Photoshop AlternativesOnly Free apps categorised as Image Editors

The best free Image Editor alternative to Adobe Photoshop is GIMP, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Adobe Photoshop and loads of them are free Image Editors so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free Image Editor alternatives to Adobe Photoshop are Paint.NET, Photopea, Pixlr and Affinity.

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Adobe Photoshop alternatives are mainly Image Editors, but if you're looking for Photo Editors or Digital Painting Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Mac, Online, Free, Windows, Linux and Windows + Free. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Adobe Photoshop.
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Alternatives list

  1. GIMP icon

    GIMP

     4717 likes
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    GIMP delivers powerful functionalities for photo retouching, image composition, and format conversion. As a versatile tool, it serves as both a simple paint program and a high-end retouching suite, and offers batch processing for mass image tasks in an accessible open-source platform.

    190 GIMP alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Flatpak
    • AmigaOS
    yes
     
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    Comments about GIMP as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    Comment summary: GIMP is praised for being a free, open-source alternative to Adobe Photoshop with many features and community support. However, users find its interface unintuitive and criticize its limitation in handling PSD files and advanced Photoshop features. It is considered a less comparable alternative mainly for simpler editing tasks, with suggestions for plugins like PhotoGIMP to bridge some gaps.
    Top Positive Comment
    Conner Vieira
    4

    If you're used to Photoshop, GIMP will feel very unusual, since it has very different ways of doing things. That being said, its more than capable of keeping up with Photoshop on a technical level, and well exceeds Photoshop's abilities (if at the cost of intuitiveness) in my opinion

    Top Negative Comment
    Marek
    24

    Irritating, totally unintuitive, completely unthought-out interface. It may have a lot of possibilities, but a lifetime is not enough to discover them and understand the twisted logic of this program.

    Mike-Fulton
    Negative
    0

    On paper, GIMP would seem to match up quite well against Adobe Photoshop, but when you actually try to use it, it's got a user interface that not even a mother could love. Most features are implemented in a very non-intuitive fashion. Want to crop an image? In Photoshop you enter the desired size and then drag a rectangle around the portion of the image you want to keep. It automatically constrains the selection to the aspect ratio of the size you entered. Gimp offers a variety of options for the crop tool but none of them is as simple and quick to use as PS. I've tried using GIMP several times over the past few decades and it always makes me want to tear my hair out.

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    3 of 111 comments
    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    GIMP icon

    • Almost everyone thinks GIMP is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • GIMP is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Adobe Photoshop.

    • GIMP is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Adobe Photoshop.

    • GIMP is Free and Open SourceAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
    • GIMP is Customizable, Privacy focused and LightweightAdobe Photoshop is not according to our users
  2. Paint.NET icon

    Paint.NET

     1648 likes
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    Free Windows image editor with support for layers, plugins, and special effects. Offers intuitive interface, works offline, ad-free, and portable, consuming fewer resources.

    165 Paint.NET alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • .NET Framework
    Paint.NET screenshot 1
     
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    Comments about Paint.NET as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    Comment summary: Paint.NET is appreciated for being lightweight and easy to use, offering better PSD compatibility than GIMP. However, it cannot fully replace Photoshop due to its minimal features and lack of object support. Users note that while Paint.NET is free and useful for small edits, Photoshop remains superior yet slower for more advanced tasks.
    Top Positive Comment
    Thatstinkyguy
    1

    While it doesn't beat GIMP in terms of features, open-source, or cross-platform accessibility, it's still a solid program that's lightweight, fairly easy to use, and with a plugin (among many other ones), it seems to have better compatibility with PSD files than GIMP.

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Well, it as the first image editor I have used other than... paint, So I might be a little biased. But its great, I love it, it has stuff, and its good.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    I was able to use it from day one and get better over time the more I worked in it.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 21 comments
    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    Paint.NET icon

    • Most users think Paint.NET is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • Paint.NET is Free and ProprietaryAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
    • Paint.NET is Lightweight and MinimalisticAdobe Photoshop is not according to our users
  4. Photopea icon

    Photopea

     330 likes
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    Browser-based image editing supports PSD, XCF, Sketch formats, advanced layers, vector tools, RAW photo support, and exports in 40+ formats. Fully client-side with AI background removal, content-aware tools, and privacy as files never leave your device.

    111 Photopea alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Photopea screenshot 1
     
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    Comments about Photopea as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    Comment summary: Photopea is frequently regarded as an excellent, free alternative to Adobe Photoshop, especially praised for its online accessibility without the need for installation. Though it parallels Photoshop with similar interfaces and features, like PSD support and smart objects, some users note it lacks certain tools and artificial intelligence capabilities, and requires an internet connection to operate.
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    16

    Fully supports PSD format with adjustment layers, layer effects, paths, layer masks etc.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    For me, who can't afford to pay for every subscription but still wants to use the tools, Photopea is the best alternative to Photoshop. Especially the free version. The structure, functions, and even the keyboard shortcuts are the same. Plus, you can work entirely with PSD files, and vectors are also supported.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Kris Regina
    Positive
    0

    An actual free alternative to Photoshop.

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    3 of 31 comments
    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    Photopea icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Photopea is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • Photopea is the most popular Web-based & SaaS alternative to Adobe Photoshop.

    • Photopea is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Fotor icon
    Fotor

    Comprehensive online editor offering filters, frames, text, stickers, collage creation, graphic design, templates for social media, batch editing, photo retouching, mobile and desktop access, regular updates, and direct sharing t...

    https://www.fotor.com
    Learn More
  6. Pixlr icon

    Pixlr

     389 likes
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    Web-based editor with AI image generation, quick fixes, overlays, intricate lighting and texture adjustments, customizable templates, advanced filters, support for layers, high-res export, and ad-free premium features for accessible image and design editing.

    225 Pixlr alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Pixlr screenshot 1
    Promotion 😀

    Get a 30% discount on Pixlr Premium Plans with AlternativeTo, use code AW30OFF

     
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    Comments about Pixlr as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    9

    The fact that Pixlr is browser based is cool at places like school where you can't just install GIMP.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Ilgazcl
    Positive
    0

    It was acquired by Apple so you should make sure multi-platform and even Web support continues. Apple doesn't have a good history of maintaining other platforms compatibility.

    Ömer Emin Onaran
    Positive
    3

    You do not need to download a program, you enter from the web.

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    3 of 10 comments
    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    Pixlr icon

    • Most users think Pixlr is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • Pixlr is the most popular Android & iPhone alternative to Adobe Photoshop.

    • Pixlr is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
    • Pixlr is LightweightAdobe Photoshop is not according to our users
  7. Affinity icon

    Affinity

     48 likes
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    Unified design solution merging advanced photo, vector, and layout tools for seamless workflow, non-destructive editing, RAW support, batch processing, AI enhancements, GPU acceleration, file compatibility, cloud asset integration, and tailored workspace options.

    65 Affinity alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Affinity screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Comments about Affinity as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    OMGparticles
    Positive
    0

    Affinity has most of Photoshop's features without the predatory subscription scheme. It includes many of the full Adobe suite's features, combining vector and rasterized graphics editing. The UI is clean, familiar, and easy to understand and customize.

    ctrl
    Positive
    0

    It have so many feature and excellent interface. And it's FREE.

    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    Affinity icon
    • Affinity is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
  8. Graphite icon

    Graphite

     91 likes
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    Graphite is a free, open source vector graphics editor and animation engine, available now in alpha. Get creative with a fully nondestructive editing workflow that combines layer-based compositing with node-based generative design.

    59 Graphite alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Made using nondestructive boolean operations and procedural polka dot patterns
     
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    Comments about Graphite as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    dco3lh0
    Positive
    0

    it's still in alpha stage, but in the near future, some years ahead will be the best alternative there is.

    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    Graphite icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Graphite is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • Graphite is Free and Open SourceAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
    • Graphite is Privacy focused and LightweightAdobe Photoshop is not according to our users
  10. Photoscape icon

    Photoscape

     261 likes
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    PhotoScape is a fun and easy photo editing software that enables you to fix and enhance photos.

    194 Photoscape alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Photoscape screenshot 1
     
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    37
    Comments about Photoscape as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    DalsPhotography
    Positive
    0

    It's a bit outdated for Mac, but nevertheless it's useful, light weight, and with some funny tools that you can use for daily tasks.

    Guest
    Positive
    1

    I like it because you can merge multiple photos easily.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Simple, no layers, but brushes are available. Cheap, light weighted and goes easy on your machine resources. Even as professional I do use Photoscape for a first review of my photos.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 4 comments
    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    Photoscape icon

    • Most users think Photoscape is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • Photoscape is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
    • Photoscape is LightweightAdobe Photoshop is not according to our users
  11. QuickEdit icon

    QuickEdit

     21 likes
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    Lightweight photo editor where you can crop your images, paint over them, add text and even add exciting filters to make it stand out on social media. Save the edited images locally or share them directly to your friends through any other social media app.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid
    QuickEdit screenshot 1
    QuickEdit screenshot 2
    QuickEdit screenshot 3
     
  12. PhotoFiltre icon

    PhotoFiltre

     109 likes
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    PhotoFiltre 7 is a complete image retouching program. It allows you to do simple or advanced adjustments to an image and apply a vast range of filters on it. It is simple and intuitive to use, and has an easy learning curve.

    126 PhotoFiltre alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    PhotoFiltre screenshot 1
     
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    2
    35
    Comments about PhotoFiltre as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    In my opinion it provides most intuitive way to edit photos.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Very fast & lightweight but still powerful with great features. Doesn't take forever to load for quick edits

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    PhotoFiltre icon

    • Most users think PhotoFiltre is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • PhotoFiltre is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
  13. FireAlpaca icon

    FireAlpaca

     88 likes
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    FireAlpaca is the image editor that can be used readily and easily. We made it possible to provide the completely free download, in order for our products to be experienced by more users from all over the world. It is available for both Mac and Windows users!

    122 FireAlpaca alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    FireAlpaca screenshot 1
     
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    14
    Comments about FireAlpaca as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    Ryvaa
    Positive
    1

    I really like how smooth is to paint on Fire Alpaca, It's a wonderful software for painting. And faster then Krita.

    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    FireAlpaca icon

    • Most users think FireAlpaca is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • FireAlpaca is Free and ProprietaryAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
  14. Snapseed icon

    Snapseed

     87 likes
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    Snapseed is a photo enhancement and sharing app with a powerful suite of imaging filters and tools for anyone, anywhere, to transform any image into an extraordinary photo.

    74 Snapseed alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Snapseed screenshot 1
     
  15. LazPaint icon

    LazPaint

     45 likes
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    Raster & vector graphic editor with many tools and filters, written in Lazarus. Portable, 32bit & 64bit versions, ORA format & 16384x16384 image support. In app 3D import & rendering.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Main UI
     
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    Comments about LazPaint as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    maurosoft391
    Negative
    -2

    the software is poorly designed

    Adobe Photoshop Icon
    LazPaint icon

    • Most users think LazPaint is a great Adobe Photoshop alternative.

    • LazPaint is Free and Open SourceAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
    • LazPaint is LightweightAdobe Photoshop is not according to our users
12 of 85 Adobe Photoshop alternatives