In the world of digital content creation, photoshop has become a necessity now. Right now, the best and most recommended photo editing software is – Adobe Photoshop. The high-quality features keep it at the top of the industry. However, despite being the best, Adobe Photoshop can’t be an optimal option for everyone. The high prices and a bit of complex features might not be suitable for individuals wanting to edit their photos with ease and without spending any penny. Therefore, we’ve created this article consisting of 11 best free Photoshop alternatives that you can use to edit your photos effectively for completely free. Keep reading to know some of the finest photo editing software that offers almost the same features as Adobe Photoshop without any charges.
Top 11 Photoshop Alternatives
Here’s the list of most reliable and free photo editing software that you can use
1. GIMP
GIMP has been around for years and serves as one of the best free photo editors. No doubt, Adobe Photoshop has much stronger tools than GIMP – that’s why it is at the top of the game. But GIMP is not less, either.
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is an open source and free editing software consisting of various advanced editing tools. It is also one of the Photoshop alternatives recommended by many experts.
GIMP provides various rich features which are almost similar to Photoshop. The software is the best option for those who are amateur in photo editing. Its easy-to-use interface allows you to navigate through its tools without any difficulty.
However, the software can’t edit RAW photos and has fewer tools in comparison to Photoshop, which may disappoint a few users. But still, overall, we can say that GIMP can be a choice for the people looking for free and easy to use photo editing software.
Why To Choose:
- An Abundance Of Features
- Provides History ToolBar
- Allows Image Slicing
- User Friendly
- Easy To Learn
Drawdowns:
- Limites third-party plugins
- It might not be suitable for editing huge images with multiple layers
- May contains fewer features than Photoshop
2. Photo Pos Pro
Photo Pos Pro is one of the top-notch free Photoshop alternatives that you can turn to. It provides many similar functions to Photoshop, for example, healing and cloning brushes and layering masks.
Other tools you can avail of while using Photo Pos Pro include a Magic Wand, Magnifying Tool, Pointer Tool, Custom Paint Brush Tool, etc. One of the best things about Photo Pos Pro is that it can support any file, from GIF RAW to PSD format.
Photo Pos Pro also consists of various Plugins, which makes editing photos and images easy and effective. The software also allows you to save filters in advance and use them later.
Why To Choose:
- Provides advanced effects
- Beginner friendly
- Supports raw files
Drawdowns:
- Slightly difficult to learn
- Asks for money to avail of all of its features
3. Photoscape X
Photoscape X is a great free Photoshop alternative with a wide variety of functionality and an easy-to-use interface. The software offers many built-in filters and effects, screen capture tools, and also lets you do batch photo editing.
Besides that, you can also use Photoscape X to correct colors, retouch skin, and manage and view your photos. You can also create fun GIFs with the help of Photoscape X.
The best thing about the software is that it is easy to use, and you don’t have to spend much time learning it. It can’t be stated that it is equivalent to Photoshop, but a software with many useful features.
Why To Choose:
- Easy to use and contains many fun features
- It brings along a lot of effects and filters
- Allows to create attractive collages and GIFs.
Drawdowns:
- The user interface seems outdated
- Limited Tools
4. Apple Photos
This one is specifically for iOS users. Apple Photo offers fast and effective photo editing features that you can use to edit your photos and also keep them organized.
It doesn’t offer more advanced tools than Photoshop, but some basic features like color correction, contrasts, saturation, and many other helpful tools that can help magnifying your images.
Why To Choose:
- Easy to use
- Also works as a photo organizer
- Built-in editing tools
Drawdowns:
- It doesn’t have advanced features
- Limited tools
- Only available for iOS and Mac users
5. Krita
Krita is another best free Photoshop alternatives that you must try. Generally, most people prefer drawing on Krita as it has a fantastic brush collection, templates, and blending modes.
However, Krita is also considered one of the best photo editing software – recommended by many professional photographers. You can easily do some basic edits to your images using the variety of tools that they provide. If you have already used Adobe Photoshop, you may also feel nostalgia as Krita has a similar interface.
However, remember that the software doesn’t have RAW filters and a history toolbar, and it may also lag sometimes.
Why To Choose:
- Variety of features
- Available for Linux, Windows, and Mac
- Digital sketching or painting can be done as it supports drawing tablets
- Simple and easy to use
Drawdowns:
- It may work slowly or crash when used on old computers
- Fewer resources for learning purposes
- It doesn’t provide a history tool
6. FireAlpaca
FireAlpaca is a completely free photo editing software, which is available in more than ten languages. It has a very user-friendly interface, allowing you to navigate to the different options quickly. You can create unique, detailed artwork with ease using the brushes, layers, and sketching tools.
FireAlpaca brings along many tools that are similar to Photoshop, including magic wand tools, brushes, blur, mosaic, etc. Keep in mind that FireAlpaca offers only limited tools, and they are less effective than Photoshop. But, still, you can do a lot and create some fantastic images using FireAlpaca – one of easiest free Photoshop alternatives.
Why To Choose:
- Illustrations can be drawn quickly using its simple tools
- Ideal for those who want basic edits on their photos
- Works on Windows and Mac, both
Drawdowns:
- It doesn’t provide layer effects
- May miss some extra features
7. Fotor
Many users who tried Fotor have left positive reviews and consider it a effective photo editing software. You can use Fotor to create beautiful collages, enhance your portraits, adjust contrast and brightness, add your desired texts and overlays, etc.
One of the best things about Fotor is that it is beginner-friendly. Even if you don’t have any major editing skills, you can easily navigate through its tool and beautify your photos.
Why To Choose:
- Very easy to use
- Great effects features
- Provides fantastic design and collage tools
Drawdowns:
- Asks to upgrade to Fotor Pro to access its advanced features
- It may slow down the speed of your PC
8. Paint.NET
Paint.NET is less efficient than Photoshop, but it can be good enough for people looking for free photo editing software with decent features. It consists of various tools that let you enhance your images by adding filters, special effects, adjusting brightness, saturation, contrast, and much more.
Some of the features of Paint.Net are quite similar to MS Paint. Thus, if you have already used MS Paint, then you will find it easy to navigate through this tool.
Why To Choose:
- Easy-to-use interface
- It provides added effects and effective tools
- History tool
Drawdowns:
- Only available for windows
- Limited functions
- Not suitable for professionals
9. Photopea
Photopea is another one of the best free Photoshop alternatives that you can use. The software is considered the best option for beginners as its features are easy to use and allow creating projects straight from scratch.
If you have used Adobe Photoshop in the past, you may find some similarities in Photopea’s user interface, and you won’t have to learn it from scratch.
However, if you are not familiar with Photopea, don’t worry. The platform provides you with multiple resources that will help you learn the software quickly and make the desired edits to your photos.
Why To Choose:
- Allows you to open multiple types of files
- It has various unique features
- Supports vector and raster graphics
- Provides various tools
Drawdowns:
- Removing a huge portion of a photo might be difficult
- It bombards users with a lot of ads
- It may slow down when editing large files
10. LightZone
LightZone is ideal for users who want to make simple edits to their photos. The platform allows you to bring basic changes to your photos, like improving exposure, making color corrections, and adjusting the white balance.
As a modern photo editor, you may find its tools slightly traditional. However, they are still powerful and customizable.
Why To Choose:
- Supports raw files
- Perfect for beginners and those who don’t want to make big edits to their images
- Allows to add as many effects as you want
Drawdowns:
- Color correction is very basic
- Very limited tutorials
11. Pixlr E
Pixlr E is an online editing software that allows you to effectively edit your photos while also providing some tremendous graphic designing tools. The tool is suitable for both beginners and experienced editors.
One of the best things about this editor is that it doesn’t ask you to sign up. You can just hop on their platform and begin editing your desired photos. It brings along some advanced tools as well, for instance, skin retouch tools, cutting tools, customizable brushes, etc.
Pixel E also has different skill-level options. If you are a beginner or want to avoid complications, you can opt for quick and automated solutions. Otherwise, there’s always an option for manual adjustments that you can choose.
The platform may take slightly longer to export your projects. It also contains ads, which can be removed by buying the premium version of Pixlr E.
Why to choose:
- It does not require you to sign up
- Provides design templates
- It offers some professional features
Drawdowns:
- It contains ads and asks you to pay to remove them
- It may take longer to produce the final image
FAQ:
Q: What is a free photoshop alternative?
A: A free photoshop alternative is a software or app that offers similar features and functions as Adobe Photoshop, a popular and powerful photo editing tool, but without any cost.
Q: Why do I need a free photoshop alternative?
A: You may need a free photoshop alternative if you want to edit photos like a pro, but you don’t have the budget or the need to pay for Adobe Photoshop, a subscription-based software.
Q: How do I use a free photoshop alternative?
A: You can use a free photoshop alternative by downloading and installing it on your computer or device, or by accessing it online through your browser.
Q: Is a free photoshop alternative safe and legal?
A: A free photoshop alternative is safe and legal as long as it is from a reputable and trusted source and does not infringe on any copyrights or trademarks of Adobe Photoshop or other parties.
Q: What are some of the best free photoshop alternatives?
A: Some of the best free photoshop alternatives are GIMP, Pixlr, Photopea, Paint.NET, and PicMonkey.
Conclusion
Adobe Photoshop is a fantastic tool, but only for some. Not everyone is able to pay hefty prices to excess the software and use its complex features.
There are various free Photoshop alternatives that offer almost similar editing tools that you can use to edit your images. The editing software we mentioned above might not be the same as Photoshop. However, they are still good enough to make some decent edits to your images easily and more importantly, without spending any money.