Photoshop Alternatives: I like Photoshop. It has a lot of features and tools to edit photos, videos, and games alike. But, truth is, it’s expensive. There are free photo editing programs like Photoshop that work really well.
I want to tell you about some of the best ones for both Mac & Windows. A few of them work with Linux computers as well. These are the best free Photoshop Alternatives
GIMP
GIMP is a popular free and open source photo editing program like Photoshop. What I like about it is that it has lots of filters, masks, layers, and other features. Many of which, you wouldn’t expect in a free program.
Because GIMP is open-source, updates and patches are quick. There are so many scripts and plugins to choose from. Some of which bring Photoshop like features to GIMP. For example, Liquify.
GIMP runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. And, whether you are a beginner, semi-pro, or professional, GIMP just works. It’s the best Photoshop alternative that’s free to use.
To wrap up, here’s what I like about GIMP:
- Expandable via plugins
- Supports layers and masks
- High level of customization
Paint.NET
Another open source Photoshop alternative is Paint.NET. It’s a free option but only for Windows users. There are tons of automatic filters to choose from. However, I like that you can go into manual mode to fine tune your images.
And, if you need more options, you can use plugins to get different masks or layers. It’s really fast but it lacks the level customization that GIMP offers.
All in all, Paint.NET is a good Photoshop alternative if you like working with several images. I say this because of the quick-access tabs with thumbnails. You can always see each image in the tab.
Photo Pos Pro
I like a clean user interface. One that’s easy to navigate and understand. If you like that too, then Photo Pos Pro is really what you would get. This is one of the free Photoshop alternatives that
There’s a handy manual that takes you through the features and there are lots of help and tutorials online. And, whether you want to auto or manually edit your photos, the choice is yours. You can even mix it up.
You can create templates and save them to use again. And, like Photoshop, Photo Pos Pro has masks, layers, layer masks and more. There are so many tools to help you edit your photos but the learning curve is there to conquer.
I don’t, however, like that you can only save 1,024 x 2,014 photos (that’s the limit). There’s a pro version but we love free stuff. Right?
Seashore
Here’s a nice Photoshop alternative for Mac. Seashore, though not as feature packed as GIMP or Photoshop, offers editing tools like gradients, multiple layers and brush strokes.
The interface is easy to use and I recommend it for beginners with no experience in photo-editing. However, for advanced photo-editors, Seashore comes up short.
Pixlr Editor
Pixlr Editor is a browser-based tool that uses Photoshop-like tools. And, while the best stuff is on the browser version, there’s also an app for iOS and Android.
To name a few features, sharpen, unsharp mask, blur, noise, levels and curves, you get all the photo-editing tools you need right in your browser.
For now, you can’t bulk edit photos. But, you can edit individual photos in different tabs. And, it requires flash to work (web-based version).
Krita
As promised, here’s a free Photoshop alternative for Linux users. Krita is a lightweight program and, by lightweight I mean, it lacks many of the tools and features of Photoshop or GIMP.
Krita is a professional FREE and open source painting program. It is made by artists that want to see affordable art tools for everyone.
Krita Website
It’s great for:
- concept art
- texture and matte painters
- illustrations and comics
Adobe Photoshop Express
OK, if you really love Photoshop as much as I do, then you can use Adobe Photoshop Express. It’s the lightweight version of Photoshop available for free on Android and iOS. There’s also the browser-based version and Windows app.
It has nice looking filters and one-click adjustments. But, that’s as far as it goes. There are no layers or support for plugins. And, you can’t crop, resize, or use brush tools on your images. At least it’s free, right?
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