Photo-Editing Software Reviews

The two most competitive consumer-level photo-editing programs are Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 and Corel Paint Shop Pro X2. We found the best reviews of these two software packages at PC Magazine, where editors scrutinize the latest versions. PC World also reviews Elements 6 and Paint Shop Pro X2, but editors don't go into as much critical detail as editors at PC Magazine. We found more reviews at CNet.com, TopTenReviews.com and DigitalPhotos101.com. Comments from owners posted on Amazon.com and Epinions are also helpful, especially when it comes to judging ease-of-use.

A major advantage of digital photography is manipulation -- the ability to crop, color-correct and otherwise fiddle with the image on a computer. According to Consumer Reports, the photo-editing software that ships with digital cameras is getting better, although it usually emphasizes editing or organizing, but not both. If you want the most flexibility, you'll need to supply your own software.

Reviews say Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 (*est. $80) and Paint Shop Pro X2 (*est. $80) are suitable for most home users, and both have similar functionality. Both programs have tools to help you download and organize your photos, along with features for re-sizing, color correction, special effects, image enhancements, light fixes, noise reduction and a plethora of other tools. In years past, these two programs were almost evenly matched. For the latest versions, reviews give the edge to Photoshop Elements 6. Experts say that Elements has the best combination of editing and organizing tools. Reviews, especially PC World, say that Paint Shop Pro X2 has a lot of editing tools and functionality, but that its features are not as intuitive and well organized as those of Photoshop Elements.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Reviewers agree that Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop Elements are close competitors, but for the latest versions, Elements has the edge. Some reviewers also like Ulead PhotoImpact, but it doesn’t supplant Adobe or Corel Paint Shop Pro. Google's Picasa and The GIMP are the best free photo-editing programs. Reviewers also report that Adobe Photoshop Lightroom has edged past Apple Aperture.