Old laptop owners, you know the drill. *And… freeze!*
The wide array of features Adobe Photoshop's offers will keep this tool the professional's choice, but the rest of us have a superb selection of free and cheap programs like photoshop. As an instance, few photo editing software like Photoshop supports the default PSD format of the Adobe application. GNU Image Manipulation Programme, commonly known as GIMP, is one of the most sophisticated, free photo editing apps available to download. It has a load of great features which makes even the most complicated tasks doable. It also offers easy to follow tutorials, meaning that it's quick to learn the software and to achieve what you want to.
While Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard for graphic designers, visual artists, and photo editors—it is not for the light-of-RAM. Even on newer computers, users often report having to use a separate drive for scratch disk space just to prevent frequent crashes.
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. We're going to show you some awesome photoshop alternatives, so you can start editing your images like a pro. Read on for more information. GNU Image Manipulation Programme, commonly known as GIMP, is one of the most sophisticated, free photo editing apps available to download.
Plus, Photoshop can be clunky and expensive for beginners, making it an investment of both time AND money in order to enjoy the value it promises.
So if you're searching for easier, cheaper, alternatives to Photoshop or Lightroom CC, we've got a list of 15 free and paid photoshop alternative tools for you to consider.
Rev your rasters, baby. Let's go.
Top Free and Paid Adobe Photoshop Alternatives
Paid Alternatives to Photoshop
1. Pixlr
With Pixlr, editing photos has never been easier, faster, or smarter. Its AI Cutout features lets you remove backgrounds with just one click. Give your images a makeover with a simple drag-and-drop of Pixlr's dazzling selection of overlays. Add accents or textures, like light streaks, dust flecks, and glitter to your photos. Plus, you can use layers to create captivating photo edits, image composites, and more!
Trial version: Free plan available for limited features
OS: Web-based app available across browsers
Pricing model: Premium plan starts at $4.99 and Creative Pack starts at $14.99, billed annually. Or you can grab Pixlr's AppSumo deal at a one-time payment of $49
Potential downsides: Limited touch up capabilities which mean you need high-quality photos to begin with
2. RelayThat
RelayThatis a unique program that not even Photoshop can match right now. Simply upload your brand assets (colors, logos, images, fonts, etc.), and watch as RelayThat auto-generates multiple designs for you at once in several sizes and for various use cases without having to manually create them one-by-one. This is an incredibly powerful time-saving tool—particularly if you need to focus on practicals like quickly creating social media and website graphics.
Photoshop Free Download Apps
Trial version: No
OS: Web-based app available across browsers
Pricing model: Pro plan starts at $25 per month.
Potential downsides: Focus on digital social media graphic creation, limited image editing features
3. Affinity Photo
As a photo editing tool, Affinity Photo is more lightweight than PS, promising fewer crashes and fast, real-time rendering of all your edits. Enjoy unlimited layers, healing brush, over 1,000,000% zoom, a full set of 16-bit filters, and RAW file editing. Apply effects like blurs, lighting, and distortions as non-destructive live filter layers. Plus undo/redo up to 8K steps—with autosave that always has your back. Users will be happy that most standard PS keyboards commands will work for Affinity too.
Trial version: Yes
Apps Similar To Photoshop But Freelance
OS: Mac, Windows, and iPad
Pricing model: One-time price of $49.99, free and frequent updates (only $19.99 on iPad)
Potential downsides: Still comes with a learning curve similar to PS
4. Acorn
Acorn 6 is a Mac-only photo editor known for its circle text/text on a path tool, making it especially friendly to designers looking to create expert-level graphics, ads, and logos. In addition to photo-editing tools like the brush designer, layer masks, and filters that allow you to mute or unmute by later, it does have vector-editing tools as well. While it may be simpler than PS, it does pack a punch under the hood.
Trial version: Yes
OS: MacOS
Pricing model: One-time $29.99
Potential downsides: Not compatible with PC; some users report slowness
5. PicMonkey
PicMonkey is a Canva-like photo editing and design tool that is chock-full of design assets and templates. Again, if you use PS to create graphics for business use cases, PicMonkey may be a faster way to get designs out the door. Plus with touchup, layer, and mask features, as well as effects and features, you might be surprised by the photo enhancement you can do with this tool. Plus, you can use their real-time team collaboration feature to work in tandem with teammates or clients.
Trial version: Yes
OS: web-based app available across browsers with apps for iPhone, android, and tablet
Pricing model: Starts at $7.99 per month
Potential downsides: Some users say the features offered in the app and in the web version differ from one another
💡 Also check out ourtop 10 PicMonkey alternatives.
6. Corel PaintShop Pro
Applications Similar To Photoshop
PaintShop Pro has released a new feature-packed 2020 version. With RAW and HDR editing, advanced brushes, layers, and masking, and flexible workspaces depending on your editing needs, Corel's Paintshop is a one-time purchase that will keep on delivering for your photography or graphic design needs. Note it is Windows-only, so that may be limiting for some in creative fields.
Trial version: Yes
OS: Windows only
Pricing model: One-time $63.99 (Get Paintshop Pro Ultimate for $79.99)
Potential downsides: Some users report it is not a lightweight program; Windows-only
7. Fotor
Fotor describes itself as 'fundamentally Photoshop online.' With advanced editing, effects, and retouching, you can also make use of some fun features like the GoArt AI photo effect that makes photos look like classic pieces of art. Fotor is also available in 7+ languages.
Trial version: Yes
OS: web-based app available across browsers and mobile
Pricing model: Starts at $8.99/month (annual Plan $39.99/year)
Potential downsides: No template or photo libraries, few advanced photo editing capabilities
8. Pixelmator Pro
Pixelmator Pro is a Mac-only image editing tool that uses emerging tech like machine learning to give users highly functional and exciting capabilities like layer management, nondestructive resizing, layouts, retouching, selections, painting, and image repair. Its sleek UI and fast functionality make this tool pleasant to use. Pixelmator Pro is perfect for skilled hobbyists or creatives who don't need super-advanced PS capabilities.
Trial version: Yes
OS: MacOS (with Pixelmator for iOS for iPhone and iPad)
Pricing model: One-time $39.99 (iOS app for $4.99)
Potential downsides: Missing some more advanced PS features like tone mapping or source and target layer ranges for blending
Free Alternatives to Photoshop
9. Photopea
Photopea is a free alternative to Photoshop. When you arrive at their website, you can jump straight into a project, with many of the tools you're used to enjoying in premium photo editing tools. Photopea lets you add text, crop images, blur, change colors, and much more. Plus, you can export the final product in most of your favorite formats: PNG, JPEG, SVG, and more. Among the free products showcased in this article, this one is probably the most similar to Photoshop.
OS: Web-based
Pricing model: Free
Potential downsides: Many people use free tools for their simplicity. In this case, since it's so much like Photoshop, Photopea can come with a bit of a learning curve for new designers.
10. GIMP
GIMP empowers designers with the tools to edit photos and create graphics. It also provides different code support for developers who want to use their designs across websites and have more customization options. GIMP offers many top photo editing features to help you touch up your favorite photos, add filters, and even customize your working interface.
OS: GNU/Linux, OS X, Windows, and more operating systems
Pricing model: Free
Potential downsides: While the tool offers great features, it may require downloading other design tools (like Scribus and Inkscape) to get the most out of it; outdated UI
11. PhotoScape X
As another free alternative to Photoshop, PhotoScape X helps you design and edit photos using a variety of powerful tools. You have all the normal editing tools like cropping, filters, brushes, and color and background changes. It also includes bulk-editing features: batch resize, batch format change, and more for streamlined organization and editing. Whether you're cleaning up an image or creating a graphic from scratch, PhotoScape X is a strong free Photoshop alternative.
OS: Windows and Mac
Pricing model: Free
Potential downsides: Some regular users complain aboutlimited free tools Adobe photoshop and video editor. , particularly regarding paint options.
12. FireAlpaca
First of all, the Alpaca's bowtie is on point. (#classy)
FireAlpaca is a free paint tool with simple functionality for creating graphics. You can use templates or start completely from scratch. FireAlpaca gives you different viewing options as well, including 3D view. Use the Pencil, Airbrush, or Blur tools to edit graphics with artistic precision. If you're leaving Photoshop because it's too complex, FireAlpaca is founded on simplicity.
OS: Windows and Mac
Pricing model: Free
Potential downsides: This tool is intentionally lean. If you're looking for a tool to keep up with Photoshop's optionality, FireAlpaca might not have the features you're looking for.
13. Photoshop Express
Adobe has also gotten into the free image editing and collage app game with Photoshop Express. The difference here boils down to interface and functionality—plus the fact that Photoshop Express is 'built for mobile device photography.' You can think of it as Photoshop lite for mobile. With intelligent edits, spot healing, auto-fix, and robust filters and effects, you can edit photos for social posting to your heart's content in this little app.
OS: mobile app for Android, iOS, and Windows
Pricing model: Free (Premium version for $9.99/month)
Potential downsides: Very simple, social-focused functionality—but that's it
14. Polarr
A simple, intuitive image editing app, Polarr gives you Lightroom-like image manipulation capabilities like editing exposure, temperature, denoise, diffuse, dehaze, and more. It does have advanced HSL and RGB curve tools, as well as filter blending, mixing, and toning tools. Plus, you get persistent edit history and infinite undo and redo—making it super user-friendly.
Free Photoshop Apps For Computer
OS: web, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iOS, Android
Pricing model: free
Potential downsides: It seems there have been some recent bugs and now users must upgrade to Pro in order to save edited photos
15. Krita
Krita is a free, flexible, open-source painting program that won TechRadar's #1 best free painting software for 2019. With over 100 brush types, 9 brush engines, and brush stabilizer, there's plenty to play around with in Krita. A more intuitive and lightweight alternative to GIMP, Krita is one of the best alternatives to Photoshop in terms of brush performance.
OS: Mac, Windows, Linux
Pricing model: free
Potential downsides: Since Krita is focused on digital painting, it doesn't have the photo editing features some users might need from an alternative to Photoshop.
Pick Your Favorite Photoshop Alternative
And that's a (text) wrap on our list of alternatives to Photoshop! If you're looking for some good and affordable options, check out some of AppSumo's best deals:
- Pixlr. Remove backgrounds with just one click and add overlays from the library of icons, stickers, text, and more.
- Crello. Speed up the design process with thousands of ready-made templates and easy editing features.
Happy editing!
Prefer a video over a blog post? Here's our YouTube video on the top alternatives to Photoshop:
If you liked this blog, take a look at even more of our graphic design and editing tool comparison posts:
Photoshop is the first word in graphic design software and like most leading software products, it demands a fee from anyone who wants to use it. In fact, to access Photoshop, you'll need to fork out about $19.99 every month. Personally, I don't have an issue with this given how powerful Photoshop is but there are those who do.
Thankfully, there is a solution to this price problem.
Free alternatives to Photoshop do exist, and they hold their own in terms of quality, too. Here they all are. You can check here for non-free Photoshop alternatives).
Announced to the public in 1995, GIMP is one of the most popular free Photoshop alternatives on the market. It's also likely to be the most powerful graphic design tool on this list. It's free and open source, but packs a professional punch nonetheless.
There are big similarities between Photoshop and GIMP in terms of functionality and user interface, so many find migration from one to the other to be easy. GIMP is also capable of opening and working with PSD files, which are Photoshop specific.
GIMP has a number of high quality features which definitely hold their own against those of Photoshop. The professional features available in GIMP such as color adjustment tools, customizable brushes, gradients, and auto image enhancement tools, make it easy for users to create artwork from scratch and edit photos/images.
The in-depth tutorials cater for all users from beginners to advanced level. This makes it super accessible to everyone, including users who aren't familiar with the open-source application
Learn more at the GIMP website
2. Inkscape
Inkscape is a free and open source vector graphics editor. It's perfect for creating icons for apps and websites, cartoon illustrations, and logos. Despite being free, Inkscape looks and feels incredibly advanced. Some of its many features include intelligent drawing tools, the ability to import and export multiple file types, add-ons, and multilingual support. These powerful tools and its intuitive UI make it an excellent option for beginners.
Although it's probably a little more comparable to Illustrator, Inkscape is a great free Photoshop alternative, especially if you want to save some $$$ (since it's free).
Photoshop is the first word in graphic design software and like most leading software products, it demands a fee from anyone who wants to use it. In fact, to access Photoshop, you'll need to fork out about $19.99 every month. Personally, I don't have an issue with this given how powerful Photoshop is but there are those who do.
Thankfully, there is a solution to this price problem.
Free alternatives to Photoshop do exist, and they hold their own in terms of quality, too. Here they all are. You can check here for non-free Photoshop alternatives).
Announced to the public in 1995, GIMP is one of the most popular free Photoshop alternatives on the market. It's also likely to be the most powerful graphic design tool on this list. It's free and open source, but packs a professional punch nonetheless.
There are big similarities between Photoshop and GIMP in terms of functionality and user interface, so many find migration from one to the other to be easy. GIMP is also capable of opening and working with PSD files, which are Photoshop specific.
GIMP has a number of high quality features which definitely hold their own against those of Photoshop. The professional features available in GIMP such as color adjustment tools, customizable brushes, gradients, and auto image enhancement tools, make it easy for users to create artwork from scratch and edit photos/images.
The in-depth tutorials cater for all users from beginners to advanced level. This makes it super accessible to everyone, including users who aren't familiar with the open-source application
Learn more at the GIMP website
2. Inkscape
Inkscape is a free and open source vector graphics editor. It's perfect for creating icons for apps and websites, cartoon illustrations, and logos. Despite being free, Inkscape looks and feels incredibly advanced. Some of its many features include intelligent drawing tools, the ability to import and export multiple file types, add-ons, and multilingual support. These powerful tools and its intuitive UI make it an excellent option for beginners.
Although it's probably a little more comparable to Illustrator, Inkscape is a great free Photoshop alternative, especially if you want to save some $$$ (since it's free).
It's also one of the few options on the list compatible with Linux (along with GIMP that is).
Learn more at the Inkscape website.
3. Pixia
Pixia is a raster painting program and graphics editor specifically well–suited for many forms of digital painting.
It offers a lightweight painting environment for digital painting and artwork of all types! Unlike other digital painting and editing tools, Pixia strips the bloatware features away, leaving a fast, focused environment that ensures you can paint without any distraction.
It is also freeware making it a great free Photoshop alternative.
Photoshop similar programs free. Learn more at the Pixia website.
4. exPhoto
exPhoto is another application by the same developer that created Pixia and is more geared towards photo editing and print graphics. The advantage is that you can choose which application best suits your needs at the time.
Doing some digital painting? Load up Pixia. Looking to touch up a photo? Time for exPhoto. Sure you have to install two apps but it keeps the features geared towards the task at hand, which is smart.
exPhoto is also capable of handling and saving as PSD, just like GIMP.
Learn more at the exPhoto website.
5. Pixlr
Pixlr comes in two distinct flavours. Pixlr Express is ideal for quick fixes and simple edits, while Pixlr Editor is for power users. Both are both free, and both are browser-based web apps, so there's never any need to download the software. This makes it ideal for Chromebook users, too.
Pixlr is feature-packed but has a clean UI that makes it easy to navigate these features without seeming 'cluttered' or overwhelming the users with the number of options available.
One super useful benefit to Pixlr is that it runs free Android and iOS apps that allow you to edit right from your smartphone.
Learn more at the Pixlr website.
6. Krita
Krita was created by artists with the aim of making art tools affordable to everyone. This is an open source digital sketching and painting studio that is geared towards concept artists. illustrators, and designers who want to sketch from scratch. So, if you want to edit existing imagery, this one isn't for you. Krita also offers training material to kickstart your illustration career (or hobby), and can open PSD files, too.
There is a bit of a learning curve to software and the UI isn't too user-friendly, so its best suited to users with some experience. But once you get the hang of it this is an excellent Photoshop alternative that's full of great features for painting and design.
Learn more at the Krita website.
7. Canva
Canva is a browser-based web app that provides everything a graphic designer needs. For those who like to work on their phones or tablets, there are apps for iOS and Android as well.
Used by over 10 million people, Canva serves up millions of stock images, hundreds of fonts, and a wide range of filters, icons, and shapes. With their resources to hand, you can drag and drop images into place before editing them. The simplicity of Canva makes sophisticated design accessible to everyone with a diverse range of templates available, and even the most amateur of users will get decent design outcomes with the help of this app.
Seasoned graphic designers may find Canva to be a little lightweight, but it's a useful app to have on hand when you need to take a few shortcuts and don't want to sacrifice quality in the process. This is a freemium app and more experienced designers will definitely want the paid version, but pricing is nowhere near Photoshop territory. Check out our Canva Review to learn more.
Learn more at the Canva website.
8. Paint.NET
Thanks to its image based tabs system which makes it easy to work on multiple projects at once, Paint.Net is a great free alternative to Photoshop. Also, the inclusion of layers – a feature normally reserved for expensive professional software – makes Paint.Net tough to beat. The UI will feel familiar to Photoshop users but it's also very easy to pick up for newbies.
I see it as a halfway house between Microsoft Paint and Photoshop, making it easy for graphic design newbies to grasp. And it's for that reason – among others – that I've personally been using Paint.NET for all my image editing needs over the last few years. It's simplicity combined with the advanced features available makes it a tough one to beat and also a great option for users that have difficulty with software that's geared more towards experienced users. Features include a number of special effects that can sharpen, blur, emboss, distort, and eliminate red-eye from photos in a few clicks.
It's bad news for Mac users though, as Paint.NET is available only for Windows.
Learn more at the Paint.NET website.
9. Seashore
If you're a dedicated Mac user, Seashore may be for you. Available only for Mac OS X's Cocoa framework, Seashore takes inspiration from GIMP (number one on this list) by serving up similar functionality and using the same native file format.
However, unlike the GIMP, Seashore is aimed at a broader audience who just want to do some basic image editing. It's ideal for new users who with little experience in this area, although the UI is pretty basic and definitely leaves room for improvement.
If you're an amateur photographer or just need to perform some basic image editing, Seashore will do the trick.
Learn more at the Seashore website.
10. SumoPaint
SumoPaint's slogan is, ‘Photoshopping in your browser' – which is pretty self-explanatory. It's an incredibly powerful web app with an answer to most if not all of Photoshop's best features.
It's also super fast to navigate and the interface is definitely pleasing to the eye. All of the standard features are accessible for free, such as gradient fill, blur, smudge, line tools, and other features you'd expect to find in Photoshop.
You can use it through your browser and tolerate the ads, or upgrade to SumoPaint Pro to use it without ads and utilize more features.users to access all the basic image manipulation features for free. SumoPaint Pro also allows you to download the software so you can use it offline.
Learn more at the SumoPaint website.
Free Graphic Design Software That Doesn't Suck
Photoshop is a powerhouse, but if you're struggling to justify its rather heavy price-tag, then the eight Photoshop alternatives listed above should tide you over.
If you are curious as to what options exist with a price tag, check out our list of Paid Photoshop Alternatives.
Do you know of any other free Photoshop alternatives? Share them with us in the comments section below!
