Free Photoshop Alternatives for Windows

There are many alternatives to Adobe Photoshop for Windows if you are looking for a replacement. The best free Windows alternative 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 and available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free Windows alternatives to Adobe Photoshop are Krita, Paint.NET, MyPaint and Photoscape.

Adobe Photoshop alternatives are mainly Image Editors but may also be Digital Painting Tools or Photo Editors. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Adobe Photoshop.

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Adobe Photoshop

2294

Paid • Proprietary
Image Editor

Mac
Windows
Online
iPad
Wine
ReactOS

Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe Inc. for Windows and macOS. It was originally...

Learn more about Adobe Photoshop

GIMP
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Image Editor
Digital Painting Tool
Photo Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Snapcraft
Flathub
PortableApps.com
Haiku
AmigaOS
Flatpak
200 alternatives to GIMP
GIMP is a free program for such photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. Essentially it's the closest thing to Photoshop you can get for free.
Suggest and vote on features
GIMP Features
1. Support for LayersGIMP supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
2. DRM FreeNo Digital rights management (DRM), i.e. no copy protection.
3. Ad-freeGIMP doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
4. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsGIMP can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
5. PortableGIMP can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
6. Dark ModeGIMP supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
7. Custom BrushesYou can use modified/custom brushes in GIMP.
8. Support for scriptingGIMP supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
9. Works OfflineGIMP can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
Customizable
Photo effects
Open PSD files
High-resolution images
Color to Alpha
Retouch photos
Image Processing
Select by Color
Image Masking
Lossless Cropping
GIMP vs Adobe Photoshop
Almost everyone thinks GIMP is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
It is probably the closest alternative to Adobe Photoshop, at least from those I know. For me personally too complicated but if you know how to use it, you can do many things you can do with Photoshop too. What I also noticed is that it loads very quickly on Linux.
Top positive comment• ago

74

Jatie
Free, rich of feature, good performance, many tutorial, anything it's lack can be cover with plug-in. The best for free software.
Top positive comment• ago

37

Guest
Bad user interface, difficult to learn, unintuitive, slow. Thank God for Photopea.
Top negative comment• ago

0

Guest
gimp 3.0 will be more better hope so
Positive comment• ago

0

marekszewczyk
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.
Negative comment• ago

0

rimon
Not similar, missing lots of important functionality. STOP PROMOTING IT AS A PHOTOSHOP ALTERNATIVE!
Negative comment• ago

-6

ya_Bob_Jonez
Versatile editing and drawing application, FOSS, great for an average user.
Negative comment• ago

1

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7 of 95 comments
Krita
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Digital Painting Tool
Image Editor
Photo Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
Windows S
Android Tablet
PortableApps.com
Steam
Epic Games Store
138 alternatives to Krita
Krita is a professional Free and open source (FOSS) painting program. It is made by artists that want to see affordable art tools for everyone within concept art, texture and matte painters, illustrations and comics.
Suggest and vote on features
Krita Features
1. Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in Krita, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
2. LightweightKrita consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. Non Destructive EditingKrita allows you to make changes to a file without overwriting the original data, which remains available in case you want to revert to it.
4. Support for LayersKrita supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
5. Drawing Tablet SupportKrita supports the use of external drawing tablets as input devices.
6. Custom BrushesYou can use modified/custom brushes in Krita.
7. Color PickerKrita allows you to select and copy a color property from an image, object, or shape.
8. Support for CMYK ModeKrita allows you to work using the color scheme for printing, combining the primary pigments (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key).
9. Pressure SensitivityKrita can change attributes like thickness or opacity, based on how much force you apply to your stylus/finger.
Digital Drawing
Blending brushes
Drawing 2D
Color blending
Digital-painting focused
Advanced brush settings
Sketching
Texture painting
Customizable
Adjustment Layers
Krita vs Adobe Photoshop
Most users think Krita is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
I like Krita as an alternative to Photoshop because it's open source and free from the tyranny of Adobe Subscriptions
Top positive comment• ago

4

Atoshi
It's kinda more intuitive to use than GIMP (which is a briliant PS alternative too) interface-wise, and supports CMYK out of the box if one needs it. As of version 3.1 it has pretty advanced support for animation, including opacity curves (GIMP fails completely in that field, animathing anything is a major PITA in it)
Top positive comment• ago

13

Guest
Krita is for painting, not photo editing
Top negative comment• ago

0

fomenkois
It works with legacy graphics card, it's intuitive, it has super transform tools
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
It's free, yet has almost all the features Photoshop has
Positive comment• ago

1

Guest
best open source raster program out there in terms of digital paintings goes, and in some areas even better than Photoshop.
Positive comment• ago

2

Guest
For artists using photoshop it is the best alternative.
Positive comment• ago

2

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7 of 41 comments
Paint.NET
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Image Editor
Digital Painting Tool
Photo Editor
Windows
Windows S
.NET Framework
168 alternatives to Paint.NET
Paint.net is a free and very capable image editing software for Windows. Great alternative to Photoshop for people that do not need all the stuff PS offers.
Suggest and vote on features
Paint.NET Features
1. Support for LayersPaint.NET supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
2. LightweightPaint.NET consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsPaint.NET can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
4. Dark ModePaint.NET supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
5. PortablePaint.NET can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
User friendly
Minimalistic
Community-based
Built-in Color picker
Support for image plugins
Transparency
Scan to JPEG
History Panel
WEBP Support
Consistent UI
Paint.NET vs Adobe Photoshop
Almost everyone thinks Paint.NET is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
FedoraGFX
Has many of the features of Photoshop, but it's free!
Top positive comment• ago

13

gamefreakerxD
Free to use. Great application with a simple user interface.
Top positive comment• ago

12

Guest
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.
Positive comment• ago

0

Thatstinkyguy
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.
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
I was able to use it from day one and get better over time the more I worked in it.
Positive comment• ago

0

sedeti
Paint is not a photo editor
Negative comment• ago

-8

emirhanpala
My number one helper in editing dds file is very good
Positive comment• ago

0

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7 of 21 comments
MyPaint
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Digital Painting Tool
Image Editor
Photo Editor
Mac
Windows
Linux
PortableApps.com
124 alternatives to MyPaint
MyPaint is a fast painting program with an emphasis on full-screen use. It lets you focus on the art instead of the program. You work on your canvas with minimum distractions, bringing up the interface only when you need it.
Suggest and vote on features
MyPaint Features
1. Support for LayersMyPaint supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
2. Drawing Tablet SupportMyPaint supports the use of external drawing tablets as input devices.
3. PortableMyPaint can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
4. Distraction-freeMyPaint has a distraction-free mode for when you need to focus.
5. Custom BrushesYou can use modified/custom brushes in MyPaint.
Sketching
Infinite canvas
Color blending
Fullscreen support
MyPaint vs Adobe Photoshop
Some users think MyPaint is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop, some don't.
weesoft
Free and good performance
Top positive comment• ago

0

uhada
If you're looking for a painting app, MyPaint may be a good alternative to Photoshop. It has infinite canvas, good, natural brushes and overall good tools.
Top positive comment• ago

1

Guest
MyPaint is only a drawing program, but it can't edit images. Adobe Photoshop can do both.
Top negative comment• ago

19

sedeti
My paint is not a image editor
Negative comment• ago

0

Guest
MyPaint is a program for digital art. Though GIMP can be used for that purpose, GIMP is also an image editing software.
Negative comment• ago

2

Guest
mypaint is really only for drawing, it's not an image editor
Negative comment• ago

0
Photoscape
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Image Editor
Photo Editor
Mac
Windows
Windows S
182 alternatives to Photoscape
PhotoScape is a fun and easy photo editing software that enables you to fix and enhance photos.
Suggest and vote on features
Photoscape Features
1. Batch EditingPhotoscape allows you to select multiple items (tasks, files, images etc) and edit their properties all at once.
Color correction
Image Combining
Retouch photos
Crop video
Image Morphing
Merge photos
Custom Backgrounds
Collage
Batch processing
Lossless quality
Photoscape vs Adobe Photoshop
Most users think Photoscape is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
Guest
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.
Positive comment• ago

0

vranha
Good For newbie before u learn Photoshop, use this Software First :)
Positive comment• ago

-3

Guest
I like it because you can merge multiple photos easily.
Positive comment• ago

1
PhotoFiltre
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Image Editor
Windows
PortableApps.com
116 alternatives to PhotoFiltre
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.
Suggest and vote on features
PhotoFiltre Features
1. Support for LayersPhotoFiltre supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
2. PortablePhotoFiltre can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Special effects
Retouch photos
Multiple languages
PhotoFiltre vs Adobe Photoshop
Most users think PhotoFiltre is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
Guest
In my opinion it provides most intuitive way to edit photos.
Positive comment• ago

0

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

0
Polarr
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Photo Editor
Raw Photo Editors
Mac
Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
Chrome OS
Windows S
Android Tablet
iPad
143 alternatives to Polarr
From high-precision light and color tools, to advanced clarity and dehaze settings, to the ability to create and save your own filters. Polarr is the ideal photo editor for bloggers, students, and photo professionals alike.
Suggest and vote on features
Polarr Features
Hidden Photo Album
Photographic filters
Retouch photos
Watermark images
Polarr vs Adobe Photoshop
Most users think Polarr is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
kreela
I couldn't find an option for layers.
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
Free version is the most capable offline editor available in Chromebook. Excellent masking tools in paid version.
Positive comment• ago

1
MediBang Paint
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Digital Painting Tool
Mac
Windows
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
71 alternatives to MediBang Paint
MediBang Paint is a lightweight software for illustration and making comic books on Windows and Mac OS.
Suggest and vote on features
MediBang Paint Features
1. Pressure SensitivityMediBang Paint can change attributes like thickness or opacity, based on how much force you apply to your stylus/finger.
2. Keyframe AnimationCompositions can be keyframed in MediBang Paint, allowing you to change the parameters over time.
3. Support for LayersMediBang Paint supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
4. Drawing Tablet SupportMediBang Paint supports the use of external drawing tablets as input devices.
5. Dark ModeMediBang Paint supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
6. Custom BrushesYou can use modified/custom brushes in MediBang Paint.
7. LightweightMediBang Paint consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Multi-choice brushes
Digital-painting focused
Color blending
Pen Stabilization
Category Filters
Blending brushes
Texture for brushes
Gradients
Comic templates
No Subscription
MediBang Paint vs Adobe Photoshop
Most users think MediBang Paint is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
Ryvaa
It's a wonderful software for painting, not editing photos.
Positive comment• ago

0

Whitter
MediBang is used for drawing manga and comic books, NOT editing photos.
Negative comment• ago

3
Adobe Photoshop Express
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Image Editor
Photo Editor
Digital Painting Tool
Windows
Android
iPhone
Windows S
Android Tablet
Windows Phone
iPad
166 alternatives to Adobe Photoshop Express
Edit, share, and upload photos on-the-go, or access your entire online photo library with a finger-flick using Adobe Photoshop Express for iPhone, iPad and Android.
Suggest and vote on features
Adobe Photoshop Express Features
Business Simulator
Android Sync
Support for Android Things
Sync with Simplenote
Adobe Photoshop Express vs Adobe Photoshop
Some users think Adobe Photoshop Express is a great alternative to Adobe Photoshop, some don't.
Guest
Limited features and none of the real photoshop features
Negative comment• ago

7
Glimpse Image Editor
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Image Editor
Photo Editor
Windows
Linux
175 alternatives to Glimpse Image Editor
Glimpse is an open source image editor based on the GNU Image Manipulation Program. The goal is to experiment with new ideas and expand the use of free software.
Suggest and vote on features
Glimpse Image Editor Features
1. Support for LayersGlimpse Image Editor supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
Customizable
Retouch photos
Discontinued
The Glimpse editor has been discontinuedSource: https://glimpse-editor.org/posts/a-project-on-hiatus/