19 Best Free Photoshop Alternatives in 2024

If you've ever tried to edit a photo with Photoshop, you know how intimidating and complicated the software can be. Many people consider Photoshop the best software to edit photos, but unless you have experience and dedicated training with this program, you will find it hard to use and cost-prohibitive. 

Content creators and photographers often need user-friendly, free alternatives that allow for quick navigation of tools. Fortunately, several excellent free alternatives provide similar features without the high price and steep learning curve, often including free stock images as a bonus.

This article introduces the 19 best free Photoshop alternatives and compares their features, benefits, and drawbacks.

• Snapshot of Our Top 3 Free Photoshop Alternatives
• The 19 Best Free Photoshop Alternatives
• How to Choose the Best Free Photoshop Alternative
• How Did We Conduct Our Test?
• Best Free Photoshop Alternatives Comparison Chart
• What is the Best Alternative to Photoshop?
• Free Photoshop Alternative FAQ

Snapshot of Our Top 3 Free Photoshop Alternatives

The 19 Best Free Photoshop Alternatives

1. PhotoDirector
2. Pixelmator Pro
3. Photopea
4. Capture One
5. Fotor
6. Pixlr E
7. Photoscape X
8. ON1 Photo Raw
9. Canva
10. Krita
11. PhotoPad
12. Ashampoo Photo Optimizer
13. Paintshop Pro
14. Affinity Photor
15. DxO PhotoLab
16. Photo Pos Pro
17. Darktable
18. GIMP
19. Exposure X7

1. PhotoDirector Essential - Best for users of all skill levels

Key Features:

1. Generate AI images, stickers, and backgrounds with a text prompt
2. Remove wrinkles, blemishes, shine, red-eye, and more with portrait retouching
3. Edit photos with Photo Animation Tools: and add movement to static images
4. Adjust colors automatically or manually, apply filters and LUTs, or utilize color effects such as Color Splash or Replace

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TopTenReviews Rating: 5/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $3.75/month

PhotoDirector Essential is the best overall free Photoshop alternative, thanks to its user-friendly design and powerful tools. Its intuitive interface, AI-powered features, and guided edits make it ideal for beginners while still catering to advanced users. Key features include background and sky replacement, portrait touch-ups, photo animation tools, and color adjustments. Efficient photo management and the option to switch between editing and organizing modes enhance the user experience. Additionally, easy text manipulation and access to a vast stock library further establish PhotoDirector Essential as a top choice for diverse photo editing needs.

Many beginners avoid layer editing in Photoshop due to its complexity. However, PhotoDirector offers an easy-to-use interface that simplifies layer editing, allowing users to seamlessly add images, text, shapes, and digital objects. With express layer templates, frame packs, and simple selection tools, PhotoDirector enables precise edits without the need for complicated procedures or difficult tools.

In our side-by-side test, we found PhotoDirector’s tools to be more intuitive than Photoshop’s. You can easily drag-and-drop assets and use one-click, AI-powered editing. Guided Edits provide step-by-step assistance for complex tasks, while advanced users can still access manual adjustments and professional color tools for precise editing. Recently, PhotoDirector also introduced generative AI tools, including a background generator for people and products. For these reasons, we consider PhotoDirector Essential the best free alternative to Photoshop.

2. Pixelmator Pro - Best for Mac users

Key Features:

1. Vector files stay sharp no matter how much you manipulate them
2. RAW image support from over 600 popular cameras
3. Powerful, nondestructive color edits with multi-channel curves and wheel-based color balance

Compatibility: Mac

Capterra Rating: 4.8/5

Price: 15-day free trial, then $49.99

Pixelmator Pro is chosen as the best free Photoshop alternative for Mac users due to its complete integration with macOS and the variety of tools it offers that cater specifically to the Mac ecosystem. The software's support for features like Side Car, Apple Pencil, and Universal Clipboard, among others, makes it highly convenient for Mac users. It provides powerful and nondestructive color adjustments, vector tools, and RAW image support, making it versatile for a range of photo editing tasks. The familiar macOS menus and shortcuts simplify the editing process, and the ability to seamlessly share images with other Mac applications adds to its user-friendliness.

If you're looking for a layer-based, free alternative to Photoshop to edit photos with graphic design functionality, Pixelmator is a good option. Simple brushstrokes and AI tools allow you to edit specific areas of an image. Remove unwanted objects, clone parts of a photo, retouch, lighten or darken specific areas, and more. You can also create graphic designs with over 200 vector shapes.

Pixelmator is not an entirely free Photoshop alternative but offers a 15-day free trial. After the trial, the program is pretty affordable. It has recently added full HDR support, a selection of new templates, and support for Apple PDFs, which allows you to edit PDF layers. It is easier to use than Photoshop but still has a slight learning curve for new users. It also lacks some advanced features you would expect in programs of its kind. If you desire more advanced tools in a beginner-friendly package, try our #1 choice, PhotoDirector Essential.

3. Photopea - Best for intermediate users

Key Features:

1. Edit photos with drawing tools, including various brushes and path selections
2. Remove blemishes and other imperfections with healing and clone brushes
3. Create a lovely one-click ombre effect with Gradient tools

Compatibility: Web Browser

Capterra Rating: 4.6/5

Price: Free

*Premium version available for $10 for 30 days, $15 for 90 days, or $50 for one year (Teams pricing is also available for teams of 5, 20, and 50)

Photopea is identified as the best free Photoshop alternative for intermediate users because of its comprehensive set of features that are similar to Photoshop's, yet more accessible. The software's compatibility with PSD files and its interface reminiscent of Photoshop Elements make it familiar to those who have experience with Adobe's products. Photopea's strength lies in its detailed toolset available in the free version, making it a robust option for users who are familiar with photo editing but find Photoshop too expensive.

You can create graphic designs from scratch, use a template, a stock image, or your own photo. It supports raster and vector graphics and lets you edit photos with a large selection of adjustments and filters. We were impressed with Photopea’s aspect ratio options. They are categorized by Social, Print, Photo, Screen, Mobile, Ads, and Square, with all the popular sizes listed in each category.

What we love about Photopea is that every tool is available in the free version, including a library of stock images. The premium version does not add any features, it only increases storage, removes ads, provides email support, and gives you more steps in your history. Anyone used to Photoshop or Photoshop Elements will have no trouble learning this free Photoshop alternative. However, it is not beginner-friendly, with no explanations or guides next to tools, and no previews of effects and filters. In our test, we had an issue with tool windows getting stuck and blocking our project.    

4. Capture One - Best for color adjustments

Image from DCFever.

Key Features:

1. Easily create accurate skin tones with Uniformity sliders
2. Automatically finds the best source point to cover up your target for quick object removal
3. Quickly brush edits without creating a layer using Style Brushes

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $14.92/month for desktop only, $21.58/month for desktop, iPad, and iPhone, or $299 for a Perpetual License

Capture One is distinguished as the best for color adjustments in our selection of free Photoshop alternatives, primarily due to its advanced color editing capabilities.Experience true-to-life color processing and an advanced color editor that is on par with Adobe Photoshop and even Adobe Lightroom. It allows precise editing of specific colors with eight color ranges, exceeding the standard range in most photo editing software.

The inclusion of features like the Skin Tone Editor, Heal & Clone Brushes, and Style Brushes enhance its suitability for detailed and high-quality image adjustments. Capture One also stands out for its multi-imaging tools that enable users to merge, stitch, and create panoramic shots. You can edit photos with up to 16 layers and produce incredibly accurate masks with the Refine Mask and Feather Mask tools.

While it shares a similar price and learning curve with Photoshop, Capture One all-in-one solution and superior color editing tools make it a strong free Photoshop alternative for those seeking high-quality results and willing to invest time learning the software. It has a longer free trial than Photoshop (30 days compared to 7), but does not have a dedicated free version like other free alternatives to Photoshop on our list.

5. Fotor - Best for collages

Key Features:

1. Brush a part of your photo and replace it with an AI-generated image
2. Increase image resolution automatically with AI Photo Enhance
3. Remove objects from images in one click

Compatibility: Web Browser

Capterra Rating: 4.6/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $3.33/month for Pro and $7.49/month for Pro+

Fotor is an easy-to-use, free Photoshop alternative for anyone who likes to make photo collages. Simply click on the number of photos, choose a layout, then add backgrounds, colors, text, and elements as needed. If you are in a hurry and prefer not to work from scratch, there are hundreds of pre-made collage templates in a variety of themes.

Beginners can edit photos with a range of effects and polishes with no experience necessary. Denoise, invert colors, and remove backgrounds with simple, one-click solutions and adjustment sliders. We also found it to be an excellent alternative to Photoshop for making profile pictures and custom avatars. It has AI Headshot and AI Avatar generators, plus a Circle Crop feature for turning any image into a profile pic. This free alternative to Photoshop also comes with AI art effects and a wide selection of beautification tools.

If you are looking for a beginner-friendly free Photoshop alternative, Fotor is a viable option. It is much easier to use and has some fun tools you won’t find in Photoshop, like emojis, stickers, and collage templates. We moved it from #9 to #5 on our updated list thanks to an uptick in positive online reviews, although poor customer service is an ongoing complaint. It is similar to our #1 free alternative to Photoshop, PhotoDirector, however, Fotor lacks Photoshop-like layer editing, and its generative AI tools are not as accurate.

6. Pixlr E - Best for quick edits

Key Features:

1. Generate AI images and backgrounds from text
2. Swap the colors of individual items in your images with a variety of color effects
3. Edit photos with painting, drawing, and pen tools in various styles

Compatibility: Web Browser

Capterra Rating: 4.5/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscriptions available for $0.99/month for Plus, $4.90/month for Premium, and $9.91/month for Teams

Pixlr E is a free photo editor, graphic design tool, and batch editor for beginners and experienced editors in a time crunch. This free Photoshop alternative is available online, with no registration needed, just edit a photo directly on the site. The interface is streamlined and tools are easy to find. It even has options for different skill levels, so you can choose a quick, automated solution or spend time with manual adjustments.

The program comes with some professional features like advanced cutting tools, customizable brushes, animated elements, and skin retouch tools. Pixlr E is particularly beneficial for non-designers, with its templates for social media posts, ads, and other digital content.

Pixlr E has the same review rating as Photoscape X, but we placed it higher on our list because it is more beginner-friendly and exports to a higher quality. It has also been recently updated to include trending AI tools and generative AI content. However, rendering was very slow, so although we think this free Photoshop alternative is great for quick edits, be prepared to do other things while you wait for your projects to export. The free version contains ads and puts limits on the number of projects you can save, however, for $1 a month you have access to all the non-premium features with no ads and unlimited saves.

7. Photoscape X - Best for batch editing

Key Features:

1. Remove objects or backgrounds using Magic Eraser, Brush Tool, or Lasso Tool
2. Combine images or create photo collages
3. Edit photos with creative assets like borders, frames, stickers, and text

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TechRadar Rating: 4.5/5

Price: Free
*Pro version available for $39.99

Photoscape X is recognized as the best free Photoshop alternative for batch editing due to its ability to apply changes to multiple images simultaneously, saving valuable time for users. It has several tabs dedicated to batch editing, such as Batch Resize, Batch Rename, and Batch Format Change. We liked that you can convert multiple images into a different format with one click.

This free Photoshop alternative also has pro-level color tools, similar to what you would find in Photoshop. Its unique color tools, like Point Color, Selective Color, and Replace Color, provide users with the flexibility to make precise color adjustments. The software offers a feature-rich free version with an abundance of creative assets, such as borders, frames, stickers, and text.

We found Photoscape X to have a confusing layout which differs greatly from other free alternatives, so it may take time to get used to if you are familiar with another program. However, it remains beginner-friendly once you figure out where things are. We found it is lacking in format support, and noticed a big dip in quality when saving files. Photoscape hasn’t been updated since 2022, and therefore lacks trending AI-powered features.

8. ON1 Photo Raw - Best for filters

Key Features:

1. Replace skies with 231 replacements or import your own
2. Fill the edges of your image with content-aware crop
3. Combine multiple images with focus stacking, HDR images, and panorama stitching

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Life After Photoshop Rating: 4.5/5

Price: 14-day free trial, then $7.50/month for ON1 Everything, $12.50/month for ON1 Everything Plus, or $99.99 for a Lifetime License

ON1 Photo RAW is an excellent free alternative to Photoshop if you like to apply filters to your photos. Filters are easy to find and use on the software and can be applied to an entire image or only a specific area using the Super Select AI Masking tool. ON1 has curated hundreds of the most popular styles of filters, textures, and borders that can be combined, blended, and customized to your liking.

This free alternative to Photoshop offers AI enhancement tools like Brilliance AI, AI Noise Reduction, AI Sharpening and AI Skin Retouching. It is also a RAW image processor, with automatic lens correction and AI Match which will match your photos to the way they look on your camera’s display.

ON1 Photo RAW is a professional and high-quality free alternative to Photoshop, with adjustments and organizational features that make it a great alternative to Lightroom as well. It has moved up our list from #15 to #8 because it has released its 2024 edition, which brings with it better performance and speed, and a new UI that makes it easier to switch between editing and organization. However, it is just as difficult to use as the Adobe counterparts, and it takes up significant space on your hard drive, which can cause it to run slowly. If you need a free alternative to Photoshop and Lightroom that takes up less space, try PhotoDirector. 

9. Canva - Best for marketing

Key Features:

1. Remove image backgrounds in one click
2. Brush over an area, then type in what you want to generate and watch it magically appear
3. Edit photos in batches for a consistent look

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Web Browser

PCMag Rating: 4.5/5

Price: Free
*Pro version available for $119.99/year or $149.90 for Teams

Canva was selected as the best free Photoshop alternative for marketing purposes due to its extensive range of design assets and user-friendly tools geared towards marketing and graphic design. Its robust team collaboration features enable real-time project collaboration and content organization, making it ideal for marketing teams. The platform offers a wide array of free design assets, allowing users to create a variety of marketing materials, from social media posts to business cards.

Canva has over 250,000 free templates to help jump-start your designs, or you can start with a blank slate. Create a logo for your brand, or upload your own logos, brand colors, and fonts into the program. Upload your photos to turn into invites, business cards, ads, social media posts, and many more, or choose from over 100,000 free photos and graphics.

Like many of the free alternatives to Photoshop on this list, Canva has recently added a large selection of AI-powered tools and generative AI features although most of these are only available with a subscription. And while we love Canva for graphic design and marketing, it doesn’t really compare to Photoshop in terms of tools to edit photos. For this reason, we placed it below the similarly-rated Capture One, Pixlr E, and Photoscape X because they are more feature-rich in the editing department.

10. Krita - Best for digital painting

Key Features:

1. Correct a shaky hand with the brush stabilizer
2. Draw on one side of the mirror-line and automatically copy the results on the other side
3. Create layer groups and assign colors to groups or individual layers

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

G2 Rating: 4.4/5

Price: Free

Krita is recognized as the best free Photoshop alternative for digital painting due to its specialized features tailored to artists and illustrators. Its comprehensive set of brush options, customizable interface, and digital art tools like the Brush Stabilizer and Mirror Tools make it a standout choice for creating digital artwork. Krita's built-in vector tools, comic panel creation capabilities, and seamless texture and pattern creation features cater to a wide range of artistic needs, from digital painting and pixel art to 3D texturing and comic inking.

Krita has erasers for removing an entire character, smoothing thin lines, or fading in or out of a drawing, and erasers match your brushes to keep textures in tact. It comes with drawing assistants and drawing aids to help with specific shapes, and grids to help with perspective. In addition, there’s a Wrap-Around Mode for creating seamless textures and patterns and a full Animation Studio with onion skinning and an export-to-video option.

Krita is open-source and completely free. It has a user interface similar to Photoshop but is also entirely customizable, with features such as light and dark themes. While this is an excellent free Photoshop alternative for animators, Krita lacks simple tools to edit photos.

11. PhotoPad - Best for image upscaling

Key Features:

1. Automatically colorize black-and-white images
2. Choose from a wide selection of clipart, fonts, drawing tools, borders, and collage grids
3. Convert your images into cross-stitch patterns, paint-by-numbers, or oil paintings

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

G2 Rating: 4.1/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $3.88/month, or Lifetime Licenses available for $50 for Home and $60 for Pro

PhotoPad is a beginner-friendly, free alternative to Photoshop, and an excellent choice if you need to resize images without loss of quality. Change aspect ratios with no distortion using Liquid Resize, or upscale images losslessly with Super Resolution. You can also edit photos with image sharpening and noise reduction tools to further enhance your photos and make them ready to share, post, or print.

PhotoPad is a non-destructive image editor that supports RAW images, multi-exposure HDR photos, and layer editing. It has more tools than you’d expect in a free Photoshop alternative, including general and regional adjustments, graphic design tools, portrait retouching, and background/object removal.

This free Photoshop alternative is easy to use right out of the box, however, it also has loads of beginner support via user forums, video tutorials, an online help manual, and technical support reps. Since our last review, PhotoPad has considerably lowered the prices of its paid versions. We found this free alternative to Photoshop has a wide range of functions, however, it only offers a basic toolset in each category. We don’t recommend it for advanced users or professional photographers, but beginners who need an easy tool to make Photoshop-like edits should give it a try.

12. Ashampoo Photo Optimizer - Best for beginners

Key Features:

1. Photo Effects: This free Photoshop alternative comes with multiple effects such as waves, swirls, implosion, and explosion
2. Utilize multiple photo effects such as waves, swirls, implosion, and explosion
3. Adjust colors with tonal curve adjustments
4. Fix red eyes, whiten teeth, fix minor glitches, and remove stains or blemishes

Compatibility: Windows

CNET Rating: 4.1/5

Price: Free
*Premium version available for $12

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer is a quick and easy-to-use free alternative to Photoshop for beginners who need to fix and enhance their photos. The user interface is straightforward, and there is no learning curve. No tool is more than 2 clicks away, yet the limited feature set keeps the UI from looking cluttered. There’s also a customizable Favorites menu that grants you even more accessibility by bundling your most used tools in one location.

This free Photoshop alternative still has all the tools a beginner could want. As its name suggests, Ashampoo Photo Optimizer will instantly optimize your photos and fix exposure, colors, and contrasts. You can also manually adjust the color temperature. We liked using this program to fix perspective distortions and straighten horizons, which it achieved in only a few clicks.

Ashampoo Photo Optimizer is the easiest of all the free Photoshop alternatives on our list. It also has a completely free version, and the premium version is very affordable. However, it’s also the least like Photoshop of any of the other options. This is a great tool for beginners or anyone who needs to fix colors and perspective in a hurry, but it doesn’t go beyond that. If you are looking for a free alternative to Photoshop that is easy to use, but desire more advanced features such as layer editing, try our top pick PhotoDirector. 

13. Paintshop Pro - Best for graphic design

Key Features:

1. Use the Scratch Remover, Noise Remover, and Fade Correction to repair old photos
2. Fix distortions, vignetting, and chromatic aberrations in your images
3. Combine photos of different exposures to create one stunning HDR photo

Compatibility: Windows

PCMag Rating: 4/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $79.99

We found Paintshop Pro to be the best free Photoshop alternative for graphic designers because of features such as layers and masks, brushes, intuitive text tools, textures, patterns, drawing, painting, and fill tools. In addition, Paintshop has built-in templates for collages, greeting cards, social media images, web banners, brochures, business cards, etc. It also includes hundreds of effects, preset filters, and a frame tool to place raster objects into shapes quickly. 

AI photo enhancement, lens correction tools, a straightening tool for crooked horizons, and perspective correction are all features offered in this free alternative to Photoshop. There are also essential tools to edit photos like crop and resize. We found it easy to crop with composition guides (including the golden ratio and rule of thirds) and we were able to resize images in several ways (by pixels, percentage, or print size).

Paintshop Pro is a great free Photoshop alternative for graphic design projects, but it lacks some advanced features such as facial recognition that professionals will need to edit photos. And even though its interface is user-friendly, it feels a little crowded, especially if you're new to the program. 

14. Affinity Photo - Best for layer editing

Key Features:

1. Increase depth-of-field with Focus Merge
2. Nondestructively combine multiple mask layers
3. Import brushes, create custom brushes, or choose from an extensive built-in library

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Digital Camera World Rating: 4/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $69.99

Affinity Photo is aimed at professional photographers and designers, but has a lower learning curve and price than Photoshop. Affinity Photo has mask and clipping layers, live blend modes, and unlimited layers, which is why we reviewed it as the best free Photoshop alternative for layer editing. It has non-destructive live filters that can be applied to a single layer or the whole stack, then erased, masked, or reordered after they are applied. 

This free alternative to Photoshop is faster, with fewer crashes than its Adobe counterpart. Affinity has a few digital painting options with an extensive library of brushes and Magic Wand, Marquee, or Lasso tools to make ultra-precise selections. You can also edit photos with Portrait retouching tools like skin retouch and blemish removal.

Affinity Photo offers fewer tools to edit photos than Photoshop, but the ones it does have work better. It has been very recently updated with support for 50 new camera models and 32-bit HDR PNG. Its user interface looks almost identical to Photoshop, making it a nice free alternative to Photoshop for users wanting a lower price tag. However, it lacks the photo organization tools found in other software such as PhotoDirector and Capture One.s

15. DxO PhotoLab - Best for photo processing

Key Features:

1. Set your own Clone and Repair sources with the ReTouch tool
2. Apply B&W, sepia, or classic analog film renderings to photos
3. Use ClearView Plus adjustments to reduce haze and enhance contrast

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

PCMag Rating: 4/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $139 for Essential and $229 for Elite

DxO PhotoLab is another solid free Photoshop alternative because of its superb RAW Photo Processing features. PhotoLab uses a deep learning AI technology called DxO DeepPRIME to demosaic and denoise images at top-notch quality. It’s a great fit for anyone who has old photos thought to be unusable. 

Automatic lens corrections are another way DxO PhotoLab is a fantastic free Photoshop alternative. The software compensates for every lens fault imaginable, fixing sharpness, distortion, chromatic aberrations, vignetting, etc. PhotoLab also offers precise handling of control points with adjustable sensitivity levels and local adjustment options.

DxO PhotoLab is not a truly free Photoshop alternative, and after the 30-day free trial, it is pretty expensive (although it is just a one-time fee and not a subscription model like Photoshop). We like that it recently added more photo management features to help select, search, and filter images. And while it has fantastic denoise and auto repair tools, it lacks multi-photo features like HDR, panorama, and focus stacking.  

16. Photo Pos Pro - Best for adding text to photos

Key Features:

1. Erase a partial background with Magic Eraser, or remove the entire background
2. Smart magnetic selection and smart select brush help you easily choose items and create masks
3. Instantly change your photo’s depth with the Zoom Out Lens Effect

Compatibility: Windows

TechRadar Rating: 4/5

Price: Free
*Premium version available for $49.90

Photo Pos Pro is a great free Photoshop alternative, especially if you need to add text to images or create graphic designs. It has a wide selection of font styles, brushes, and effects, including textured pens like gel, chrome, and metal, plus text-over-path effects. It’s great for both beginners and pros because it offers 2 modes - Novice and Expert.

This free alternative to Photoshop has some unique photo effects such as “pop-out of picture,” pencil sketch, dispersion, and various motion effects. Photo Pos Pro supports RAW files and has a wide range of uses, from creating graphic design projects from scratch to retouching portraits.

Photo Pos Pro’s Novice mode has easy one-click solutions for beginners, while the Expert mode offers manual editing tools. While we like that Photo Pos Pro is good for any skill level, it is difficult to switch between the two modes as they have vastly different layouts. Also, the Novice mode won’t let you work with layers, and Expert has a high learning curve. We prefer PhotoDirector, which has automatic and manual options available for every tool, so you can choose on the spot if you want more control. 

17. Darktable - Best for users who need a free Lightroom alternative

Key Features:

1. Lightning-fast image operations with OpenCL support
2. Apply lens corrections to straighten horizons
3. Create cool effects with the Liquify tool

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

TrustedBay Rating: 4/5

Price: Free

Darktable is an open-source, free alternative to Photoshop. However, we think it is one of the best Lightroom alternatives for photographers on a budget. The interface closely resembles that of Lightroom, and it has photo management features to sort, tag, and organize your images. You can also find images quickly by searching tags, star ratings, color labels, and metadata. Some of its image adjustment tools even offer finer control than the Lightroom versions.   

You can also edit photos with this free alternative to Photoshop and Lightroom. It offers masking and blending tools, as well as advanced color tools, hot pixel fixes, and noise removal. The program offers many learning tools such as user forums and video tutorials, and supports 21 languages. Darktable supports tethered shooting and RAW image processing for over 400 cameras - both of which are rare in open-source software.

If you are wondering why every photographer hasn’t jumped the Adobe ship to this free alternative to Photoshop and Lightroom, there are a few drawbacks, especially for pros. Darktable won’t support more than 10,000 photos, and cataloging is minimal. Also, the adjustment sliders are overly sensitive and there isn’t an option to manually enter a value, so getting exact results can be tricky. We placed it behind the similarly-rated Photo Pos Pro because it is a better free Photoshop alternative, while Darktable is a better alternative for Lightroom. However, if you are looking for a one-stop-shop photo editor and image management tool, try PhotoDirector. It’s a better free alternative to Photoshop and Lightroom for both beginners and professionals. 

18. GIMP - Best for Linux users

Key Features:

1. Create your own brushes for a variety of unique looks
2. Get rid of unneeded details and perform minor touch-ups with clone/healing tools
3. Automatically enhance color, equalize, white balance, and stretch contrast

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

PCMag Rating: 3.5/5

Price: Free

GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, and was created first and foremost for GNU/Linux users. It is one of the most compatible free Photoshop alternatives on our list, and can also be used on OpenBSD, NetBSD, FreeBSD, Solaris, SunOS, AIX, HP-UX, Tru64, Digital UNIX, OSF/1, IRIX, OS/2, and BeOS. It is also available to Windows and Mac users, including support for Apple Silicon and Windows 11. GIMP is a wonderful free Photoshop alternative for graphic designers, photographers, or illustrators.

This free alternative to Photoshop offers high-quality image manipulation with retouching and restoring tools. Other features include cropping, noise reduction, gradients, color adjustment tools, and filters. Professionals will enjoy the more advanced features like bezier curves, layer masks, and animation tools.

GIMP is entirely free and is packed with advanced tools. The program’s interface is cluttered but fully customizable. There is a learning curve similar to Photoshop, so beginners may want an easier option like PhotoDirector or Pixlr E.  

19. Exposure X7 - Best for photo effects

Key Features:

1. Includes overlays such as borders, textures, and light effects, plus overlay blend modes
2. Profile-guided noise reduction based on camera sensor
3. Apply effects and presets to a specific area with nondestructive local adjustments

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

PCMag Rating: 3.5/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $129

Exposure X7 is a beginner-friendly free Photoshop alternative and Photoshop effects plug-in. Apply effects to only a portion of your image using radial, planar, or half-planar gradients and adjust the opacity. Effects like film grain, bokeh, light hits, vignettes, and overlays can be blended together in a number of ways.

We liked the program’s composition guides including golden ratio, golden spiral, golden triangle, and diagonal, which helped with image cropping. This free alternative to Photoshop also includes excellent selection tools, including a polygonal selection tool and various brush tools.

Exposure X7 has some fun effects features that Photoshop lacks, however, the quality is not as good. Many of Exposure X7’s essential features are patchy. If you are looking to edit photos with high-quality results worthy of a free alternative to Photoshop, try PhotoDirector, DxO PhotoLab, or Capture One. 

How to Choose the Best Free Photoshop Alternative

With 19 excellent free Photoshop alternatives on our list, how can you choose the right software to edit photos for your needs? Read on for some key things to look for when choosing a free alternative to Photoshop.

Compatibility

Decide between an online or downloadable option. Online tools are great for older computers or editing across devices, while downloadable software is better for offline use. Ensure the alternative is compatible with your operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux) and check the system requirements for performance and camera compatibility.

Budget

Some alternatives offer free trials, allowing you to test before committing. If you seek a completely free option, verify that it includes the features you need. Consider the pricing of any premium upgrades for future reference. Open-source options are available but may have a steeper learning curve.

Features

Different alternatives cater to varying user needs—photographers, graphic designers, or illustrators. Look for essential features like RAW image support and photo management tools. Make a list of must-have features to ensure the software meets your editing requirements.

Ease of Use

If you want something beginner-friendly, some alternatives are designed for ease of use, while others mirror Photoshop’s complexity. Identify tools that balance advanced features with user-friendliness, making them suitable for both beginners and professionals.

How Did We Conduct Our Test?

We aim to provide an unbiased list of the best free Photoshop alternatives. Here’s our testing process:

Compile a List of Options

We gather software that offers Photoshop-like functionality, including a free version or trial and a cheaper paid option.

Perform Hands-On Testing

We import the same photos into each alternative, editing for direct comparisons. This includes color adjustments, cropping, resizing, object removal, and adding text and overlays. We also assess any unique features.

Compare Ease of Use

We evaluate each interface for usability, noting how easily tools are accessed and whether effects are manually or automatically applied. We also check the ease of creating masks and removing objects.

Compare Feature Sets and Value

We list features, distinguishing between simple photo editing and those offering photo management or graphic design. We assess the value of paid options against the features provided.

Online Research

We read user reviews to gauge common complaints and verify our findings. If discrepancies arise, we retest to ensure accuracy.

Additional Considerations

For closely ranked alternatives, we consider format support, stability, speed, and update frequency.

Best Free Photoshop Alternatives Comparison Chart

What is the Best Alternative to Photoshop?

Many people think Photoshop is the only quality photo editing software, but there are high-quality free alternatives that often outperform it.

We recommend PhotoDirector Essential as the best free Photoshop alternative. This user-friendly program offers a wide range of features, allowing you to create professional-level photos effortlessly. It also serves as an excellent Lightroom alternative, with AI-powered photo management and powerful adjustment tools.

Download PhotoDirector Essential below and discover how easy professional photo editing can be!