The best collage maker tools

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As smartphone cameras are getting better and better, more people are looking for ways to present their photos in style. Photo collages are a hugely popular way to show off a selection of images or collate ideas together into a kind of mood board.

But photo collage-making can be a laborious (if rewarding) task if you use Adobe's Creative Cloud suite – you may need the assistance of some Photoshop tutorials to get you started. However you could take some of the effort out with a dedicated collage maker.

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Here is our definitive guide to the best around. Scroll down for the best free collage makers online, or jump to page two for the best collage maker apps you can download. 

01. Ribbet

• Developer: Ribbet
• Price: Free (Basic); $4.95/mo (Premium)

Free online collage maker Ribbet has just got a lovely new interface, which is a delight to use. Pick a template, upload images, adjust sizing, round corners, edit lighting, exposure and so on. If you change your mind, you can easily adjust your template by adding extra rows or columns. This our pick for the best online collage maker around. There's also a free iOS app and one in the pipeline for Android users (see page 2 for all the best collage maker apps).

02. Adobe Spark

• Developer: Adobe
• Price: Free

Spark is a free photo collage maker from Adobe. Its simple interface means it doesn't require the same learning curve demanded by most Adobe applications. Simply name your project and use the various design options available to arrange your photos into an eye-catching collage.

03. Canva Collage Templates

• Developer: Canva
• Price: Free (paid plans available)

Canva is an all-round design package that you can use in the browser or as an app – originally just for iOS devices, but now available on Android mobile too. The basic package is completely free, but there are paid plans available if you want something more advanced. 

Amongst Canva's tools is a big selection of collage templates,  which look great and are easy to use. You can also spice up your collages with Canva's enormous selection of effects, filters, fonts, shapes and more.

04. BeFunky

• Developer: BeFunky
• Price: Free (Basic); $4.95/mo (Plus)

BeFunky is one of the best free online collage makers around. It offers tons of templates, a simple interface and seamless integration with the BeFunky Photo Editor. The free version works well, but if you're after more photo effects, higher-resolution downloads and the ability to use your collages commercially, you'll need the BeFunky Plus account. As well as an online tool, BeFunky is available as an app for iOS or Android.

05. piZap

• Developer: piZap
• Price: Free (Basic); $5.99/mo (Pro)

At time of writing, online collage maker piZap has a new interface in beta, and we're impressed with what we've seen so far. It's simple to use, there are plenty of templates, stock images and fonts to choose from, and you can add text and stickers to liven things up. A nice feature is the inclusion of Facebook banner templates, to help you upgrade your social media branding with ease. 

The Pro version offers add-free designing, a much bigger selection of fonts, stock images and templates, the ability to download your collage in super hi-res, and more. There are also app versions for iOS and Android so you can piZap on the move too.

06. PhotoCollage

• Developer: Zygomatic
• Price: Free

PhotoCollage has a nice, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin name, and the web-based collage maker is no less simple to use. It works on Mac, Windows, Android and iOS platforms including touchscreens, and you can choose from collage templates or use your skills to create freeform collages. 

You work with lo-res images, then once you're happy with the arrangement you can choose to 'order' a hi-res version of your design. One frustrating feature is that the editing tools aren't sticky, so most people will need to scroll up and down to find the ones you want.

07. Fotor collage maker

• Developer: Fotor
• Price: Free (Basic); from $3.33/mo (Pro)

Fotor is a professional-level online collage maker. Unlike some of the collage making tools on this list, with Fotor you can import a load of images, which are displayed on the right-hand bar, then choose when and where to place them in your collage (rather than selecting where they'll go when you import them). This is a simple feature that makes it much easier to put together attractive collages.

You can only get part of the way with the free version – you can design collages, but they'll feature the Fotor watermark, which isn't ideal. For advanced features, an ad-free interface, watermark-free collages and cloud-based storage, you'll need to go for the Pro version.

08. Photovisi

• Developer: Photovisi
• Price: Free (Basic); $4.99/mo (Premium)

Photovisi is a stand-alone collage maker with no fripperies and no photo editing tools to distract and confuse. You simply select a collage design, add your photos and drag them around till you're satisfied, then download it. What could be easier? If you want to download a watermark-free collage, you'll need to pay up on the Premium plan.

09. Google Photos

• Developer: Google
• Price: Free

Google Photos, once known as Picasa, is an image organiser and photo editor – but did you know it comes with a built-in collage maker? You can experiment with six different collage types in the hands-on collage creation screen, and they will be saved in your 'Collages' folder. It's pretty basic, but as you'd expect from Google, the interface is nice and clear and it works very well at what it does.

10. Kizoa Collage Maker

• Developer: Kizoa
• Price: Free (Basic) plus lifetime Premium memberships

The web-based Kizoa Collage Maker is one of the most difficult to navigate, but it does offer dozens of ready-made templates (both static and animated) for all kinds of occasions. You can customise the templates or create your own from scratch, then add photos, GIFs, videos and even stickers to your designs, and finish the whole thing off with some text. 

Kinoa membership also includes access to a movie maker and photo editor, so you can accomplish any number of creative tasks from inside the browser.

11. FotoJet

• Developer: Pearlmountain
• Price: Free (Basic); $6.99/mo (Plus)

FotoJet is a free online collage maker that enables you to create collages, photo cards, posters, Facebook covers, Twitter headers, YouTube banners, fun photos and more. There are hundreds of templates for you to work with, including some of the most creative designs we've seen so far – such as this one, where you can add images into coconuts. The paid Plus option offers a much wider range of resources to work with.

12. PicMonkey Collage

PicMonkey's free tools give you plenty of control over your collages

• Developer: PicMonkey
• Price: From $5.99/mo (free trial available)

Part of the PicMonkey suite – a web app that also offers image editing, touch-up and design tools – PicMonkey collage is a fast and powerful way to organise your images into attractive shapes. Import images from your computer or connect to online services such as Facebook, OneDrive, Dropbox and Flickr. You can fine-tune your collage by adjusting the zoom and placement of your images, and add filters. 'Supremium' users also have access to advanced touch-up tools.

Once a free online collage maker, you now need to subscribe to PicMonkey to download your design. There are three different plans available, depending on your needs. However, you can design your collage for free, and there is a week-long free trial available, which is worth exploring before you shell out.

Next page: The best collage maker apps

01. PicCollage

• Platform: iOS, Android, Windows
• Developer: Cardinal Blue Software
• Price: Free with IAP

Collage maker app PicCollage is crammed with features to help you create impressive collages from photos, GIFs and videos. Choose from a portrait canvas or a square one (ideal for Instagram fans), pick from over 60 templates, and clip images with your finger. There's a face detection template in case you want to add things like party hats to your friends, and you can share your creations to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, SMS, email, and more.

02. PicsArt Photo Studio & Collage

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Developer: PicsArt
• Price: Free (with IAP)

PicsArt's collage maker is just a small part of an app that also includes hundreds of photo editing features, customisable filters, text options and a camera. This collage maker app includes over three million stickers, created by the community and all totally free. Which is impressive by anyone's standards. 

You can use PicsArt as a digital art suite, with plenty of brushes and effects to choose from that'll take your creative options to the next level.

03. Layout from Instagram

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Developer: Instagram
• Price: Free

Facebook-owned Instagram has released Layout, an app designed to help people create collages of their images and share their creations via social media. Layout lets you select and rearrange images by dragging and dropping, and you can also control the size of images by pinching, or tap to mirror or flip them. 

This collage maker app includes a built-in Photo Booth that you can use to take spur-of-the-moment shots, and instantly see them laid out in various combinations. When you're done, you can easily save, and share your collage across your social media networks.

04. BeFunky Photo Editor Pro

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Developer: BeFunky Inc
• Price: Free (with IAP)

The BeFunky Pro collage making app works seamlessly with its photo editing features to help you create collages on the go. You can edit the images in your designs with the touch of a button, there are over 100 templates to pick from, and background textures add interest. Plus, liven up your collages with stickers, overlays and text (there are lots of fonts to choose from, type fans). 

05. Capcam

• Platform: iOS
• Developer: Christoph Ono
• Price: $0.99

The guys behind Capcam – called Germany's Best-Kept Secret (and they may well be) – reckon that the best way for us all to tell our life stories is with collages and captions. That's why the collage maker takes centre-stage in this cool iPhone app, which makes collating and captioning your treasured images simpler than a simple thing.

06. Canva App

• Platform: iOS (iPhone and iPad), Android mobile
• Developer: Canva
• Price: Free (with IAP)

Available for iPhone and iPad, and now for Android mobile users too, the Canva app is a great collage-making tool and offers lots of other design features too. Use the app to edit photos, add text, elements, stickers, borders, frames and more. There are thousands of templates to select from.

Share your design directly to your social media accounts, save it via email, or export it to your camera roll to use later.

07. Pic Stitch

• Platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
• Developer: Big Blue Clip
• Price: Free (Windows Phone $1.49)

Pic Stitch allows you to stitch pictures (geddit?) to create cool collages. Choose from 300 different layouts and 15 different photo aspect ratios, plus you can apply rounded corners, patterns, shadows, and any number of other photo editing tricks then share your masterpiece on the usual social media networks including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

08. piZap Collage

• Platform: iOS, Android
• Developer: Digital Palette LLC
• Price: Free (with IAP)

With the piZap collage maker app, you can put together collages on your iPhone, iPad or Android device. It offers over 1,200 layout options and 37 filters, and has been downloaded over 10 million times. It also offers over 2000 free stickers, if that's your thing.

09. Ribbet

• Platforms: iOS
• Developer: Foto Friend Pty Ltd
• Price: Free (with IAP)

Ribbet promises a streamlined editing interface that makes photo editing easy even if you aren't a designer. Drop images into one of the grid options and edit each one individually or the whole lot at once. The web version of this collage maker app has just had a cool redesign, so perhaps an update is on its way here, too.

10. PhotoVideoCollage Pro

PhotoVideoCollage brings video to the world of collage makers

• Platform: Mac OS X 10.9 or newer
• Developer: Bits&Coffee
• Price: $9.99

PhotoVideoCollage brings the classic photo collage to the next level. Not only can users add photos but also videos and soundtracks of their favourite music.

The user can select a layout template from a multitude of presets, add photos and videos to the layout and adjust additional settings like border width, curvature, colour and texture. The placement of the photos and videos inside the collage can be easily changed via drag and drop.

11. Collagelt

• Platform: iOS, Mac, Windows
• Developer: PearlMountain
• Price: Free (Pro version $29.90)

PearlMountain's collage maker app offers a straightforward way to create photos on your Mac, PC or iPhone. You can choose from its various templates to suit several page sizes, or you can start from a completely blank sheet – it's up to you. Choose from five collage styles (mosaic, grid, center, pile, free) as well as over 60 templates. There's also a smart fit feature and facial recognition. Its real-time preview means it is easy to use for people of all experience levels, and you can share your creations on Flickr and Facebook.

12. Shapecollage

• Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS
• Developer: Shape Collage
• Price: Free (iOS $1.99)

Shape Collage is an automatic photo collage maker that creates collages in different shapes in just a couple of seconds. You can create picture collages in the shape of a rectangle, heart, text or logo, all with just a few clicks of the mouse. The tool automates much of the process so you can just pick a shape, select your photos, and let Shape Collage do the rest – and it's available as an iPhone app too.

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