A Free Software Like Photoshop
Whether you are looking Photoshop replacement program or free software like Photoshop for your basic photo editing works. Here we are highlighting 20 best free Photoshop alternative software and free photoshop online tools.
Adobe Photoshop is an excellent tool which provides everything one needs for photo editing and manipulation. It has user-friendly an highly customizable versatile interface. But, Photoshop incredibly expensive so that some users are surfing Photoshop equivalent programs for free to use.
The biggest obstacle to any designer who wants Photoshop is the price, which can be prohibitive. Fortunately there are a number of open source (and completely free) programs out there that do much of what Photoshop can, and sometimes more. In this collection, you will find excellent examples of open source and free alternatives to Adobe Photoshop. 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. Paid Photoshop Alternatives; Free Photoshop Alternatives (Windows, macOS and Linux) 1. Krita is a free tool like Photoshop that is almost as feature rich in the options it offers as Photoshop is. It also happens to be one of the tools that are highly recommended by people in online forums about photo editing and creative editing.
Photoshop is the first word in graphic design software and like most leading software products, it demands a fee from anyone who wants to use it. In fact, to access Photoshop, you'll need to fork out about $19.99 every month. Personally, I don't have an issue with this given how powerful Photoshop is but there are those who do. Photoshop Express brings Photoshop online for free. Introducing the new Photoshop Express free online photo editor. Perfect your photos in just a few clicks with the tool that brings Photoshop tools to you online for free. Check out a few of the easy transformations you can make.
There are many best photoshop alternatives out there. These free photoshop online tools and Photoshop competitors software give a perfect solution for image editing and photo manipulation needs.
Here are 20 best free Photoshop alternatives for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Let’s take following photoshop alternatives free tools might be fit for your photo editing tasks.
Top Free Photoshop Alternatives for Windows
1. Gimp
Gimp is an open source Photoshop similar photo editing software. It supports platforms such as Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, BSD, Unix, and SkyOS. GIMP stands out as the best free alternative to Photoshop. Gimp Supports file formats like RAW formats, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD, etc.
2. Paint.NET
Paint NET is another free alternative to Photoshop but it is less powerful than Gimp Photoshop. It works on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
Free Photoshop Alternatives for Mac
3. Seashore
If you are looking Photoshop alternative mac software, this is best for you. Seashore supports the same file formats as GIMP does and it runs on Mac OS X computers.
4. Krita
Krita is another best photo editing tools for open-source platforms like Linux and Unix. It’s also good Photoshop alternative for Windows 10 and Mac.
5. Mac Preview
You can use default PDF and image viewer Preview to edit an image in OS X. Preview is the basic editor that will help you quickly crop, rotate, adjust color, resize, and other simple editing features. Read the tutorial on how to use Preview.
6. Pixelmator
Pixelmator is another freemium photo editor for Mac users and it only allows 30 days free trial. It has some cool features. Download free trial.
Top Free Online Photoshop Alternatives
7. Pixlr
Pixlr.com is one of best photo editor online tool which can be used through web browser. For using Pixlr, you don’t need to download software.
8. PicMonkey
PicMonkey is one of the oldest free image editing web app. It has many cool features for free, for example social media image like Facebook covers, Instagram post, YouTube template, logos and Ads banners.
Is There A Free Software Like Photoshop
9. SumoPaint
Another photo editing and drawing tool online is SumoPaint that can be used for your instant needs.
10. Aviary
11. BeFunky
12. Canva Photo Editor
13. Fotor
Aso Read: 20 Useful Photo Editing Website to Make Photo Effects Online
Best Open source Photoshop Alternatives
14. Xara Xtreme
15. CinePaint
CinePaint is powerful photo retouching tool with support for even high 32-bit color fidelity. This free tool has been used by major Hollywood studios to design Animated feature films in the past. CinePaint supports file formats: BMP, CIN, DPX, EXR, GIF, JPEG, OpenEXR, PNG, TIFF, and XCF.
16. GrafX2
GrafX2 is free open-source Photoshop alternative for all operating system such as Linux, DOS, Windows, Haiku, AmigaOS, MorphOS, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, and Atari MiNT platforms.
17. Inkscape
Inkscape is a free and open-source vector graphics similar to Adobe Illustrator. It runs on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows desktop computers.
Paid Photoshop Alternatives
18. Serif Photoplus X7
19. Paintshop Pro X7
20. Pixelmator
Read Also: 60 Best Photoshop Tutorials
Looking for programs like Photoshop—without the hefty price-tag? Here are our trusty go-to Photoshop alternatives, from desktop applications to web-based tools.
Everyone should be able to access great photography and design programs without having to break the bank. Given that Adobe is always raising the price of its Creative Cloud subscription plan, we wanted to round up our favorite Photoshop alternatives—including some free Photoshop alternatives—that will allow you to produce gorgeous work for your online photography portfolio or online design portfolio at a fraction of the cost. If you need programs like Photoshop, these 12 options will serve you well. Let’s dive in!
Free Alternatives to Photoshop
GIMP
Compatible with: macOS, Windows, Linux
Arguably the most popular Photoshop alternative, GIMP is a powerhouse image editing program. Despite the depth of tools, effects, and features, GIMP has and will always be a free product—sort-of like an open-source Photoshop. The program offers a sophisticated yet easy-to-use program that is constantly evolving.
Adobe Photoshop Free Download For Windows 10
Pixlr Editor
Compatible with: Everything
As a cloud-based program, Pixlr is available through any which device, so long as you’ve got access to the Internet. The best part? This is a free Photoshop alternative and easy to use! Feature-wise, it’s not as powerful as Photoshop, but for basic editing functions like refined selections, layering, or touch-ups, Pixlr gets the job done.
Fotor
Compatible with: macOS, Windows
Billed as a “revolutionary photo editor and design maker,” Fotor definitely delivers. This free Photoshop alternative offers photo editing, collage making, and basic freehand design. Packed with heaps of beautiful themes and templates, Fotor is a wonderful alternative for those looking to create, and create fast.
Sumo Paint
Compatible with: Everything
Give it up for one of the remaining Flash-based image editing programs out there, Sumo Paint. Sumo Paint focuses on illustration, offering something of a bridge between Photoshop and Illustrator. Noted by MacWorld for its “quirkiness,” Sumo Paint enables artists to loosen up a bit and embrace their zanier ideas.
Paint.NET
Compatible with: Windows
Yet another free Photoshop alternative, Paint.NET is a fun alternative for designers who work on Windows. We love the wide breadth of tools and powerful features, including support for layers, unlimited undos, and other cool effects. Interestingly, Paint.NET was originally created for a student project; now, it has evolved from its humble beginnings into a formidable graphics editor that some even prefer over Photoshop.
Krita
Compatible with: macOS, Windows, Linux
With an interface patterned on Adobe’s flagship product, Krita is widely considered the premier free Photoshop alternative. Krita’s has a fanbase of devoted users, who are passionate advocates for the fledgling Photoshop alternative. Although it’s primarily geared toward designers and illustrators looking to create new works from scratch, Krita is also equipped with a number of key photo editing and manipulation features.
Rawstudio
Compatible with: macOS, Linux
Photographers know better than anyone that working with RAW image formats can be a bit of a challenge, especially if you’re managing numerous different files. Enter Rawstudio: a free Photoshop alternative designed, expressly, for manipulating RAW image files. As the name suggests, Rawstudio enables photographers to achieve the results they want without sacrificing so much as a pixel of quality. Rawstudio triumphs in the formatting arena, providing users with a robust and effective tool for reviewing multiple RAW image files at once. The original developer’s goal was simple: to build a photo processing app that supports nearly every RAW format from all digital camera makers.
Affordable Photoshop Alternatives
Affinity Photo
Compatible with: macOS/iOS, Windows
With a history almost as rich as Adobe’s, Affinity has been developing and marketing photo editing and illustration software for over two decades. Their Photoshop alternative, Affinity Photo, is built upon one, all-important notion: speed. If you’re looking for programs like Photoshop that are super-fast, Affinity Photo is amazing. The program’s interface is also smooth and uncomplicated, providing photographers (and designers) with a strong, affordable Photoshop alternative. Retailing at just $49.99, Affinity Photo bucks the subscription model in favor of a one-time payment.
Pixelmator Pro
Compatible with: macOS/iOS
Falling into the open-source Photoshop alternative camp, Pixelmator Pro has amazing overall performance and speed (for $39.99, no less). How? Pixelmator bypasses traditional graphics editors by running through a different part of the computer, which frees up a ton of memory. (In layman’s terms, this means you won’t have to close a bunch of programs before opening it up. Everything should remain unaffected by its usage.) What’s more, Pixelmator is packed with all of Photoshop’s key features while also offering tools for drawing vector-based graphics.
Acorn
Compatible with: macOS
What do you get when you combine bitmap editing with vector drawing tools? This Photoshop alternative! Like many of its competitors, Acorn handpicked certain elements from Photoshop for its features, stripping away the extras to give users a simple, fast, and effective image editing program. It already feels like Photoshop’s slick, younger—and much cooler—cousin. And affordable: it’s only $29.99.
ArtRage
Compatible with: macOS/iOS, Windows, Android
With a seemingly infinite number of brushes and brush heads to choose from, there aren’t many programs like Photoshop that meet the specific needs of a professional painter. ArtRage is the fiercest competitor. This Photoshop alternative is available on desktop and mobile devices, but it’s at its most functional—and fun—when used on a tablet. Substitute the mouse (or sketch pad) with your own fingers and you’ll soon recall the sheer delight of creating with your hands. It clocks in at $79.
Best Photoshop Alternatives
The category of Photoshop alternatives which are considered best are the ones which are closest in comparison. Aside from GIMP which is talked about in an early section, and could also be considered one of the best, there is one honorable mention for this section.
Corel PHOTO-PAINT 2018
Compatible with: Windows
Part of the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2018, Corel PHOTO-PAINT 2018 is no stranger to the photo editing world. The Corel Photo-Paint products have been in development for over 27 years, and is a direct competitor to Adobe Photoshop, making it one of the best Photoshop alternatives. Some of the top features to highlight about this popular raster graphics editor are:
- Corel AfterShot 3 HDR for powerful RAW image editing
- Straighten photos interactively
- Adjust photo perspective dynamically
- Publish to WordPress and other streamlined web exporting
- Professional photo retouching and enhancement
Corel PHOTO-PAINT 2018 has a similar subscription model, where it will cost you $18.25 CAD a month, or $219 for the year. Alternatively, you can purchase the program in full for $599 CAD, but it does not include future updates, which need to be purchased separately, unlike in the subscription model, which will keep your product up-to-date at all times.
Don’t Forget to Upload Your Creations to Your Online Portfolio!
Once you’ve delved into these Photoshop alternatives and turned out some fabulous new work, make sure to upload your creations into your online portfolio to entice potential employers and clients alike.
Don’t have one? No sweat. Use a website builder to create one in mere minutes. Just make sure to choose an online portfolio with a diverse range of templates and flexible, customizable pages and layouts. Other cool features to look for include Instagram integration, and a built-in online store and blog.
We can’t wait to see what you can create with all these awesome Photoshop alternatives!
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