Free Photoshop Alternatives: Discover Powerful Replacements

Adobe products are known among photographers, designers, and digital artists because, for many years, they have held first place among high-quality and productive programs for working with images and videos. Every photographer encountered the Adobe Photoshop program or its light version at least once. And the first place in photographers' hearts is often occupied by Lightroom. 

If everything is so great, why are people still looking for alternatives to these photo editors? First of all, the price. Not everyone can afford an expensive subscription, especially for beginners; this can be a key factor. However, we should remember other aspects, such as the convenience and simplicity of the interface, as well as functionality. Among the analogs on the market, you can find better working functions of certain tools, and sometimes, using several programs instead of Photoshop can give more prospects in working with images. 

Let's figure out where to find the Photoshop features you need without spending money on a subscription.

Why You Might Need Free Adobe Photoshop Alternative

Sometimes, it's not just price that can hinder your choice of photo editor. For example, the same set of tools in different programs can have different complexity of use and quality of work. Explore how to sharpen an image in Photoshop and compare it with how it can be done in other photo editors, such as Luminar Neo or free versions of well-known programs.

Photoshop has a lightweight version with some free features, but that may not be enough. Learn how to flip an image in Photoshop and compare this feature with alternative programs. Such comparisons will help you determine which program is more convenient and understandable for you.

Free Desktop Programs Like Photoshop

If you're looking for high-quality photo editing tools without the cost of Adobe Photoshop, several free alternatives offer impressive features and functions. Each tool provides unique features and strengths, allowing you to find the best one for your photo editing needs without the expense of Adobe Photoshop. Here are some powerful replacements to consider:

Luminar Neo 

Although Luminar Neo is not a free photo editor, you can still try it out during the free trial or take advantage of personalized offers. Luminar Neo is not a free photo editor like Photoshop. Still, its advantage is its more affordable price and advanced AI tools that will completely change your vision of working with photos. For example, you can easily transform images into a professional look and remove someone from the picture in seconds. With AI image expander, you can expand not only the image itself but also the limit of your creative possibilities. Explore these and many other useful tools to enhance your photo editing experience.

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

It's a robust open-source photo editor with Photoshop-like features, including layers, masks, and advanced editing tools. Its advantages include a customizable interface, extended plugin support, and advanced color correction. It is one of the favorite free programs like Photoshop for many professional photographers.

Krita

This program is primarily known for digital painting, but it also offers powerful photo editing capabilities suitable for artistic and traditional photo manipulation. Its advantages include the brush mechanism, layer management, and HDR drawing. Try this app for your creative projects.

Photopea

This online photo editor has an interface similar to Photoshop. It supports PSD files and various other formats directly in your browser. It also has layer support, advanced filters, and adjustment tools.

Paint.NET

This photo editor is Windows-friendly. It has basic features for basic and intermediate photo editing. Its advantages also include support for layers, basic effects, and a user-friendly interface.

Pixlr X

This online editor offers tools and filters for quick and easy photo editing. It is suitable for beginners and casual users. Its intuitive interface, one-click filters, and AI enhancement tools make it one of the best free photo editors like Photoshop.

Darktable

It's a powerful open-source tool for photographers who need to process RAW images and make professional-quality adjustments. It provides non-destructive editing, advanced color correction, and powerful RAW processing.

Inkscape

Although Inkscape is primarily a vector graphics editor, it offers useful photo editing features, especially for creating and editing vector images.

Canva

Perfect for quick design tasks, this app offers basic photo editing tools and a wide range of design templates and elements. It has an easy-to-use interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and a large library of templates and graphics.

Fotor

With various editing functions and effects, this online tool is suitable for quick editing and enhancement.

It has basic editing tools, one-click effects, and collage-making capabilities.

Polarr

It is a universal photo editor that is available online and as a mobile application. It is known for its powerful filters and customization options, including advanced filters, customizable tools, and AI-powered enhancements.

Free Apps Like Photoshop for Your Phone

If you're looking for powerful smartphone photo editing apps with features similar to Adobe Photoshop, consider the following free options. These apps offer a range of features, from basic editing to advanced customization, making them great free Photoshop alternatives for mobile photo editing.

Luminar Mobile 

The mobile version of the much-loved desktop editor is now available. For now, only Apple users can enjoy the features of automatic settings and AI. However, if you are one of them, then definitely give Luminar Mobile a try. Its interactive and convenient interface makes the editing process as pleasant as possible. Sounds and additional effects turn working with photos into a meditation. Although this app is not free, enjoy the trial period to experience the benefits.

Snapseed

It is a comprehensive photo editor developed by Google. Snapseed offers professional-grade tools in a user-friendly interface. It supports RAW editing, which is especially useful if you have new versions of smartphones capable of taking photos in this format. It also has selective adjustment, filters, and a wide range of tools for precise editing.

Adobe Photoshop Express

It's a mobile version of Photoshop with basic editing tools for quick fixes and enhancements.

It has basic settings, filters, retouching tools, and the ability to create collages.

Pixlr

This program provides powerful editing tools and effects and an easy-to-use interface. It supports layers, a variety of filters, and overlays and has advanced editing tools like restore and blend.

Photopea (web application)

Although Photopea is primarily a web application, its mobile browser version offers Photoshop-like features and supports PSD files. It also has layer management, advanced filters, and toolsets similar to desktop Photoshop.

Polarr

Polarr combines powerful photo editing tools with an intuitive interface, offering advanced features for mobile users. It supports custom filters, has artificial intelligence enhancements, and a wide range of customization tools.

PicsArt

This app is known for its creative features and a large library of effects and stickers. It is great for both editing and design. It combines photo effects, a collage maker, drawing tools, and a large clipart library.

Canva

Canva provides a user-friendly interface with basic editing tools and design templates. It has simple photo editing, graphic design elements, templates, and collaboration features.

Darkroom

Darkroom offers powerful mobile-optimized editing tools focusing on RAW editing and color adjustments. The advantages of this application are advanced color gradation, portrait editing, and batch processing.

AirBrush

AirBrush is designed for fast, high-quality photo retouching, focusing on enhancing portraits. Its advantages include high-quality skin smoothing, teeth whitening, and spot removal.

Fotor

This app provides editing tools and effects to enhance photos and create collages. In addition to basic editing tools, it has HDR effects, as well as a variety of templates and design options.

Bottom Line

When looking for a free photo editor like Photoshop, remember to focus on what functions you need for your work. It is the usual correction, work with AI tools, graphic design, etc. The choice of one or another application will depend on your basic needs. Remember that most of these photo editors offer more advanced functionality already on a paid basis. Although Luminar Neo is a paid tool with advanced features that can compete with Photoshop, you shouldn't dismiss it because of that. It can be a good alternative for a smaller budget. And free alternatives like GIMP, Photopea, and Snapseed, while offering a lot of functionality for free, can still require the use of additional tools. You can research each of them to choose the program that works best for you.