Darkroom is the better app overall, scoring 8.8 to 8.5. Darkroom wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Snapseed on 2.
Apple users who want quick, high-quality edits straight from the Photos app
Photographers who want capable, ad-free editing on a phone at no cost
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Darkroom | Snapseed |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Photo & Video | Photo & Video |
| Category rank | #3 of 8 | #6 of 8 |
| Developer | Bergen Co. | |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
Strengths and weaknesses
Darkroom
- Clean interface that stays out of your way
- No import step thanks to Photos library integration
- Fast previews even with large RAW files
- Apple devices only
- Advanced tools need a Darkroom+ plan
Darkroom is the best-designed photo editor on Apple devices. It works straight from your Photos library, so there's no import step, and it handles RAW files, curves, color grading and batch edits quickly. Video editing uses the same tools. The free version covers the basics, while Darkroom+ unlocks the advanced tools. Get it if you live in Apple Photos and want speed without a cloud account.
Full Darkroom review
Snapseed
- Totally free with no ads or sign-in
- Selective tool gives precise local edits
- Edit stack lets you revisit any change later
- No AI subject or sky masking
- No cloud sync or desktop version
Snapseed is still the best completely free photo editor. Its Selective tool lets you brighten or recolor one part of an image with a tap, and Healing, Curves, Brush and RAW editing cover most fixes. There are no ads, accounts or paywalls. The catch is that it lacks the AI subject and sky masking found in paid rivals. Get it if you want great results without paying anything.
Full Snapseed review
