10 Great Photoshop Alternatives In 2023 (5 Of Them Free)

 10 Great Photoshop Alternatives In 2023 (5 Of Them Free)

Photoshop is the undisputed class leader when it comes to image and photo editing. However, the wide range of functions of the software also has its price. Since not everyone can afford the high monthly costs of the Adobe Creative Cloud in the long term, we have collected 10 Photoshop alternatives for you in this article that cost less or even nothing at all.

Photoshop is the undisputed class leader when it comes to image and photo editing.

However, the wide range of functions of the software also has its price.

Since not everyone can afford the high monthly costs of the Adobe Creative Cloud in the long term, we have collected 10 Photoshop alternatives for you in this article that cost less or even nothing at all.

1. Luminar Neo

Luminar Neo is one of the best Photoshop alternatives out there right now. It offers 30+ awesome photo effects and editing features, many of which are AI-based.

You can e.g. B. Completely replace the sky in a photo, or add fog.

Other AI features include:

• exposure adjustment
• Adjust depth of field
• Improve blemishes
• background removal
• noise removal

It is much easier to use than Photoshop and also suitable for beginners. The interface is more intuitive and not as cluttered as Photoshop.

Advantages

• Cheap price
• Significantly easier to use than Photoshop
• Wide range of functions with 30+ photo effects and editing functions
• Editing of RAW files possible
• Lots of built-in presets
• AI functions, e.g. B. for skin improvement or background removal
• Can be used as a Photoshop or Lightroom plugin
• Pro version can be installed on 2 computers
• Extensions available (from Pro version)

Disadvantages

• Not as feature rich as Photoshop

2. Canvas

Canva is the best alternative to Adobe Photoshop if you want to create graphics or designs (it is rather unsuitable for professional photo editing).

Unlike the Adobe Dinosaur, Canva is easy to use and you don’t need to take a three-week course to get reasonably useful results.

The program has hundreds of thousands of ready-made templates ready for you: From Instagram posts to YouTube banners or screen presentations, you will find the right template for every area.

Numerous other features such as an integrated image database , an AI image generator , symbols or shapes complete Canva’s offer.

A particular highlight is the team function. If you work with external freelancers, you can integrate them into your workspace. You will then have the opportunity to place orders directly via Canva and examine the finished designs there.

Canva is free to use. However, I can recommend the Pro version. For around €9 a month you get access to a huge database of stock photos and a lot more:

What does the Pro version offer?

• Access to over 100 million (!) premium stock photos
• Brand documents: Define fonts, colors and designs that belong to your brand and integrate them into nine designs with the push of a button
• Background Remover: Retouch away annoying backgrounds from images with a simple mouse click. This feature is really awesome when you need transparent images of objects (product images) or people.
• Resizing: Change the dimensions of a design at any time, even while editing.
• Content planner to structure workflows.
• 1 TB online storage
• More AI tools (e.g. Magic Eraser, Magic Write and Beat Sync)

Advantages

• Free to use
• Very beginner friendly
• Browser application, desktop and smartphone app
• Great templates for every area
• Competent support
• Team function for perfect collaboration
• Access to numerous stock photos
• Pre-made shapes and objects
• Cheap Pro version

Disadvantages

• Rather unsuitable for professional photo editing

2.GIMP

Gimp was originally developed for Linux, but today it is one of the most popular graphics programs for Windows and Mac.

The great thing about Gimp is that it now includes many of Photoshop’s features, but is distributed as free open source software.

In the meantime, a huge community has formed around the program, which is happy to answer any questions you may have. You can also find high-quality explanatory videos on YouTube for almost every topic and all functions.

The only drawback: the usability.

The user interface is very reminiscent of the old days of Linux and the usability of the program is not comparable to modern applications.

Nevertheless, Gimp is a really excellent and very extensive graphics program that leaves almost nothing to be desired.

Advantages

• For free
• Regular updates
• Numerous free tutorials (YouTube)
• A lot of tools

Disadvantages

• Surface takes some getting used to

3. Affinity Photo

At a low price of just 54.99 euros, Affinity Photo gives you a very functional image editing program that comes close to Adobe Photoshop in many areas.

We deliberately use the phrase “close enough” here, because Affinity Photo is not a full-fledged Photoshop replacement.

However, only real professionals will notice the differences between the two programs, normal users will probably not exhaust the range of functions of Affinity Photo by a long shot. You will definitely find all the tools you need for comprehensive photo editing.

Especially people who are switching to this program will have their fun with this program, because the programmers have oriented themselves very much on Photoshop. Even the keyboard shortcuts are nearly identical.

Advantages

• Free Trial
• Favorable one-off price
• Clean interface
• Large range of functions
• Strongly based on Photoshop
• Numerous tutorials on YouTube

Disadvantages

• We couldn’t find any

4. Pixelmator Pro

Pixelmator Pro is one of the top-rated programs in the Mac App Store: With over 7,000 ratings, it achieves an impressive 4.8 out of 5 stars.

This is no coincidence, because Pixelmator Pro convinces with an almost unbeatable price-performance ratio. For 39.99 euros you get a very comprehensive image editing program for the Mac that hardly misses a function.

The surface looks tidy and clear, the included tools are gigantic. Even the artificial intelligence of the Apple Framework has been integrated, so that many automations can be created and work can be carried out quickly.

Of course, Pixelmator is compatible with most image formats such as RAW or HEIF.

What is the direct comparison to Photoshop?

Pixelmator cannot keep up here across the board. However, this program is more than sufficient for private users who have not used all the functions in Photoshop.

Advantages

• Excellent value for money
• Ease of use
• Large range of functions
• Very fast workflows
• Translation
• Regular updates

Disadvantages

• Doesn’t quite match Photoshop
• No MacBook touch bar support
• Crashes every now and then

5. Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer is the right choice if you want to create vectors and graphics for your website or add graphic elements to photos.

Even if the program can only be compared to Photoshop to a limited extent due to the way it works, you should take a closer look at Affinity Designer, especially if you are looking for an online graphics program.

Among other things, the program is ideal for removing the background from images, combining the content of several photos or simply creating things like logos or icons for your website.

The price is really sensational in view of the range of functions offered.

Advantages

• Very clear user interface
• Favorable price (one-time payment)
• Free Trial
• Large range of functions
• Suitable for beginners
• Numerous tutorials and instructions on the web

Disadvantages

• Cannot compete with Photoshop for photo editing

7. ACDSee Photo Studio

ACDSee Photo Studio has all the features you would expect from a comprehensive photo editing program. This includes removing red eyes, adjusting the photo size or optimizing color effects.

However, the real strength lies in the organization of large image databases.

With the help of ACDSee you can sort and group thousands of images as well as provide them with individual META data.

The program is therefore the right alternative if your focus is on organization and you only want to optimize your images slightly. The editing tools in particular do not reach the scope of Photoshop.

Advantages

• Perfect at organizing photos
• Add custom meta data to images
• Simple optimization tools
• Cheap price
• Expandable with additional programs

Disadvantages

• Mac version significantly more expensive
• Tools significantly reduced compared to Photoshop

8. Polarr

Polarr is a simple and rudimentary image editing program that you can access for free via the browser.

You can add color effects or text fields, crop images or add elements to landscape images directly in the browser application.

Polarr certainly doesn’t come close to Photoshop in terms of functionality, but it’s a really great alternative if you only want to make small changes to your images and don’t want to get used to complex programs.

The program has also been available as a Mac app for several years, which can be downloaded from the App Store. Here, Polarr achieved a very respectable rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

By the way: Polarr can handle most file formats such as PNG, BMP, JPG or RAW.

Advantages

• For free
• Browser based
• Easy handling
• App available

Disadvantages

• Very little functionality

9. Darktable

Similar to Gimp, darktable is also a free, open-source program.

Especially if you work more often with files in RAW format, darktable is a very useful program that can compete with Photoshop in some areas. The tools are not nearly as extensive, but the program has its strengths in the organization of large amounts of data.

You can use the so-called “dark room” to quickly and easily carry out various tasks such as white balance, contrast enhancement or vignetting.

Advantages

• For free
• Open source and continuous development
• RAW conversion possible
• Perfect at organizing large databases

Disadvantages

• Tools somewhat limited

10. Photopea

Photopea is another browser-based application that definitely cannot be missed from our list. The program provides you with numerous tools that you also know from Photoshop and can even handle file formats such as PSD, RAW, PDF or CDR.

Not only can you work on several levels with Photopea, you also get numerous repair and correction tools at hand.

Even removing the background is easily possible.

So it’s definitely worth taking a look, especially since you can find many YouTube videos that explain the basic functions excellently if you have any questions or problems.

Advantages

• For free
• Browser based
• Very extensive functions
• Tidy menu
• Working on several levels possible
• Compatible with many file formats

Disadvantages

• Lots of ads in the free version

Which software is suitable for whom?

We have tried to cover many different claims in this list of the best Photoshop alternatives.

The fact is:

There is no one best photo editing program.

The software sometimes differs significantly in terms of its range of functions and orientation, so you should first analyze your needs in order to find the right program for you.

Roughly, the following categorization can be made:

• Online Business: Canva
• All-rounder: Gimp, Affinity Photo, Photopea, Luminar AI
• Organizational skills: Darktable, ACDSee
• Entry level applications: Pixelmator, Polarr
• Illustrator: Affinity Designer