New favorite photo editing app: Fotor

Photo editing apps are one of the prevalent types of apps on my phone - the first things I downloaded after Instagram and Facebook on my new phone were photo editing apps, namely Photo Grid, Photo Squarer Lite (I prefer the interface of the Lite version versus the full version), and MeituPic.

Each app has its own strengths and weaknesses, which is why more than one app is required to do multiple tasks for one photo. I even downloaded the much-loved VSCOCam recently, and it worked quite well to my expectations. MeituPic is used almost exclusively for physical touch-ups for portraits, and PicsArt for effects.

I edit and watermark most of the photos that I post on the blog, and for this I used to use PicMonkey.com, but it always required a network (online software), and FotoR.com too. Adobe Photoshop CC worked for one post, then ended my trial.


Googling "photo editing apps android" was more or less the best thing that I decided to do. Fotor is the mobile version of the original Fotor Photo Editor on desktop browser. The features are almost the same, but since it's an app, it's a little

Menu interface

Fotor had me at the starting interface - it uses a really sleek interface in white with dull gold icons and indications, despite the logo being a spectrum of color. I preferred the white and dull gold as opposed to the dark gray with white of the VSCOCam interface, as well as for the interface design.

Album select

Tap "Networks Account" to link Facebook and/or Instagram accounts

VSCO doesn't have a collage option, and you're required to choose the photo you want, or take a picture with the in-app camera before starting to edit. I preferred tapping on the little gold circle on the bottom right of Fotor to open up my camera, edit, and collage functions, then choosing images from your networked albums (from Facebook and Instagram, which detects the photos in your account and syncs it to the app, then allows you to proceed editing it as an image file itself) or from your local albums.


I love that the app has multiple functions in one - most of which needs two apps to accomplish. Granted, there's not many options for a lot of the features, but it looks so much more sophisticated than several other apps.

For example, I used to use LINE Camera for stickers (have since deleted it), and occasionally Photo Grid's Single Editor mode to put on stickers, which are more kawaii. Especially for the wording stickers, I much prefer the sophistication of the wording stickers in Fotor.

The one-touch enhance function is awesome if you're not so much into adjusting contrast, color temperature, saturation and all that. It detects the light and dark parts of the photo, and attempts to adjust the color values to a balance, then let's you choose whether you want a Low, Medium, or High enhancement.


The effects are the equivalent of filters, with the regular B&W, Lomo, and Vintage, but also Art, Mono, and Cinematic, which kind of reminds me of PicsArt, given the wide selection of filters available. As with other apps, it allows you to adjust the intensity of the filter applied; but unlike other apps, it allows you to layer on filter without having to exit the filter gallery, just by the tap of a little button beside the intensity adjust bar.


Functions like Rotate, Crop, and Basic (Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Sharpness) are a given, so I'll not cover them.

My favorite thing about this app, however, is the Text function. Because I need the watermark to be completely parallel to the horizontal edges of the photograph, it really gets on my nerves when I can't get it parallel because the rotate function of the text box is too sensitive, and especially with big fingers on a small screen... Yeah. I also like that the fonts come in typical and atypical styles.

You can also add textures to the text

THIS APP. This also applies to the stickers, too. The delete button is one the top left of the object, the resizing and rotation adjustment on the bottom right. On the top right is a little button with a counterclockwise arrow with a 0' within it, which AUTOMATICALLY ALIGNS THE OBJECT HORIZONTALLY PARALLEL TO THE EDGE OF THE IMAGE. It's incredibly convenient, especially when people with OCD like me are particularly anal about how their watermarks are aligned. LOL

Back to business. Let's talk about the collage function. Fotor provides both the basic types of collage templates (Classic), as well as more creative options under the Magazine tab.

The magazine templates offer an array of collage designs for different functions, but the classic templates offer more customizing options from filling the borders with color or pattern, adjusting the width of the edges as well as the space in between photos, as well as rounding of the edges.

There are actually several extra features that are only available through purchase, which you can browse through by tapping on the little trolley icon beside the save icon. Each pack doesn't cost more than MYR 4, so if you're a real photo editing enthusiast, these might interest you.


So far, this would be my favorite app for editing all round (Meitu still takes first place for selfie and portrait editing), especially editing for blog or non-human subjects.