If you’re a graphic designer or photographer then Photoshop is one of the most powerful photo editors that you can use. Over time it can be quite expensive, even with Adobe’s most basic plan that will cost you around $120 per year or Rs.1675.60 per month. Thankfully there are free Photoshop alternatives that have many of the same features as Photoshop that will help you create and edit your images like a pro.
Let’s discuss the top 5 free photoshop alternatives. They are not in any preferential order.
Table of Contents
1. PhotoScape X:
This program is a feature pack and even supports raw files. Other cool features include a photo viewer, several batch options, a collage maker, and a GIF creator. There are tons of filters, effects, and other tools to transform your image. The layout is simple without too much clutter which makes it a great choice for beginners. The bar along the top is where you can select the type of project you’re working on.
While editing the photo, all the tools are located in the upper right corner. If you need any help using any of the features, select the photo scape icon at the extreme left corner. Select the topic you need help with and click on the image shown on the page. This will open a web page in your browser with a tutorial showing you how to use that feature.
Availability: PhotoScape X is only available for Windows 10 and Mac. For people running an older version of Windows, the link to PhotoScape 3.7 is still available on their home page.
Price: On Windows 10, PhotoScape X offers a pro version in the Microsoft Store for around $40. For most people, the tools in the free version of PhotoScape X will be enough to satisfy their photo editing needs.
Website: You can click here to visit their website.
2. Paint.NET:
Its initial release was in 2004 as a more advanced alternative to Microsoft Paint. It has evolved quite a bit over the year and now includes blending and layer support, automatic filters, and external plugins. Even with its outdated look, the user interface is intuitive with the primary tools located along the left with additional tools located in the menu bar at the top.
Paint.NET allows you to work with multiple projects at once and offers all the tools available in Photoshop. It is pretty easy to use and adapt to. You can also install additional packs to enhance its feature. The only downside here is that it doesn’t support PSDs but if you can let it go then Paint.NET is highly recommended from our side.
Availability: It is only available for Windows 7 or the newer version.
Price: You can get it from the developer’s website for free with the option to donate. And if you prefer, you can get it from the Microsoft Store for a minimal cost of $7.
Website: Click here to visit their website.
3. Photopea:
The next on the list is Photopea which is one of the best online photo editors that you can use. It supports many image file types including Photoshop project files and raw images from your camera. For all the photo editors mentioned in this article, the layout of Photopea most closely resembles Photoshop. With the tools along the left and the layers window on the right of the page.
To save your project as a PSD go to the Files menu bar at the top left corner. You can also export the images in PNG, JPEG, and many other formats. If you click on Learn at the upper right corner then it’ll open a new tab with tutorials that will teach you how to use Photopea.
Availability: It’s a web app so it’ll run in any major browser without the need to download and install any software.
Price: While Photopea is free there’s the option to buy a license that removes the ads and gives you additional steps in your history. A 90-day license is $10 and a 30-day license is $5.
Website: You can visit their website by clicking here.
4. Krita:
This is a great Photoshop alternative. The open-source program in recent years has improved quite a bit and includes a ton of features. In addition to these standard editing tools, its large amount of brush customizations and painter’s palette have made this program popular with people that do creative image design.
It has a great-looking layout with the primary tools along the left. The right side has an advanced color selector and below that are the layers along with good amounts of brush presets. The color selectors are located in the middle and the outer ring has quick access buttons to your brush presets. Once you get familiar with the pop-up palette, it does speed up the workflow quite a bit. If you want to learn to use Krita then check out the manual on their site.
Availability: Krita is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac.
Price: Although the free version old be enough but still if you wanna buy from the Microsoft Store then you’ve to pay $14.
Website: Click here to visit their website.
5. GIMP:
It is a powerful open-source photo editing software that can do just about anything Photoshop can with zero cost. GIMP includes advanced filters and effects, the ability to work with layers, color adjustments, transformations, and is compatible with most image file formats. Its layouts have been described by many people as being clunky especially from those that have been long-time users of Photoshop.
There’s a large set of tools located in the tools box on the left. Over the right, you can find layers and brushes. Once you get a hang of it, it gets really easy to use. If you haven’t used GIMP the check out the tutorial on their site.
Availability: It’s available to download for Linux, Mac, and Windows.
Price: Free to use.
Website: Click here to visit their website.
Other free Photoshop alternatives:
Let us quickly discuss a few other options that might be worth your time to check out.
- Adobe Photoshop Express: Adobe does offer a free program for Windows, Android, and iOS.
- Pixlr X: With Pixlr editor being phased out due to security concerns with Flash Pixlr X is their new free online photo editor.
- Affinity Photo: It’s able to do everything that Photoshop can do with no issues. It seems to be less bloated with improved stability and crashes less than Photoshop. But it isn’t free still worth mentioning for how good it works.
- ColorClinch: It offers some amazing photo editing features with a friendly interface.
- RAW Therapee: It’s a middle ground between Photoshop and Lightroom. It’s great for beginners and with just a few clicks you’ll be able to edit your photos to the next level.
I hope this article was helpful and you found what you were looking for. However, if there's any outdated information then feel free to let us know in the comment section. If you want to read similar articles then here are a few recommendations for you guys. Inshot video editing tutorial YouTube thumbnail making apps Full Canva tutorial