Take a shot to its final look right on the phone, without sending it to a computer, keeping RAW quality and precise control over tone.

Which apps people use

These apps are mentioned in the breakdown of this job. Open each one to compare strengths and limits. The order of the list is not a ranking of fitness.

1. 1

   Carbon - B&W Filters & Effects

   Rank 1. Review score: 82 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.7★ · 12,501 ratings

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   The best mobile tool for black-and-white processing according to working photographers. A wide range of tonal presets recreates the character of film emulsions, from hard contrast to soft sepia toning. Texture overlays and grain are applied with restraint. The app is actively developed and updated.

   Praised: The infrared effect, toning, and per-range tonal control via dedicated sliders produce results photographers compare to darkroom work. The interface is uncluttered and requires no learning curve.

   Complaints: Restoring purchased filters when switching devices sometimes fails. The app focuses exclusively on monochrome and texture processing with no color correction tools.

   Best for: Photographers who shoot primarily in black and white and want controlled tonal grain without a computer.

2. 3

   Lightroom: AI Photo Editor

   Rank 3. Review score: 76 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.8★ · 335,094 ratings

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   The best mobile editor for RAW shooters: powerful masking tools, preset sync, and flexible color grading. The object removal tool and the new generative AI features are unstable, but everything else is desktop-level.

   Praised: Desktop-grade RAW processing on the phone. AI-assisted object masking is precise. Preset sync between phone and PC saves time in complex workflows. Suggested presets offer a solid starting point.

   Complaints: The object removal tool selects a much larger area than indicated. Editing high-resolution images on iPad turns highlights green. Importing from an SD card requires loading all previews before work can begin.

   Best for: Photographers who shoot in RAW and want a complete workflow without a laptop on the road.

3. 18

   TouchRetouch

   Rank 18. Review score: 60 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.7★ · 56,992 ratings

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   The main object removal tool outperforms most alternatives. Jewelry, wires, and strangers on the beach are removed cleanly. Edge awareness is high: the tool does not blur neighboring objects. The new beta people-removal feature is weaker and leaves artifacts along the silhouette edge. The app has become noticeably slower on new iPhones.

   Praised: Removing thin lines (wires, ropes, cracks) without blurring the background is done more precisely and cleanly than most competitors, including mobile Photoshop.

   Complaints: The beta people-removal feature leaves a visible outline along the silhouette edge that requires additional cleanup. The app has slowed significantly and overheats the phone during complex operations.

   Best for: Photographers and retouchers who need to cleanly remove small objects (wires, road signs, random passersby) without destroying the background.

4. 10

   Snapseed: Photo Editor

   Rank 10. Review score: 72 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.9★ · 16,060 ratings

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   The most capable mobile editor with native tools for targeted corrections, selective masking by luminosity and color, and film presets. Works without intrusive ads and without registration. The 2025 redesign broke familiar navigation for experienced users.

   Praised: The selective correction tool targeting a specific zone without masks has no mobile equivalent. Film presets with grain and tone control are fully customizable. Works without registration or forced ads.

   Complaints: The interface redesign made navigation unclear for experienced users: familiar tools moved without logic. On new iPads and some cameras (Nikon Z6) the app has errors on RAW import.

   Best for: Amateur and professional photographers who want full-featured mobile processing without a subscription.

5. 17

   DAZE CAM - Vintage Camera

   Rank 17. Review score: 61 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.8★ · 11,427 ratings

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   The best mobile disposable-camera film emulator according to users who have compared dozens of alternatives. Grain and light leak are adjustable component by component. The app freezes when switching between multiple photos in a row.

   Praised: The film effect works across a wide range of lighting conditions without obvious signs of digital processing. Grain and light leaks are adjustable component by component for precise control over atmosphere.

   Complaints: The app freezes when switching between multiple photos in a row and requires a force close. Some presets clip colors at the edges of the brightness range when importing RAW.

   Best for: People who want authentic film aesthetics for a personal archive or social media feed, without buying a real disposable camera.

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