Photoshop Alternatives

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.

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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.

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Alternatives list

  1. Comprehensive tool for image editing, retouching, bitmap creation, digital painting, and RAW editing. Streamlined web exporting makes it ideal for professionals seeking to enhance visual elements efficiently.

    17 Corel Photo-Paint alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  2. Pixelitor icon
     28 likes

    Pixelitor is an open source image editor with an intuitive interface and with a special emphasis on non-destructive editing.

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  3. Rebelle icon
     18 likes

    Emulates realistic watercolor, acrylic, and dry media with physical paint diffusion, drying control, textured canvas, custom brushes, tilt and pressure support, color blending, masking tools, paint granulation, backruns, stencils, rulers, and high-res export.

    40 Rebelle alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
     
  4. Sumo Paint icon
     74 likes

    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...

    109 Sumo Paint alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
     
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    Comments about Sumo Paint as an Alternative to Adobe Photoshop
    Rato GBM
    Positive
    -1

    Photopea > and == PixilR, the one time I properly used it, it was a bit buggy. There a are better alternatives.

    Sumo Paint icon
    Sumo Paint icon
    • Sumo Paint is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe Photoshop is Paid and Proprietary
  5. Ayin icon
     9 likes

    Ayin is a free and open source photo editing software available on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  6. PicsArt  icon
     87 likes

    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.

    141 PicsArt alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Kindle Fire
     
  7. GPS (aka Gimp Paint Studio) is a collection of brushes, patterns, color gradients, accompanying tool presets and dynamics. Tool presets are a simply saved tool options, highly useful feature of the GIMP.

    76 Gimp Paint Studio alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • GIMP
     
  8. AliveColors icon
     3 likes

    AliveColors is comprehensive graphics and photo editing software for Windows and Mac. It comes in Free, Home, and Pro versions, with differing levels of functionality.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  9. Artweaver icon
     59 likes

    Artweaver is a simple Freeware program for creative painting, i.e. Artweaver offers you all artistic effects which you need for your work.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  10. Photomator icon
     4 likes

    Photomator is the most powerful photo editing app ever designed for a mobile device. It features over 30 desktop-class color adjustments, support for over 600 RAW image formats, including Apple ProRAW, deep integration with the Photos app and iCloud Photos, tools powered by...

    61 Photomator alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
     
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