- Jun 23, 2020 The wide array of features Adobe Photoshop’s offers will keep this tool the professional’s choice, but the rest of us have a superb selection of free and cheap programs like photoshop. As an instance, few photo editing software like Photoshop supports.
- Apr 17, 2020 As it states on their main page, “if you could create your own photo editing software, it would work like this.” And it has its reasons! Affinity Photo has collected many professional awards including the best Mac app of 2015 according to Apple.
- January 01, 2020
- 18 min to read
Perhaps the most well known Photoshop alternative, GIMP has been around for ages and is one of the first programs that comes to mind for many people when they think “free Photoshop.” It’s an open-source program available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, and the official website offers a lot of helpful tutorials.
If you need to make a few tweaks to your images, but do not want to use Photoshop, you are in luck as there are several superb solutions. Here are the 15 best alternatives in no particular order:
1. Luminar 4 (Free Trial 7 days)
When time for editing your photos is a luxury, Luminar 4 can help. Luminar 4 lets you transform your photos in a flash and synchronizes all the edits that you have made effortlessly. What makes it so great is that you can easily browse all your photos as it automatically organizes your photos which makes navigation simple. Luminar Libraries also boast a very modern interface which optimizes the viewing experience.
Luminar 4 offers many great adjustable styles, features, and tools that you will fall in love with such as its AI Sky Enhancers, Advanced Contrast, and Dehaze to mention only a few.
2. Photolemur (Free Version with watermark available)
Enhancing your images has never been easier thanks to Photolemur. By using AI, this automatic photo enhancer app enhances your images without you having to lift a finger. You simply need to import your images to Photolemur and it will get the job done automatically. This means that you do not require any prior editing experience to complete tasks like getting rid of imperfections. It is oh-so easy and available for both Mac and Windows.
3. CorelDRAW Graphics Suite (Trial 15 days or Full Paid or Monthly sub)
Windows users will love the tools that CorelDRAW has to offer. This Photoshop alternative boasts an interactive tool that will help you to straighten your image or adjust the perspective. Though, one of its most impressive features is its stylus control that reacts to a different pressure.
If you are working with Windows 10, this is the perfect fit. Windows users will also be happy to know that it supports 4K displays and multi-monitor viewing.
4. Serif PhotoPlus X8
Many people have already relied on this app for years. It is ideal for users who are only starting with image editing now as it offers great support for new users in the form of videos and tutorials. What is more, users can get great tips on their active forum for fellow users. Thanks to its latest release, Serif PhotoPlus users will be also able to work with their RAW image files much easier.
5. Adobe Photoshop Elements (Free Trial 30 days)
Do not be fooled by the name, Adobe Photoshop Elements is not the actual Photoshop. However, countless users have experienced that the Adobe Photoshop Elements app offers all the tools that they require to enhance their images. In short, this app has been reduced to the essentials.
With the help of its Adjustment and Blend layers, you can turn any photo into the most amazing image in barely any time at all. Thanks to its guided mode, it is also geared towards beginners.
When it comes to finding a Photoshop alternative, your only challenge will be to identify the software solution that works the best for your unique needs. Why not give them all a try? You might just discover that the best course of action will be to use a couple of these tools instead of just one.
6. Sketch (Free Trial 30 days)
If you are working on a Mac and in need of a budget-friendly alternative to Photoshop, Sketch is the answer. Sketch is a vector graphics app that has the design field all excited, specifically website designers. As it is so popular, you will be able to access countless plug-ins that have been created by the community that will make this app even more functional.
Its user interface is easy to understand and boasts several features such as gradients and layers that are similar to Illustrator and Photoshop. What is more, it also offers a color picker and style presets. You can use one of the basic shapes to create your own graphic or start from scratch with the help of the pencil tool. This app is really so flexible!
7. GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
GNU is an open-source cross-platform image editor. As its interface is very similar to Photoshop, it will not take you too long to familiarize yourself with GIMP. Though, users who do not have any image editing experience will find the different GIMP tutorials very useful.
It offers color correction, enhancement as well as painting tools to mention only a couple of its features and is compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac.
8. Acorn (Trial 14 days)
Mac users who are searching for image editing software need to look no further than Acorn. It is a cost-effective solution if you do not have access to Photoshop. What makes it so great is that it is quick, enjoyable to use and offers useful features.
Some of its features include non-destructive filters, custom brushes and layer styles to mention only a few. The software is easy to use, but, you can rest assured, there are tutorials available for both beginners as well as image editing experts.
9. Affinity Photo (Trial)
Affinity Photo is for sure one of the best Photoshop alternatives. It is ideal for professional designers and photographers as it is completely compatible with Photoshop as well as other file formats. What makes it such a great alternative is that it is not nearly as expensive as Photoshop. Though, users can rest assured as it will still deliver the same performance (if not better).
It is compatible with Mac and Windows. If you are using an iPad, you will be happy to know that Affinity Photo for iPad is also available.
10. Pixelmator Pro (Trial 30 days)
Pixelmator is not a new Photoshop alternative, but recently the Pixelmator Pro version which uses a user-friendly single-window interface has been added to the mix. On top of that, the Pixelmator Pro version also boasts non-destructive image editing and offers features that include split view and a hidden interface that allows you to view your images without any distractions.
It is only available for Mac users.
11. Pixlr (Free Version Available)
Pixlr boasts an interface that is really not much different from Photoshop. It offers hundreds of overlays, borders and other effects. If you simply want to crop your image or whiten your teeth on your iOS or Android device, Pixlr is the right tool for the job. With Pixlr, you can complete all the editing tasks that a good basic photo editor will allow.
12. SumoPaint (Online + Desktop)
The different standard features that you would expect in a Photoshop alternative, SumoPaint has to offer. There are shapes, brushes, gradients, text, and pencils that you can effortlessly access.
Though a word of warning to Photoshop users - a couple of its tools work differently and there are some limitations. Overall, this image editor remains very capable and can load in a flash.
13. Paint.net
Paint.net is a powerful and practical tool that Windows users can rely on instead of Photoshop. It is a capable and functional tool that concentrates less on artistic creation and more on photo editing.
It offers a decent variety of tools and special effects that include brightness/contrast and repeat selections. It might not boast all the serious editing tools, but that only means that it is not as difficult to master making it the ideal image editor tool for beginners.
14. PicMonkey (Trial 7 days)
The beauty of PicMonkey is found in its easy-to-use interface. If you need to put together a collage, this is your tool to use. All you have to do is upload your images and drag them into the right spot.
15. Canva (Free Basic Plan + Trial 30 days)
Canva is where you will find countless layouts, stock photos, fonts and other great design elements. The best part is that several of these you can use at zero cost. You can use this app to design your business card or put together a birthday card.
Although they don’t provide the same extensive functionalities as Adobe Photoshop suite, shown below you have a list of free photo editing software alike, some of which work with Mac and are open-source, that could achieve your small day-to-day tasks in a proficient manner.
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Looking for a solution to display your images online after you’re done editing them with any of the photoshop alternatives presented above?
Check out Modula – totally open-source,
Modula has never made it easier to add galleries to your website for WordPress. In just a few clicks galleries, masonry grids and more.
At the time of this post, Modula has on the WordPress.org plugin repository over 70,000 active installations with an excellent 4.7+ star rating.
Are you on the hunt for a solution that’s just as powerful as the highly reputable Adobe Photoshop software, but without the high price tag? Great! In this post, we’ll be taking a look at the seven best of free Photoshop alternatives available.
There’s really nothing wrong with using free photo editing software like the popular Photoshop alternatives that we’re going to be taking a look at in this post.
Many of the solutions that we’re recommending in this post do not have an excessive number of built-in tools – something which Adobe Photoshop is notorious for.
This means less of a learning curve and more time for photo editing.
In addition to this, for new photographers in the industry, it might not make sense to pay for the expensive Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.
So without further ado, let’s dive right in and take a look at some of the bestfreePhotoshopalternatives.
1. GIMP
GIMP, (short for GNU Image Manipulation Program), is an excellent, open-source Photoshop alternative for those on limited budgets that still need advanced image editing capabilities. Gimp acts as an advanced raster editor similar to Photoshop.
In fact, GIMP can be used as a basic paint program, an expert photo retouching program, an online batch processing system, an image format converter, and more depending on what it is that you’re looking for.
You’ll be happy to hear that it’s available for both Mac and Windows as well as Linux, making it a versatile tool for photographers.
GIMP also recognizes most of the popular file formats that you’d expect in a paid editor like Photoshop, including GIF, JPEG, PNG, and TIFF. You can also find support for some PSD, though not all layers may be readable.
With an active developer community that listens to user feedback and suggestions, GIMP comes packed with what most photographers need to edit their photos before publishing them.
Notable GIMP Features Include:
- Paint features like paint tool (brush, pencil, airbrush, and clone)
- Custom brushes and patterns
- Transformation tools like rotate, scale, shear,and flip
- Editable text layers
- Color correction
- MNG support for animations
- Editing tools like layers, masks, curves, andlevels
- Huge collection of plugins to extend (some even pre-installed)
Both Gimp and Photoshop use vector methods (mathematics) for general layout and elements such as text, but are equipped to deal with raster images down to the pixel and often have special capabilities in doing so, such as brightness/contrast, and even adding “lighting” to a raster image or photograph.
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2. Paint.NET
Paint.NET is another Photoshop alternative for digital photo editing that was initially designed to be a free replacement for the Microsoft Paint software that came with Windows.
Fast forward to now, and Paint.NET is one of the most powerful yet simple image and photo editing tools in the market.
One of Paint.NET’s most notable features is the fact that it uses a tabbed document interface. In other words, you can work with multiple documents or panels within one single window and use the tabs to move between them all. And to make things even simpler for you, Paint.NET displays a small thumbnail image of each tab instead of a text description.
Adding to this, the developers behind Paint.NET have worked hard to make sure the editing software is blazing fast for users. This not only speeds up editing time, but it also prevents a lot of frustration. And when it comes to performance, don’t worry about a thing. Paint.NET automatically updates and always comes with new features, improvements, and bug fixes.
Notable Paint.NET Features Include:
- 3D rotate zoom function to help with the recomposition of images
- Support for multiple layers with blending modes (one of Photoshop’s most used features)
- History tool for multiple quick undo’s (unlimited)
- Supports rulers, drawing, and gradients
- Clone stamping for copying or erasing parts of images
- Tons of formats supported like PDN, BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TIFF, TGA, and DDS
3. Pixlr x
Pixlr x is the newest version of the older (and super popular) Pixlr editor. It comes with plenty more advanced features and improvements and seeks to become one of the best free Photoshop alternatives out there.
Based on HTML5, rather than Flash, Pixlr x will work well in any modern browser (even iPads and iPhones!). This expands its usability and makes it more appealing to photographers around the world. Plus, it comes with a slick and modern interface, complete with dark and light color schemes.
Pixlr x is an online photo editor, meaning you can use it with any operating system. In other words, it won’t matter if you use Linux, Mac, or Windows, you’ll be able to access Pixlr x with ease. Not to mention, it comes with all the basic adjustments you might need to create well-edited images, and some extras too, like the de-hazing and curves tools.
Feeling overwhelmed by the number of modifications you can make? Pixlr x also has an Auto-Fix tool that helps prevent over-editing.
Notable Pixlr X Features Include:
- Rotate, flip, and straighten all images
- Crop using one of seven preset image ratios
- Instagram worthy filters to add to any photo you upload
- Built-in text tool, complete with stylish font sets to choose from
- Tweak vibrance, highlights, and shadows
- Extensive layer support with multiple blending modes
4. Krita
Works on Mac Also
Krita is the perfect free Photoshop alternative for photographers that need a little more flexibility when it comes to creativity.
In fact, artists looking to give everyone affordable art tools built Krita for conceptual artists, texture and matte painters, illustrators, and comic strip creators.
When it comes to coloring your photos, you can use the unique pop-up color palette. Plus, take advantage of Krita’s exclusive tagging system to swap out brushes that are being displayed. Also, access commonly used colors and configure all color settings with a few clicks.
Need something Krita doesn’t have? You can easily import brush and texture packs from other artists and expand your toolset. And if you need additional help, there’s always the Krita forum where other artists hang around to share their best work and ideas.
Notable Krita Features Include:
- Create shortcuts for commonly used tools
- Brush stabilizers to take the shakiness out
- Seemingly endless brush customizations
- Assistant tools for helping you create theperfect shape
- Open, save, edit, and author HDR andscene-referred images
5. Sumopaint
Sumopaint is one of the best free Photoshop alternatives when it comes to design and functionality. The layering, editing tools, and brush and wand types make it a viable option for anyone looking for mid-range editing features at zero cost.
This photo editing tool runs in most Flash-based browsers, though there is a Chrome Web App available for Chromebooks. It’s also cloud-based, meaning you never have to download or install anything to your computer or device.
You can open files with extensions such as GIF, JPEG, and PNG, and save projects using the same formats, as well as the native SUMO format.
Notable Sumopaint Features Include:
- Sumopaint online community
- Exclusive SUMO format for working offline
- Over 300 brushes
- Comprehensive color picker
- Selection tools with undo feature
- Clone stamping for real-time drawing
- Layers, layer effects, and layer blending modes (up to 100 layers with effects)
6. Seashore
Works with Apple – doesn’t support .psd files
Seashore is a basic photo editing solution that still competes with the top free Photoshop alternatives in the market. Though inspiration was drawn from GIMP, Seashore seeks to offer a simpler interface for Mac users.
It comes with support for TIFF, PNG, JPEG, JP2000, BMP, PICT, PDF, XBM, and GIF, making it one of the most versatile editing tools in terms of file formats. Plus, there’s support for layers so your creations can go from being okay to amazing with a few simple edits. And if you need gradients, textures, and anti-aliasing for both text and brush strokes, Seashore has you covered.
Most notable, however, is the fact that Seashore supports pressure sensitivity. So what does this mean? If you’re using a pressure-sensitive drawing tablet, you’ll be able to use all of its pressure levels to customize your photos.
Notable Seashore Features Include:
- Layers and merging effects
- Anti-aliased paint brushes
- 6 gradient effects, including transparency
- Full support for TIFF, PNG, GIF, JPEG, JPEG 2000, XCF and HEIC formats
- Arbitrary selections using a lasso tool
7. Photo Pos Pro
Photo Pos Pro is a complete photo editing suite rivaling the expensive Photoshop software when it comes to enhancing photos and creating stunning pieces of art.
The interface is organized in a simple and easy to understand way, unlike other free Photoshop alternatives like GIMP. And if things become a little too overwhelming for you, you can always enable the ‘novice’ layout to help you stay on track and edit what’s important.
For those with a little more experience, the ‘expert’ layout offers users access to editing tools for fine-tuning works, such as manual curve and level adjustments.
And it doesn’t matter if you use a Mac or prefer Windows, Photo Pos Pro works on both.
Features in Photo Pos Pro include:
- Magic eraser tool (remove, erase, and replace backgrounds)
- Add frames and collages
- Tons of pre-designed extension packs
- 24-hour customer support
- Plenty of layers and masks
- Healing and clone brushes
- Filter creation and saving to use later
8. Photopea Online Photo Editor
Photopea Online Photo Editor is a web-based alternative for Photoshop that aims to solve the problem of having to download and install another program onto your computer.
It also aims to speed up the editing time, especially when it comes to simple tasks such as resizing a photo; instead of having to wait on Photoshop to load.
Since this is a web-based editor, it’s compatible with all platforms and it comes with native support for PSD, XCF, Sketch, XD, and CDR formats. You can also export your work as PSD, JPG, PNG or SVG file.
Features in Photopea Online include:
- Powerful pen and brush tool
- The ability to work with layers and apply layer masks
- Blend modes similar to Photoshop
- Various procedural adjustments such as changing brightness, sharpness, adding blur, and more
- Decent selection of premade templates to start from
Summary – Photoshop Alternatives
And there you have it!
Best Free Photoshop App For Mac
We hope you found this post in which we took a close look at the best free Photoshop alternatives available helpful.
Free Software To Photoshop For Mac
Ready to add the photos you edited with any one of these 8 photo editing applications we looked at to your website?
Then check out this article on how to add an image gallery to WordPress and start showcasing your best work. Might be worth looking into our drone photography guide while you’re at it too.