Photoleap by Lightricks and Adobe Photoshop Express are two of the most popular photo editing apps for mobile devices. Both apps can equip enthusiasts and professionals alike with the necessary sophisticated tools to create vibrant, top-quality images.
However, Photoleap and Photoshop Express have key differences in features, UX design, and pricing structures. Plus, while both apps are great, one might better fit your photo editing needs than the other.
Learn more with the comparison below.
What is PhotoLeap by Lightricks?
Photoleap by Lightricks is a streamlined and powerful photo editing app built specifically for iOS devices. It is packed with “quality-of-life” features that let beginners whip up stunning images quickly.
Some examples are:
- QuickArt: Instantly create professional-looking images based on pre-made photo styles and designs.
- “Get Inspired”: Access completed designs that show you how to achieve certain photo effects.
- Learning Resources: The Photoleap app offers straightforward tutorials on how to use image effects.
- Templates: Besides QuickArts and “Get Inspired” projects, Photoleap has project templates that walk you through the steps of creating a specific design.
What is Adobe Photoshop Express?
There’s a reason why people started using the word “Photoshop” as a verb (as in, “let’s just Photoshop an apple onto that table”). Adobe Photoshop may have a steep learning curve, but a proficient user can do virtually anything with it.
Cue Photoshop Express, Photoshop’s mobile counterpart.
Photoshop Express tries to bring the professional and sophisticated feel of Photoshop to smartphones and tablets. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll realize that it has nowhere near the capabilities of Photoshop’s desktop version.
Like Photoleap, Photoshop Express offers “one-touch” tools that instantly apply a specific style or effect to an image.
Some of the most notable ones are:
- Selective Editing: Leverage Adobe Sensei to intelligently edit a separate region of a photo.
- Makeup: Retouch portraits and selfies with a single tap—great for social media influencers and bloggers.
- Collage themes: Create elaborate collages using dozens of ready-to-use collage themes for all occasions, including birthdays, music, travel, sports, and specific seasons.
- Corrective photo features: Make every shot perfect with tools for denoising, adding smiles, dehazing, spot healing, and more.
Photoleap vs Photoshop Express: Which is better?
For most users, choosing a mobile photo editing app is just a matter of convenience.
Which one is easier to use? What’s the cheapest option available?
However, if you’re a marketer, blogger, digital content creator or anyone else who needs to elevate their photography game, you need to consider several factors when picking a mobile photo editing tool.
To help you choose between Photoleap and Photoshop Express, we’ll look into three crucial factors:
- Features
- Usability
- Pricing
Features
Photoleap is designed to make things easy for beginners who want to create professional-grade images without sinking hours into learning or research. But it’s also designed so that if you dig deeper, the app gives users granular control over every aspect of every visual across multiple layers.
You can crop, adjust, cut out, filter, retouch, or use the brush tool to create eye-popping images—exactly the way you want them.
Photoleap feature highlights:
- Autocut: Effortlessly cut out greenery, clothes, water, people, backgrounds, and more without manually selecting them.
- Quick filters: Choose from dozens of adjustable filters to bring out your image’s best colors.
- Smart effects: Insert lights, glitch effects, vignettes, and more with just a few taps.
- In-depth picture adjustments: Adjust the white balance, tonality curve, tint, structure, and a handful of other settings.
Photoshop Express features a well-organized and comprehensive photo editing toolbox.
You can make in-depth photo adjustments, heal imperfections and visual artifacts, use graphic overlays, insert stickers, and more.
Photoshop Express feature highlights:
- Presets: Use the available editing presets or create your own to streamline your photo editing workflow.
- Integrate Creative Cloud Express: Use your photos as assets for Instagram Stories, business graphics, Facebook posts, and other formats through Adobe Express.
- Eye editor: Change your subjects’ eyes or fix common issues like red eye and pet eye glare.
- Themes: Apply customizable design templates or “themes” for various subjects like travel, portraits, food, and landscapes.
Usability
Photoleap is designed to be super intuitive, from the home dashboard to its most advanced editing tools.
The navigation buttons are visible, clearly labeled, and positioned well. Photoleap is also sprinkled with beginner tips and links to more resources everywhere you go. For example, when using a tool for the first time, tap the book icon in the upper-left corner to view a quick tutorial.
On Photoshop Express, navigation elements and dashboard sections feel more cramped.
Beginners can still familiarize themselves with the interface quickly. However, certain features aren’t as accessible as they are in Photoleap. For example, to access layer controls, you need to tap the “Adjustments” tab first, which is fine but might take some getting used to.
Photoshop Express also lacks ample tooltips and on-demand learning resources. The app is still designed for usability, but it’s not as intuitive as Photoleap.
Pricing
Photoleap’s pricing depends on your country, but it should be around $4.99 per month for unlimited access. The app also offers a lifetime access option for around $36 as a one-time payment.
Adobe Photoshop Express comes with a free version, but the things you can do are significantly limited. To make the most out of the app, you need to pay $4.99 per month or $34.99 per year.
Photoleap vs Photoshop Express: Which should you buy?
Photoleap and Photoshop Express are extremely close in terms of features and monthly pricing.
Both apps come loaded with mind-blowing yet easy-to-use editing tools. They also offer flexible pricing plans that fit most budgets.
However, Photoleap’s more beginner-friendly interface might be the edge brands, influencers, or marketers need, especially if the goal is to pump out high-quality visuals quickly.
Choose wisely and be sure to look at the long-term benefits of each tool. Consider testing out both apps to get the feel of using each one. Edit the same photo using Photoleap and Photoshop Express’s similar features to see which gives you the best results, as this is likely the best way to decide which app is best for you.
