Beyond Retrato: A 2025 Review of the Best AI Image Editing Apps for Mobile & Beyond

Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

Key Takeaways

• DALL-E 3 excels at understanding complex prompts and generating high-quality images.
• Midjourney is an artistic powerhouse, but its Discord-based interface may not suit everyone.
• Ideogram is perfect for creating images with legible and visually appealing text.
• Ethical considerations are crucial when using AI image editing tools.

Table of Contents

• What to Look for in AI Image Editing Apps in 2025
• DALL-E 3: AI Image Generation, Evolved
• Midjourney: Artistic Powerhouse or Mobile Misfit?
• Ideogram: The Typography Titan
• Lensa: From Avatar Craze to Image Editing Contender?
• Stable Diffusion: Open Source on the Go?
• Canva and Adobe Express: AI Image Editing Integrated
• AI-Powered Video Editing: A New Frontier
• Generative AI for E-commerce: More Than Just Product Pics
• AI-Driven Photo Restoration and Enhancement
• Real-Time Collaboration: Edit Together, Anywhere
• Pricing and Subscription Models: What Will it Cost You?
• Ethical Considerations: AI Image Editing and the Future of Trust
• The Future of AI Image Editing: 2025 and Beyond
• Conclusion
• For Further Reading

The world of AI image editing has exploded, transforming how we create and manipulate visuals. From simple touch-ups to generating photorealistic images from scratch, AI is revolutionizing creative workflows. In our previous article, we explored Retrato as a compelling mobile option, but the landscape is vast and ever-changing. This review dives into the best AI image editing apps available in 2025, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and suitability for various tasks. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting, understanding these tools is key to unlocking the power of AI in your creative process. While some are mobile-friendly, others are desktop heavy-hitters. As AI photo editing becomes increasingly accessible, the question “What are the best AI image editing apps for 2025?” is more relevant than ever. But before we explore each tool, it’s important to review what to look for. As this technology continues to advance, it also brings along important ethical considerations to keep in mind.

What to Look for in AI Image Editing Apps in 2025

As the AI image editing landscape continues to grow, it’s important to know how to pick the right app for your needs. In 2025, several key factors will determine whether an AI-powered editor is worth your time and money. Here are the key criteria to consider:

• Ease of Use (UI/UX): A good app should be easy to learn and use, even for beginners. The user interface (UI) should be clear and intuitive, with well-organized tools and features. For experienced users, the app should also offer advanced options and customization possibilities.
• Image Quality and Style Variety: The best apps produce high-quality images that are sharp, detailed, and visually appealing. They should also offer a wide range of styles, from photorealistic to artistic and abstract. The ability to fine-tune the style and overall look of the image is also very important.
• Features: Look for apps with a comprehensive set of features, such as object removal, background replacement, style transfer, image upscaling, and generative fill. The more features an app offers, the more versatile it will be.
• Pricing and Subscription Models: AI image editing apps come in a variety of pricing models, including free tiers, subscription plans, and one-time purchases. Consider your budget and usage needs when choosing an app. Be aware of any hidden fees, such as charges for generating a certain number of images or accessing premium features.
• Platform Availability: Some apps are available on mobile devices (iOS and Android), while others are desktop-based or web-based. Choose an app that is compatible with the devices you use most often.
• Ethical Considerations: It’s important to choose an app that addresses ethical concerns, such as copyright, deepfakes, and biases. Look for apps that have policies in place to prevent the misuse of AI-generated images and promote responsible AI usage.

DALL-E 3: AI Image Generation, Evolved

DALL-E 3, developed by OpenAI and accessible through ChatGPT, represents a significant leap forward in AI image generation. Unlike its predecessors, DALL-E 3 excels at understanding complex prompts and generating images that closely match the user’s intent. This enhanced precision stems from its tighter integration with ChatGPT, allowing for more natural and iterative prompt engineering. If you’re seeking guidance on how to finetune AI generated images, this integration makes the process more intuitive than ever before.

In terms of image quality, DALL-E 3 produces highly realistic and detailed images with impressive coherence. It handles intricate scenes and multiple subjects with ease, and its ability to generate variations on existing images is a valuable asset for creative exploration. You can visit OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 page to see examples of what it can do.

While DALL-E 3 is primarily a web-based tool, it can be accessed on mobile devices through a web browser. However, the mobile experience may not be as seamless as using a dedicated mobile app.

DALL-E 3 offers a compelling blend of image quality, ease of use, and versatility, making it a top contender in the AI image editing space. As we discussed in our main guide, the underlying prompt is a critical component for success.

Midjourney: Artistic Powerhouse or Mobile Misfit?

Midjourney distinguishes itself from other AI image generation tools with its unique Discord-based interface. Users interact with the AI by typing prompts into a Discord channel, and the AI generates images in response.

Midjourney shines in generating artistic and surreal images with a distinctive aesthetic. Its strengths lie in creating visually striking and imaginative artwork, often with a painterly or dreamlike quality. However, its reliance on Discord can be a drawback for users who prefer a more streamlined and integrated experience. This platform is not the best for people seeking AI image editing software that allows quick edits on a mobile device.

Furthermore, Midjourney’s mobile experience is limited to accessing Discord through a mobile app or web browser. While this allows users to generate images on the go, it lacks the convenience and features of a dedicated mobile app. As the technology grows, it’s important to stay abreast of whether Midjourney moves away from Discord or integrates with other mobile applications.

Ideogram: The Typography Titan

Ideogram sets itself apart from the competition by focusing on typography and text integration in images. This AI image generation tool excels at creating images with legible and visually appealing text, making it an excellent choice for social media content creation, marketing materials, and other applications where text is a key element.

While Ideogram’s text generation capabilities are impressive, its strengths in realistic image generation are more limited. It may not be the best choice for users who prioritize photorealistic images over stylized visuals with text.

Lensa: From Avatar Craze to Image Editing Contender?

Lensa rose to fame with its AI-powered avatar creation feature, which allowed users to transform their selfies into stylized portraits. However, as of 2025, Lensa has evolved beyond avatars and expanded its feature set to become a more comprehensive AI image editing tool.

Lensa’s current features include tools for retouching portraits, removing blemishes, adjusting skin tones, and enhancing overall image quality. Its subscription model offers access to premium features and removes watermarks from edited images.

It’s worth noting that Lensa faced privacy concerns in the past regarding its handling of user data. To provide a balanced review, it’s crucial to update the review with the latest information about their privacy policies and any independent audits or reports addressing these concerns. You can find the latest information on websites such as Wired.

Stable Diffusion: Open Source on the Go?

Stable Diffusion stands out as an open-source AI image generation model, offering users a high degree of customization and control. Unlike closed-source alternatives, Stable Diffusion allows users to fine-tune the model, train it on custom datasets, and integrate it into their own applications.

Stable Diffusion’s open-source nature makes it a favorite among developers and researchers, but it can also present a learning curve for beginners. Setting up and configuring Stable Diffusion requires technical expertise, and the process can be intimidating for non-technical users. You can find out the latest information at Stability AI’s website.

While Stable Diffusion was not initially designed for mobile use, there may be official applications, integrations, or third-party applications to access functionality that have since been developed.

Canva and Adobe Express: AI Image Editing Integrated

Canva and Adobe Express are popular design platforms that have integrated AI image editing capabilities into their broader feature sets. These platforms offer a range of AI-powered tools, such as background removal, style transfer, and image enhancement, alongside their traditional design tools.

Canva and Adobe Express are particularly well-suited for creating social media graphics, marketing materials, and other visual content. Their ease of use and integrated design tools make them a convenient choice for users who need to create visually appealing content quickly and efficiently. You can see the official specifications at Adobe’s official website.

However, their AI image editing features may not be as advanced or customizable as those offered by dedicated AI image editing apps.

AI-Powered Video Editing: A New Frontier

The rise of AI video editing is creating a revolutionary way to create and edit videos. Some apps now offer features such as AI-powered video upscaling, background removal, and style transfer for video. These new tools are not only available, but some are becoming quite good.

These apps are excelling in specific video editing tasks, like short-form content creation for platforms like TikTok, but also tackling more complex video editing tasks. RunwayML is one such company involved in AI video editing. The trend of AI generated music to accompany these short videos is also relevant, as content creators seek to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Generative AI Image Editing for E-commerce: More Than Just Product Pics

Generative AI image editing is transforming the e-commerce industry, and is being used for much more than product photos. Some apps are designed for generating product images, lifestyle shots, and marketing materials for online stores. These tools allow businesses to create high-quality visuals quickly and efficiently, saving time and money on traditional photography.

AI is also being used to create personalized marketing materials and interactive shopping experiences. For example, a major cosmetics brand uses AI to generate diverse images of models using their products. The AI creates models of different ethnicities, ages, and skin tones, greatly reducing the need for photoshoots and promoting inclusivity in their marketing campaigns. You can find more examples of this on the Shopify blog. Furthermore, AI is even being used to generate entire virtual storefronts.

AI-Driven Photo Restoration and Enhancement

AI photo restoration apps specialize in restoring old photos, removing blemishes, and improving image quality using AI. These apps can automatically correct discoloration, remove scratches, and sharpen details, bringing old and damaged photos back to life.

For example, a historical archive uses AI-powered photo restoration software to digitize and enhance damaged photographs from the early 20th century. The software automatically removes scratches, corrects discoloration, and sharpens details, preserving valuable historical records.

Real-Time Collaboration: Edit Together, Anywhere

In today’s collaborative world, AI image editing apps that offer real-time collaboration features are highly valuable. These apps allow multiple users to work on the same image simultaneously, making it easy to share feedback, brainstorm ideas, and create visuals together.

Pricing and Subscription Models: What Will it Cost You?

The cost of AI image editing apps varies widely depending on the features offered and the subscription model. Some apps offer free tiers with limited features, while others require a subscription to access premium features and remove watermarks. Still, others may offer a one-time purchase option.

It’s important to carefully consider the pricing model of each app and choose one that fits your budget and usage needs. Be aware of any hidden costs, such as charges for generating a certain number of images or accessing premium features.

Ethical Considerations: AI Image Editing and the Future of Trust

As AI image editing technology advances, it’s crucial to consider the ethical implications of its use. Issues such as copyright, deepfakes, and misinformation are becoming increasingly pressing, and it’s important to use these technologies responsibly. What are the ethical concerns surrounding AI image editing?

AI ethicists and legal scholars are actively debating the responsible use of AI image editing. A recurring question is how to prevent AI from reinforcing biases or creating misleading content. It’s important to choose apps that have policies in place to prevent the misuse of AI-generated images and promote responsible AI usage. For the latest developments in AI ethics, you can reference the Springer Journal.

The Future of AI Image Editing: 2025 and Beyond

The future of AI image editing is bright, with many exciting trends on the horizon. One key trend is hyper-personalization, where AI tools and platforms create highly individualized experiences based on user preferences, behaviors, and prior content.

Other emerging trends include improved realism and photorealism, as well as enhanced control over the creative process. An architecture firm uses AI image generation to create realistic renderings of building designs. They input architectural plans into an AI model, which generates photorealistic images of the building in different environments and lighting conditions, allowing clients to visualize the final product. You can also visit Gartner for the most up-to-date information. As AI becomes more powerful and accessible, it will likely have a profound impact on various industries.

Conclusion

The AI image editing landscape in 2025 is a vibrant and rapidly evolving space. Each app offers a unique blend of features, pricing, and ethical considerations. While Retrato stands out as a solid mobile option for certain tasks, DALL-E 3, Midjourney, and others provide compelling alternatives. Choosing the right app depends on your specific needs and creative goals. While Retrato offers a user-friendly mobile experience, other apps like DALL-E 3 offer unique features and capabilities. So dive in, experiment, and unlock the power of AI to transform your visuals. Be sure to check out our main article on AI image generation to learn more about the fundamentals.

For Further Reading

• To understand the long-term implications, explore The Ethical Implications of AI-Generated Content.
• To see how the technology is being used in the business world, discover How AI is Transforming E-commerce Marketing Strategies.
• To learn more about AI in video creation, check out A Deep Dive into AI-Powered Video Editing Trends.