The digital world isn’t complete without Adobe Photoshop, one of the most popular photo editing software out there used by both professionals. For those unaware, it’s used to create and edit images. Photoshop has some incredible features, but just like all the good things in the world, they come at a hefty price. Not everyone can afford Adobe Cloud, not to mention, you may find it difficult and overwhelming at first. The good news is, there are lots of Photoshop alternatives that are easier to use or free for your Windows PC, Mac, Linux, Android, or iOS device.
Photoshop Alternatives for PC
1. Krita
Krita is a free tool like Photoshop that is almost as feature-rich in the options it offers as Photoshop is. It also happens to be one of the tools that are highly recommended by people in online forums about photo editing and creative editing. Another thing we really like about Krita is the fact that it looks and feels very similar to Photoshop — the toolbars are arranged in a very similar way, and it has a dark theme by default (but you can configure that if you want some other color scheme in the app).
There’s support for tools like the Slice Tool that a lot of Photoshop users swear by, and you can also open multiple images in tabs just like Photoshop. It’s completely free, however, there’s a paid version available for anyone who wants to support the developers and show some love.
Pros Cons Support for drawing tablets and pens No history tool Templates for different types of projects No camera RAW filter Lots of effects The text tool isn’t as comprehensive as Photoshop
File Support: PNG, BMP, GIMP, TIF, TGA, JPEG, WEBP, and more
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Price: Free; the optional paid version available to support developers
2. GIMP
One of the topmost recommendations you’d read for a tool like Photoshop is GIMP and for good reason. GIMP, or GNU Image Manipulation Program is a very feature-rich photo editing and creative tool that can do almost everything that Photoshop can and brings in everything from the popular Adobe software to free and open-source software.
However, GIMP isn’t my top choice for a Photoshop alternative because it has a bunch of issues as well, the most annoying of which is the fact that multiple preset brushes share the same settings, which gets annoying if you’re constantly switching between brushes. That said many of its problems can be solved using GIMP plugins. Also, it’s free and is definitely worth a look-see if you’re in the market for a free Photoshop alternative.
Pros Cons Comprehensive layer support with blending modes UI feels dated Supports Rulers and Guides History toolbar Supports image slicing
File Support: PNG, JPEG, BMP, TIF, and more.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Price: Free
3. Paint.NET
Paint.NET was originally developed to be a more powerful version of MS Paint and as such it brings a lot of the features from MS Paint. While Paint.NET is nowhere near as powerful as Photoshop, it brings a lot of features that make it a viable alternative for people looking for a free Photoshop alternative for Windows. Paint.NET supports layers with blending modes which is one of the most used features in Photoshop. It also has a history tool that can come in handy to quickly undo multiple edits in a project. Basically, it’s a very well-rounded tool for image editing even though it’s not as powerful as Photoshop can be when used properly.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Layer support with blending modes | UI feels dated |
| History tool and rulers | Doesn’t support auto-snapping |
| Support for most file types | No slice, patch, or spot healing tools |
| Great overall tool for basic editing | Only available on Windows |
File Support: PDN, BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF, TGA, DDS (DirectDraw surface)
Platforms: Windows
Price: Free; the optional paid version available to support developers
4. Photoscape X
If a wide variety of effects, filters, and enhancements are what you are looking for in a free Photoshop alternative, Photoscape X can turn out to be the right answer to your needs. Featuring a library of over 1,000 filters, effects, frames, and handy editing tools, it has got you fully checked off when it comes to beautifying images or transforming the entire look of photos instantly.
Another department where it does pretty well compared to other online photo editors is efficient batch editing. So, if you find similar apps not living up to your expectation in terms of editing multiple pics at one go, keep Photoscape X in mind.
One of my favorite features of this online photo editor is collage creation thanks largely to a myriad of frames. Not just that, its ability to create fun-loving GIFs has also looked quite good to me. Overall, Photoscape X is what you should pick as a Photoshop substitute if you wish to make photo editing easy-going and fun.
Pros Cons Over 1000 filters and effects The UI could be better Suitable for batch editing The basic version is limited Excels in creating collages and GIFs
File Support: Supports myriad of file formats including JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, and TIFF
Platform: macOS and Windows
Price: Free, $39.99 for the pro version
5. AutoDesk Sketchbook
AutoDesk Sketchbook is a really powerful Photoshop alternative that you can try for free. The software brings a ton of features that can let you do almost anything you need to. Similar to Photoshop, you get access to a bunch of powerful tools, including a lot of brushes, drawing tools, and more.
You also get access to tools like the Symmetry Mirror, which can let you create really incredible designs very quickly. Plus, with tools like steady stroke and predictive stroke, you don’t even need a graphics tablet to create smooth and steady strokes on your canvas. That said, Sketchbook does support graphics tablets like the ones from Wacom, so if that’s something you like to use, Sketchbook has you covered. The free version of Sketchbook is only available on the official Sketchbook website.
Pros Cons Symmetry tools and predictive strokes UI feels like it’s more suited for touchscreens than laptops Support for layers Intuitive UI
File Support: PNG, BMP, GIMP, TIF, TGA, JPEG, and more
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone
Price: Free
6. FireAlpaca
You can also try out FireAlpaca to do almost everything you would be doing in Photoshop. With FireAlpaca, you get access to almost all the same Photoshop tools including brushes, magic wand tools, and more. It’s not as powerful as Photoshop or Sketchbook, but it’s definitely good enough for most use cases.
You do get support for layers, as well as layer effects. Plus, you get a bunch of additional controls for snapping, as well as Photoshop-like filters such as Gaussian blur, mosaic, and more with this software. Unlike Photoshop, however, FireAlpaca’s layer effects aren’t too strong and there are not a lot of options to choose from.
Pros Cons Comes with a decent number of tools for editing Not as comprehensive as Photoshop Good for basic photo editing and drawing Layer effects are lacking
File Support: PNG, BMP, GIMP, TIF, TGA, JPEG, and more
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Price: Free
Online Photoshop Alternatives
7. Photopea
Photopea is one of the best free and online Adobe Photoshop alternatives on the market right now. Created by a single developer – Ivan Kutsir – the app is surely reaching new heights with more than 7 million users worldwide. One of the best things about Photopea is that its UI is reminiscent of Adobe Photoshop. That means, if you have used Photoshop in the past, you will feel right at home and won’t have to learn the software from scratch.
Another good thing about the software is that it supports multiple file formats. Apart from working with PSD files, it also supports .XD, .Sketch, .XCF (Gimp), RAW, and other popular file formats. That means even if you are collaborating with someone on a project, you will be able to use this software to work with them without any problems.
Photopea also brings most of the features that Adobe Photoshop is renowned for. Photopea also has a clear online documentation that will help beginners to get started with this software without much difficulty. You can learn the basics of photo editing, masks, layers, selections, brushes, and more.
If you are looking for a free online Photoshop alternative, you should check out Photopea. It will not disappoint you.
Pros Cons Works on every platform since it’s online Can be slow when working with large files UI is similar to Photoshop Comes with lots of ads with no way to remove them Comes with lots of tools Supports all major file formats and is free to use
File Support: JPG, PNG, BMP, PSD, XD, Sketch, RAW, and more
Platforms: Web
Price: Free with ads
8. Pixlr Editor
One of the best online Photoshop alternatives out there, Pixlr editor does a remarkable job of editing photos. It brings a bunch of great and powerful tools that make it one of the best online Photoshop-like software out there. Pixlr Editor comes with support for layers and blending modes, a lot of effects and filters, a history tool, and even the healing tool that a lot of Photoshop users love using.
It’s perfect for a quick on-the-go edit and with some of the advanced features it can be used for more advanced edits as well. Since it’s online, you can use it no matter what operating system you’re on and that’s one of the best things about online tools.
Pros Cons Online, so it works on every platform. Not as versatile as Photoshop Supports layers and blending modes. Doesn’t support as many file types as Photoshop History and Healing tools Support for PDF, PSD, and Sketch formats is locked behind a paywall.
File Support: JPG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, and PXD (layered Pixlr image)
Platforms: Web
Price: Free; Pro version at $5/month
Photoshop Alternatives for Android and iOS
9. Adobe Lightroom
Lightroom is hands down, one of the best Photoshop alternatives out there for Android and iOS. Although it’s made by Adobe, 90% of the features in the app are free to use, and the remaining features such as masking, healing, perspective, etc., can be unlocked by paying around $3 per month. While Lightroom may not be as comprehensive as Photoshop, it’s a great tool for enhancing your images to make them look better.
Lightroom is free and available on both Android and iOS. The app’s a breeze to use and most of the editing features are instantly applied to the photos, without any hassle.
Pros Cons Free to use Not as comprehensive as Photoshop Lots of features for a free app The premium tier is quite inexpensive compared to other apps
Files Supported: JPG, PNG, and RAW.
Platforms: Android and iOS
10. Snapseed
Snapseed is a photo editor from Google and it’s available on both Android and iOS. It’s not as comprehensive as Photoshop, but for someone who’s getting started with basic photo editing, it’s an excellent and simple tool. For starters, it comes with most tools you’d need as a beginner like healing, sharpness, details, curves, and selection. The app supports RAW, JPG, and PNG formats, and you can export the images as JPEG or save them as is.
All in all, Snapseed is a very basic tool for photo editing and for beginners, and it might be all you need if you’re just starting out.
Pros Cons Free to use Not as comprehensive as Photoshop Lots of basic features Very outdated
Files Supported: JPG, PNG, and RAW
Platforms: Android and iOS
Paid Photoshop Alternatives
11. Affinity Photo
Affinity Photo is a very popular image editing application that’s every bit as powerful as Photoshop is and is definitely one of the best paid Photoshop alternatives out there. The app brings a ton of cool and useful features including tools like the Pen tool, rulers, guides, and grids. It also has the healing tool, the clone tool, and most other tools you’d find in Photoshop. It also has support for layers with blending modes and a lot more. However, the app isn’t cheap and you’ll have to pay a one-time price of $49.99 to get it.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Most basic tools are present | Can be a bit overwhelming at first |
| Support for layers and blending modes | Doesn’t support a few file types |
| Support for rulers and guides | No Camera RAW tool |
File Support: PNG, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PSD, PDF, SVG, EPS, and more.
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Price: $49.99
12. Acorn
If you’re on a Mac, you should check out Acorn which is a solid Photoshop alternative for macOS. The software fully supports macOS Big Sur and M1 Macs. Acorn isn’t as powerful as the full Photoshop app on Mac, but it has enough tools to get the job done.
You also get access to layers, as well as other nice-to-have tools like non-destructive editing, smart layer export, vector tools, and more. Acorn’s UI isn’t the best out there, and options like Pixelmator easily beat it in both UI and features, but Acorn is considerably powerful and is great for anyone looking for software that has enough technical chops to handle most things if not all.
Pros Cons Decent selection of tools UI feels clunky Non-destructive editing Not as user-friendly Support for Apple M1
File Support: PNG, BMP, GIMP, TIF, TGA, JPEG, and more
Platforms: Mac
Price: Free trial; $29.99
Comments
45
Anshuman Jain
Abubakar Mohammed
Arjun Sha
Shashank Shakya
Anshuman Jain
Abubakar Mohammed
Abubakar Mohammed
I have a hacked version of photoshop CS4 on an aging laptop I usually like it it’s easy to modify text. This is the problem I have with Gimp I can’t do layer styles on the text like I can in photoshop. It’s even hard to give my text an outline in Gimp. Yes I can do Alpha to Logo but that makes a bunch of weird layers. And sometimes it resizes my entire image.. pretty buggy.
Hi,
I agree GIMP has a bunch of really weird issues with a lot of things (as I mentioned), however it’s a very popular app that can still do quite a lot of interesting stuff.
I do agree with you on the Text issue though, GIMP’s text tool is a mess.
Thanks For Sharing It ????
I used to have Photoshop and when I didn’t anymore, I downloaded Pixelmator for free. It was OK for what I was using it (even if frustrating at times). I deleted it to make space on my disk and, when I went back to download it again, I had to pay. I’m gonna retrieve it if I can, but it really sucked. That’s all, just needed to vent.
HOLA amig@s !! cual de estas 12 plataformas es la mejor para yo diseñar toda clase de artículos ???
PhotoScape is legendary and knocks most of these down a notch. Also, supereffective filters and easy to use GUI!! Totally recommended!!
I’m an occasional photoshop user. I have decided I don’t use it enough to pay their subscription fee so I’m looking for an alternate. I frequently read statements around the web about GIMP such as this one:
“Although it doesn’t offer quite a features like Photoshop”
But no one ever seems to elaborate just what it is that one would give up if they switched from Photoshop to GIMP.
Can you elaborate on this?
Thanks.
Gimp has many issues. While you can make preset brushes, the brushes themselves to not have separate settings so you have to repeatedly load the formatting to each brush each time you swap. So say you are swapping to the eraser from the brush, has the same formatting as the brush. This is annoying and takes up a bit more time. I use Gimp to edit pictures I make on other alternatives. Gimp does give you the ability to edit as if you are using Photoshop but doesn’t have the drawing capability of other programs IMO just because of this tedious problem by itself.
The Best alternative to photoshop for the very cheap cost is Corel Paint Shop Pro… I use it for many years, upgrading to a newer version almost every year. I’m a professional photographer and digital artist. I’m advanced photoshop user as well. But Paint shop pro is a program I use 90% of the time. It is much lighter(faster and easy to use in terms of conrols). For me there is nothing I can’t do in it that I want to. It does everything that photoshop does and even more (for example I like the fact that I can zoom image in and out just by rolling my mouse, instead of using the key to zoom in photoshop, I can do much more with finger tool and so on..). The only thing you may have issue with, if you like me use a lot of large files at once and keep program open 24/7, it may start to run out of memory and don’t run plugins (yes photoshop plugins do work with this program). But most people don’t use it this heavy I guess. I know there is tons of tutorials on their site, if someone want to see if it is a right fit. NOt sure if they have a free trial version, but if somoene is interested they can check.
Funny how the writer calls ‘Paint Shop Pro’ an alternative, however paint shop pro was and is the leading profit earner in this category, more than Photoshop. Photoshop is the alternative. Why? It gets’ royalties from Adobe for use of patents, just like Corel does with Microsoft word from WordPerfect (which imho is a way better product). Photopaint is the highest grossing graphic design app on the planet… all they have to do is put a product in the market to hold on to their patent. how’s that for smart!
When I try to open the Gimp download on my Mac it says I do not have an application to open it in.
It says to go to App Store and find an app or chose an app from my own applications, yet it says
I don’t have the application. How do I get the download to work on my Mac
you have to adjust your security settings to allow 3rd party app downloads.
I use Paint.NET and its Linux clone Pinta.
Thanks for sharing this awesome list Photo Editing Apps and on my side I also recommend PhotoViewerPro it has tremendous features. It’s a user-friendly and very powerful tool.
For anyone who runs Windows or Linux, then Pixeluvo is also a good alternative to consider.
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AFFINITY PHOTO is also a good and best Photo editor, provide features like Photoshop.
Yes, so far is the closest I’ve seen to get to Photo Shop. It’s closer and better than Paintshop Pro, which was my favorite before it.
Corel aftershot Pro is a paid alternative to Lightroom and the like. I use it all the time to tweak RAW files and convert them to jpgs. Fast, easy and to my eye, anyway, good.
I use GIMP, Photo Filtre, Paint.net, and of course Paint for simple stuff.
what version of windows do you use for gimp. ive been having issues to dowload,thx
What about Photoshop Elements?
Nice post thank you. Been looking for an alternative to Photoshop for a while will give some of these a try.
Wow, Susie, that was a very important correction to make. You are correct. Happy?
I mean macintosh.
I was using photoshop in 1987 on a very, very small mackintosh. That would make photoshop
30 years old. That is how long I’ve been using it. Your article says it is 25 years old. Not accurate.
Considering that “PHOTOSHOP” wasn’t actually developed until 1988, and was not released until 1990. Development began in 1987, and distribution rights, nor the completed development wasn’t until 1988 when it was sold to Adobe.
What about Photopea? Unlike all editors, that you mentioned, Photopea can work with Photoshop files 🙂
The Title says free.. but some apps listed in this post are not free.. i use gimp and am still learning it.. i have to say the best alternative for photoshop is gimp
I would recommend BIMP for self-created master pieces and Pixlr for `Photoshop` mainly because after you master both Pixlr Express and Pixlr Editor you can do a lot of amazing stuff. (took my 8 curious months to master)
It seems difficult to leave a comment
Obviously not.
wooahh mate calm down jeeeeeez!
Photoshop’s not the only image editor on the market but it is the best in the market.
While it is indeed powerful, from an artist’s perspective it is difficult to use. And it is too expensive.
Thanks for all the alternatives to Adobe’s software. They are also useful. But one one great alternative to photoshop is missing in your list – PixelStyle Photo Editor. It is also photoshop killer.
It is not the best, it is the best known. That is a difference 🙂 There are some features it lacks. For example it does not have smooth gradient on color depths >8.
I agree, it is not the best, but the best known!
There is a new PS rival called “Affinity”. Maybe it doesn’t have all Photoshop options but it works better.
Hii Dear..
Could you send me the link please, as i tried to lot and could not do it.
Thanks..