Best Free Photoshop Alternatives – 7 Programs

Advanced users use Adobe Photoshop for image processing because this application is the most powerful editor for photos or other pictures. But, after the introduction of a subscription for using this application, many users began to look for free analogues of Photoshop.

Professional users and just amateurs are scared away by the high cost of a subscription to Adobe Photoshop. In this situation, an alternative to Photoshop is needed. For many users, free programs similar to Photoshop are suitable.

Photoshop provides a lot of options for editing and processing photos, in many ways it is the industry standard. You are unlikely to be able to completely replace this application. But, in typical situations, users almost do not use most of the functions of Adobe Photoshop.

There are a large number of graphic editors that allow you to solve most everyday tasks. Such programs have functionality that allows them to act as an alternative to Photoshop when performing certain operations.

We will introduce you to the best free Photoshop alternatives with which you can edit images on your computer in the Windows operating system. This article does not mention browser applications that are used online. A separate article on the site is devoted to these online tools.

GIMP

The most famous free alternative to Photoshop is GIMP. While Adobe Photoshop requires modern PCs with decent processing power to run, GIMP has significantly lower system requirements.

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is the closest free graphic editor in terms of capabilities to Photoshop. Although it cannot completely replace the Adobe product, the program has many image editing tools.

GIMP runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems. The capabilities of the program are greatly expanded with the help of a large number of plugins and scripts that complement the functionality of the application.

The GIMP editor allows you to open and edit the PSD files used by Photoshop. You can use filters, brushes and tools to modify and optimize images as you wish, and layering is supported.

In addition to photo editing, GIMP can be used to create a collage, a poster or draw a graphic, prepare layouts and prototypes for design.

Of the minuses of the program, you can cancel the somewhat confusing application interface. On the Internet you can find a huge amount of training material on the use of this editor, which can be used as a free alternative to Photoshop.

Krita

The free Krita program combines many of the features of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop into one interface. Thanks to various brush profiles and vectors, the program is ideal for design and artistic work.

Although the program is more suitable for creating designs, drawings, illustrations and visual effects, bitmap processing is supported in Krita. In the program you will find more than 400 filters, frames and effects. Customize the program settings according to your needs.

The program supports RAW files, there is a portable version of the application. Krita versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux are available for download on your computer.

Paint.NET

The free Paint.NET program has more in common with the desktop Windows application than just the name. This program was once created as a replacement for Paint.

Over time, the Paint.NET photo editor has acquired the necessary functionality that allows you to perform various processing of graphic files.

The application’s simple interface allows beginners to optimize images in an intuitive way. In addition to the usual functions, the program offers a solid set of effects, it supports working with layers.

While the basic functionality of the software is somewhat limited, you can easily expand the feature set with the right plugins. Paint.NET is a good alternative to Photoshop for Windows.

Photo Pos Pro

Photo Pos Pro is a professional photo editor that can be used for free. This is a possible alternative to Adobe Photoshop if the original program is not available to you for various reasons.

The interface elements of the program resemble Photoshop. Basic tools are available in the application: image processing, layer management, adding effects, working with text, shapes and shapes, and other useful features.

Photo Pos Pro runs on Windows in English. You will have to pay to use more advanced features of the application.

FireAlpaca

The free FireAlpaca graphics editor is a functional application that is not demanding on computer resources for Windows and macOS operating systems. The program can easily edit files of graphic formats.

FireAlpaca has all the necessary tools: filters and effects, lasso, pen, fill, magic wand, layers and other elements. In the program, you can work simultaneously with several projects open in tabs.

In addition to image processing in the program, you can create drawings or animated pictures using a huge number of brushes and templates.

Toolbars can be customized to suit your needs, the application supports work using hotkeys. FireAlpaca is a free editor similar to Photoshop, available for Windows and macOS.

Ashampoo Photo Commander 15

The free full version of Ashampoo Photo Commander 15 will be useful for novice users. The program is designed to view, edit and organize photos on a computer.

The toolbar contains all the necessary tools for the first steps in image processing. Preset effects save a lot of time and can also be applied to specific areas of an image. If necessary, use the functions of creating a slide show, album, collage, calendar, panorama, map.

With the help of the application, batch processing and working with RAW images are possible, you can compare images before and after processing.

You can get a free license for Ashampoo Photo Commander 15 by following this link . You need to register on the official Ashampoo website to get a product key.

photodemon

In some cases, users need to perform image processing on a computer without an image editor installed. To solve this problem, you can use the portable PhotoDemon program.

The PhotoDemon graphics editor does not require installation on a PC, it can be run from anywhere on the computer or from a USB flash drive. This is free software created for Windows.

The program includes more than 200 tools, including basic digital photo lab features such as shadow or highlight restoration, multi-channel curves, content-aware resizing, built-in presets, and full support for Adobe Photoshop (PSD) files.

PhotoDemon comes with a built-in macro recorder and batch processor for bulk image processing. The user interface supports light, dark, and monochrome themes.

Article Conclusions

Many users are unable to use Adobe Photoshop on their computers due to the substantial cost of the subscription. Therefore, they need an alternative to Photoshop for Windows. Although you won’t be able to completely replace Photoshop, you can use free image editors. Such applications have many useful tools that allow you to solve most of the tasks while editing and processing photos.