Testing photo editing apps: "A Color Story"

If you want to take pictures with your smartphone and quickly share beautiful results, you need effective image editing tools. DW Digital tests the most popular apps. This week: "A Color Story".

Have you ever wanted to share a photo of a delicious meal with friends - but couldn't get a good shot because of poor lighting and dull colors? The filters of "A Color Story" are supposed to help and turn a snapshot into a color intensive picture. All in all, all tools are easy to use. They include options for adjusting brightness, clarity, contrast, (color) curves, saturation, temperature and other photo elements. Users can also crop or rotate photos, adjust shadows and hues or add vignette effects. 

In addition, the creators of "A Color Story" have developed a desktop app to simplify the editing process. The desktop version offers Lightroom presets and Photoshop actions that make these time-consuming editing steps more efficient. 

A plus: The basic tools collection is available free of charge. Additional in-app purchases are possible. The tools allow photographers with a little experience to do good image editing. But those who want to rely on filters will find few free options. Users can buy filters and effects individually (packs cost about €3.49) or buy all add-ons together (€26.49 per year or €5.49 per month). The latter option is more expensive but can save money in the long run if you want to use "A Color Story" regularly. 

Top 2 Pros: 

- Includes over 20 free tools 

- Offers a desktop version with Lightroom presets and Photoshop actions 

Top 2 cons: 

- Requires purchase of most filters and effects 

- Many displays within the app 

Price: Free for iOS and Android / In-App purchases possible 

Manufacturer: A Color Story LLC