In this week's Tap that App Tuesday, we take a look at both brand new and tried-and-true photo editing apps, including a great new iOS app from a trusted name in mobile photography. 

Litely: The iOS of Photo Editing Apps

The best new photo editing app for iOS is everything that Apple's operating system aspires to be: light, intuitive, uncomplicated, and producing beautiful results. It's appropriately called Litely, and it's one of the top apps in the iTunes App store now, being promoted by Apple as an "editor's choice," as well as one of the featured best new apps.

Litely for iOS is simple and easy to use, allowing photo heads to apply filters in a subtle manner that doesn't make it obvious, like with some of the heavier Instagram filters. Opening the app for the first time brings up all three instructions you need: swipe up and down for the filter, swipe left and right for intensity, and double tap to see a "before and after." Once in the app, users can select a previously taken photo or can take one on the spot.

But there's more. Options at the bottom of the screen allow the user to crop and control the exposure, vibrancy, and vignette nature of the photo (once again, intensities of the effects are subject to left-and-right swiping).

Litely is free, although it only comes with nine preset filters in the starter pack. Users can purchase filter packs with 12 additional filters labeled "Origins," "Venice," and "Cinder" for $1.99 each.

Litely was designed by Cole Rise, a professional photographer who has worked with the likes of National Geographic, Apple, and Google. Oh, and he's also the guy who designed the popular Amaro, Hudson, Sierra, Sutro, Mayfair, Willow and Rise filters for Instagram.

Pixlr Express: The Universal Alternative That Is Very Android

For those who don't have iOS, or are looking for a few more options, Pixlr Express is still one of the top cross-platform photo editing apps, but compared to the iOS-kindred simple, intuitive Litely, Pixlr Express is definitely the definition of Android.

Pixlr Express comes from Autodesk Inc., the same team that brought you the Pixlr photo-editing suite on the web, which itself is as close to a free web-based alternative to Photoshop as you'll find. The mobile app brings a lot of those features to mobile, making it a complicated, sometimes messy affair -- just like the ever-customizable Android OS. But once you master some of these detailed features, you'll find yourself with a powerful tool to make your photos look any way you want.

The basics are still pretty accessible on Pixlr. Open the app and press "Choose a photo" to retrieve a picture from your phone or cloud service. Once the photo is on the operating table, you get to work by choosing one of six menu options laid across the bottom of the screen: Adjustment, Make, Effect, Overlay, Borders, Type, and Stickers.

Each menu opens up into dozens of more detailed options to choose from, along with settings and adjustments you can apply to each filter, color effect, text, sticker, or border. Again, not simple and "lite" but it'll get the job done. Pixlr is free for iOS and Android, but make sure you're using a relatively up-to-date, powerful device; for those with older devices, the simplified Pixl-o-Matic app, also by Pixlr, might be a good alternative.