Free Photoshop Equivalent

Old laptop owners, you know the drill. *And… freeze!*

• Free Photoshop Download
• Free Photo Editing Software

Aug 14, 2020 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. While there are a handful of free Photoshop alternatives, the open-source program GNU Image Manipulation Program (often shortened to GIMP) comes closest to Photoshop's advanced tools. Affinity Photo is on a 90-day free trial and on sale at half price. Serif has made its range of creative software - including the brilliant Photoshop rival, Affinity Photo - free to all.

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.

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.

Top Paid and Free Adobe Photoshop Alternatives

So if you're searching for easier, cheaper, alternatives to Photoshop or Lightroom CC, we've got a list of 16 free and paid photoshop alternative tools for you to consider.

Rev your rasters, baby. Let's go.

Paid Alternatives to Photoshop

1. Pixlr

AppSumo Deal: Pixlr

One-click editing for professional quality images without the learning curve.

$49.00 | $144.00

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 Web editor app.

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. Pixelied

AppSumo Deal: Pixelied

Create scroll-stopping graphics with a full-featured design suite that's easy for anyone to use.

$59.00 | $480.00

Pixelied is just like Pixlr (they sounds similar too), but with thousands of ready-made templates and icons, millions of stock images, and a suit of photo-editing capabilities like removing background in one click.

Two unique features set Pixelied apart from many graphic design tools as an alternative to Photoshop. First, its mockup editor lets you get to create powerful product mockups for your brand. And with Pixelied's workspace, you can switch between workspaces, each with its own separate assets, designs and team members.

Trial version: Free plan available for limited features

OS: Web-based app available across browsers

Pricing model: Starts free and with Pro plan at $7.95 per month. For a limited time, you can get Pixelied Pro starting at $59 for life at AppSumo.

Potential downsides: Many features focus on graphic design instead of photo-editing

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

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

Photoshop cs5 trial download windows 7. OS: MacOS

Pricing model: One-time $29.99

Potential downsides: Not compatible with PC; some users report slowness

5. Colorcinch

AppSumo Marketplace Deal: Colorcinch

Colorcinch helps hobbyists and professional designers beautifully transform photos and create stunning designs fast. With over 50,000+ vector icons and graphics available for instant use and dozens of top-notch filters/effects, Colorcinch provides users with all the tools they'd need to make advanced edits inside an intuitive, beginner-friendly workspace. Amongst other features, Colorcinch's cartoonizer tool makes it a perfect alternative to Photoshop. Unlike PS, designers can easily apply artistic effects to their photos and transform them into cartoons and digital sketches with just a click and without having to watch long video tutorials.

Trial version: Free plan available for limited features

OS: Web-based app available across browsers

Pricing model: Starts at $5.99/month (annual plan $47.88/year). Check out Colorcinch for $33.49 for one year on AppSumo Marketplace.

Potential downsides: Most catchy effects/filters are only available to premium users. So those on the free plan might complain of limited customization options.

6. 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 our top 10 PicMonkey alternatives.

7. Corel PaintShop Pro

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

8. 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

9. 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 Photoshop Download

Free Alternatives to Photoshop

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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, particularly regarding paint options.

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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.

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

16. Krita

Krita is a free, flexible, open-source painting program that won TechRadar's #1 best free painting software for 2019. Transfer photos from phone to computer. 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.
• Pixelied. Create scroll-stopping graphics with a full-featured design suite that's easy for anyone to use.

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:

Looking for a faster and better alternative to Adobe Photoshop? While Photoshop has been a standard for years, that's starting to change with plenty of new tools for Windows that make easy work of photo editing. Many of these new tools include smart functions that will speed up workflows.

The best Photoshop alternatives pack in just the features you need without a lot of fluff you won't use. Here's a list of the best Photoshop alternatives for Windows in 2021.

Take note of special features to find the one that's right for you.

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1. PhotoWorks

PhotoWorks is a robust alternative to Photoshop for Windows users. It's a powerful photo editor and includes automatic photo editing, so you can get a spectacular photo edit with just a couple clicks. The tool is so intuitive it can even fix photos that you think are no good because of lighting issues or subpar conditions.

Then there's Portrait Magic. This tool uses an intelligent module to make portraits look amazing. And you won't spend a ton of time tweaking tiny edits. It can make workflows easy and efficient for sure.

The algorithms for landscapes and portrait corrections are different so you'll get the best content-aware functionality around – and you don't have to do it all manually.

Other key features:

• Neat face sculpting tool to experiment with facial features
• Change the background with a couple of clicks
• 180+ effects and filters that you can use on any image
• Perspective and distortion correction
• 3D LUT color correction that comes with ready-to-use presets (or create your own)
• Plenty of professional tools that you'd expect from robust software such as curves, tone mapping, cropping, and more

Cost: Starting at $19.25
Try it: Download from PhotoWorks

2. GIMP

GIMP is a program like Photoshop for Windows with developers in mind. It is free and open-source, so you can change the source code and distribute changes. GIMP is designed for high-quality photo manipulation, including retouching images and photo restorations. Users can also use it to create original artwork.

Other key features:

• Offers plenty of customization options and plugins
• Create design elements and edit photos
• Extensive library of tutorials and learning resources
• Scripted image manipulation (C, C++, Perl, Python, Scheme, and more)
• Color management tools included with Scribus, Inkscape and SwatchBooker

Cost: Free, although you can make a donation toward future development
Try it: Download from GIMP

3. Paint.net

Paint.net is a free Photoshop equivalent. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful, and powerful tools, especially for free software.
Other key features:

• Replacement for the popular MS Paint
• Active online community of users
• Plugins available

Cost: Free, donations accepted
Try it: Download from Paint.net

4. Pixlr

Pixlr is a Photoshop replacement that offers plenty of options depending on how you use the tool. It includes a photo editor-only option or full-feature professional tools. What's different about Pixlr is that you don't have to download anything to use it. All the tools are right in your browser and includes tools you'd need for photo work including layer masks, multiple brush options, curve and level adjustments, color and blend modes, effects and filters, and transform and wrap tools.

Other key features:

• Ability to draw on photos
• Easy retouching
• Included photo filters
• Light or dark mode options for your workspace
• 10,000+ photo templates

Cost: Includes free and paid options (Pro is $5 per month)
Try it: See the Pixlr options

5. Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo is a newer option when it comes to finding an alternative to Photoshop for Windows because it was once Mac-based. The tool lets you edit and retouch images as well as create multi-layer pieces. The professional corrections and adjustments tools rival any other app out there, and it has a great noise-reduction filter. Retouching options include the usual dodge, burn, clone, patch, blemish, and red eye tools, but there's also an inpainting brush and liquify feature.

Other key features:

• HDR merge feature
• Batch processing
• Large brush library included
• Ability to import and export to and from other tools
• Frequent development and updates

Cost: $49.99
Try it: Download the Windows version from Affinity Photo

6. PicMonkey

Free Photo Editing Software

PicMonkey is an Adobe photoshop alternative that's pretty well-known. While it has some free and lower-cost editing tools – everything you'd expect – more advanced tools (save and export, advanced retouching, effects and overlays, fonts) only unlock with upper-tier plans. Users like how straightforward this tool is.

Other key features:

• Ability to do photo editing and design
• Collaboration tools
• Templates to start projects from
• Tools and effects for photo editing
• Ability to create a photo collage

Cost: Starts at $7.99 per month
Try it: Get started at PicMonkey

7. Luminar

Luminar is a piece of software like Photoshop that you can use alone or integrate with Adobe tools. It works as a standalone photo editor and browser with plenty of cool algorithmic editing tools. The best feature may be the included image browser for finding photos fast.

Other key features:

• Add 'instant looks' to photos
• Easy to use creative tools
• Noise remover filter
• Smart contrast tools to help color look better
• Extensive video library of tutorials

Cost: Starts at $89
Try it: Get it from Skylum

8. DxO PhotoLab 3

DxO PhotoLab 3 is a Photoshop alternative for Windows that's made for working with raw images. The tools include the ability to editing using control points to work on just the parts of a photo you want to edit, there are plenty of brushes for precise work, a graduated filter makes landscape photos look great, and the auto repair mode can remove unwanted elements from images.

Other key features:

• Contrast optimization
• Denoising tools
• Repair tool with a clone mode
• Smart lighting tool
• Ability to load a large photo library

Cost: $129
Try it: Download it from DxO