Free Alternative to Photoshop
7 editors that cost $0
Photoshop is $22.99 a month — forever. These seven free photo editors cover what most people actually use Photoshop for: layers, masks, retouching, RAW files and even opening your old PSDs. No subscription, no watermark.
Quick comparison: free Photoshop alternatives
| Tool | Best for | Runs on | Opens PSD? | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photopea | The closest Photoshop feel, in a browser | Any OS (browser) | Yes — native | Free (ad-supported) |
| GIMP | Full desktop editing power | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes — import | Free (open source) |
| Krita | Digital painting & illustration | Windows, Mac, Linux | Partial | Free (open source) |
| Paint.NET | Quick, simple edits on Windows | Windows | Via plugin | Free |
| Pixlr | Fast online edits, no account | Any OS (browser) | Limited | Free (ads; some premium) |
| Darktable | RAW photos & photography (Lightroom-style) | Windows, Mac, Linux | No (RAW/photo) | Free (open source) |
| Photoscape X | Beginners & batch editing | Windows, Mac | No | Free |
How we picked these
This is an independent editorial ranking. We looked at how closely each tool matches real Photoshop workflows — layers, masks, selections, retouching and text — plus how easy it is to start, whether it opens your existing .PSD files, and whether "free" comes with catches like watermarks, forced accounts or crippled exports. Every recommendation links directly to the official project, and we call out honestly what each tool can't do, because the goal is to help you cancel a subscription without losing work you care about.
The short version: if you want Photoshop's interface with zero setup, use Photopea. If you want the most capable free desktop editor and don't mind a learning curve, use GIMP. If you paint or illustrate, use Krita. If you shoot RAW photos, use Darktable. The rest fill specific gaps.
Photopea — Photoshop in your browser
Photopea is the free alternative that feels most like Photoshop. It opens in any browser with nothing to install, and the layout — layers panel on the right, tools on the left, the same keyboard shortcuts — is close enough that most Photoshop habits transfer immediately. Crucially, it opens and saves native .PSD files, so you can keep working on old Photoshop projects without converting them.
It handles layers, masks, adjustment layers, smart objects, blend modes, text and vector shapes, and it exports to PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF and PSD. Because everything runs locally in your browser, your images are not uploaded to a server, which is good for privacy. The trade-off is that Photopea is ad-supported; a low-cost optional plan removes the ads, but you never need to pay to use the full editor.
What you gain
- Near-identical Photoshop interface and shortcuts.
- Opens and saves real PSD files.
- Zero install — works on any computer or Chromebook.
What you give up
- Ads unless you take the cheap paid plan.
- No generative AI fill like the latest Photoshop.
- Needs a browser; not ideal for huge multi-gigabyte files.
GIMP — the most powerful free option
GIMP (the GNU Image Manipulation Program) is the heavyweight of free image editors and the closest thing to a true Photoshop replacement on the desktop. It has layers, masks, channels, paths, a deep selection toolset, professional retouching tools like clone and heal, hundreds of filters, and full scripting for batch work. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux and it is completely free and open source, with no account and no telemetry.
The honest catch is the learning curve. GIMP's menus and terminology differ from Photoshop, so the first hour can feel unfamiliar, and some tasks take an extra step. It imports PSD files but very complex Photoshop projects may not translate perfectly. Once you learn where things live, though, GIMP handles the vast majority of real editing jobs — and there are decades of free tutorials to lean on.
What you gain
- Professional-grade layers, masks and retouching.
- Extensible with free plugins and scripts.
- Truly free forever, offline, no account.
What you give up
- A steeper learning curve than Photoshop.
- Imperfect import of very complex PSDs.
- Weaker CMYK/print workflow out of the box.
Krita — for artists and digital painters
If your reason for wanting Photoshop is drawing, painting or comics rather than photo editing, Krita is the better free tool. It was built by and for digital artists, with an enormous brush engine, brush stabilizers, wrap-around mode for textures, animation support and excellent drawing-tablet handling. It is free, open source, and available on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Krita still does layers, masks and basic photo edits, so it can double as a general editor, but its photo-retouching and RAW tools are lighter than GIMP or Darktable. Think of it as the free answer to Photoshop's painting side and Corel Painter, rather than a full photo-manipulation suite.
What you gain
- One of the best free painting engines anywhere.
- Superb drawing-tablet and animation support.
- Open source, free, cross-platform.
What you give up
- Lighter photo-retouching tools than GIMP.
- Not aimed at RAW photography.
- Partial PSD compatibility.
Paint.NET — fast, friendly, Windows-only
Paint.NET sits between Microsoft Paint and Photoshop. It keeps the essentials people actually reach for — layers, adjustments, a good set of effects, and simple selection and retouching tools — inside a clean, fast interface that beginners understand in minutes. It is free and Windows-only, and a community of free plugins extends it further, including PSD support.
It will not replace Photoshop for heavy professional work, and there is no Mac or Linux version, but for cropping, resizing, quick fixes, memes, and light layered edits it is one of the least intimidating free tools available.
What you gain
- Very easy to learn, very fast to open.
- Layers and effects without the complexity.
- Free plugins add PSD and more.
What you give up
- Windows only.
- Not built for pro-level compositing.
- PSD support needs a plugin.
Pixlr — quick edits with nothing to download
Pixlr is a browser-based editor that comes in two flavours: Pixlr X for fast, beginner-friendly edits, and Pixlr E for a more Photoshop-like experience with layers and masks. It is handy when you are on a borrowed or locked-down computer and just need to crop, resize, touch up or add text without installing anything.
The free tier is ad-supported and gates some AI effects and premium content behind a paid plan, but ordinary edits and exports are not watermarked. For occasional quick jobs it is convenient; for serious ongoing work, Photopea gives you more for free.
What you gain
- Runs anywhere in a browser, no account needed.
- Two modes: simple or layers-based.
- Fast for quick, one-off edits.
What you give up
- Ads on the free tier.
- Some effects locked behind premium.
- Less capable than Photopea for deep edits.
Darktable — the free Lightroom, more than a Photoshop
If you shoot in RAW and mostly want to develop photos — exposure, white balance, colour, lens corrections, noise reduction — you actually want a Lightroom alternative, and Darktable is the best free one. It is a non-destructive RAW developer and photo manager: your original files are never overwritten, and every edit is stored as instructions you can undo at any time.
Darktable is open source and available on Windows, Mac and Linux. It is not a pixel-level compositing tool like Photoshop, so pair it with GIMP if you also need retouching or layered montages. For photographers, though, Darktable plus GIMP is a complete free replacement for a Lightroom-plus-Photoshop subscription.
What you gain
- Professional non-destructive RAW editing.
- Photo library and batch processing.
- Free, open source, cross-platform.
What you give up
- Not for layered compositing or montage.
- Steeper than a phone photo app.
- Best paired with GIMP for retouching.
Photoscape X — simple edits and bulk work
Photoscape X is a friendly free editor for Windows and Mac aimed at people who find Photoshop overwhelming. It bundles quick photo fixes, filters, collage and page layouts, batch editing across whole folders, a GIF maker and simple text and sticker tools into an approachable interface.
It lacks deep layer-based compositing and does not open PSD files, so it is not a pro replacement, but for everyday photo touch-ups, social posts and editing many images at once it does the job with almost no learning curve. A paid Pro version adds extras, but the free version is genuinely useful and watermark-free.
What you gain
- Extremely beginner-friendly.
- Batch-edit whole folders at once.
- Free and watermark-free.
What you give up
- No real layer compositing.
- Does not open PSD files.
- Some extras reserved for the Pro version.
What you actually give up leaving Photoshop
Free tools have closed most of the gap, but it is worth being honest about the last mile. Photoshop's biggest current advantages are its generative AI features (Generative Fill and Expand), its mature CMYK and professional print pipeline, and the enormous ecosystem of commercial plugins and tutorials built around it over three decades. If your livelihood depends on any of those specific things, keep Photoshop for that task and use a free tool for everything else.
For the other 90% of editing — cropping, resizing, retouching, removing objects, adjusting colour, working with layers and text, opening a PSD a client sent — the free tools on this page are more than capable. The smartest move is rarely "replace everything at once." Install Photopea or GIMP, edit real files for a week, and only cancel your subscription once you have confirmed nothing you rely on is missing.
Official downloads at a glance
Photopea
Browser-based editor that opens and saves PSD files with a Photoshop-like interface.
GIMP
The most powerful free desktop image editor, with layers, masks, plugins and scripting.
Krita
Digital painting and illustration app with a world-class brush engine.
Paint.NET
Fast, simple Windows editor with layers and free community plugins.
Pixlr
Online editor with simple and advanced modes, nothing to install.
Darktable
Open-source RAW developer and photo manager — a free Lightroom alternative.
Photoscape X
Beginner-friendly editor with batch processing, collage and quick fixes.
Free Photoshop alternative FAQ
Is there a free version of Photoshop?
Adobe does not offer a permanently free desktop Photoshop. There is a free 7-day trial and a limited free tier of Photoshop on the web, but full desktop Photoshop requires a paid Creative Cloud subscription. The tools on this page are genuinely free alternatives, not trials.
Can free editors open Photoshop PSD files?
Yes. Photopea opens and saves PSD files natively, keeping most layers, masks and text. GIMP can import PSDs and either flatten or keep layers. Support is very good for common files, though complex smart objects, adjustment layers and some effects may not round-trip perfectly.
Is GIMP as good as Photoshop?
For layers, masks, selections, retouching, filters and scripting, GIMP covers the core of what most people use Photoshop for. Photoshop still leads on generative AI features, some professional print and CMYK workflows, and its huge plugin ecosystem. For most personal and small-business editing, GIMP is more than enough.
What is the best free Photoshop alternative for beginners?
Photopea if you want something that looks and behaves like Photoshop with nothing to install, or Paint.NET and Photoscape X on Windows if you want a simpler, friendlier interface for quick edits.
Are these really free with no watermark?
GIMP, Krita, Paint.NET, Darktable and Photoscape X are fully free with no watermark. Photopea is free and watermark-free but shows ads (an optional paid plan removes them). Pixlr is free with ads and keeps some effects behind a paid tier, but standard exports are not watermarked.
Is Photopea safe to use?
Photopea runs entirely in your browser and processes images locally on your device rather than uploading them to a server, which is good for privacy. As with any web app, use the official photopea.com address and keep your browser updated.
Can I edit RAW camera photos for free?
Yes. Darktable is a free, open-source RAW developer and photo manager, closer to Adobe Lightroom than Photoshop. GIMP can also open RAW files with a helper plugin. For serious photography, Darktable is the strongest free choice.
Do I need to install anything?
No, if you use Photopea or Pixlr — both run in any modern browser with nothing to install. GIMP, Krita, Paint.NET, Darktable and Photoscape X are desktop apps you download and install.
Try one before you cancel
Pick the tool that matches your work — Photopea for a Photoshop feel, GIMP for full power, Krita for painting, Darktable for photos — edit real files for a week, then cancel the subscription with confidence.
Back to quick list