Adobe Photoshop serves as a professional raster graphics editor for Windows and macOS, handling advanced image editing, retouching, and digital art. Users praise its extensive feature set for graphics and design, though many complain about high pricing compared to other editors.
GIMP tops the rankings as the leading Photoshop alternative, offering broad image-editing and retouching tools completely free and open-source. Many users switch to GIMP specifically to escape Photoshop's cloud licensing and subscription model. Affinity Photo ranks second with its polished interface and one-time purchase model, repeatedly highlighted as a cost advantage over subscription pricing. Luminar Neo brings AI tools like GenErase and GenExpand plus focus stacking and HDR merging for photographer-centric workflows.
Krita ranks third, focusing on digital painting with advanced brush control and animation support for artists. The alternatives landscape splits between pro photo editors and art-first painting apps, with Photopea standing out as a free, install-free option with PSD support and a familiar interface.
For open source transparency, GIMP and Krita lead with community-driven development and no proprietary licensing restrictions. Linux users have native options in GIMP, Krita, and MyPaint without relying on Windows or macOS-only tools. Windows-only picks include Paint.NET and Corel PaintShop Pro for desktop editing with layers, effects, and selection tools.
Web-based editors like Photopea, Pixlr, and Sumo Paint work in browsers when you can't install software on school or locked-down computers. Users avoiding subscriptions can choose Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer for predictable one-time licensing. For PSD workflows, Photopea, Affinity Photo, and Pixelmator open Photoshop-format documents to maintain collaboration compatibility. iPad workflows benefit from Affinity Photo, Pixelmator, and Pixlr for editing on tablets rather than desktop-only setups.
Adobe's mobile photo-editing app lets you edit, share, and upload photos across devices. With features like free 2 GB storage, original size backup, and extra tools for advanced editing, it enhances your images for social media without reducing file quality.
miniPaint is free online image editor using HTML5. Edit, adjust your images, add effects online in your browser without installing anything. You can use the Electron based version of the editor if you like.
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 to social channels.
Corel Painter offers realistic traditional media simulation with features like customizable brushes, extensive format support, layering, blending tools, and more, tailored for professional artists working in drawing, painting, and printmaking.
BSD-licensed portable photo editor for Windows featuring multi-layer editing, batch processing, macro support, real-time effect previews, advanced filters, customizable hotkeys, non-destructive tools, color-managed workflow, efficient performance, and broad file compatibility.
Photoline is a professional image editor which offers creatives a mostly non-destructive workflow for 8/16/32bpc image processing and compositing in RGB, CMYK, and Lab modes.
Full vector editing, DTP features, and a HSV/HIS workflow are supported.
Image editor for macOS offering AI-powered background removal, live text detection, non-destructive filters, unlimited layers, vector shapes, collage creation, extensive file support including PSD and RAW formats, and tools for both designers and hobbyists.
ibis Paint is an easy yet powerful drawing app made with tools for sketching manga right at your fingertips.
A simple but lovely natural media painting and sketching program. Art oriented, but capable of loading/saving photoshop files.
Offers photo filters, magic effects, drawing tools, stickers, and customizable text. Includes collage layouts, color adjustments, and cropping. Features a built-in camera, live effects, drawing layers, and direct sharing to a global community and external networks. Multi-language support.
Open source image editor with non-destructive editing, 110+ filters, adjustment and text layers, support for smart objects and adjustment layers, cross-platform compatibility, and layer-based editing for flexible image composition.
Sumo Paint is a powerful image editor with a long-standing history as a fully capable Photoshop clone in the browser. Being designed for the browser, it's accessible on practically any system and loads much faster than most comparable desktop tools while still providing core...
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Limited features and none of the real photoshop features