What software and apps are best for making glitch art?

Multiple tools serve different glitch art needs, from mobile apps to professional software.

Beginner-friendly apps: Glitch Lab (Android) and Glitche (iOS) provide one-tap effects and real-time camera filters. These work well for experimentation and social media content.

Image editing: Photoshop handles manual glitch techniques with precision. GIMP offers similar capabilities for free. Specialized tools like Processing enable algorithmic approaches including pixel sorting.

Video glitching: Avidemux handles datamoshing through keyframe removal. After Effects with plugins like Data Glitch provides professional control. Free options include OBS with shader plugins.

Real-time/performance: VDMX, Resolume, and TouchDesigner create live glitch visuals for performance. Lumen offers accessible analog-style video synthesis.

Hardware-adjacent: Processing and Max/MSP enable custom glitch tools and generative systems.

For most artists, starting with mobile apps, progressing to Photoshop techniques, and eventually exploring specialized tools provides a natural learning path. See our complete tools guide for detailed comparisons.