The 9 Best Free Photoshop Alternatives 2024

Do you get tired of the constant pressure to subscribe to services? Do you suddenly need to edit photos or create graphics for social media?

I get it – the ongoing costs and the immediate needs. Adobe Photoshop has become the industry's go-to benchmark for good reason. However, if you're looking for no-cost alternatives, you're in luck.

Speaking from the perspective of a seasoned Creative Professional with over two decades of experience using Photoshop for everything from corporate marketing to personal endeavors like web graphics or fun t-shirts, I can assure you that there are options available.

Based on extensive research and rigorous testing of various tools, I can confirm that these stand out as the best free AI-powered photo editing apps.

9 Best Free Photoshop Alternatives

• Adobe Express for easy AI capabilities
• Canva to maintain brand consistency across remote teams
• Pixlr E and X for an authentic Photoshop experience
• Photopea to use custom brushes in Photoshop
• Sumopaint for the full Adobe experience on a budget
• LunaPic for powerful one-click editing tools
• PhotoRoom for product photos and ecommerce
• Krita for artists and illustrators
• Inkscape for graphic design

The main features of the best free photo editor

The individuals who compile our comprehensive app selections are experts with extensive experience in software usage, testing, and journalism. We dedicate substantial time to meticulously researching and experiencing each application as designed, evaluating each based on criteria established for its category. We are committed to providing genuine reviews without any compensation for placements or external links, as we attach great importance to the credibility we have with our readers.

In my experience, the most noteworthy free photo editing software should encompass:

• Features powered by AI and cutting-edge tools. Basic adjustments like modifying brightness, contrast and applying filters are standard, but to match Photoshop's capabilities, an application must incorporate graphic design elements and the latest AI technologies that simplify work processes.
• Ease of use. The structure of Photoshop has remained virtually unchanged for three decades due to its intuitive and effective design. A top-notch free photo editor should be just as easy to navigate.
• Non-destructive editing capabilities. Having the option to undo is useful, but the real standard of editing is using layers that prevent permanent changes.
• Capabilities to add text and graphics. Modern editing tools must go beyond basic photo manipulation to include graphic features, contemporary fonts, and templates tailored to quickly create social media posts.
• Absolutely free of charge. The goal here is to avoid spending money on Photoshop. While there are numerous premium alternatives available, this guide is dedicated to free options that allow professional editing without financial expenses.

In this recent review, I evaluated 40 apps to identify the best nine worth mentioning. My assessment covered all the typical uses of Photoshop, such as color adjustment, toning, cropping, retouching, masking, blending modes, social media design, and text overlay, as well as examining the special effects and distinctive features of each application.

Discover the best free alternative to Photoshop that suits your needs, based on more than 35 hours of in-depth practical research.

Overview of the Best Free Photo Editing Programs

• Adobe Express: Ideal for users looking for simple features enhanced with artificial intelligence, such as text-to-image transformations and stylized text effects. This platform offers a free tier, with a premium option available for €9.99 per month or included in a Creative Cloud subscription.
• Canva: Best suited for distributed teams, Canva boasts a wide range of high-quality templates for graphics, videos, presentations, and documents. It has a free tier, while the premium plan costs €14.99 per month.
• Pixlr: Designed to provide a Photoshop-like experience, Pixlr offers a user-friendly interface for AI-powered text-to-image creation and more sophisticated editing tasks. Access is free, with premium features ranging from €1.99 to €7.99 per month.
• Photopea: Ideal for those who frequently use custom Photoshop brushes, Photopea is an effective and free alternative to Photoshop, with an ad-free version available for €8 per month.
• Sumopaint: Targeted at users who want the capabilities of the Adobe suite without the high cost, Sumopaint features a comprehensive set of tools for photo editing, graphic creation, video production, podcasts, and more. The platform is free, with a premium version costing €4 per month for additional features and the full range of Sumo applications.
• LunaPic: Perfect for beginners who need powerful one-click editing tools. LunaPic simplifies advanced edits like smart object removal. This service is completely free.
• PhotoRoom: An excellent choice for ecommerce businesses that focus on product photography. PhotoRoom specializes in fast, high-quality background replacements and scene creation. It's free for up to 250 exports, with a premium subscription available for €14.99 per month.
• Krita: A great resource for artists and illustrators, Krita offers intricate reproduction of digital brushes ideal for illustrators and digital painters. This software is available for free.
• Inkscape: Aimed at graphic designers, Inkscape boosts productivity with features such as pattern generation and alignment tools. It is also offered free of charge.

Adobe Express app for web, iOS and Android

Advantages of Adobe Express:

• AI-friendly tools for faster content generation
• A comprehensive editor for a variety of content types, including graphics, photos, videos, animations, and documents

Adobe Express limitations:

• Competitive platforms may provide more advanced video editing tools
• The free version restricts access to AI features

Adobe Express stands out for Adobe Creative Cloud users because of its portability across web and mobile apps. Additionally, recent improvements have introduced impressive AI capabilities, including generative AI to create images from textual suggestions, continuous text effects, and automated object removal or replacement. During the evaluation, Adobe Express' AI capabilities were both easy to use and powerful – a rare balance to achieve.

The software also includes intuitive generative AI tools that work effectively even without perfect sentence construction, simplifying the user experience. For example, by entering the command “isolate on white background”, you consistently get an object with a transparent background, ideal for various applications.

Adobe Express isn't just beneficial for Photoshop veterans; Its familiar blending modes and 'real' layered editing streamline many routine editing tasks. For example, removing objects or backgrounds can be done easily with a single click without the intricate selection process.

The platform has also expanded its video editing suite with accessible animation choices. Even users with no prior animation experience can easily add animations to layers and produce GIFs that enhance social media posts or integrate into longer video productions.

The authenticity of the Photoshop experience is evident in Adobe Express, providing powerful editing features accessible to both experienced designers and those taking their first steps into graphics. Its wide selection of free and customizable templates also positions it as a strong competitor to similar platforms. Premium users enjoy additional benefits, including access to Adobe Stock images, Adobe Fonts, and social media post scheduling tools.

Due to its integration with Creative Cloud libraries and storage, Adobe Express users can take advantage of Creative Cloud Zapier integration for advanced workflow connectivity with a multitude of other applications, enabling tasks such as sending automatic updates to teams through Slack or email when new designs are released.

Receive email notification when a change occurs to a Creative Cloud Library

Maintain Sync Between Creative Cloud Libraries and Gmail

Informing team members about changes within a Creative Cloud Library can be a time-consuming process. By setting up an automated system, you can instantly notify Gmail collaborators of any changes to a shared Creative Cloud Library. This simplifies your workflow, freeing up time to focus on other important tasks.

A particularly effective strategy is to keep a Google Drive folder synced with Creative Cloud. This ensures that brand assets remain up to date and are easily accessible from any location, including on mobile devices or across your entire team.

Add assets to Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries from new Google Drive files

Adobe Creative Cloud Libraries

When you need to promptly inform your team about updates to your Adobe projects, this integration allows you to automatically transfer a newly uploaded item from a Google Drive file directly to your Adobe Creative Cloud Library.

Canva App Compatibility for Web, iOS, Android, MacOS and Windows

Advantages of Canva:

• Integrates the most user-friendly and powerful AI photo editing capabilities
• Top-notch AI video creation tools for beginners, especially for social media content

Canva Limitations:

• You need a premium membership to access advanced features
• Need improvements in file management

Canva is primarily aimed at beginners and enthusiasts, although it provides most of the editing features that professionals use. Of note is Canva's introduction of AI-powered Magic Studio in September 2023, enhancing its reputation as a versatile design tool.

Magic Studio serves as an impressive collection of AI-powered photo editing tools. With capabilities that surpass those of Adobe Express, users can create high-quality videos, graphics, animations and more. It should be noted that Estúdio Mágico offers AI-assisted features, allowing the creation of videos generated by artificial intelligence based on written instructions, which is essential for generating content on social media platforms.

The Magic Grab feature allows users to extract elements from photos as transparent PNG files, similar to a feature in the latest iPadOS update. This feature is convenient for transferring elements between Canva projects or for use in other applications.

In addition to these features, Canva introduces AI-assisted copy creation, comparable to ChatGPT, providing a cost-effective solution for content creation.

Canva also features a simple one-page website builder, a comprehensive template library with visually appealing designs, and a vast collection of stock photos and illustrations.

The editing interface in Canva is intuitive, with drag-and-drop layer organization to make design easier. The real benefit of Canva is the collaborative features, enabling teamwork through shared resources, feedback and joint editing efforts. The Premium plan includes a 'Brand Kit' for easy access to company logos and custom branding elements.

The free plan even offers brand consistency by storing logo files and color palettes in Canva or syncing them from cloud storage services. This ensures uniform use of brand elements by teams regardless of their location, making it ideal for growing businesses and entrepreneurs.

Canva prices: You can use the service for free, with a Premium plan available at €14.99 per month for individual users or €29.99 per month for teams of up to five users.

Pixlr E and X Photo Editing Software for Windows and Web

The Advantages of Pixlr:

• The text-to-image generative AI interface is suitable for those just starting out.
• It offers an experience close to using Photoshop.

The Disadvantages of Pixlr:

• The features are divided between two different applications, Pixlr X and Pixlr E, which can be confusing.

Offering a user experience very similar to Photoshop, Pixlr provides a tidy web application with all the expected features. However, it is presented on two separate platforms: Pixlr X and Pixlr E, which may cause some initial confusion. Bringing them together into a single app could simplify the experience, but it seems like Pixlr E is designed for more intricate photo editing, while Pixlr X aims to be more user-friendly for everyone.

Pixlr E mirrors Photoshop's design, complete with familiar tool layouts and menu options. Photoshop veterans will recognize the Layers panel, which in Pixlr, manages layers extremely efficiently, including blending modes and opacity adjustments that Photoshop users are familiar with—Soft Light included.

On the other hand, Pixlr X adds a special touch with its latest generative AI feature that allows users to create art using text suggestions. This addition is particularly user-friendly, offering a simple interface that helps beginners refine generated images. The free plan offers five AI-generated images daily.

Pixlr X simplifies other editing tasks, like removing objects or creating simple animations. For example, a small correction to a photograph can be made in seconds using tools such as the healing brush and cloning stamp, without the need for specialized knowledge.

Switching between Pixlr However, remember that this is stored in your browser's temporary cache memory, so be sure to download everything you want to keep on your hard drive in the PXZ file format, as clearing your browser's cache will remove your saved projects.

Both Pixlr E and X are available for free, with a combined premium plan priced at €7.99 per month for individuals and €12.99 per month for teams of five or more.

Photopea Online Image Editor

Advantages of Photopea include:

• No costs involved
• Photoshop-like interface and tools

The positive side of Photopea is that it is completely free to use and offers a user experience along with tools that those accustomed to Photoshop will find familiar.

However, Photopea lacks certain automatic features found in other applications, such as the ability to automatically remove objects.

Have you ever been confused by unexpected ads popping up, only to realize you're not using Photoshop but a web browser? That's the kind of surprise Photopea users might encounter.

Still, Photopea boasts a remarkably accurate Photoshop-inspired design, offering robust features essential for editing: it supports PSD file manipulation, RAW file editing, and you can export your work in PSD format. A highlighted feature is the ability to handle ABR files, allowing the use of custom brushes, setting it apart from other applications on the market.

One particularly cool feature is the ability to right-click for more options, a rare ability for a web app that feels like a touch of magic. Additionally, the Layer Style window closely resembles that of Photoshop, reinforcing the familiar feel of the interface.

The level of detail in Photopea's design is remarkable, providing an experience that doesn't betray its nature as a web application. While it may not offer one-click filters or AI enhancements, Photopea stands out as a competent online counterpart to Photoshop. While there is an option to upgrade for additional storage space and eliminate ads, comprehensive editing features are included in the free version.

Regarding prices, Photopea offers a free plan, while the premium plan is available for €8/month, if you choose to upgrade.

Sumopaint – Online Graphic Design Software for Mac and Windows

Advantages of Sumopaint:

• No costs for basic use; full access to Sumo applications for a modest amount of €4 per month
• Integrates AI technology to convert text messages into images

Limitations of Sumopaint:

• Devoid of advanced masking functions in photo editing

If you're looking for a wallet-friendly option in premium design software, you might consider the Sumo collection of apps. One highlight is Sumopaint, a free image editing tool that rivals Photoshop in functionality, providing a user-friendly platform equipped with a plethora of photo manipulation tools.

Sumopaint also presents itself as a viable alternative for vector-based illustration, similar to Illustrator. The software is versatile, supports both mouse and screen touches, and works fluidly on tablets, as proven by my experience using it on an iPad with an Apple Pencil. While Sumopaint may not be ideal for intricate digital art projects, it is perfectly suited for quickly creating digital drawings or adding enhancements to images, like creating thumbnails for YouTube.

Sumopaint is now enhanced with AI-powered features across the entire Sumo line of apps. In Sumopaint, these include tools to enrich image clarity and an effective AI-powered generator that transforms text into images. The free tier provides three uses of this functionality, with additional access available through the premium plan. While not as intuitive as some alternatives, the tool's output is impressive. Users need to experiment with the 'message strength' slider as the guidelines are sparse, however, the functionality is quite powerful.

Sumopaint offers a comprehensive set of photo editing tools, like adjustment sliders for exposure, colors, and more. It also allows users to overlay graphic elements and merge them with AI-generated images.

The platform is accessible at no cost, but the €4 monthly premium subscription to the Sumo suite of applications is a great find, encompassing a more comprehensive set of creative tools for editing videos, music, podcasts and even three-dimensional models.

Online Photo Editing with LunaPic

Advantages of Using LunaPic:

• Beginners can easily handle sophisticated edits like removing objects and applying background blur
• Completely free and accessible online

Disadvantages of Using LunaPic:

• Lack of self-saving if your browser quits unexpectedly

LunaPic may have an old-fashioned interface, but it's packed with useful features like one-click background blur, animated effects, improved image resolution, and simple object removal.

It is essential to pay attention to the instructions above your image when editing. They are easy to ignore but contain critical features like the cropping tool and background removal. Here you will also find the undo command when necessary.

A notable feature is LunaPic's Animation options, which allow you to quickly create a GIF or short video for social media content. With a simple click, you can produce animations effortlessly.

Such video effects can enhance your social media marketing, especially since algorithms currently prefer videos over static images. Features like 'Snowfall' and 'In Focus' are particularly notable. LunaPic's 'Focus Adjustment' helps you fix slightly out-of-focus photos, while 'Auto Blur Background' adds a shallow depth of field effect without looking artificial. It is advisable to use background blur sparingly for a more natural look.

You'll be surprised at how effectively LunaPic handles tasks like subject masking and object removal. Navigate to 'Edit > Smart Object Removal', highlight the area around the unwanted element and click 'Remove' for quick and impressive results.

While LunaPic's user interface may initially seem outdated, the more time you spend with the tool, the more apparent its combination of advanced features and ease of use becomes.

LunaPic cost: It is available free of charge.

PhotoRoom app for iOS, Android and web

Advantages of Using PhotoRoom:

• Batch processing functionality significantly reduces the time required to create multiple product images
• Superior background removal and replacement provides a professional finish for product presentations

PhotoRoom limitations:

• Limited background replacement options in unpaid version

PhotoRoom's suite of tools, designed primarily for online sellers, allows users to adjust exposure, color and other aspects of the image. However, its most prominent functions are targeted at eCommerce sellers, providing automatic background deletion, convenient background switching, a variety of mockup options, and dimension-specific templates for various online marketplaces such as Etsy and eBay.

Despite its capabilities, certain basic functions like resizing an image are included in the premium category. However, users can overcome this issue by exporting the edited photo and resizing it elsewhere at no additional cost, using other software or the photo management tool on their mobile device.

PhotoRoom also features a wide selection of custom templates for social media promotion, useful for highlighting special offers, showcasing new collections, or announcing upcoming product launches. The instant background switching is particularly impressive. With a simple upload of a product image, PhotoRoom quickly processes the image, eliminating the original background and making it easy to replace with a new one from its extensive library, while maintaining a credible, high-quality look suitable for both websites and social media.

However, the Batch Mode feature truly makes PhotoRoom indispensable for sellers by allowing you to process multiple product photos simultaneously. This mode automatically isolates each product, changes the background, and prepares images for immediate use, resulting in huge time efficiencies.

According to Zapier, for those looking to streamline their workflow, PhotoRoom's integration with Zapier automates the background removal process for any image placed in a designated folder or database record, further improving productivity. .

Edit and Replace Images in Google Drive Using PhotoRoom

Optimize Image Editing Flows

Maintaining an organized process when editing images can be challenging. However, with this automation, you can easily remove the background from each new image uploaded to a designated folder in Google Drive using PhotoRoom. The edited image is then saved back to Google Drive as a separate file, making it easy to batch delete backgrounds with a cloud-based solution.

Use PhotoRoom to Remove Backgrounds from New Records in Airtable

Combine Airtable with PhotoRoom

• Keep your image editing tasks structured with this smart integration. Whenever you add a new record to Airtable, PhotoRoom automatically deletes the background and updates the record with the edited image. This process is designed to simplify the removal of image backgrounds in bulk, all through the cloud.
• The system supports a variety of cloud storage services that can be connected with Zapier, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive and Box.

Regarding PhotoRoom's pricing structure, the service is free for the first 250 exports, after which it offers a subscription at $14.99 per month that includes unlimited exports and access to more features.

Krita Software for Windows, Mac and Linux

Advantages of Krita:

• Comprehensive collection of brushes tailored for artists
• Completely free and community driven

Disadvantages of Krita:

• Less intuitive for photo manipulation compared to dedicated photo apps

Krita offers an interface reminiscent of Photoshop, but stands out with a more intuitive brush selection and customization interface. When transitioning from Photoshop to Krita, the easy access to brushes just below the layers panel is especially convenient. Krita's variety of brush styles, like pencils and watercolors, is impressive and generally requires no modifications.

Despite the option to customize individual brushes and the ability to add new ones or import them, Krita's default brush configuration generally meets the artist's needs. However, customization is always available for those who require it.

For artists using a drawing *desktop* *tablet*, Krita stands out as a drawing application and performs photo editing tasks reasonably well. While tasks like adjusting exposure and colors may not be as intuitive as in applications like Lightroom, Krita's noise reduction tool effectively minimizes high ISO or background noise — it's advisable to keep it below 25% for optimal natural appearance.

Krita stands out for its advanced features, such as task automation with Python, animation tools and compatibility with PSD files, making it versatile for home and professional use.

In short, Krita stands out for digital artists with its extensive feature set, being able to handle a variety of graphic and photo editing tasks. Its most appealing aspect is that it is a robust tool at no cost, maintaining its position as a free and open source application.

Krita Cost: Free

Inkscape for Windows, Mac, and Linux

Inkscape's strengths include:

• Comprehensive tools for paths, strokes, design elements, and text formatting
• Ability to create automated patterns
• Completely free and open source software

However, it's worth noting that Inkscape can be somewhat challenging for beginners or individuals without a design background to master.

Unlike Photoshop, Inkscape emphasizes vector graphics more than photo manipulation and is rich in functions for creating geometric patterns, shaping designs and managing object alignment.

Although I'm not an experienced designer, I noticed that the pen tool in Inkscape is very easy to use, even more so than the one in Photoshop. When trying to extract an image of my dog from its background, the lines adapted perfectly to its contours. After completing the contour path, Inkscape did an excellent job of isolating it due to its ability to detect finer details like stray hairs and ear shapes. The program's sophistication in creating routes gave me a feeling of professional ability.

After selection, Inkscape offers granular editing options like exposure and color adjustments that can be applied specifically to the selected area or to everything except that area—key features for any robust photo editing software.

Graphic designers will appreciate Inkscape's many capabilities, covering sophisticated features for creating vector illustrations, practicing calligraphy, and performing intricate typographic work—all at no cost.

Top Free Alternatives to Photoshop

Choosing the ideal no-cost alternative to Photoshop depends on your specific needs. Are you looking for artificial intelligence capabilities to generate realistic graphics and scenarios? Maybe you're looking for advanced tools to improve noise reduction and color adjustments in your photos? Or maybe you need customizable templates for use on social media and websites?

The beauty of these free options is that you can try them out to discover the perfect solution for your projects.

Several other free alternatives to Photoshop are available but are not mentioned here. After some exploration, I identified an ideal selection for certain users:

• Hotpot stands out for creating AI-based images at no cost.
• Capture One Express is specifically aimed at Fujifilm photographers looking for a great editor for their Fuji RAW files.
• Lensa offers AI-powered portrait art tailored to enhance your social media presence.

Alternatively, for anyone willing to invest in their photo editing toolset, there are premium AI photo editors worth considering.