Social media marketing has become more and more about creating amazing visuals in order to gain traction. If you’re not creating eye-catching imagery or using engaging GIFs or memes, we’re sorry to say you’re bringing up the rear. Fortunately, there is no shortage of photo editing apps to help you create magic in your social media strategy!

Social media is about fast communication and immediate gratification. There is too much to stimulate the senses, and great imagery will help ensure your posts get noticed. Regardless of your industry, it’s easy to see that better images just produce better results and gain more traction.

First of all, you need photos that don’t look like they were taken for medical textbooks. There are apps for that, while you learn. Second of all, you must learn a thing or two about photo editing, so those photos gain the attention they really deserve. We’ve covered everything to help novice photo editors as well as the advanced among us.

Give your brand the attention it deserves with high quality images, that you can produce yourself in one of these free photo editing apps. Here are the top 25 photo editing apps social media managers are using to keep their feed as attention grabbing as possible:

Instagram
If you haven’t heard of Instagram, you’ve been living under a rock! This is, hands down, the most popular app for image sharing, and has an array of filters, editing tools, and even color modification capabilities. Not only is the social media reach possibility extensive, but the editing capability is quite advanced!

Fotor
If you need an app that’s easy to use for a beginner, look no further than Fotor! Their user tools are friendly to the image editing newbie, while still providing unique features like their focus feature. With that, even your terrible photography skills can be improved upon! Your subpar images can become social media ready with a few flicks of your fingers.

Mextures
Are you a little more advanced? Mextures is for those of us that want to kick their mobile image editing up a notch. They even include layer-based editing, which will give you similar capabilities to apps like Photoshop. Their amazing filter effects and blending tools just add even more flexibility to produce professional quality results.

Facetune
Love the selfie, but hate the zit? As long as no one else takes photos of you and tags you in them on FB, Facetune is an ideal app to put your best face forward. It’s so easy to use, your may have figured out why your friends look so much better in their pics than they do in person!

Afterlight
If you want something simple for fast editing, with a sleek UI, Afterlight may suit your tastes. It’s fairly advanced for its simplicity, making it a perfect app if you know next to nothing about photo editing.

Apptly
The human face is a touchy subject, and Apptly specializes in enhancing this kind of imagery with incredible production values. There is an excellent suite of filters and effects to ensure you can get your image looking great — even on the run!

Photochop
Chop chop! You might recognize the clever name, and this app is designed to transform your photos in much the same way! Create collages, play with all their basic and advanced effects, and hand fun!

Handy Photo
iOS users have all the fun, it seems! Handy Photo is an intuitive app with a simple UI that will make the grunt work easy — even on the go! So if you simply must make that snapshot Insta-worthy on the spot, this is an excellent choice!

Path On
Path On is an ideal app for typographical art over photos, making it easy to get text looking exactly as you need it to look! The images can also be enhanced, making this an excellent all-in-one tool.

Camera+
If you have an iPhone, but want an elevated touch, Camera+ gives you that extra boost where you need it. It’s both a camera app and an editing tool, that keeps images a cut above the standard cell phone pic. There’s even a RAW Capture feature!

Superimpose
It’s all in the name, for this app! This is a tool that allows the use of layers to superimpose images on top of each other, giving newbies a taste of professional editing tools.

Snapseed
Snapseed is a basic photo editing app, but does have additional features that will also please a more advanced user. This is an excellent all around app for anyone who wants to make products or images pop, with enhanced lighting and focus.

PhotoWonder
Enhancing a portrait has never been easier. This award winning app packs in filters, editing tools, frames, decorations, and so much more!

Boomerang For Instagram
Boomerangs are fun, and we don’t mean the Aussie variety! If you haven’t seen silly little videos of people with the boomerang, you’re clearly not paying attention! Add a little humor, fun, and vitality to your social feeds with this app!

TouchRetouch
You don’t need fancy photo editing tools to touch up! TouchRetouch is a magical little app that helps you get rid of the undesirable elements of your photos. So, if you really just can’t stand your ex-friend Becky in that one photo, you now have the power to edit her out!

Camera360
This app is oriented to selfies, but it packs a powerful punch! Everyone wants a perfect pic to share, so why not turn the less ideal pics into art? Not only can you improve your actual face, but you can add stickers and text, with dozens of options!

Color Story
Color Story ensures that your soft, muted colors are a thing of the past. If you want to add a little more of a vibrant touch to your pictures, this app will add a little color back into your photos so they’re more eye catching than ever.

Pixlr
Pixlr has extensive effects! You’ll start up this app to more than 2 million overlays, effects, and filters! You have so many options available to create a masterpiece with whatever image you’re trying to enhance. They also offer the collage maker, which makes it easier to create posts with comparative imagery!

VSCO
VSCO has become a trend! If you’re a pro and you want to show off your work, this is like a next level portfolio where your work can be compared with world class photographers! This app also helps those seeking improvement in their skills with their incredible suite of user tools, allowing creative freedom and easy social sharing.

Camera MX
Camera MX is exclusive for android users! This is a powerful tool with incredible photo manipulation options and a simple UI. Moreover, their unique photo assist AI helps ensure that newbie photographers don’t have photos full of rookie mistakes.

SKRWT
It’s always good practice to take a ton of shots, in case the one you like the most isn’t quite right. However, sometimes we have the perfect shot, and it’s just a little off. Sometimes it takes just a little extra touch to ensure that your imagery is the best it could be. SKRWT can help make those images perfect, allowing you to adjust the perspective and skew.

Live Collage
You might have seen pretty collages throughout Instagram, and wondered how people get such beautiful, creative photos. Live Collage takes collage editing to the next step, helping you create professional, clean imagery with thousands of layouts and even video editing tools!

PicLab HD
Have a meme idea? Need to add some wit to your social feeds? PicLabHD has you covered, with easy photo manipulation and meme making with a few thumb strokes. You’re on the fast track to likes!

LINE Camera
With thousands of filters, borders, gifs and more, a free editing tool has never been more inclusive.

Tadaa
Tadaa allows selective editing, amazing portraits, and professional looking results. The best part, is that many of the best features are FREE!

Not every app is going to be ideal for your needs, so feel free to take some for as test drive! With these tools in your marketing arsenal, you’ll have a little extra oomph in your social media campaigns and other digital communications!

Are there any other apps that have helped you create magic on a budget?

Not social media savvy? That’s okay! Let our experienced Social Media Marketers help you create the magic.