It comes with 12 free filters to get you started. You can buy the entire collection of premium filters and editing tools for $7.99.
- Enlight
All-in-one photo editor with beautiful film-inspired filters and artistic tools:
Analog, duotone and B&W filters
Highly customizable film-inspired presets
Mask tool for applying filters and edits selectively
Includes a range of editing and artistic tools
Price: $3.99 (no in-app purchases or subscriptions)
Best Filter App
Enlight contains a great range of beautiful, highly customizable photo filters. The Analog filters add a film-inspired look to your photos. The BW presets include classic black and white, as well as vintage sepia styles. The Duo filters apply gorgeous duotone gradients of two colors.
You can customize each preset to create your own unique look. Filter settings include color, brightness, film grain, fade, vignette and light leaks.
Best Filter App
Enlight is a very intuitive app to use. You adjust the strength of filters and settings by swiping left or right.
The app has a Mask tool for applying filters and edits to only certain parts of your image. It also has a good selection of general photo editing tools. And you can get creative with the artistic paint and sketch effects.
Best Filter App
You can download Enlight for $3.99 on the App Store. Everything is included in this price, with no extra in-app purchases.
Click here for a complete guide to editing your iPhone photos in the Enlight app.
- Polarr
Sophisticated editing app with an extensive collection of film-inspired filters:
Huge collection of free film-inspired filters
Many more premium filters available to buy
Create and share your own custom filters
Overlays that emulate weather, clouds, skies, lens flare, and light leaks
Editing tools, including portrait retouching
Price: Free (with a subscription fee for premium filters and tools)
Best Filter App
Polarr has an extensive collection of free film-inspired filters. Many more premium filters are available by subscribing to the Pro version of the app.
Best Filter App
The Polarr filters are of high quality, and the strength is adjustable. You can also create and share your own custom filters.
Polarr has a great range of professional photo editing tools. You can also add photorealistic overlays. These include clouds, sunset skies, rain, snow, sun flares, and light leaks. Get creative by adding and blending several different layers of effects.
Best Filter App
Polar is free to download on the App Store. It comes with a large collection of free filters. More are available to buy via subscription. Polarr Pro subscription fees are $2.49 a month or $23.99 a year. This gives you access to their premium filters and pro editing tools.
- Mextures
Creative editing app for applying textures, grain, light leaks, and film-like filters:
26 filter presets based on popular film and post-processing techniques
Grit, grain, grunge, and vintage film textures
Analog light leaks and beautiful colored gradients
Stack and blend effects using layers
Editing tools for fine-tuning color, exposure, and sharpness
Price: $2.99 (with in-app purchases)
Best Filter App
Mextures is an amazing app for adding vintage and gritty textures to your iPhone photos.
It has a huge collection of textures, film grains, light leaks, and colorful gradients. These add wonderful mood and an artistic edge to your photos.
Best Filter App
The app has a range of beautiful film-style filters, and the option to convert to black and white. You can use the editing tools to adjust color, exposure, and sharpness.
You can stack and blend unlimited layers of effects to create unique edits.
Best Filter App
Save your edits as “formulas” to use over and over again on your photos. Or use formulas created by other photographers. This is perfect for getting started if you’re new to the app.
You can download Mextures for $2.99 on the App Store. More collections of effects are available as in-app purchases.
Click here to learn how to use Mextures to add wonderful textures to your iPhone photos.
- Distressed FX
Turn your photos into works of art with vintage-style filters and textures:
Customizable vintage and moody filters
Artistic and textured overlays
Add birds and clouds to the sky in your photos
Apply lens blur, bokeh and light effects
Add custom textures and overlays from your own photo library
Price: $0.99 (with in-app purchases)
Best Filter App
Conclusion
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