# Leonardo - Photo Layer Editor

> Desktop-class photo editor with layers, selections, masks, and real-time adjustments. (iPhone/iPad app by Pankaj Goswami.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/leonardo-photo-layer-editor/id656090065 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Pankaj Goswami](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453844207)
- Category: Photo & Video, Entertainment
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 4.00/5 from 129 App Store ratings · 222 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 11.0 · 63 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2013-08-01
- Data updated: 2026-09-01
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/leonardo-photo-layer-editor/id656090065/reviews.md

## What is Leonardo?

Universal Photo Editor with support for Layers, Selection, Masks and of course filters, effects and other tools.

An editor so powerful that you could do almost anything that you thought was possible only on a desktop.

√ True layer support, just like photo editing on desktop.
√ Selection. You can select an area and work with filters and effects only on that area.
√ Layers can be masked. And not just with brush, you get a whole set of mask editing tool.
√ Layers support all that a true layer app should. Blending, Opacity, Transform, Duplicate, Merge and flatten.
√ The app is so fast that most of the operations are real time. You don't have to wait while adjusting the sliders.
√ Handles Exif, IPTC, Geotag etc. You can even edit Geotag and IPTC.
√ Exports PSD with layers. And of course exports JPEG and PNG too.
√ Copy/Paste with selections and masks.
√ Undo/Redo.
√ Powerful filters you will hardly find on many other apps.
√ 25 preset photo effects.
√ Tools like Crop, Straighten, Clone stamp, color gradient, paint brush, red eye brush and add text etc.
√ You can save your projects with all layers and selections preserved and work on them back and forth.
√ 18 video tutorials.
√ Resolution up to 4096x4096 on iPad3 and above and on iPhone max resolution is equal to the resolution of the built-in camera.

And yes, it runs on both iPhone and iPad. 

Note that reduce noise filter is available only on iPhone 5 and iPad3 and above. 

To get maximum resolution you will need to... 
1. Go to home screen. 
2. Press on the "?" button. 
3. Under resolution, select the max.

## Key features

- True layer support
- Advanced selection tools
- Mask editing
- Real-time adjustments
- PSD export with layers
- Preset photo effects
- Project saving

## What do users think of Leonardo?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Powerful photo editing capabilities
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Extensive set of tools and features
- 💡 Closest thing to Photoshop on mobile
- 🎨 Great for layering, masking, and advanced editing

**Cons**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty with precise selection and masking
- 🔍 Lack of zoom functionality for detailed editing
- 🔋 Quality degradation when exporting images
- 🕰 Steep learning curve for some features

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Merge down function deletes bottom layer
- Photos import with low quality and blurriness
- Certain tools (e.g. gradient) not working as expected
- Crashes when trying to open old projects

**Most requested features**

- Add eyedropper tool
- Improve layer merging functionality
- Implement batch processing and export options
- Provide higher resolution output
- Add more customization options (fonts, brushes, etc.)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 222)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/leonardo-photo-layer-editor/id656090065/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Too fantastic to be free

*2026-05-05*

Crank up the star rating to 11 for Leonardo Photo.
You can do virtually anything with this. That it's mobile is beyond amazing. I'm glad it's free, but can't figure why it is; It's that good. 
I use it every day on an iPad, and it's why I no longer bother with my desktop or laptop. The more you know, the more you'll get out of it. It's got layers, pro tools, effects, filters, press tools, and an astoundingly small footprint. 
My biggest fear is that a big competitor will buy and bury it like they've done with so many innovative apps they couldn't beat. 
Also, many times Apple has removed features or made programs unusable with its updates, and I would be in some sad trouble without Leonardo, so I have this on a dedicated iPad that I never update.
PS I *think* it’s the best app for photo editing, but I never needed to look at any others after I found it.

### 5/5 — Love This App to Death

*2026-03-08, version 2.7.2*

Been using it for nearly ten years now, not even joking. It’s my best kept secret - so powerful yet lightweight - and for free. The only thing I wish it had was a color picker. Aside from that, however, I have nothing but praise.

### 5/5 — Go to app for editing

*2025-11-02*

This app is absolutely legendary, and I use it for all of my photo editing. I create video thumbnails and all of my graphics using this, and I can avoid more expensive and complex editing softwares because this app has everything that I need

### 5/5 — best editor

*2025-09-20, version 2.7.2*

Does everything you want and need. User interface is straightforward and smart.

### 5/5 — Eine super App

*2025-08-05*

Aber leider kein Update mehr seit Jahren. Auch die Migration von iPhone zu iPhone klappt leider nicht (mehr?). Beim Export vom Photoshop-Format gibt es schon mal Abstürze. Trotzdem 5 Sterne, weil die App mir schon gute Dienste geleistet hat und in der Hoffnung auf ein Update, denn auch unter iOS 18.5 läuft die App - ein Zeichen für solide Programmierung!

### 5/5 — 5/5 for me

*2024-08-21, version 2.7.2*

Been using this app as a graphic designer for the past 7 years and have 0 complaints.

### 5/5 — GREAT! Alternative to Photoshop!

*2024-07-04*

I’ve been searching for a replacement to Photoshop Mix for weeks. This app is great. Definitely worth it for what I do. I needed a “simple” app to layer photos - so I can overlay them on each other and also cut out. This app is very intuitive, not overloaded with extra features, does what it says it does. I would pay double for it. Please keep this app functional, it is a HUGE relief. I did not want to support Ad0be because they discontinued their app support and forced users into a paid subscription, overloading the app with AI and other unnecessary features. I have been a loyal Photoshop user for 20 years but I will not support them any more. This app does not disappoint. It has convenient features at the touch a finger. Thank you so much.

### 5/5 — Should be Included with every iPad!

*2024-05-15*

Update: one of my favorite image editing apps BUT it is filled with bugs and features that don’t work the way they’re supposed to. Sometimes I have to take a screenshot of my completed image because when I save the image correctly, it doesn’t look anything like it does while editing! 
———————————
Older review: I'm giving a new review since Leonardo is now os10 savvy and I recently got a iPad mini 4. I mention the two items together because the mini 4 has replaced much older iPads I had and it has a far better camera than the older iPads... but though the camera is quite good, it's still far from perfect. This is where Leonardo comes in. It is the perfect complimentary app to quickly and drastically improve the iPad's photos. It works so perfectly/easily tweaking the iPad images that it could be considered the defacto photo app for this device. The quick results are so impressive that I am getting far better looking images than phones which include superior cameras. If it only had a batch setting, this would be beyond ideal! ------------- Original write up... 'Near Perfect Image App' Though it lacks a few features which I have to revert to another app to utilize, Leonardo has such a huge assortment of professional image editing options, it has become the final defacto app for completing image edits. Puts Adobe's iPad arsenal to shame.

### 5/5 — Don’t

*2024-03-07*

Hi is it possible to add fonts to the app? If so how is it done on iOS?

### 5/5 — Works again

*2024-01-27*

Once again an amazing app now that it installs.

I’ve been using this for years and it’s the best app for quick mockups of ideas or taking you time for a great final product.

Well done 👍

## Frequently asked questions about Leonardo

### What can I do with this photo editor?

This app provides desktop-level photo editing capabilities on your mobile device. You can work with true layers, make precise selections, use advanced masking tools, apply a variety of filters and effects, and even export your projects as PSD files with layers intact.

### How does the layer system work?

The app features a true layer system similar to desktop software. You can duplicate, merge, transform, and adjust the opacity of layers. Layers can also be masked, allowing you to selectively apply edits to specific areas of your image.

### Is this app free to use?

Based on the provided information, this application is a paid app. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or advertisements, indicating a one-time purchase model.

### What devices is this app compatible with?

The app is designed to run on both iPhone and iPad. For maximum resolution, it is recommended to use an iPad 3 or newer, or an iPhone 5 or newer for certain advanced filters like noise reduction.

### Can I save my work and continue editing later?

Yes, you can save your projects with all layers and selections preserved. This allows you to go back and forth on your work, making it convenient for complex editing tasks.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.7.2 — 2022-05-19

● Access to millions of royalty free stock photos.
● Improved font picker.
● Bug fixes.

Try out our moder photo editing app "Superimpose X", a powerful yet easy to use multilayer photo editing app.

### 2.7.1 — 2018-09-23

Bug fixes for iOS 12

### 2.2 — 2018-08-27

Bug fixes and improvements.

Check out our modern photo editing app "Superimpose X".

### 2.1 — 2016-10-18

Optimized for iOS 10 and other bug fixes.

If you like using Leonardo, please review or rate us in the App Store. We will really appreciate that!

### 2.0 — 2016-08-03

● A new photo picker.
● Magic Wand and Color Range tool's threshold can now be adjusted in real time by tapping and dragging on a point, just like Superimpose.
● Better gradient tools.
● Bug fixes.

If you like using Leonardo, please leave a review or a rating on the App Store. We will really appreciate it!

## Apps similar to Leonardo

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Filterloop: Photo Editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/filterloop-photo-editor/id694431263) | 4.3 (13,139) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Blend: Combine Photo Layers](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blend-combine-photo-layers/id975578412) | 4.4 (3,574) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Photo Blend - Merge Pictures](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-blend-merge-pictures/id1510538918) | 4.1 (647) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Superimpose X](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/superimpose-x/id1304177471) | 4.7 (3,011) | $4.99 | Photo & Video |
| [Pic Blender Photo Editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pic-blender-photo-editor/id643931340) | 3.8 (823) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Picture Editor+ : Photo Layers](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picture-editor-plus-photo-layers/id1404898413) | 4.6 (2,033) | Free | Photo & Video |

## More apps by Pankaj Goswami

- [PhotoWizard-Photo Editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photowizard-photo-editor/id370833324)
- [Superimpose](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/superimpose/id435913585)
- [ClarifyPhoto](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clarifyphoto/id918912160)
- [Superimpose X](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/superimpose-x/id1304177471)
- [Superimpose AI - AI Editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/superimpose-ai-ai-editor/id1455759510)

All apps by Pankaj Goswami: https://appshunter.io/developer/1453844207

## Related topics

[layer photos editor](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/layer-photos-editor) · [layer photos editing](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/layer-photos-editing) · [photo editing layers](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-editing-layers) · [leonardo](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/leonardo)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*