Piclay - Photo Editor, Blend, Mirror, Collage, Text and Effects for iOS

Piclay is another photo editing and filtering app in a crowded field, but it goes beyond what some other apps offer in the quality of its filters and number of options, making it a solid entry into the category. While there are a handful of big features locked out when you first load the app -- things you will have to pay for access to -- the free stuff looks great and the filter quality is professional grade.

When you open the app, you're given a quick tutorial on how to use the filters, which is nice because there are a lot of buttons on the screen. Once you have that done you can start taking and filtering photos right away. Again, some of those buttons are locked pending a $1 upgrade to the paid edition, but the majority are not, so you can add a mirror effect, apply filters, edit photos, or prep them for sharing. The interface is not always clearly labeled, but everything you could need is right there onscreen, which makes for an app that is quick and easy to use in almost all instances. The speed of rendering and sharing is fast, too, and with a professional sheen to the app and its effects, you'll be happy to share what you create.

While there are a handful of apps out there with more robust free editing tools than Piclay, there aren't many. This is a solid, free app with a good number of filters and a decent interface that is fast and easy to use. For anyone looking to download a decent, free app for their iPhone for adding these kinds of effects, check this app out.