Best Adobe Photoshop Alternatives
Looking for a better option than Adobe Photoshop? Here are the top-rated alternatives.
Why people leave Photoshop
Photoshop is still the most powerful image editor, but the monthly subscription adds up and many people only use a fraction of its features. The alternatives below cover everyday editing — layers, masks, retouching and RAW photos — for free or a one-time price.
Want something free that runs in your browser? Photopea even opens PSD files. Want a free desktop app? GIMP. Want a polished, pay-once app? Affinity Photo.
Top 4 alternatives to Adobe Photoshop
Affinity Photo
$69.99 one-time
Professional photo editor sold as a one-time purchase (~$69.99, or $164.99 for the full V2 suite).
Pros
- ✓ One-time purchase
- ✓ Fast on large files
- ✓ PSD compatibility
Cons
- ✕ No generative AI
- ✕ Smaller plugin market
Pixelmator Pro
$49.99 one-time
Mac-native image editor with ML-based enhancement. One-time $49.99.
Pros
- ✓ Native macOS performance
- ✓ One-time price
- ✓ ML Super Resolution
Cons
- ✕ macOS only
- ✕ Fewer pro-print features
Photopea
Free · paid from $5/mo
Free browser-based editor that opens PSD, XCF and Sketch files. Ad-free tier $5/mo.
Pros
- ✓ Runs in any browser
- ✓ Opens PSD natively
- ✓ No install
Cons
- ✕ Ads on free tier
- ✕ Limited for huge files
GIMP
Free (open source)
Free and open-source image editor available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Pros
- ✓ Completely free
- ✓ Scriptable
- ✓ Active community
Cons
- ✕ Dated interface
- ✕ No modern AI tooling
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the best alternative to Adobe Photoshop?
- Affinity Photo is the highest-scoring alternative to Adobe Photoshop on Twinover with a Twinover Score of 8.9/10. Professional photo editor sold as a one-time purchase (~$69.99, or $164.99 for the full V2 suite).
- Is there a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop?
- Yes. Photopea is free to start with paid upgrades. Free browser-based editor that opens PSD, XCF and Sketch files. Ad-free tier $5/mo.
- How does Twinover score Adobe Photoshop?
- Adobe Photoshop has a Twinover Score of 9.6/10. The score weighs pricing model, feature depth and known trade-offs: Unmatched retouching depth, Generative Fill AI, Every plugin targets it versus Subscription only, Steep learning curve.
- How many photo editing alternatives does Twinover compare?
- Twinover tracks 5 photo editing tools, including Adobe Photoshop, and publishes a head-to-head comparison for every pair.
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