Freemium★
Pixlr
Browser photo editing two ways: one-tap quick fixes or a layer-based editor, with AI tools throughout.
FreemiumIntermediateWebWindowsMaciOSAndroid
Overview
Pixlr is a suite of online photo editors. Express is the quick one: one-tap fixes, filters and simple retouching. Editor is the advanced one, with layers and finer control in a browser tab. A third interface, Pixlr Agent, edits from typed instructions. AI runs through the whole suite: generative fill and expand, background removal, upscaling and face swap.
It runs in any modern browser, and installs from the browser as a desktop app. There are iPhone and Android apps too. The free tier caps you at three saves a day. The AI tools run on credits, and the only free credits Pixlr publishes come with its 7-day trial. Subscriptions raise the caps, add credits and unlock premium content.
Key features
✓Two editors: one-tap Express & layer-based Editor
✓Generative fill & expand
✓AI background & object removal
✓AI upscaling, sharpening & denoise
✓Edits from typed instructions (Pixlr Agent)
✓AI image generation
✓Face swap tool
✓Templates for social formats
✓Web and phone apps, plus a browser-installed desktop version
When to use
Use Pixlr if:
- You need a fast fix in the browser: crop, brighten, filter, remove an object, done in minutes.
- You sometimes want more control: the layer-based Editor covers text, masks and composites without installing anything.
- You want everyday AI conveniences, background removal, generative fill, upscaling, in one place without pro software.
- You work on a Chromebook or switch computers often, and want the same editor on all of them.
- You make social graphics occasionally and want templates plus editing in one tab.
When NOT to use
Skip Pixlr if any of these describe you:
- You edit heavily every day without wanting to pay. The free tier stops after three saves a day. Photopea is free without save limits.
- Your work revolves around PSD files and Photoshop fidelity. Photopea or Adobe Photoshop handle that better.
- You process camera RAW shoots. Use Adobe Lightroom or another RAW-first tool.
- You want deep AI photo editing as the core workflow rather than an add-on. See AI photo editors.
Frequently asked questions
There is a workable free tier: both editors function, and you get three saves a day. The save count is shared across Pixlr's tools, so saves used in Express leave fewer for the collage maker. The AI tools are separate: they run on credits, and the only free credits Pixlr publishes come with its 7-day trial, which grants 250. Paid plans are subscriptions, sold as Plus, Premium, Ultra and Ultra MAX, and they raise the save and credit limits and unlock premium content.
Express is for speed: one-tap adjustments, filters and simple retouch tools. The Editor is a fuller program with layers, masks and finer control, closer to desktop editing software. Both run in the browser and you can move between them.
The advanced Editor opens common formats including PSD. Simple layered files come through well. Heavily constructed Photoshop documents are safer in a tool built for full PSD fidelity.
Any modern browser is the main platform, including Chromebooks and Linux machines. There are also iPhone and Android apps. The desktop app is the same web suite installed from the browser rather than a separate program to download, and every version expects an internet connection.
AI actions like generative fill, background removal and upscaling consume credits from your plan's allowance, and the tool shows the cost before you run it. A face swap costs 2 credits. Pixlr's pricing page lists the amounts for the paid plans. The only free credits Pixlr publishes are the 250 that come with the 7-day trial.
Alternatives to Pixlr
Paid★
Adobe Photoshop
The industry-standard layered image editor, now with generative AI built in.
AdvancedWebWindows
Paid
Adobe Lightroom (Web)
Cloud-first photo editor and organizer: every shot backed up, searchable and editable on any device.
BeginnerWebWindows
Free★
