Free alternatives
7 free Adobe Photoshop alternatives
You no longer need a Photoshop subscription for serious image editing. These free editors cover photo retouching, layered compositing, raw development and digital painting, and one even opens and saves PSD files in your browser.
Short answer
The best free Adobe Photoshop alternatives are Photopea, Affinity, GIMP and 4 more. Adobe Photoshop has no full free plan, and each pick here is free or has a usable free plan.
Updated
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Is Adobe Photoshop free?
Adobe Photoshop pricing
Adobe Photoshop is the best-known professional photo and image editor, sold by subscription as part of Adobe Creative Cloud.
Photoshop is subscription only: the Photoshop plan or the Photography plan (Photoshop and Lightroom), paid monthly or yearly. Prices vary by country.
Free plan
No. The desktop app comes with a 7-day free trial that turns into a paid plan unless you cancel. Adobe Express has a separate free plan for quick edits.
Checked on Adobe Photoshop's official pricing page on . Prices change, so check before you buy.
The 7 best free Adobe Photoshop alternatives
Every pick is free or has a usable free plan, and is listed in our directory. Free-plan limits change, so check each tool's site before you switch.
Why switch: Photoshop-style editing in the browser that opens and saves PSD files, free.
A free, Photoshop-style image editor that runs in your browser and opens PSD files.
Works on Web
Why switch: Professional photo editing, vector design and layout in one app, free for individuals.
Pro photo editing, vector design and page layout in one app, free for individuals.
Works on Windows, macOS
Why switch: The classic free, open-source editor with layers, masks, filters and plug-ins.
The free, open-source image editor for photo retouching and design.
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux
Why switch: Free, open-source raw development and photo library, for Photoshop and Lightroom users.
A free, open-source raw photo workflow and developer.
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux
Why switch: A free, open-source painting program for illustration, concept art and animation.
A free, open-source painting program made by artists for artists.
Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Why switch: A simple, fast free editor for Windows with layers and effects.
A free, fast and simple image editor for Windows.
Works on Windows
Why switch: Adobe's own free plan for quick photo edits, background removal and social graphics.
Adobe's free, template-based design app for social posts, flyers and short videos.
Works on Web, iOS, Android
Frequently asked questions
- Is Adobe Photoshop free?
- No. The desktop app comes with a 7-day free trial that turns into a paid plan unless you cancel. Adobe Express has a separate free plan for quick edits.
- How much does Adobe Photoshop cost?
- Photoshop is subscription only: the Photoshop plan or the Photography plan (Photoshop and Lightroom), paid monthly or yearly. Prices vary by country. Checked on Adobe Photoshop's own pricing page in October 2026; prices can change.
- What is the best free alternative to Adobe Photoshop?
- Photopea is our top pick, followed by Affinity and GIMP. Each one is free or has a usable free plan.
- Are these Adobe Photoshop alternatives really free?
- Yes. Every tool on this page is either completely free or has a free plan you can keep using. Paid upgrades exist on some of them, and free-plan limits change, so check each tool's site.
Keep exploring
Free alternatives to other paid tools
- monday.com
- Jira
- Things 3
- Fantastical
- Miro
- Canva
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Submagic
- Lovable
- CleanShot X
- Squarespace
- Airtable
- Mobbin
- Tailwind Plus
- Adobe Fonts
- Grammarly
- Slack
- Zapier
- Typeform
- Mailchimp
- Figma
- Zoom
- Dropbox
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Excel
- Adobe Lightroom
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe After Effects
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Audition
- Adobe XD
- Adobe Premiere Rush
- Adobe Express
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe Animate
- Adobe Substance 3D
- Adobe Bridge
- Adobe Fresco
- Adobe Lightroom Mobile
- Adobe Photoshop Express
- Adobe Photoshop Elements
- Adobe Premiere Elements
- Adobe Illustrator Draw
- Adobe Acrobat Sign
- Adobe Firefly
- Adobe Stock
- Behance
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