I typically send photos off to my friends when I think it will give them a chuckle or to my family members when I haven’t seen them in a while. Sure, Snapchat is often a way to do this, but sometimes I need to put a few photos in a collage or take out the red-eye that pops up. We’ve checked out the 10 best photo editing apps in the past for Android, but this doesn’t give you a complete in-depth view of the top options on the market. It’s often difficult to compare all the photo editing apps because they all have so many different features to choose from. That said, we grabbed the three options that had tons of downloads, high ratings and great user feedback to see which one stands out above the rest. We chose the Cymera, Autodesk Pixlr and Photo Effects Pro Android photo editing apps and gave each of them a throughout review to help you out a bit. Let’s take a look at the best photo editing apps and see which one is best for you.
Our Ratings:
Cymera: 4.0 out of 5 stars Autodesk Pixlr: 4.5 out of 5 stars Photo Effects Pro: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Google Play Ratings and Links:
Cymera: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Autodesk Pixlr: 4.4 out of 5 stars
Photo Effects Pro: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Cymera – For the Newbie Photographer
The Good
The best thing about Cymera is that the app is available for free. You get some really unique effects such as big eyes, smile changing, a slim face feature and more. The filters and borders are all specially handpicked and I’ve noticed that this really gives you a unique take on what the pros at Cymera think are the most important features.
The photos look rather striking when playing around with the interface. The tabs given to change things like transparency and color are readily available below the photos and you can even toss in a few cool clip art type items to completely change the way you look in a photo. You can quickly share your photos with people on social media and sites like Mixi. I also really like that the app supports multiple languages like English, German and Japanese. The anti-shake feature is pretty flawless so you can get a clear photo even if you are sitting on a bus that is bouncing around a bunch.
The Bad
The app has some in-app purchases, which is kind of a good thing, since you get additional features, but the other photo editing app options give you everything for free. With this you have to pay additional money to get new filters and collage options.
I found that the buttons aren’t always as self-explanatory as some other apps, and it is purely designed for the newbie photographer who just wants to make a few edits and move on. If you really want to get your hands dirty and do some editing like you might do in Photoshop, this is not the app for you.
The Bottom Line
Cymera has superior sharing features and flawless designs throughout the app. It does have some watered down features so you shouldn’t expect anything too powerful here, but for a quick fix it works nicely.
The in-app purchases also irk me a bit. Yes, they are trying to make money, but the other apps manage to bring in revenue without making people buy the better filters and features. Overall, test it out to make some quick changes and you should be happy.
Autodesk Pixlr – Crazy Cool Features With Hints of Photoshop
The Good
Autodesk Pixlr is the closest thing you can find to a full photo editing app on your mobile device. You can quickly go in and crop or edit all your photos and move things around on top of each other. The one-click fix feature is pretty flawless for fixing up one or two photos, and the overlays help you change the mood within seconds. The Color Splash feature is one of my favorites, because you can change the color of one small item in the photo like the screenshot below. Photo borders and lighting effects are also included. Keep in mind that the interface is extremely easy to use and clean throughout.
If you use Photoshop you will still think that this is lacking, but it’s a great alternative if you only have a tablet or phone to work off of.
The Bad
I’ve noticed a little lag when trying to complete some of the more bulky features like the controlled focus.
Although the features are plentiful in the app you will need to play around with each one of them to understand what each one does. I know this is a limitation with the mobile interface, but going through the support documentation is long and tedious and I really just want to be able to see what each button does and quickly use it.
The Bottom Line
If you want stunning filters and graphics then this is your best option. I’ve noticed that the other two photo editing apps have outdated text and filters, but this one has no signs of that. With no charges and a rather sleek interface you really can’t go wrong with Autodesk Pixlr. I enjoy using it for social media posts, and the sharing option is always hanging around in the upper right hand corner in case you want to send a photo out into the world.
Photo Effects Pro – Useful, but a Tad Outdated
The Good
Photo Effects Pro has the simplest tools on the list, so if you need to quickly take a photo, throw some text on it and send it out then you should stick to this app. The app is supported by ads so you never have to pay a dime. The filters and fun effects are clearly designed to cater to the consumer market, making them interesting and creative to send out to friends and loved ones. My favorite part of this app is that you can go in and use your fingers to draw on fun effects and filters. Sometimes you don’t even have to push any buttons to find a funny effect to create.
You can always go in and send out the photos on your social media networks, and the buttons are big and bold on the bottom so you never have to look around for what you need. Along with simple crop, contrast and brightness features you really have everything you need for a simple edit.
The Bad
The fonts and borders look a little outdated to me. Yes, they are certainly fun, but if you plan on using this for your business then I would rethink that approach.
The app is optimized for larger tablets, but the other photo editing apps look better and make me feel like I’m an actual professional in terms of photo editing.
The Bottom Line
Photo Effects Pro is ideal for those consumers who just want to slap on a filter, jot down some text and send out a simple greeting. You should never expect a professional looking photo, but it’s ideal for the regular person who just wants to share some of their most intimate moments on social media.
Conclusion
That’s it for our Cymera vs Autodesk Pixlr vs Photo Effects Pro Android photo editing app showdown. Let us know in the comments section if you have any question about which one to choose or how to use them. I personally feel that Autodeck Pixlr is by far the best option, but feel free to play around with all of them to decide on your own personal preferences. I really don’t like Cymera’s in-app purchases, but you might be able to get around this if you find a filter that you truly can’t live without. Share your thoughts if you think we should review another photo editing Android app.
