Free alternatives to Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is a professional image editor used for photo editing, design, and digital art. It’s available by subscription, on its own or as part of Adobe’s multi-app plans.
What it costs
Adobe’s official page blocks automated checks, so we don’t state a number here. See the official pricing page: Photoshop plans (checked October 22, 2026). Adobe lists separate individual, student and teacher, and business plans.
Free alternatives
- GIMP. “The Free & Open Source Image Editor,” a long-running, actively developed photo editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. gimp.org
- Krita. A free and open-source painting program, aimed at illustration and digital art rather than photo retouching. krita.org
- Photopea. A free photo editor that runs in your web browser. Its site says files are processed on your device, and that it opens and saves PSD (Photoshop) files and supports layers, masks, and adjustment layers. It’s free to use; it isn’t open source. photopea.com
Honest trade-offs
- These tools work differently from Photoshop, so expect a learning curve and different menus and shortcuts.
- PSD files with advanced features may not open exactly as they look in Photoshop.
- Photoshop connects with other Adobe apps and has its own AI features; the free tools don’t offer the same integration.
Who should still pay
If you work professionally with clients or teams who send and expect Photoshop files, or you rely on Adobe’s other apps and services, Photoshop is the standard and often worth paying for. For occasional edits, cropping, and hobby projects, the free options are worth trying first.
Sources: Adobe, GIMP, Krita, and Photopea official pages linked above, checked October 22, 2026. We don’t use affiliate links.