Our favourite FREE apps for editing social media content on mobile

Snapseed
First on our list is the tried and tested Snapseed! Since the initial launch of the app back in 2011, this software has had over a decade of updates to make it one of the best ways to edit your pictures on the go. You can use preset styles, or use one of 28 tools such as White balance, Text and Tonal contrast, to get the specific look you wanted. The app will also save your most recent edit style so if you are looking to edit multiple images in the same style this is an efficient way to do it.

Rush
If you are interested in editing videos we recommend Adobe Rush. This free mobile app syncs seamlessly between desktop and mobile with all features working great on either platform. You can choose the scale of the video at any point whilst editing which makes it really handy for creating videos that perfectly fit the resolution of the platform you are working with such as Portrait for TikTok/Reels, or square for in-feed content on Instagram. 

A Colour Story
Want to get a consistent style with all your images? If you’ve ever looked at an influencers feed on Instagram and wondered how all the images just seem to flow seamlessly, it’s likely they use a preset style that goes on every image. If you want to try and get the same effect for free then A Colour Story is the perfect option. You can edit an image using the available Filters, Effects and Tools. Once you’re happy with the way it looks you can save it as a new preset. You can also have multiple presets and give them a custom name to help you stay organised. The website has lots of tutorials to help you get the most out of the app, including a ‘Get The Look’ section where you can get inspiration for your own presets. The only downside to this app is that the majority of Filters are paid for, however, it is possible to create your own beautiful presets using the other features.

Canva
Although this has some stigma around it we couldn’t create a top 5 list without including it because of just how many features are included as standard with this app. Many people will already be familiar with the desktop version of this software, however the mobile app has just as much functionality and is so simple to use. With a bit of creativity, you can create some truly unique pieces of content, both photo and video, or if you’re not feeling inspired there are 1000s of templates you can choose from. 

Facetune 2
If you’ve ever looked for photo editing apps or done some searching online then it’s likely that you’ll have seen Facetune come up. This is one of the most popular apps amongst everyday social users and influencers alike when it comes to touching up their photos. It comes with some controversy given the fact that you are able to completely transform the look of someone with makeup filters, teeth whitening and more. However, if you are looking for a powerful app to edit your photos then this is definitely one that’s worthwhile trying. 

Bonus app: PanoramaCrop

We wanted to give an honourable mention to PanoramaCrop because when you are looking for this type of feature it is the easiest-to-use app we have found. This app lets you slice your photos evenly so you can upload a carousel of photos to Instagram and have them fit smoothly side by side.