Snapseed

Apple Photos includes a capable collection of editing controls, which are getting even better thanks to Apple Intelligence and iOS 27. With that said, Snapseed goes further by offering more detailed adjustments without asking you to pay for a subscription.

You can change basic elements such as brightness and color if you only want a quick improvement. However, it comes with way more options and adjustments that let you select and modify one part of a photograph while leaving the rest alone. There’s also a Curves tool that provides greater control over brightness and contrast.

Snapseed also supports RAW files, which gives photographers more room to adjust an image before quality begins to degrade.

Filters and film-inspired effects are available when you want a more stylized appearance. And you can save a group of edits you usually make as a reusable look, making it easier to give several photographs a consistent style.

With all of that said, it might take a while to get the hang of it. Not just because of all the tools, but because Snapseed’s interface takes a little time to learn with all the many controls it has. But once you understand the gestures, it becomes one of the strongest free photo editors available on the iPhone.