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PhotoPad

nchsoftware.com

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Spec score 9.3 #6 of 160 in Photo Editing Software

What it is

PhotoPad edits and enhances digital photos and images, with tools for cropping, rotating, resizing, retouching, and adjusting color and exposure. Blur and sharpening controls complement its non-destructive editing: users can undo, reorder, or change effects in a layers list. It can also make collages, photo mosaics, calendars, greeting cards, and photo montages. The maker lists AI-assisted super-resolution resizing, object and background removal, and colorizing black-and-white photos. PhotoPad supports RAW editing and formats including JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, and BMP; HDR/exposure blending is also listed. A project can contain up to eight images, and panorama types include wide. Edited pictures can be uploaded directly to Twitter, Flickr, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive. It is listed for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, Windows, and as an extension. The free edition costs nothing and is limited to non-commercial use; no signup is required. Desktop requirements are Windows 7 to 11 or macOS 10.5 or later.

Spec sheet

What it does
PhotoPad edits and enhances digital photographs and other images.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Purpose
PhotoPad edits and enhances digital photos and images.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Platforms
Downloads are listed for Windows, Mac, Android, and Kindle, with Cloud Lite for iPad, Linux, and ChromeOS and a Chrome extension.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Free plan
YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Integrations
Edited images can be uploaded directly to Twitter, Flickr, Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Privacy
NCH's privacy statement says it does not store credit card information and will never sell personal data.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nch.com.au
Support
NCH offers email support; telephone and live chat support are listed for customers with Platinum support.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
AI features
The maker lists AI-assisted super-resolution resizing, object removal, background removal, and colorizing black-and-white photos.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
AI tools
Listed AI functions include super-resolution resizing, background deletion, object removal, unblur, auto-colorize and image generation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
API and SDKs
The official product, support and legal pages describe application features and file sharing but provide no public PhotoPad API or SDK documentation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Cloud integrations
The maker says edited pictures can be uploaded directly to Twitter, Flickr, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Cloud limitations
The Cloud Lite page says advanced color correction, liquid resize and batch editing are desktop-only.Read 15 Oct 2026 · photopadonline.nchsoftware.com
Color and exposure
Users can adjust color balance, exposure, levels, brightness and contrast.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Company founded
LinkedIn and Crunchbase identify NCH Software as founded in 1993.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company founder
Crunchbase names Peter Lupton as founder and chief executive officer.Read 15 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Company headquarters and size
LinkedIn lists headquarters in Greenwood Village, Colorado and company size of 51–200 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company legal name
NCH's legal page identifies NCH Software Pty Ltd as the operator and publisher, with NCH Software, Inc. named for U.S. relationships.Read 15 Oct 2026 · nch.com.au
Company ownership and funding
Crunchbase lists NCH Software as private and provides no public funding amount.Read 15 Oct 2026 · crunchbase.com
Creative projects
The editor creates collages, mosaics, panoramas, calendars, cards, contact sheets and passport photos.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Creative tools
It can create collages, photo mosaics, calendars, greeting cards, and photo montages.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Crop and transform
The editor provides crop, rotate, straighten, resize, liquid-resize and flip tools.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Desktop systems
Official requirements list Windows 7 through 11 and macOS 10.5 or later.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Documentation
Support consists of a technical-support page with video tutorials plus a downloadable help manual.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Editing
Features include cropping, rotating, resizing, retouching, color and exposure adjustments, and blur and sharpening tools.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Editing behavior
The maker lists non-destructive editing, including undoing, reordering, and editing effects in a layers list.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
File formats
The maker lists JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, and BMP among supported image formats and says PhotoPad supports RAW editing.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Formats
The site lists JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF and BMP support plus other popular formats.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Free-use limit
The free PhotoPad edition is available for non-commercial use only, and the maker says no signup is required.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Google Play data safety
The Android listing says no data is shared with third parties, but the app may collect app-performance and device-ID data; it also says data is not encrypted and cannot be deleted.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
HDR
PhotoPad merges differently exposed photographs into HDR images.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Layers
Effects are kept in a reorderable, undoable, non-destructive layers list with visibility and opacity controls.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Licence
NCH's EULA reserves copyright to NCH Software and licenses the installed program under its terms, indicating proprietary software rather than open source.Read 15 Oct 2026 · nch.com.au
Limit: Android and Chromebook usability
Google Play reviewers report confusion about how to start editing, Chromebook compatibility failures, cumbersome collage and text controls, ads and a difficult interface.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Limit: billing and support complaints
Trustpilot review summaries include complaints about pricing, activation or update prompts, installation problems and slow or unsatisfactory support responses.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Limit: interface complexity
G2 reviewers report that the many tools and panels can feel cluttered, overwhelming and difficult to navigate.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: Mac app problems
Apple reviewers report premium-feature prompts, upgrade lockups, broken tools, compatibility problems after macOS updates and zoom or clarity regressions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Limit: performance
G2 reviewers mention slow loading, long rendering times for large images and occasional hanging while effects are applied.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Mobile and browser availability
NCH lists Android 5.0+, Chromebook, an online Cloud Lite editor for iPad, Linux and ChromeOS, and a Chrome extension.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Praise: ease of use
G2 reviewers repeatedly describe PhotoPad as simple, intuitive and quick for cropping, resizing, color adjustments and effects.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Praise: feature breadth
G2 users praise the broad editing toolkit, layers, RAW compatibility, filters and retouching functions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Praise: support and efficiency
Trustpilot reviewers commonly praise NCH applications as easy to use, lightweight and supported with prompt answers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Praise: value and usability
GetApp reports 75% positive reviews and gives PhotoPad 4.5/5 for ease of use and value for money.Read 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Privacy and security statement
The EULA says limited anonymized usage statistics may be collected under NCH's privacy statement.Read 15 Oct 2026 · nch.com.au
Rating on Apple App Store
3.7 out of 5 from 21 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on G2
4.2 out of 5 from 29 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp
4.3 out of 5 from 4 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Rating on Google Play
3.9 out of 5 from 3.97K reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Rating on Trustpilot
4.5 out of 5 from about 2,000 reviews for NCH Software overallRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
RAW editing
The product site says PhotoPad can edit RAW images directly from DSLR cameras.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
RAW photo support
YesRead 20 Sep 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Retouching
Retouch tools remove red-eye and blemishes and provide sharpening, blur and noise reduction.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Support options
NCH sells Silver email support for one month and Platinum prioritized email, chat and telephone support for one year.Read 15 Oct 2026 · nch.com.au
System requirements
The maker lists Windows 7 to 11 and macOS 10.5 or later for the desktop versions.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Text and drawing
Users can add captions, text, shapes, annotations, frames, borders and watermarks.Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
Upgrades
The PhotoPad versions page says buyers who purchased more than six months ago may need to purchase an upgrade to use the current version.Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com

Plans and prices

Pro Edition Annual Plan Price not published No restrictions · Single location license Read 20 Sep 2026 · secure.nch.com.au
Home Edition Annual Plan Price not published Unlimited use · Licensed for non-business use only Read 20 Sep 2026 · secure.nch.com.au
Pro Edition Quarterly Plan Price not published Unlimited ongoing use of professional version features · All upgrades Read 20 Sep 2026 · secure.nch.com.au
Free Free Non-commercial use only Read 4 Oct 2026 · nchsoftware.com
Free edition Free Free for non-commercial use · No signup required Read 15 Oct 2026 · help.nchsoftware.com
PhotoPad Photo Editor Pro Edition Quarterly Plan $9.99 a month $9.99 quarterly Unlimited ongoing use of professional features · All upgrades Read 15 Oct 2026 · secure.nch.com.au
PhotoPad Photo Editor Home Edition Annual Plan $34.99 a year $34.99+VAT/year Unlimited use · Non-business use only Read 15 Oct 2026 · secure.nch.com.au
PhotoPad Photo Editor Pro Edition Annual Plan $39.95 a year $39.95+VAT/year No restrictions · Single-location license Read 15 Oct 2026 · secure.nch.com.au
Pro License Price not published Purchase page did not expose a price Read 4 Oct 2026 · secure.nch.com.au

Every PhotoPad plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Editing effects can be undone, reordered, or adjusted.
  • AI tools include object and background removal.
  • Supports RAW editing and HDR/exposure blending.
  • Edited pictures upload directly to listed cloud services.

Limits

  • The free edition is for non-commercial use only.
  • Projects are limited to eight images.
  • Current versions may require an upgrade after six months.

Who it suits

PhotoPad suits people who want photo editing, creative layouts, and RAW support across its listed platforms. Its free edition is specifically for non-commercial use.

PhotoPad in depth

Read the full write-up

PhotoPad is a general-purpose editor for people who want photo corrections and creative projects in one application. It suits home users and hobbyists; its non-commercial free edition and eight-image project cap make it a poor fit for business use or larger panorama jobs.

Overview

PhotoPad combines routine edits—cropping, rotating, resizing, retouching, color and exposure adjustments, blur, and sharpening—with RAW editing. It also supports JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, and BMP. That range makes it useful as an all-round editor for mixed image libraries, rather than a tool limited to one kind of adjustment.

Its non-destructive editing lets users undo and reorder effects or revisit them in a layers list. That is a practical advantage when experimenting with a sequence of edits. PhotoPad also handles wide panoramas and HDR or exposure blending, but a project can contain no more than eight images, a meaningful constraint for larger stitching tasks.

Key features

Creative tools produce collages, photo mosaics, calendars, greeting cards, and photo montages. This breadth suits occasional personal projects as well as image cleanup, though it does not remove the panorama image limit. The maker also lists AI-assisted super-resolution resizing, object removal, background removal, and colorizing black-and-white photos.

Edited pictures can be uploaded directly to Twitter, Flickr, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive. That makes sharing and cloud storage part of the workflow. The free edition requires no signup, but is restricted to non-commercial use.

Pricing

PhotoPad is freemium. The Free plan costs nothing and allows non-commercial use only, so it fits personal editing but not paid or business work. Pro License has custom pricing; the purchase page does not expose a price.

The annual plans have no published price. Pro Edition Annual Plan includes no restrictions and a single-location license, making it the stated option without business-use limits for a single location. Home Edition Annual Plan allows unlimited use but is licensed for non-business use only, so it remains a home-use choice. Pro Edition Quarterly Plan includes unlimited ongoing use of professional-version features and all upgrades; its shorter term may suit users who prefer not to commit annually. The plan descriptions do not give seat counts or prices for these options.

Buyers who purchased more than six months ago may need to buy an upgrade to use the current version. That can affect the long-term cost of keeping an older purchase current.

Platforms

PhotoPad is offered for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, the web, and Windows, as well as as an extension. For desktop editions, the maker gives Windows 7 to 11 and macOS 10.5 or later as system requirements. The broad platform range helps households using different devices, while those desktop requirements make the stated operating-system compatibility clear.

Who it's for

PhotoPad is a sensible choice for home users who want routine corrections, RAW support, and projects such as cards or collages in one editor. The free edition is especially suited to non-commercial use. Someone editing for business should choose a plan without that restriction, while panorama makers working with more than eight images per project should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

Pro: Non-destructive effects can be undone, reordered, and revised in a layers list, which supports iterative editing.

Pro: Routine corrections, RAW editing, creative projects, and AI-assisted tools cover a broad mix of home editing needs.

Pro: Direct uploads to five named services provide several routes for sharing or storing edited pictures.

Con: The free edition is non-commercial only, excluding business users.

Con: Panorama projects are capped at eight images, limiting larger stitching work.

Con: Buyers may need to purchase an upgrade after six months to use the current version, which can add to the cost of continued use.

Alternatives

For panorama work, Hugin is a free, open-source option for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Choose it when those terms matter more than PhotoPad's broader mix of editing and creative tools. Panoweaver is a paid alternative with a free trial; its Professional Edition includes 300-group batch stitching, HDR stitching, tripod removal, and branding or custom URL options, making it more relevant when those stitching and presentation features are needed.

PTGui is another paid, trial-available choice for Linux, macOS, and Windows; its Pro personal license is a one-time payment, includes one year of free upgrades, and can be activated on up to two computers simultaneously. PanoramaStudio is a paid option with a free trial for macOS and Windows. WidsMob Panorama is a paid, trial-available option for macOS and Windows, with a one-month Windows license priced at $15.99 a month.

3DVista Stitcher is a paid, trial-available option for macOS and Windows. For portrait editing, ON1 Portrait AI is a paid, trial-available alternative for macOS and Windows. Luminar Neo is a paid option for desktop and mobile platforms.

For broader browsing, see Photo Editing Software, Panorama Stitching Software, and AI Photo Editors.

Verdict

Choose PhotoPad for a broad set of personal editing and creative tools, especially if non-destructive revisions and RAW support matter. Look elsewhere if you need a free commercial license or routinely stitch panoramas with more than eight images.

Verdict

PhotoPad covers routine adjustments as well as collages, montages, RAW editing, and AI-assisted tools. Check the non-commercial restriction on its free edition and the project image limit before choosing it.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to PhotoPadAll alternatives →