When it comes to sharing photos on the internet, if it is one of our favorite hobbies and we don’t want other people to take advantage of it, we should consider adding a watermark . In this way, if someone wants to use it or needs to know its author, they will be able to find out quickly and easily.
Programs to add watermarks, whether in text format or through an image, there are many on the market, both paid and free applications. In this article we are going to show you some of the best applications to add watermarks available in both modalities.
Free programs to add watermarks
Before resorting to the different payment options available on the internet to add watermarks, we must give the large number of options available for free a try.
GIMP
GIMP, known as the free Photoshop is a complete photo editor that meets most of the needs of users when it comes to editing photos. Being a complete photo editor, it also allows us to add watermarks, whether in text or image format, to the images. If we are used to using this application to edit photos, it is undoubtedly an excellent option to add watermarks to our photos.
As in Photoshop, we can automate the process so that, with just one click, we can add watermarks to all the photos that we open with the application. GIMP is a completely free and open source application that is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS. We can download it through its website .
Positive points
Complete free photo editor with which, in addition to adding watermarks, we can also edit the photos before sharing them, change the size and much more.
negative aspects
Being a photo editor, if we are not familiar with applications like Photoshop, the learning curve is somewhat high, so it is not a good option for novice users in these matters.
ShareX
ShareX is a free and open source application that allows us to take screenshots. But, in addition, it also allows us to add watermarks both to the captures we make and to any other application. Within the configuration options, ShareX offers us a large number of functions to customize the operation, upload images to the cloud, change the size, add text, arrows, boxes, blur areas and much more. To add a watermark, we must access the image options, through the penultimate icon on the top bar, and select Add Image Effect. Next, click on the + sign followed by Drawings – Text watermark.
One of the least cooked functions of this application is that it also allows us to record everything that is shown on our computer screen. It occupies very few resources on the computer, so when it starts when Windows starts up, we are hardly going to notice its presence. Once we have installed the application, it replaces the native function of the Print Screen button on our computer, so we will always have it at hand when needed. We can download ShareX directly from its website, which we can access through the following link .
We like
ShareX is one of the most complete applications to capture and edit any type of image, including the possibility of adding watermarks. It is available in Spanish.
We do not like
The application has a somewhat complicated and unintuitive interface. However, when we get used to using it, it is an ideal application for working with images.
FastStone Resizer
As the name suggests, FastStone Resizer is an application designed to change the resolution of photos, either individually or in batches. But, in addition, during the process, it also allows us to add watermarks to each and every one of the photos that go through the application, so it allows us to do two functions in a single process.
FastStore Resizer is a completely free application ideal for users who want to share their images over the internet with a watermark (in text or image format), to reduce the size and resolution of the photos before sharing them, as well as to change the format and, incidentally, reduce its final size. The FastStore Resizer download is available directly from its website .
Advantage
Free multifunction application ideal for carrying out several tasks together on our photos, including the possibility of adding watermarks. It is completely free and is one of the best options available due to the large number of functions that it makes available to us.
Drawbacks
The application is only available in English and the user interface leaves a lot to be desired, although once we get used to using it, we won’t miss a more visual interface.
Mass Watermark
An interesting application available for free to add watermarks to photos, both in text and image format, can be found in the Mass Watermark application, an application compatible from Windows 7 onwards and that is also available in a version for macOS .
the number of options that the application makes available to us is very high, so high that it can become a bit overwhelming. It allows us to customize the design of the watermark, whether it is a text or an image, adding transparency, shadows, as well as other effects. We can also select in which part of the image we want to place it. We can download Mass Watermark through its website by clicking on the following link .
Stand out for
Completely free application that includes a large number of functions to customize the watermarks that we want to use. It is compatible from Windows 7 onwards and also has a version for macOS.
Should improve on
The interface includes many options, so the learning curve is somewhat steep. The number of functions available to edit images is not very high.
Paid apps to add watermarks
If none of the programs that we have shown you in the previous section covers our needs, we can opt for one of the payment solutions that we show you below.
Photoshop
Anything that comes to mind with a photograph, if it can’t be done in Photoshop, it can’t be done in any other application. Some of the less used functions of Photoshop are the possibility of making panoramas, modifying the smile and direction of the eyes, modifying facial gestures, changing the tonality of a photo, automatically replacing the backgrounds of the images among many other more complex functions. . In addition, it also allows us to add watermarks, just like GIMP, both in text and image format.
In addition, we can create an action to automate this process and any other. If, in addition to adding a watermark, we want to change the resolution of the image, its orientation, change the color code or perform any other function, we can add it to the action that allows us to add the watermark. Photoshop is only available under an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, and we can hire it through the following link.
Pros
Thanks to the automations, we can add a watermark to the photos with just one click. In addition, being a complete photo editor, we can also make any adjustments to the images without having to resort to third-party applications.
Cons
The only possibility of using this application is by contracting a subscription, so if the use we want to give it is limited to adding a watermark, it is better to opt for other free solutions.
Arclab Watermark Studio
Arclab Watermark Studio is a complete application to consider if you don’t mind paying the 29.95 euros it costs. This application allows us to add watermarks in batches in addition to integrating basic editing functions, more than enough to slightly modify any image to which we want to add a watermark.
It allows us to add watermarks in text format, text that we can modify to adapt it to our needs, modifying the opacity, color, font size and, of course, selecting the exact location where we want it to be displayed on the image. Unlike other similar applications, Arclab Watermark Sutdio allows us to access the EXIF data of the photograph to eliminate or convert it in the process. From its website , we can download a trial version to check if it suits what we are looking for.
Points to mark
Allows access to EXIF data to remove or preserve it during the process of adding a watermark. In addition to adding a watermark, it also allows you to change the resolution and format of the images, making it an all-in-one application.
Needs improvement
The application is priced at 29 euros, somewhat expensive for what it really offers.
iWatermark Pro
With iWatermark Pro we can add all kinds of watermarks to our photos in batches. In addition, we can also create QR codes to insert them as a watermark and modify the resolution and size of the photos during the process. It is compatible with the most popular formats and even with certain RAW formats.
iWatermark Pro is priced at 19 euros, a price that places it as one of the cheapest options within the payment programs to add watermarks. We can try the application for free through its website where we can also download a version for macOS and direct access to the applications available for iOS and Android.
We like
The user interface is designed for users with low knowledge. It allows batch processing and is available for Windows and macOS, but not for Linux.
We do not like
Like the rest of the paid alternatives, iWatermark Pro only stands out for its interface, an interface that is very easy to use, making it ideal for novice users.
Photomarks
PhotoMarks is an application that allows us to add watermarks in batches, text or image watermarks, with a very simple user interface and a process that we can carry out in just three steps: select the photographs, select the type of mark that we want to make and select the output format.
It allows us to adjust the transparency of the mark so that it does not affect the image too much in addition to its position. The watermark in text format, we can customize it by adding shadows, colors, strokes and a large number of effects. It is compatible with RAW formats and it is a paid application that we can try for free by downloading the trial version through this link .
Remarkable
Very attractive interface that makes the process of adding watermarks very easy, both in text and image format. The free version available is very limited in features and is available for Windows and macOS, but not Linux.
To improve
It is a paid application and very expensive for the functions it offers us, since its price is 29.95 dollars. Except for the user interface, it does not offer us any functionality that is not available in FastStone Resizer.
Which is the best option?
If we like photography, it is most likely that we will use either GIMP or Photoshop to edit the photos, whether in RAW or JPG format, so using one of these applications is the best option, since, in addition, the process automates the process to just perform this process with a single click through the actions. And, if we know how to edit photographs, create an action with a watermark, it’s a piece of cake.
However, if photo editing applications are hard for us, the best free option is, without a doubt, FastStore Resizer , a free application with a large number of functions that allows us to change the format, resolution and add a mark of water in the same process.
