Best Photo Video Editing Software For Mac

1. Best Photo Editing Apps For Mac
2. Best Photo Video Editing Software For Mac 2020
3. Best Video Editing Software Mac

What the above software apps enable you to do, is to polish images, increase the lighting, sharpen the saturation as well as a million other things for a perfect look. If you love perfection, these are the options to go for. They are the Best free photo editing software for Mac 2020. We think Pixelmator Pro is one of the best photo editing apps for the Mac that is reasonably priced with a ton of amazing features. If you want to learn more about Pixelmator Pro, don't miss our full in-depth review. Pixelmator Pro Review: An image-first experience for photo editing on Mac. Luminar is one of the best picture editing software for Mac and it comes at the price of $67.00. You are guaranteed to get your money back if you decide against using this software further before 30 days expire.

What should you look for in video editing software for Mac? That is a question you may ask when looking for an application to edit your videos. But the better question is–where do you plan to use your videos? The answer can help you choose, as some solutions are simpler than others, allowing for the quick creation of professional-quality presentation or tutorial videos. Other platforms are the more advanced types, with an array of high-tech tools suitable for use by commercial video/film producers and editors.

You'll be surprised at the diverse range of video editing software for Mac in the market today. If you research all of them, you'll need to take a few days of leave from work. Don't worry; we have done the heavy lifting for you and came up with a lineup of the 12 best video editing software for Mac. These best video editing tools are either intuitive to casual users or powerful for pros, while some are scalable so that they can be used by both types of users. We also highlight the key features of each software to make it easier to compare them.

Employees prefer Mac for work because it increases productivity, a survey found. Also, workers believe that Mac computers boosted their creativity and collaboration. What's more, they say that Mac enables them to be self-sufficient.

Workers choose Mac for better productivity

Source: Apple Insider

Since workers across a broad stream of departments prefer to use Mac, it is a natural course for software vendors like video editing software companies and developers to take their product right at Mac's doorstep. As one of the 100 million Mac and MacBook users worldwide, you're on the right track upping the ante of your video quality (our apologies, PC users), not just with the right machine, but with any of the software on our list. If your requirement is not Mac-specific, you can read our 20 best video editing tools for more options.

12 Best Video Editing Software for Mac

1. Camtasia

Camtasia is both a video editing software and a screen recording solution. Because it incorporates the two, users can create content that integrates video captured from cameras and screen records. Moreover, the platform is equipped with features that optimize the creation of eLearning materials such as quizzes and surveys that can be embedded in your videos. This is especially beneficial to educators or users who produce tutorial videos. Mac users can also look forward to Camtasia running smoothly on their machines. It can operate without trouble even when video editors only meet the minimum specifications.

If you are interested in checking what Camtasia has to offer, the software has a free trial. When that period expires, you need to sign up for a license, which starts at $249.99. This can already unlock the full feature set of Camtasia. But if you prefer an all-around solution, you can look at digital asset management software instead.

• Screen recording with audio
• Video templates
• Music and audio library

2. InVideo

InVideo is ideal for brands, publishers, and marketing agencies that need an affordable and easy-to-use video editing platform. The software is known for its wide selection of video templates that are suited for various promotional content, such as Facebook videos, invitation videos, campaigns, and even real estate ads. You can then customize these templates, add additional scenes, text, and audio, and repurpose them for different channels.

Moreover, InVideo comes with powerful video editing features to help you create attention-grabbing videos in a breeze. It includes basic features found in most video editing software, such as scene trimming, resizing, transitions, animations, and audio, as well as an automated speech-to-text option. Plus, you can use different text styles to keep your viewers hooked and engaged with your promotional videos.

• Extensive media library
• User-friendly features
• Fun, engaging stickers and text style options

3. Movavi Video Editor

Movavi Video Editor is an easy-to-use powerful video editor for both Windows and Mac users. It is packed with features that allow users to make their home video, presentation, or indie film look professional. Movavi Video Editor includes presets for filters, adding titles, transitions, and ready-made intros. Also, the platform is really easy to use. For people who have experience using video editing software, they can just jump right in and do work using Movavi.

There are two main versions of Movavi Video Editor for Mac and PC.

First is the basic Movavi Video Editor 2020 targeted at beginners. It has all the basic features including some built-in intros, backgrounds, music, and sounds. It also has a few filters and transitions available. The edition is great for hobbyists creating home videos for family and friends. And, it is free.

Secondly, the Movavi Video Editor Plus 2020, is packed with more features for advanced video editing. It is perfect for prosumers and professionals whose jobs require them to create fast and engaging video presentations. Additional Plus features include a media bin for quick access of project files, adjustable filter intensity, and keyframe animation of video stickers and titles among others. Moreover, it trumps the basic version when it comes to the complexity of editing allowed. This is because unlike the basic edition that only allows six tracks on the Timeline, the Plus version allows 99. The Movavi Video Editor Plus 2020 is priced at $59.95.

There are also other Movavi offerings like the Movavi Video Suite 2020 which comes with a series of nifty video features like an editor, converter, and screen recorder, among others.

• Automatic video creator for a quick and easy content fix
• Fast processing of HD and 4K videos
• Built-in intros, backgrounds, videos, sound, and music

4. Final Cut Pro

Next on our list of 12 best video editing software for Mac is Final Cut Pro. It is Apple's premier professional video editing software for macOS users. The application is built to tap into the robust processing core, graphics card, and VRAM that power the latest Mac machines. With the software harnessing multi-core and multi-thread hardware capabilities of Macs, together with a huge set of cutting-edge editing tools, the result is smooth and accelerated post-production work from start to finish.

Final Cut Pro gives you the ability to import, share, and edit videos from a variety of cameras and devices with support for multiple formats. It has numerous tools for editing and timeline, trimming, effects, audio enhancement, color correction, closed captions, multimedia management, and project workflow. It can handle VR headset playback and 360-degree video editing, as well as HDR and ProResRAW sources. The software allows you to integrate dozens of third-party tools, devices, content, and plug-ins to give you an extendable platform.

The software is a standalone, on-premise solution priced at $299 (one-time payment). While it is locally deployed, the software allows you to upload, organize, and download files from online storage and stock media sites for project collaboration and sharing. It is designed for iMac and MacBook computers with macOS 10.13.6 or later versions of the operating system.

• Advanced tools for video/audio editing, motion graphics, and delivery
• Built on 64-bit architecture for handling complex projects and effects
• Extendable workflow via integration with dozens of external tools

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is a video editing software for professionals and enthusiasts. Its claim of being 'a cut above the rest' has an element of truth about it. That's because it has become a popular tool for filmmakers, videographers, TV editors, and YouTube content creators. It has evolved into an industry-standard not only in video editing but also in workflow automation and media asset management. It supports all kinds of cameras, all types of formats, and any platform, including Mac and PC. This would make an excellent platform to use in conjunction with content marketing software, which could assist you in reaching out to your audience.

From its extensive R&D and the suggestions of its horde of users, Adobe Premiere Pro is a continually improving product with new features rolled out for every new release. It offers a new Freeform view for organizing and viewing storyboard and media files; rulers and guides for the precise layout of clips, text, and graphics; auto-Ducking for adding ambient sounds into your audio mix; faster mask tracking; and a dozen other enhancements on audio and video.

Of course, all the other features Adobe Premiere is known for are still there, including precise color grading, motion graphics, and animation, instant audio improvement, and integration with hundreds of partner technologies. The software also works seamlessly with its sibling Adobe products like After Effects, Audition, Photoshop, InDesign, and others. The software is part of Adobe's Creative Cloud, which means it is accessible online from any connected device. It has several packages for business, students, and schools. For individuals, the plan is pegged at $29.99/month or $239.88/year.

• Established industry leader
• Multi-platform, multi-format, compatibility
• Regular roll out or updates and new features

6. Videobolt PRO

Videobolt PRO is a cloud-based video editing platform. It has an easy-to-use interface that allows both novice and seasoned editors to create professional-level videos. Its intuitive interface allows users to quickly create videos for daily social media posts, seasonal marketing campaigns, and even personal video greetings. Its main video editing features include customizable templates designed by professional animators, a project management module, and a media library. Moreover, because of being completely web-based, you can keep your computer free of video rendering load. Your video is rendered on Videobolt's onsite servers. No expensive hardware investment and maintenance required.

Even though the platform is cloud-based, users don't even feel any interface delays as they work on their projects. There are different modules that help users create different types of videos faster as well. There are modules for Facebook and Instagram stories, music visualization, logo intros, and product promos among others. Just click on which type of video you need and multiple template options will appear. Choose the best fit and customize it to match your brand.

There are many professionally-designed templates available especially for business. You can use Videobolt PRO for video campaigns in a wide array of industries. There are templates for gaming campaigns, e-commerce advertising, and even for musicians, labels, and producers. It has a useful music visualization module that allows you to create eye-grabbing visualizations synced with your music. Videobolt PRO pricing starts at $267 monthly billed annually at $3200.

• Easy and powerful cloud rendering to keep your machine free for other activities.
• Built-in easy-to-use templates for various business needs like video intros, Instagram stories, and music visualization.
• The pro version allows for team-level access so the right people can collaborate on the right issues for your video campaign materials.

7. VideoPad

VideoPad is a video editing platform created by NCH Software for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. Designed with freelancers, small enterprises, and mid-sized businesses in mind, this platform comes equipped with an extensive set of easy-to-use editing features. From color correcting and video cropping to video transition application and speed adjustments, VideoPad can provide you with all the tools you require. With this at your disposal, you can easily create professional-looking videos for your business.

One of the things that make VideoPad great is that it has a lower learning curve than most professional editing software. It comes with a drag-and-drop interface and straightforward usability, allowing novice users to edit their videos as well as experiment with a wide range of effects, transitions, and other visual elements. It even comes with its own audio-editing tools so you can reduce noise from videos, add sound effects, as well as mix your own musical scores directly on the platform.

These aside, it also comes with advanced functionalities that can provide flexibility for more advanced video editing professionals. These include 3D editing, 360-degree video editing, green screen support, and video stabilization. Last but not least, VideoPad has native integrations with YouTube and Vimeo, making it simpler and faster for users to upload their work on social media.

• 3D and 360-degree video editing support as well as HD resolution options.
• Advanced video editing features on a drag-and-drop interface for faster post-production processes.
• Built-in audio editing tools such as multitrack mixing, narration recording, and sound effect application .

8. BeeCut

BeeCut is a simple video editing solution designed to help SMEs make professional videos with no hassle. Equipped with a WYSIWYG video editor and ready-to-use video transitions, creative masks, and filters, this platform can simplify and expedite the editing process without compromising the quality of output. It not only allows you to trim, cut, and split videos; it also supports the addition of custom video intros, the creation of multiple timeline layers, as well as background audio editing. As such, it will allow you to fine-tune your video however you prefer.

The mentioned features aside, BeeCut also has other features such as speech-to-text conversion, video stabilization, mobile editing, and picture-in-picture video support to further reinforce video editing efforts. It also supports a variety of media types to help you use whatever elements you want for your videos. Last but not least, as it can support multiple aspect ratios, BeeCut will allow you to produce video content for different publishing channels.

• Beginner-friendly WYSIWYG editor with an extensive media library.
• Seamless video optimization through stabilization and multiple video aspect ratio support
• Easy mobile video editing through native Android and iOS applications.

9. Moovly

This web-based video editing platform is ideal for beginners as it offers users with ready-made templates, royalty-free media objects, and a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface for creating video projects. With Moovly, users can easily customize their videos by adding visual effects and transitions, looping segments, adding overlay audio tracks, adding subtitles, and more. Other features inclue tools for splitting and/or trimming videos, resizing, rotating, cropping, adjusting the audio and playback speed, and enabling text-to-speech functionality.

Moovly also encourages collaboration among users through its user groups feature, which allows users to create groups, manage member subscriptions, and provide access to common libraries where they can have access to various media content. Sharing the videos created in Moovly is also easy as they are all ready for publishing and sharing in popular video streaming platforms, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook.

• It offers ready-made templates.
• It has a library of royalty-free media content.
• User-friendly interface.

10. Lumen5

Lumen5 is a video editing platform with powerful features to help users create videos in minutes. Through its text-to-video capabilities, Lumen5 transforms articles and blog posts into videos, automatically populating storyboards with content. Assisted by AI technology, the system dynamically determines scene length and optimizes text positioning. Additionally, through natural language processing, important keywords are highlighted. Users also have the option to further automate their video marketing workflow by using RSS feeds to automatically create videos every day.

Users can also create videos from scratch using Lumen5's built-in templates, which include templates for YouTube, Instagram stories, and social ads. Color themes, font choices, logos, and watermarks can be further customized to ensure that videos reflect company branding. A searchable media library also gives users access to milliions of free video clips, still images, and audio files.

• AI-powered technology automatically populates storyboards with content and determines scene length and text positioning.
• Automatic video creation from RSS feeds.
• Customizable color themes, font choices, logos, and watermarks.

11. StoryXpress

StoryXpress offers a comprehensive set of features to help users create engaging videos from screen and webcam recordings. The software offers three recording modes—FaceCam + Screen Recording, Screen Only, and Cam Only—for users' convenience and provides annotation and editing tools. This way, users can highlight key elements onscreen and add text if needed. Video editing features such as Trim, Crop, and Blur also ensure that video outputs appear polished and professional.

Moreover, the platform is designed to support video marketing and e-commerce efforts. Users can create videos simply by uploading images and highlight key product features using pointers. Users can also add custom CTAs including buttons, forms, and banners to every video they create.

The platform also allows users to upload videos in full HD resolution, whether to webpages, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Each video can be tracked through UTM tags, making it easier to keep an eye on metrics such as views, average watch time, and play rate.

• Three recording modes to suit video creators' different needs.
• Advanced annotation and video editing tools for professional-looking videos.
• Video analytics and performance tracking through UTM tags.

12. Promo.com

A cloud-based video production and editing service, Promo.com aims to assist small and medium businesses to create videos that catch audiences' eyes. It is a timely service to marketers in any industry, as it allows them to push the enterprise using one of the most popular and effective platforms of the day. Doing the task is seamless as Promo.com has a sufficient set of tools that enable users to design videos that meet their brand specifications and quality standards.

Promo.com is not all about tools, though. If you are lacking content for your marketing videos, then you do not have to look far. The platform has a creative center where users can find more than 23 million premium video clips in high definition. There are also royalty-free audio available as well as costless stock photos that you can adapt to your liking. With the vast collection, making videos becomes an effortless task.

• Cloud-accessible video editing tool
• Creative hub with millions of video and audio clips and stock photos
• Support for any format of video, such as for social media sites, blogs, and websites

Use Free Trials to Find the Best Video Editing Software for You

Reading up on a video editing software and watching demos and tutorials may not be enough. For you to find which application works best for you, you need to have hands-on experience with a platform. But subscribing to each program on your shortlist could be unnecessarily expensive. Fortunately, vendors now offer free trials of their products. You can take advantage of these to test drive tools and features.

Speaking of finances, it is an easy choice to go for the most expensive video editing software from a well-known developer. This is because you can be sure it packs a punch, feature-wise. It may not be suitable for your budget, though. Still, there are other solutions on the list that could serve as an alternative to your first choice. With those, you have the powerful tools you need that will still enable you to create the best videos.

While the stock Photos app on Mac packs a few photo editing tools, it is not meant to replace a robust and professional photo editing app. If you want your photos to look good, you need to start looking at third-party photo editors that offer more features and control. I understand that extensive photo editing is not for everyone as most of the people don't want to spend hours editing their photos. But that's the beauty of having options. You can choose as intensive or automatic photo editing app as you want. You can even get photo editing apps for Mac that can enhance your photos with a click. I have tested and collected a list of 8 best photo editing apps for mac, both free and paid to help you on your photo editing journey.

Best Photo Editing Software for Mac in 2021

Different people have different requirements when it comes to photo editing and not one app is the best for everyone. That's why, to make things easier for my readers, I have divided the 8 photo editors into different sections. The sections are not totally exclusive because as these photo editing software come with a huge set of overlapping features. That being said, the sections will help you get a clear idea of what you are looking for.

6. Videobolt PRO

Videobolt PRO is a cloud-based video editing platform. It has an easy-to-use interface that allows both novice and seasoned editors to create professional-level videos. Its intuitive interface allows users to quickly create videos for daily social media posts, seasonal marketing campaigns, and even personal video greetings. Its main video editing features include customizable templates designed by professional animators, a project management module, and a media library. Moreover, because of being completely web-based, you can keep your computer free of video rendering load. Your video is rendered on Videobolt's onsite servers. No expensive hardware investment and maintenance required.

Even though the platform is cloud-based, users don't even feel any interface delays as they work on their projects. There are different modules that help users create different types of videos faster as well. There are modules for Facebook and Instagram stories, music visualization, logo intros, and product promos among others. Just click on which type of video you need and multiple template options will appear. Choose the best fit and customize it to match your brand.

There are many professionally-designed templates available especially for business. You can use Videobolt PRO for video campaigns in a wide array of industries. There are templates for gaming campaigns, e-commerce advertising, and even for musicians, labels, and producers. It has a useful music visualization module that allows you to create eye-grabbing visualizations synced with your music. Videobolt PRO pricing starts at $267 monthly billed annually at $3200.

• Easy and powerful cloud rendering to keep your machine free for other activities.
• Built-in easy-to-use templates for various business needs like video intros, Instagram stories, and music visualization.
• The pro version allows for team-level access so the right people can collaborate on the right issues for your video campaign materials.

7. VideoPad

VideoPad is a video editing platform created by NCH Software for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. Designed with freelancers, small enterprises, and mid-sized businesses in mind, this platform comes equipped with an extensive set of easy-to-use editing features. From color correcting and video cropping to video transition application and speed adjustments, VideoPad can provide you with all the tools you require. With this at your disposal, you can easily create professional-looking videos for your business.

One of the things that make VideoPad great is that it has a lower learning curve than most professional editing software. It comes with a drag-and-drop interface and straightforward usability, allowing novice users to edit their videos as well as experiment with a wide range of effects, transitions, and other visual elements. It even comes with its own audio-editing tools so you can reduce noise from videos, add sound effects, as well as mix your own musical scores directly on the platform.

These aside, it also comes with advanced functionalities that can provide flexibility for more advanced video editing professionals. These include 3D editing, 360-degree video editing, green screen support, and video stabilization. Last but not least, VideoPad has native integrations with YouTube and Vimeo, making it simpler and faster for users to upload their work on social media.

• 3D and 360-degree video editing support as well as HD resolution options.
• Advanced video editing features on a drag-and-drop interface for faster post-production processes.
• Built-in audio editing tools such as multitrack mixing, narration recording, and sound effect application .

8. BeeCut

BeeCut is a simple video editing solution designed to help SMEs make professional videos with no hassle. Equipped with a WYSIWYG video editor and ready-to-use video transitions, creative masks, and filters, this platform can simplify and expedite the editing process without compromising the quality of output. It not only allows you to trim, cut, and split videos; it also supports the addition of custom video intros, the creation of multiple timeline layers, as well as background audio editing. As such, it will allow you to fine-tune your video however you prefer.

The mentioned features aside, BeeCut also has other features such as speech-to-text conversion, video stabilization, mobile editing, and picture-in-picture video support to further reinforce video editing efforts. It also supports a variety of media types to help you use whatever elements you want for your videos. Last but not least, as it can support multiple aspect ratios, BeeCut will allow you to produce video content for different publishing channels.

• Beginner-friendly WYSIWYG editor with an extensive media library.
• Seamless video optimization through stabilization and multiple video aspect ratio support
• Easy mobile video editing through native Android and iOS applications.

9. Moovly

This web-based video editing platform is ideal for beginners as it offers users with ready-made templates, royalty-free media objects, and a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface for creating video projects. With Moovly, users can easily customize their videos by adding visual effects and transitions, looping segments, adding overlay audio tracks, adding subtitles, and more. Other features inclue tools for splitting and/or trimming videos, resizing, rotating, cropping, adjusting the audio and playback speed, and enabling text-to-speech functionality.

Moovly also encourages collaboration among users through its user groups feature, which allows users to create groups, manage member subscriptions, and provide access to common libraries where they can have access to various media content. Sharing the videos created in Moovly is also easy as they are all ready for publishing and sharing in popular video streaming platforms, such as YouTube, Vimeo, and Facebook.

• It offers ready-made templates.
• It has a library of royalty-free media content.
• User-friendly interface.

10. Lumen5

Lumen5 is a video editing platform with powerful features to help users create videos in minutes. Through its text-to-video capabilities, Lumen5 transforms articles and blog posts into videos, automatically populating storyboards with content. Assisted by AI technology, the system dynamically determines scene length and optimizes text positioning. Additionally, through natural language processing, important keywords are highlighted. Users also have the option to further automate their video marketing workflow by using RSS feeds to automatically create videos every day.

Users can also create videos from scratch using Lumen5's built-in templates, which include templates for YouTube, Instagram stories, and social ads. Color themes, font choices, logos, and watermarks can be further customized to ensure that videos reflect company branding. A searchable media library also gives users access to milliions of free video clips, still images, and audio files.

• AI-powered technology automatically populates storyboards with content and determines scene length and text positioning.
• Automatic video creation from RSS feeds.
• Customizable color themes, font choices, logos, and watermarks.

11. StoryXpress

StoryXpress offers a comprehensive set of features to help users create engaging videos from screen and webcam recordings. The software offers three recording modes—FaceCam + Screen Recording, Screen Only, and Cam Only—for users' convenience and provides annotation and editing tools. This way, users can highlight key elements onscreen and add text if needed. Video editing features such as Trim, Crop, and Blur also ensure that video outputs appear polished and professional.

Moreover, the platform is designed to support video marketing and e-commerce efforts. Users can create videos simply by uploading images and highlight key product features using pointers. Users can also add custom CTAs including buttons, forms, and banners to every video they create.

The platform also allows users to upload videos in full HD resolution, whether to webpages, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Each video can be tracked through UTM tags, making it easier to keep an eye on metrics such as views, average watch time, and play rate.

• Three recording modes to suit video creators' different needs.
• Advanced annotation and video editing tools for professional-looking videos.
• Video analytics and performance tracking through UTM tags.

12. Promo.com

A cloud-based video production and editing service, Promo.com aims to assist small and medium businesses to create videos that catch audiences' eyes. It is a timely service to marketers in any industry, as it allows them to push the enterprise using one of the most popular and effective platforms of the day. Doing the task is seamless as Promo.com has a sufficient set of tools that enable users to design videos that meet their brand specifications and quality standards.

Promo.com is not all about tools, though. If you are lacking content for your marketing videos, then you do not have to look far. The platform has a creative center where users can find more than 23 million premium video clips in high definition. There are also royalty-free audio available as well as costless stock photos that you can adapt to your liking. With the vast collection, making videos becomes an effortless task.

• Cloud-accessible video editing tool
• Creative hub with millions of video and audio clips and stock photos
• Support for any format of video, such as for social media sites, blogs, and websites

Use Free Trials to Find the Best Video Editing Software for You

Reading up on a video editing software and watching demos and tutorials may not be enough. For you to find which application works best for you, you need to have hands-on experience with a platform. But subscribing to each program on your shortlist could be unnecessarily expensive. Fortunately, vendors now offer free trials of their products. You can take advantage of these to test drive tools and features.

Speaking of finances, it is an easy choice to go for the most expensive video editing software from a well-known developer. This is because you can be sure it packs a punch, feature-wise. It may not be suitable for your budget, though. Still, there are other solutions on the list that could serve as an alternative to your first choice. With those, you have the powerful tools you need that will still enable you to create the best videos.

While the stock Photos app on Mac packs a few photo editing tools, it is not meant to replace a robust and professional photo editing app. If you want your photos to look good, you need to start looking at third-party photo editors that offer more features and control. I understand that extensive photo editing is not for everyone as most of the people don't want to spend hours editing their photos. But that's the beauty of having options. You can choose as intensive or automatic photo editing app as you want. You can even get photo editing apps for Mac that can enhance your photos with a click. I have tested and collected a list of 8 best photo editing apps for mac, both free and paid to help you on your photo editing journey.

Best Photo Editing Software for Mac in 2021

Different people have different requirements when it comes to photo editing and not one app is the best for everyone. That's why, to make things easier for my readers, I have divided the 8 photo editors into different sections. The sections are not totally exclusive because as these photo editing software come with a huge set of overlapping features. That being said, the sections will help you get a clear idea of what you are looking for.

• Affinity Photo
• Luminar 4
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC
• Pixelmator Pro
• GIMP
• Fotor Photo Editor
• Photolemur
• Aurora HDR
• darktable
• Photopea
• Bonus: Photoscape X

Best Pro Photo Editors for Mac

1. Affinity Photo

The first photo editing app on our list is something that I am using for the last two years and is one of the two photo editing apps that rely upon. The app features professional tools and supports almost all the know file formats including JPG, TIFF, PNG, GIF,PDF, PSD, and RAW photos. It comes with all the basic photo editing tools that you can expect from a pro photo editing app such as red eye removal, cropping, selection, painting and drawing tools, color correction tools, masks, filters, layers, and more. It also features an uncluttered UI with clearly marked tools which are both easy to find and use. Affinity Photo also brings support for extensive keyboard shortcuts which makes the photo editing more enjoyable and fast once you put some time into learning the software.

While there is a bit of learning curve, which is understandable, the developers offer tons of written and video tutorials which is more than enough to get anyone started. I am also fond of its non-destructive photo editing approach which keeps the original photo intact until you manually override it with your edited photo. There's also support for extensive history and users can easily undo/redo changes up to 8000 steps.

Finally, it also offers an Apple Photos plugin allowing you to do minor adjustments right inside the Photos app. The only missing feature here is a Digital Asset Management or DAM which means you can not use it as a photo repository, something Adobe Lightroom users will surely miss. If that's not a concern for you, I can recommend this app without any hesitation.

Get Affinity Photo:Free trial, $49.99

2. Luminar 4

Luminar 4 is a full-fledged pro photo editing tool for Mac which is also the easiest to use. Since I switch from Affinity Photo to Luminar, I have more than halved the time I used to spend on photo editing without any drop in quality. That is a deal that I am going to take any day. The before and after photo that you can see in the Affinity Photo section took me around 5 minutes to edit, while the picture you are seeing below took me just one click. It is because Luminar 4 comes with a set of more than 60 filters, some of which even use artificial intelligence, to enhance your photos with just a click.

The filters use a set of pre-configured presets that change depending on the subject of the picture. In my experience Luminar 4 works best for portraits and scenic shots. Luminar 4 also lets you adjust the presets if you don't like the results. You have access to all the photo editing tools such as masks, layers, gradients, color correction, and more. You can use them to make manual changes to your photo just as you do with any other pro photo editing app. The filters allows you to get quite near to your end result with just one click. From there, you can make the minute adjustments to get your perfect photo. One of my favorite features of Luminar 4 is its before and after slider. I can instantly visualize the changes that I have made and compare the edited image to the original image.

Luminar 4 also has a built-in DAM. You can organize, rate, browse, and sort photos just like you can do on Adobe Lightroom. Like Affinity Photo and other pro photo editing apps mentioned in this section, Luminar 4 is a beast when it comes to photo editing. However, it's a beast that can be easily tamed and used to perfection without creating any problem for us. Whether you are a professional photo editor who needs to save time or an amateur who wants to learn professional photo editing, Luminar 4 is a great photo editing tool for either use-cases.

Get Luminar 4:$89.99

3. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC

No photo editing app list can be complete with mentioning Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC as it is one of the most powerful photo editing app that you can get on your Mac. Apart from the obvious photo editing features, the biggest benefit of using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC is that it comes with a fully functional Digital Asset Management or DAM which allows users to not only manage their entire photo catalogue but also upload it to cloud so they can access it from anywhere. That is one of the biggest strength of Adobe Lightroom and if that is something you want, currently, there's no better app out there.

Factory reset macbook pro apfs. Coming back to the photo editing tools, the Adobe Lightroom CC is packed with them. It might not be as easy as Luminar but it doesn't lag behind when it comes to power. You get access to all the usual tools including blend, blur, layers, color correction, color matching, and more.

I love its easy-to-use sliders that give users complete control over the light and color properties of their photos. It also lets you shift focus and sharpen your photos to highlight your subject or reduce distraction in the image. My biggest problem with Adobe Lightroom CC is its subscription-based pricing system which makes this only viable for people who are using this to earn money. If you are just using the app for yourself, both Affinity Photo and Luminar will serve you better as far as return of investment is concerned.

Get Adobe Photoshop Lightroom: $9.9/month

4. Pixelmator Pro

Pixelmator Pro is another pro photo editing tool for Mac which you should try. The app not only brings an extensive collection of tools for editing and retouching photos but it also allows you to paint, create graphics design, add effects, and do so much more. However, since we are focusing only on photo editing software for Mac here, we will keep our interested limited to those features only.

I used Pixelmator Pro for about a month and I found that it has everything that you might need from a photo editing software. In fact, the new 2.0 update of Pixelmator Pro also brings a ton of other features that you won't find on most of the photo editing tools on this list. For example, it now supports Apple M1 Macs, multi GPUs (looking at you Mac Pro), and RAW editing workflows with the new Pro Display XDR.

Pixelmator Pro comes with a new ML-Enhance mode which uses artificial intelligence trained on a catalog of 20 million professional photos, to automatically fine-tune 37 individual color adjustments. Just like Luminar, this feature gives you a great starting point for making fine-tuned adjustments to your photos.

That said, the ML-Enhance, only has one pre-set and I like Luminar's approach far better. I do like the new ML De-noise feature which removes noise and image compression artifacts from photos. Not many photo editing apps for Mac can boast of this feature. I quite enjoyed using Pixelmator Pro and if you don't like any of the above-mentioned software, you should give a chance to Pixelmator Pro.

Get Pixelmator Pro:Free trial, $39.99

Best Free Open Source Photo Editing Apps for Mac

5. GIMP

GIMP is Adobe Photoshop for people who like open-source software. GIMP or GNU Image Manipulation Program is packed with features and allows you to make pro-level editing of your photos. Since it is an open-source app, it is completely free of charge. That said, GIMP also comes with the problems that most open-source app suffer from which is to say that it's UI looks old and is not at all user friendly. In fact, GIMP is one of the hardest image editing apps you will find on this list. You will need to spend quite a bit of time in learning its ins and outs and only then will you be able to take full advantage of its potential.

I found GIMP to be too hard for my taste. I remember one time I mistakenly made a change to its workspace and it took me almost 15-20 minutes to get it back to the version I was familiar with. That being said, thousands and thousands of Mac owners are using GIMP everyday for their photo editing needs, so, I might be an anomaly here. Once you put in enough time to learn GIMP, you will find that it has all the features that you need now and might need in the future.

Get Gimp:Free

6. Fotor Photo Editor

If you are looking for a free yet accessible photo editing software, take a look at the Fotor Photo Editor. It might not be as powerful as GIMP but it is fairly easy to learn which makes this a great image editing app for beginners. The app supports importing and exporting of a wide range of image formats including TIFF, JPEG, and PNG, and even RAW files. When it comes to features, Fotor brings enough tools that you won't find it dragging you down unless you are a pro user.

One of my favorite tool of Fotor is batch processing.It allows me to apply preset conditions to images in batches thereby saving me a lot of time. Other features of Fotor include effects, borders, the ability to create collages, tilt-shift, and more. To explain simply, Fotor is basically an easier and watered-down version of Lightroom, Luminar, or other pro image editing apps for Mac on this list. While the app is free, recently it has also released a Fotor Pro version which brings more features and costs $39.99/year. You can compare the free and paid version of Fotor by clicking on this link.

Get Fotor: Free

Best One-Click Photo Editing App for Mac

7. Photolemur 3

I thought long and hard whether I should include this app on the list or not as the app technically doesn't allow you to edit photos. Still, I know that there are users who don't want to spend time on editing photos but also want their photos to look decent. Well, if you are one of those people then this is the app for you. To use, Photolemur, all you need to do is drag and drop pictures on it. You can do it in batches or one by one. Once you drop images on it, it will apply AI to identify scenes, colors, and faces and enhance them automatically.

Remember, you will not have any control over the retouching what-so-ever. However, in my testing, the app produced respectable images in 90% of the cases, hence, it made the list. The one place it fails 100% of the times is when you already have high-contrast images with popping colors. Apart from that, it works fairly well. I will say it again, it's not a photo editing app which you should use if you want total control. However, If you really don't want to spend even a minute on learning to edit and editing your photos, this is your best option.

Get Photolemur 3:$35

Best HDR Photo Editors for Mac

8. Aurora HDR

If you work with HDR or High Dynamic Range photography, Aurora HDR is the best app you can get. For those who are not familiar, HDR combines multiple images (low exposure, medium exposure, and high exposure) to create an image with a better dynamic range. What it means is that your photos will have a better ratio of light and dark. Your iPhone already does this if you have this setting turned on while you are taking pictures. However, In a more traditional sense, a photographer takes three photos in different exposures and combines them in an HDR photo editing app to get the best results.

For that work, Aurora HDR is the best tool out there. Aurora HDR is made by the same developers who make Luminar and hence I found that both apps had more or less the same user interface with a focus on different photo editing styles. Remember, if you don't work with HDR photos manually, you really don't need to get this app. That being said, I used it with same photos that I use on other photo editing apps and the results were quite impressive. This app is definitely not for everyone, but some of you might enjoy using this.

Get AuroraHDR 2019:$99

Best Free Raw Photo Editing Apps for Mac

9. darktable

If you read the article thoroughly, which I hope that you did, you will know that all the pro photo editing apps that I mentioned above, including Lightroom, Luminar, Affinity Photo, and Pixelmator Pro support RAW files so it wasn't really necessary to create this section. Especially because if you are a professional who works only with RAW photos, you must be already using quite pricey RAW photo editor. Still, I was so impressed with this app that I didn't, not want to include this on my list, especially when it's completely free to use.

Best Photo Editing Apps For Mac

In fact, the description on its website articulate things about this app far better than I could so I will just post it here, 'darktable is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer. A virtual light-table and darkroom for photographers. It manages your digital negatives in a database, lets you view them through a zoomable light-table, and enables you to develop raw images and enhance them.' If this is something you need, you should click on the link to download it right now.

Get darktable: Free

Best Online Photo Editor for Mac (Free Photoshop Alternative)

9. Photopea

Photopea is an excellent photo editor for Mac if you don't want to use a native app. Photopea is a web app that brings almost all the features that Adobe Photoshop has for free. Standout features include content-aware fill, filters support, layers support, a huge selection for brushes, and more.

The app also supports all popular image formats along with app-specific formats, including PSD, XD, Sketch, XCF, RAW, and more. If you have used Adobe Photoshop in the past but want to move on due to its high-cost, this is the perfect solution for you. It even supports most keyboard shortcuts that Photoshop uses.

It also has dozens of PSD templates that you can use to create thumbnails for videos, profile avatars, cards, and more. The only major drawback of this app is that the UI looks a bit dated. But for a free online photo editor, this rocks. If you are looking for a free Photoshop alternative, I urge you to give this app a try. If you find the app interesting, you can get started by visiting its learn page.

Bonus: Photoscape X

Photoscape X is another excellent free app for editing photos on the Mac. While the app does have a pro version that costs money, the free version is more than enough for most users. Apart from the usual tools like resize, crop, rotate, merge, and more, you also get access to pro tools such as color adjustments, filters, de-noising, batch editing, and more.

The interface of the app is functional. So, while it won't win any design awards, you will find it easier to use. You get the main panels at the top. Here, you can choose between collage, edit, view, GIF, and more. I like that panels are separated depending on tasks. This helps in keeping the side panel, which hosts all your editing tools, clean.

The app supports most of the popular image formats, including RAW. I did find that the app took a bit more time to process large files, but overall, my experience was good enough to include this on the list.

Best Photo Video Editing Software For Mac 2020

Get Photoscape X:Free, in-app purchases

Best Image Editing Apps for Mac: Final Thoughts

Best Video Editing Software Mac

While all these photo editing apps are good, you will find that some of them suit you better than the others. For me, Luminar and Affinity Photo work the best and hence I am still sticking to those two. But you should choose the one that fits your editing style and needs. If you find this article informative, comment below to tell us which photo editing app you found to be the best for you.