Last Updated on 13.09.2022
In this segment, there is no reliable leader proven over the years, because the technology itself is still quite young.
Note that universal composite imaging solutions are not the most fruitful technological niche for online systems, but they still have potential, users and benefits.
In this review, we will discuss online applications that exist and operate as part of stand-alone web sites and services that are not integrated into third-party systems in relation to the developers.
We do not consider systems and applications that do not have official requirements and do not provide contact information, although we are aware of their existence and have tested the capabilities of many of them.
Attempts to create such solutions sometimes lead to unexpected results. To have a certain starting point, about which, we assume, until now we knew nothing, let’s start with a resource called Free Online Photoshop.
Free Online Photoshop
Of course, this service has nothing to do with Adobe or its products. This service is exactly what its name tells us, that is, a “photo workshop”, whose purpose is to provide users with universal tools for photo processing and combined image editing.
The service integrates various online applications from different developers, some of which we will consider below in this review as stand-alone products. On the site, these applications can be found in the “Online Photo Editor” section.
The Photopea and Photoshop Online sections lead to the same product: the Photopea online image editor (which we also include in this review), which also launches automatically on the home page of this site. Believe it or not, the capabilities of this online application are almost identical to the legendary Adobe Photoshop.
We provide information about this service here so that you simply know about its existence: the name of the service is easy to remember, even if you lose your bookmark. The service is free and does not require registration. Supported by the community.
Dunp Lab
Multifunctional service for webmasters, designers and marketers. It includes a large set of useful tools.
One of the subsystems of the service is an online studio for fast and easy work with images, which includes various applications:
+ image editor (can scale, crop, rotate and flip images),
+ palette generator for images,
+ thumbnail and annotation generator for Youtube videos,
+ generator of images of pages of sites by their addresses.
All the tools are very easy to use, have presets and are available with one or two clicks. The final result can be immediately downloaded in PNG format to your computer.
The service is completely free and does not require registration.
Favicon Generator
Multifunctional service for advanced webmasters who like to work with traditional technologies and don’t really trust automation.
Contains two tools for working with images: Online Image Editor and Favicon.ico & App Icon Generator.
The editor has a simple classic-type interface, supports layers and contains tools for working with them, contains all the basic editing and painting tools, tools for basic transformations, a collection of 30 different effects, and the entire set of essential tools for working with color, including manual and automatic color correction.
The result can be saved to your computer in PNG, JPG, XML, BMP and WEBP formats.
The icon generator works completely automatically and allows you to quickly get fairly decent thumbnail images.
This is the case when appearances are deceiving.
The application is free, no registration is required.
ImageBot
An image editor with a colorful multi-window interface.
The application allows you to work with layers in a slightly unusual way: each layer can contain an arbitrary number of objects of different types. At the same time, you can move objects within a layer as if they were separate layers: bring them to the foreground, place them one behind the other, or bring them to the background.
This greatly simplifies working with not too complex images with a reduced number of layers. To control the location of objects within a layer, as well as for simple object transformations, the application has a separate menu. When you select an object with the mouse, the context of the parameters panel changes automatically.
You can work directly with layers, as usual, for this there are all the basic operations. Some of them are available through a separate menu for layers, others – in the layers panel window.
The app can do virtually nothing with photos except apply pre-made effects from a modest set but with many settings. Its purpose is to create multi-component images from pre-made objects.
Tools are available to easily create and edit different types of objects. You can use photographs, create text and standard vector shapes, and use vector objects from a large thematically structured clipart.
The app includes a logo generator. To use it, you need to select the appropriate style from the thematic collection, enter the desired inscription in the editing window and adjust the display parameters.
The result can be saved to a computer in PNG, JPG, PDF and SVG formats.
The application is free, no registration is required.
GifGit
Universal image editor.
Multi-functional application with a simple interface, it works in a standard pop-up window of a browser. Supports operations to edit raster images, add texts, apply filters and effects.
There are basic tools for brightness and contrast adjustment, color correction, and general editing. There are simple drawing tools.
The result can be saved on the computer in PNG, JPG and GIF formats.
The application is free, no registration is required.
ILoveImg
A remarkable service. In addition to the image editor itself, it contains a set of batch processing applets that allow you to resize, crop, compress, rotate, convert from one format to another, and apply your own watermarks to images.
There are also applets for taking raster screenshots of web pages and creating animated GIFs, as well as a meme generator.
All these widgets are very easy to use.
The image editor itself is also quite simple. It has tools for basic editing, adding text and simple vector objects, stickers and frames, and has tools for free drawing. There are also simple tools to edit brightness and contrast, control the fill of shapes and the color of outlines.
The app can import and export files in PNG, JPG, and GIF formats.
The application in the minimum configuration is free, no registration is required. After registration, the limit on the number and volume of files that can be batched is increased. For a small fee, the number of files will be unlimited, their volume will increase to 1 GB, and the service will provide you with collective access with the ability to use different devices.
Image Online
Powerful multifunctional application. More precisely, there are several applications, each of which performs some kind of operation. Said even more precisely, there are many such applications. Even listing all the apps would take up too much space, so we’ll just describe their groups.
Image Filters. Here you have everything you can modify, adjust, reduce and enlarge, from cropping media and brightness adjustment to tools for changing exposure and a set of photo filters. Basically, this group contains all the tools for basic editing of photos and other raster images.
Image Conversion Tools. About 100 options to convert images from one format to another.
Image Manipulation Tools. 22 tools for various image transformations, from simple drawing, pasting and cropping of images to text manipulation and the ability to apply watermarks.
GIFImageTools. A unique set of tools, without exaggeration, to create and transform animated images.
GraphMaker. 13 very simple and very useful tools to create diagrams of various types.
Miscellaneous tools. Various tools that are not directly related to image editing, but can be useful.
To perform the required operation, you need to select it from the general list, download the image file, make the necessary settings and press the button to download the finished file to your computer.
All operations are done very quickly with real-time preview. There is a video tutorial for most operations under the editing area.
The result can be saved to the computer in PNG and JPG formats, as well as converted to several dozen different formats.
The service is free, no registration required, no hidden fees, full access to all features is provided.
Img2Go
Free image converter with online image editing.
The service offers a set of applications to solve various problems.
The image editing application contains a fairly large set of basic tools that allow you to perform the simplest photo correction and transformation using filters, image resizing, cropping, and applying simple effects and transformations.
There are simple tools for working with text, creating vector objects, free drawing, and applying stickers and frames. You can also add new files to an already open file, which will be automatically placed as new objects or layers.
The service also provides a stand-alone app for quick cropping by templates with fixed aspect ratios, an app for applying watermarks, and an app for image resizing. These applications allow you to add many files to the list and perform batch processing. By resizing an image, you can simultaneously set a different format for the resulting file.
The service also offers various applications for mutual conversions between different image formats and document formats.
In the basic configuration, you can use the service for free and without registration. After registration, it increases the size of the files that can be processed and their number in the list during batch processing. When connecting payment services, the specified parameters are increased several times.
JumpStory
A combined service for editing and storing images with access to collections of raster and vector images of various types and for various purposes.
To edit images, the service offers two applications: one to remove the background and another to perform the editing itself.
Background removal is done by artificial intelligence algorithms. The tool works in a similar way to many modern tools of this type: you have to mark the isolated objects with one marker, and the background to be removed with the other. Everything else is done automatically.
The image editor contains basic editing (cropping, resizing, adjustments, filters, rotations) and layout (text overlays, frames, borders, and objects) tools.
The service is paid. Registration is required to access the 14-day free trial.
miniPaint
Simple and fast editor with good skills.
The application has an interface made in the classic style of desktop editors. All controls, menu systems, windows and panels are intuitive for any user, even with little experience.
When creating a new image, you can set its size or choose from a list of standard sizes.
The application can open files not only from a local disk, but also from a specific URL, as well as capture an image from a webcam, search for suitable images by keywords in a free stock photo, and import an arbitrary number of files from a directory on a local disk.
The application supports working with layers. Basic operations for layers are available and – attention! – use each layer as a separate frame to create an animated GIF file.
The application contains a complete set of simple and advanced image editing tools, around 40 different effects and a set of auxiliary tools.
Results can be saved in PNG, JPG, JSON, WEBP, GIF, and BMP formats. In all formats except JSON, you can save a composite image and a selected layer, or all layers separately.
Additionally, the composite image can be saved in URL data format for direct insertion into HTML code.
The app is free, open source, based on HTML5, compatible with all modern browsers. No registration required.
Online Image Editor
This service with a simple and understandable name contains a single application – a graphics editor.
The application is designed to edit images in a browser window, it has a simple classic type interface and contains sets of tools for basic editing, advanced editing and creating GIF animations.
Basic editing tools include resizing, cropping, adding text, rotating and flipping, simple photo filters, borders, rounded corners, photo frames, and a tool called Image In Text. allows you to create a text with an image of the original photo inside.
Advanced tools: vignettes with color adjustments, simple background removal tool, overlays, cut to templates, balloon banners, canvas resizing, image conversion to various formats.
With both basic and advanced tools, you can download and edit animated GIF images.
Animation tools allow you to add animated theme overlays from the existing collection, glitter overlays, twinkling stars of various shapes, glowing text, moving strings of national flags of all countries of the world, and the effect of rain on the photo. You can also constrain the palette to reduce the size of GIFs and create frame-by-frame animations.
Each tool has brief instructions.
The results of the work can be downloaded in the required format.
The service is free, no registration is required.
Peko-Step
A simple image editor with a classic interface and a basic set of tools.
Very visual and intuitive application with predictable behavior of all menus, buttons and other controls.
Each tool has a detailed description and instructions with examples and explanations.
The application allows you to resize the canvas and images, combine images horizontally and vertically, crop, rotate, flip, add text, adjust brightness and contrast, generate light rays, blur the selected area and perform its pixelation.
Of the photographic filters are only available: negative, black and white and sepia.
Simple drawing tools are also available: free drawing, lines, ellipses and rectangles.
The service is free, registration is not required.
PhotoPea
In some countries, this single-app service is taught in schools.
The fact is that this application is unique in its own way: its interface, functions and capabilities are equivalent to the exact details of the interface, functions and capabilities of the well-known Adobe Photoshop program.
Yes, exactly.
And let’s say this right now: it’s free and works without registration. Pay As You Go is a narrow vertical banner on the right side of the browser window.
There is no point in listing its tools, settings, filters, capabilities, simply because they completely cover everything that is known about Adobe Photoshop.
This app can do it all. Even the characteristic magic of working with layers, which we love so much, is in it.
Now a little about the money. The application can really be used for free and without registration, there are no restrictions on functionality.
You can sign up and enter your username and password to work. It’s also free, in which case all your app and workspace settings will be stored on the app’s server and synced across all the devices you go to work on.
You can buy the use of the service for 30, 90 or 365 days for 1 user, or for a team of 5 to 20 users. The prices are very affordable. In the case of paid access, you will not be shown ads, and the number of steps in the action history will be increased from 30 to 60.
Pixlr
Photo editor with a classic “computer-like” interface in the full version of Pixlr E and with a simpler interface in the Pixlr X version.
A highly developed application, containing, in general, all the familiar tools, both basic and advanced. Work with layers is implemented, all basic operations are available.
In principle, everything is classic in this application, from the menu system and the sort order of the elements to the filter list. The toolbar icons are in their usual places and are very recognizable.
It can be seen that there are artificial intelligence algorithms for background removal and mobile versions of the application are being developed.
The basic version of the application is available for free. There are two monthly payment plans. The entry level plan unlocks access to all features and advanced clipart. The most advanced plan gives you access to the maximum of clip art, large online collections of various types of resources, financial guarantees for commercial use of the results, and constant customer service support.
Sumo
A multifunctional service made up of several independent applications, including an image editor.
The editor is executed according to the traditional scheme and does not offer anything unexpected. The interface is similar to that of desktop applications both in design and tools.
The service can be used free of charge and without registration, in this case the available functionality of the applications will be limited. Switching to a paid plan gives you access to all apps on the service at once and removes all restrictions.
The service’s suite of applications is actually quite unusual. In addition to the image editor, it has a photo editor, a video editor, a 3D model editor, a MIDI music editor, and a JS programming system.
Conclusion
Unsurprisingly, these kinds of apps form a very mixed picture. There is sure to be something useful in this variety of possibilities for a user of any level.
DunpLab is a very useful set of tools that has the means to quickly solve simple, but often urgent tasks.
Favicon Generator is an equally useful service, much like dunplab.it, but it includes a fairly powerful image editor that is suitable for creating works of low complexity.
ImageBot is a great tool for quickly creating multi-layered composite images with any number of objects and text. It can also be used as a logo generator. Generally focused on graphics for websites and mobile applications.
GifGit is a simple tool for operational work. Suitable for users who are comfortable with its interface and find the set of media and tools sufficient.
ILoveImg and Img2Go are suitable for automating simple processing of a large amount of images, their selective edition and related tasks.
ImageOnline is a service that allows you to quickly and easily perform, literally “on the fly”, various operations in one step, from simple to trivial even unique and rare, but very useful. Suitable for a user of any level.
JumpStory is a service to quickly work on creating various simple layouts using your photos and various images from provided collections.
miniPaint is an application for advanced users focused on producing graphics and motion graphics for websites.
Online Image Editor is a simple, clear and fast application for beginners, which allows easy correction of a photo, decoration with a frame , add text and animated effects.
Peko-Step is a simple, but functional and quite classic editor in terms of tools and interface, well documented for beginners and those who want to learn work with images.
PhotoPea is a service for advanced users, working alone or in a team, who like or need the capabilities of programs like Adobe Photoshop.
Pixlr is a service for intermediate users, combining an image editing application and large collections of materials, templates and objects.
Sumo is a service for beginners and intermediate users, suitable also for learning.
