Eye popping product photos and timely social media posts are basic requirements for e-commerce success. While there are plenty of apps to help with both, it can be hard to sort through them. Here is a list of apps you can use for free while you decide what works for your business.
Snapseed
Recommended for serious photographers and beginners alike, Google’s Snapseedis a powerful photo editor for iOS and Android. The app is free to download, has no ads and includes helpful tutorials.
Snapseed offers a wide range of filters and the option to save edits and apply them to other images.
Tools include text, frames, double exposure and a powerful healing brush which removes unwanted objects with the touch of your finger. Snapseed’s export menu facilitates easy sharing and saving of your photos.
Photoshop Express
Adobe describes its Photoshop Expressapp as “fun, fast and easy.” It offers multiple lens options and a wide array of presets to size photos for social media. Creating collages is straightforward and includes the ability to transfer styles between images.
Features include spot healing and watermark resizing. PSD files can be sent from the app to your desktop for more advanced Photoshop editing.
VSCO
VSCO bills itself as a creative community aimed at helping photographers reach their full potential. The free version of VSCO is a straightforward photo editor, with basic presets and standard editing tools.
You can purchase a VSCO membership for $1.67 per month and unlock advanced photo and video editing tools. The free seven-day trial membership will make it easy to decide if the upgrade satisfies your specific needs.
iPiccy
If you’re after straightforward photo editing, the iPiccy app will get the job done quickly and intuitively. Preset crop sizes and artistic filters make enhancement effortless. Standard editing tools like saturation, contrast and exposure are all easy to find and use.
If you’re searching for more functionality than the mobile version offers, there is a desktop version, as well.
Pixlr
The mobile offering from Pixlr is among the most intuitive photo editors around, making it a great starting point. With templates, standard tools, filters, borders and text capabilities, perfecting your photos is quick and painless.
A $1.99 per month subscription will not only turn off the adds that pop up in the free version but will aslo allow access to premium stickers, borders and fonts. The free trial period for the upgrade is three days.
If preparing for Zoom meetings is stressing you out, Crello can also help you create your own virtual background.
Crello
If you are looking to add life to your social media posts, Crello Video Story and Graphic Design Maker will help you animate like a pro. With templates for Facebook and Instagram video posts, Crello is particularly useful if you need to create a lot of content in a short time.
The free version of Crello offers tons of graphics and animated templates and allows you to upload your own fonts. If preparing for Zoom meetings is stressing you out, Crello can also help you create your own virtual background. Crello Pro offers additional templates, more images and collaboration capabilities. You can try it free for 14 days before signing up for the $7.99 per month upgrade.
[Read more: 5 Video Marketing Tools for Small Businesses]
Befunky
Whether your vibe is—funky, traditional, or something in between—Befunky’s graphic design feature offers simple-to-add design elements to create your own marketing campaigns. Partnerships with Pixabay, Pexels and Unsplashallow you to access free stock images right in the app.
The free version’s collage-maker includes a Pinterest pin-maker. While the mobile app has all the tools necessary to produce excellent product photos and social media posts, an upgraded version—BeFunky Plus—offers extra features for $4.99 month.
Canva
If your work sourcing or creating quality products leaves you short on social media marketing time, Canva may be the answer. The app includes templates for everything from a “happy birthday” tweet to a coronavirus-related Instagram story, ready to be customized to suit your specific brand.
Included tools such as text, speech bubbles, frames and stickers allow you to easily create and save your own designs and a collaboration tool allows you to share work in progress with your team. While the basic app is free, an upgraded version, which includes a 60-million-image library and a one-tap resizing tool, is available for $12.99 per month.
[Read more: How to Promote Your Business on Instagram During a Crisis]
Fotor
Billed as an all-in-one editor and image licensing platform, Fotor allows you to generate income by selling your photos. Whether or not you take advantage of Fotor’s social network and associated events, its editing tools and templates are free to use.
Available filters include film, vintage, black and white and kaleidoscope, and editing options range from quick touch-ups to extensive changes. Fotor also supports RAW file processing. An upgrade to Fotor Pro is available to try for free for three days. After that, the enhanced offerings are $29.99 for a one-year subscription or $4.99 monthly.
Whether you’re looking to simplify product photography, get more out of your social media posts or launch a complete marketing campaign, the right photo editor can be a game changer without being a budget breaker.
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