These are the top 5 best free Photoshop alternatives. If you are looking for a free image editor, you can't go wrong with any of these graphic design programs. This software is also good editing.
- Free Photoshop Software Windows 10
- Best Photoshop Software For Mac Free
- Best Photoshop Software Free
- Best Photoshop Software For Android
- Best Photoshop Software For Graphic Design
What Kind of Photo Editing Software Do You Need?
Whether you merely shoot with your smartphone or you're a professional photographer with a studio, you need software to organize and edit your photos. We all know that camera technology is improving at a tremendous rate. Today's smartphones are more powerful than the point-and-shoots of just a few years ago. The same can be said for photo editing software. 'Photoshopping' pictures is no longer the exclusive province of art directors and professional photographers. Whether you're shooting from an iPhone XS or a DSLR, if you really care how your photos look, you'll want to import them into your PC to organize them, pick the best ones, perfect them, and print or share them online. Here we present the best choices in photo editing software to suit every photographer, from the casual to the professional.
Of course, novice shooters will want different software from those shooting with a $50,000 Phase One IQ3 in a studio. We've included all levels of PC software here, however, and reading the linked reviews will make it clear which is for you. Nothing says that pros can't occasionally use an entry-level application or that a prosumer won't be running Photoshop, the most powerful image editor around. The issue is that, in general, users at each of these levels will be most comfortable with the products that are intended for them.
Note that in the table above, it's not a case of 'more checks mean the program is better.' Rather, it's designed to give you the quick overview of the products. A product with everything checked doesn't necessarily have the best implementation of those features, and one with fewer checks still may be very capable, and whether you even need the checked feature depends on your photo workflow. For example, DxO Photolab may not have face recognition or keyword tagging, but it has the finest noise reduction in the land and some of the best camera- and lens-based profile corrections.
Free Photo Editing Options
So you've graduated from smartphone photography tools like those offered by Instagram and Facebook. Does that mean you have to pay a ton for high-end software? Absolutely not. Up-to-date desktop operating systems include photo software at no extra cost. The Microsoft Photos app included with Windows 10 may surprise some users with its capabilities. In a touch-friendly interface, it offers a good level of image correction, autotagging, blemish removal, face recognition, and raw camera file support. It can even automatically create editable albums based on photos' dates and locations.
Apple Photos does those things too, though its automatic albums aren't as editable. Both programs also sync with online storage services: iCloud for Apple and OneDrive for Microsoft. With Apple Photos, you can search based on detected object types, like 'tree' or 'cat' in the application (Microsoft Photos now offers this feature, too). Apple Photos also can integrate with plugins like the excellent Perfectly Clear, appeasing power users who lament the company's discontinuation of the prosumer-level Aperture program.
Ubuntu Linux users are also covered when it comes to free, included photo software: They can use the capable-enough Shotwell app. And no discussion of free photo editing software would be complete without mentioning the venerable GIMP, which is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It offers a ton of photoshop-style plugins and editing capabilities, but very little in the way of creature comforts or usability. Other lightweight, low-cost options include Polarr and Pixlr.
How to Edit Your Photos Online
In this roundup, we've only included installable computer software, but entry-level photo shooters may be adequately served by online photo-editing options. These are mostly free, and they're often tied to online photo storage and sharing services. Flickr (with its integrated photo editor) and Google Photos are the biggest names here, and both can spiff up your uploaded pictures and do a lot to help you organize them. They even approach the two entry-level installed programs here, but they lack many tools found in the pro and enthusiast products. The latest version of Lightroom CC includes a good deal of photo-editing capabilties in its included website, too. Other notable names in web-based photo editing include BeFunky, Fotor, and PicMonkey.
Image Editing for Enthusiasts and Prosumers
Most of the products in this roundup fall into this category, which includes people who genuinely love working with digital photographs. These are not free applications, and they require a few hundred megabytes of your disk space. Several, such as Lightroom and CyberLink PhotoDirector, are strong when it comes to workflow—importing, organizing, editing, and outputting the photos from a DSLR. Such apps offer nondestructive editing, meaning the original photo files aren't touched. Instead, a database of edits you apply is maintained, and they appear in photos that you export from the application. These apps also offer strong organization tools, including keyword tagging, color-coding, geo-tagging with maps, and in some cases face recognition to organize photos by what people appear in them.
At the back end of workflow is output. Capable software like Lightroom Classic offers powerful printing options such as soft-proofing, which shows you whether the printer you use can produce the colors in your photo or not. (Strangely, the new version of Lightroom CC—non-Classic—offers no printing capability at all.) Lightroom Classic can directly share photos to sites like Flickr and SmugMug. In fact, all really good software at this level offers strong printing and sharing, and some, like ACDSee and Lightroom, offer their own online photo hosting.
The programs at the enthusiast level and the professional level can import and edit raw files from your digital camera. These are files that include every bit of data from the camera's image sensor. Each camera manufacturer uses its own format and file extension for these. For example, Canon DSLRs use CR2 files and Nikon uses NEF. (Raw here simply means what it sounds like, a file with the raw sensor data; it's not an acronym or file extension, so there's no reason to capitalize it.)
Working with raw files provides some big advantages when it comes to correcting (often termed adjusting) photos. Since the photo you see on screen is just one interpretation of what's in the raw file, the software can dig into that data to recover more detail in a bright sky, or it can fully fix an improperly rendered white balance. If you set your camera to shoot with JPGs, you're losing those capabilities.
Enthusiasts want to do more than just import, organize and render their photos: They want to do fun stuff, too! Editors' Choice Adobe Photoshop Elements includes Guided Edits, which make special effects like motion blur or color splash (where only one color shows on an otherwise black-and-white photo) a simple step-by-step process.
Content-aware tools in some of these products let you do things like move objects around while maintaining a consistent background, or remove objects entirely—say you want to remove a couple of strangers from a serene beach scene—and have the app fill in the background. These edits don't involve simple filters like you get in Instagram. Rather, they produce highly customized, one-off images. Another good example is CyberLink PhotoDirector's Multiple Exposure effect, which lets you create an image with ten versions of Johnny jumping that curb on his skateboard, for example.
Free Photoshop Software Windows 10
Most of these products can produce HDR effects and panoramas after you feed them multiple shots, and local edit brushes let you paint adjustments onto only specific areas of an image. Affinity Photo has those features, but its interface isn't intuitive, and it lacks management and lens profile corrections. Capture One, Paintshop Pro, and Lightroom have those and even more precise tools for local selections in recent versions. For example they let you select everything in a photo within a precise color range and refine the selection of difficult content such as a model's hair or trees on the horizon.
Professional Photo Editing Software
At the very top end of image editing is Photoshop, which has no real rival. Its layered editing, drawing, text, and 3D-imaging tools are the industry standard for a reason. Of course, pros need more than this one application, and many use workflow programs like Lightroom, AfterShot Pro, or Photo Mechanic for workflow functions like import and organization. In addition to its workflow prowess, Lightroom offers mobile photo apps so that photographers on the run can get some work done before they even get back to their PC. Those who need tethered shooting (taking pictures in the software from the computer while it's attached to the camera) may want Capture One, which is offers lots of tools for that along with its top-notch raw-file conversion.
Photoshop offers all and more of the image editing capabilities in anything mentioned above, though it doesn't always make producing those effects as simple, and it doesn't offer a nondestructive workflow, as Lightroom and some others do. Of course, some users with less-intensive needs can get all the Photoshop-type features they need from other products in this roundup, such as Corel PaintShop Pro. DxO OpticPro is another tool pros may want in their kit, because of its excellent lens-profile based corrections and unmatched DxO Prime noise reduction.
Photoshop is also where you find Adobe's latest and greatest imaging technology, such as Content-Aware Crop, Camera Shake Reduction, Perspective Warp, and Detail Enhancement. The program has the most tools for professionals in the imaging industry, including Artboards, Design Spaces, and realistic, customizable brushes.
Another advantage of pro-level photo editing software is that you can take advantage of third-party plug-ins such as the excellent Nik Collection by DxO. These can add more effects and adjustments than you find in the base software. They often include tools for film looks, sharpening, and noise reduction.
Some users have taken umbrage at Adobe's move to a subscription-only option for Photoshop, but at $9.99 per month, it hardly seems exorbitant for any serious image professional, and it includes a copy of Lightroom, online services like Adobe Stock, and multiple mobile apps. It definitely makes the app more affordable for prosumer users, too, when you consider that a full copy of Photoshop used to cost a cool $999.
If you're an absolute beginner in digital photography, your first step is to make sure you've got good hardware to shoot with, otherwise you're sunk before you start. Consider our roundups of the Best Digital Cameras and the Best Camera phones for equipment that can fit any budget. Once you've got your hardware sorted, make sure to educate yourself with our Quick Photography Tips for Beginners and our Beyond-Basic Photography Tips, too. That done, you'll be ready to shoot great pictures that you can make better with the software featured in this story. Click the links below for to read the full reviews.
Best Photo Editing Software in This Roundup:
Adobe Photoshop CC Review
MSRP: $9.99
Pros: Multitude of photo correction and manipulation tools. Slick interface with lots of help. Tools for mobile and web design. Rich set of drawing and typography tools. 3D design capability. Synced Libraries.Cons: No perpetual-license option. Premium assets aren't cheap. Interface can be overwhelming at times. Lacks support for HEIC.Bottom Line: Adobe continues to improve the world's leading photo editing software. The 2018 edition adds a new auto-select tool, raw camera profiles, loads of font and drawing capabilities, and support for the Microsoft Surface Dial.Aug 02, 2016 RELOADED – TORRENT – FREE DOWNLOAD – CRACKED. Disney.Pixar Cars 2: The Video Game – Inspired by the Disney.Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game lets players jump into the Cars 2 universe with some of their favorite. Mar 19, 2019 Cars 2 The Video Game RELOADED is available on its official website to download. But you can download here its version for free for all Windows PCs Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 with fast speed downloading links. We have shared Collection Cars 2 The Video Game RELOADED on this page For All Users For Free. Cars 2: The Video Game is a racing game developed by software Avalanche and published by Disney Interactive Studios.Based on the film Cars 2, the sequel to the 2006 film Cars.Originally announced at E3 2011, the game was released by Disney Interactive for major platforms in North America on June 21, 2011, and in Australia two days later. ABOUT CARS 2 THE VIDEO GAME Released 21 Jun, 2011 Inspired by the Disney.Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game lets players jump into the Cars 2 universe with some of their favorite Cars personalities in exotic locations around the globe. HOW TO INSTALL CARS 2 THE VIDEO GAME Click the Download button and. Inspired by the Disney.Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game lets players jump into the Cars 2 universe with some of their favorite Cars personalities in exotic locations around the globe.Read ReviewAdobe Lightroom Classic Review
MSRP: $9.99
Pros: Excellent photo management and organization. Camera and lens-based corrections. Brush and gradient adjustments with color and luminance masking. Face detection and tagging. Plug-in support. Connected mobile apps.Cons: Although improved, import is still slow. Initial raw conversion is slightly more detailed in some competing products.Bottom Line: Adobe's Photoshop Lightroom remains the gold standard in pro photo workflow software. It's a complete package, with top-notch organization tools, state of-the-art adjustments, and all the output and printing options you'd want. Read ReviewAdobe Photoshop Elements Review
MSRP: $99.99
Pros: Many powerful image-manipulation tools. Strong face- and geo-tagging capabilities. Excellent output options. Auto-tagging and powerful search options. Helpful guidance for advanced techniques.Cons: Large disk footprint. No HEIF support on Windows. No chromatic aberration correction or lens geometry profiles. Lacks many social sharing outputs. No local help system.Bottom Line: Adobe Photoshop Elements, our favorite consumer-level photo editor and organizer, adds AI-powered auto-curation, an open closed eyes tool, and new Guided Edits. Read ReviewDxO PhotoLab Review
MSRP: $129.00
Pros: Clear interface. Best-in-class noise reduction. Excellent autocorrection based on camera and lens characteristics. Haze remover. Geometry corrections. Powerful local adjustments.Cons: Few workflow tools. Highest noise-reduction setting can require long waits.Bottom Line: Though it's still not a complete photo workflow solution, DxO PhotoLab can deliver image results beyond what's possible in other photo software.Read ReviewCorel PaintShop Pro Review
MSRP: $79.99
Pros: Photoshop-like features at a lower price. Powerful effects and editing tools. Tutorials. Good assortment of vector drawing tools. Cons: Interface can get cluttered. Ineffective chromatic aberration removal. No face or object recognition. No Mac version.Bottom Line: Corel continues to add new photo editing possibilities to its PaintShop Pro software, making it a worthy Photoshop alternative at a budget-conscious, one-time price.Read ReviewCyberLink PhotoDirector Review
MSRP: $99.99
Pros: Friendly yet powerful interface. Effective noise reduction. Cool multiple-exposure and faux HDR effects. Body shaper and other powerful editing tools. Layer support. Cool AI styles. Tethered shooting support.Cons: Not enough lens-profile corrections. Inadequate chromatic aberration correction. No geotag maps. Bottom Line: Photo workflow and editing program CyberLink PhotoDirector offers a smooth interface and powerful capabilities. New in this version are multiple-exposure effects, more layer options, and a video-to-photo tool. Read ReviewPhase One Capture One Pro Review
MSRP: $299.00
Pros: Excellent raw file conversion. Pleasing interface. Fast import. Good photo-adjustment toolset. Keyword tagging tool.Cons: Some usability quirks. No online-sharing features. No face recognition. No panorama or HDR merging capabilities.Bottom Line: Phase One Capture One offers pro and prosumer digital photographers excellent detail from raw camera files, and local adjustments including layers, but it trails in organization tools.Read ReviewACDSee Photo Studio Professional Review
MSRP: $99.99
Pros: Full set of image editing tools. Good performance. Lens-profile-based geometry correction. Face recognition and geotagging. Good skin-improvement tools. Responsive performance. Cloud storage integration. Cons: Interface not as polished as others. Lens-profile-based image correction tools less effective than the competition's. Weak noise and chromatic aberration tools.Ie 11 for windows 7 32 bit. Internet explorer 11 windows 7 32 bit free download - Internet Explorer, Windows Internet Explorer 7 MUI Pack for Windows XP SP2, Windows 7 (Professional), and many more programs. Choose the version of Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7 you need. Internet Explorer 11 (32-Bit) Internet Explorer 11 (64-Bit) Next. Selecting a language below will dynamically change the complete page content to that language. Internet Explorer is the most popular Web browser. Security, ease of use, and improvements in RSS, CSS, and Ajax support are Microsofts priorities for Internet Explorer. This version of IE runs on the 32-bit version of Windows 7. Nov 06, 2013 Internet Explorer 11 for IT Professionals and Developers-Windows 7 64-bit Edition and Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit Edition. Internet Explorer 11 (32-Bit) Internet Explorer 11 (64-Bit) Next. Selecting a language below will dynamically change the.Bottom Line: ACDSee's pro-level tool offers many powerful photo organizing and editing tools, but it falls short of competitors in raw camera file conversion and usability.Read ReviewExposure Review
MSRP: $149.00
Pros: Pleasing interface. Lots of nifty effects and filters. Fast image transfer. Layers and local adjustments. Good printing options.Cons: No auto-correction tools. Weak lens-profile corrections. No chromatic aberration correction. No face or geo-tagging.Bottom Line: Photo-workflow application Exposure is similar to Adobe's Lightroom. It boasts lots of filter effects, but it's missing some key capabilities, such as automatic image correction.Read ReviewSkylum Luminar Review
MSRP: $69.00
Pros: Pleasing interface. Good automatic photo fixes. Lots of filters. Local adjustments with brush and gradients. Curves. Multiple workspaces and catalogs.Cons: Some speed and reliability issues on Windows. No Library search. Some standard controls are buried. No face recognition or keyword tagging.Bottom Line: Skylum Luminar offers effective automatic photo enhancement, a modern interface, and some unique filters and adjustment tools. Its organization capabilities, however, fall short of the competition's.Read Review
Best Photo Editing Software in This Roundup:
Adobe Photoshop CC Review
MSRP: $9.99Pros: Multitude of photo correction and manipulation tools. Slick interface with lots of help. Tools for mobile and web design. Rich set of drawing and typography tools. 3D design capability. Synced Libraries.Cons: No perpetual-license option. Premium assets aren't cheap. Interface can be overwhelming at times. Lacks support for HEIC.Bottom Line: Adobe continues to improve the world's leading photo editing software. The 2018 edition adds a new auto-select tool, raw camera profiles, loads of font and drawing capabilities, and support for the Microsoft Surface Dial.Aug 02, 2016 RELOADED – TORRENT – FREE DOWNLOAD – CRACKED. Disney.Pixar Cars 2: The Video Game – Inspired by the Disney.Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game lets players jump into the Cars 2 universe with some of their favorite. Mar 19, 2019 Cars 2 The Video Game RELOADED is available on its official website to download. But you can download here its version for free for all Windows PCs Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 with fast speed downloading links. We have shared Collection Cars 2 The Video Game RELOADED on this page For All Users For Free.Read ReviewCars 2: The Video Game is a racing game developed by software Avalanche and published by Disney Interactive Studios.Based on the film Cars 2, the sequel to the 2006 film Cars.Originally announced at E3 2011, the game was released by Disney Interactive for major platforms in North America on June 21, 2011, and in Australia two days later. ABOUT CARS 2 THE VIDEO GAME Released 21 Jun, 2011 Inspired by the Disney.Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game lets players jump into the Cars 2 universe with some of their favorite Cars personalities in exotic locations around the globe. HOW TO INSTALL CARS 2 THE VIDEO GAME Click the Download button and. Inspired by the Disney.Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game lets players jump into the Cars 2 universe with some of their favorite Cars personalities in exotic locations around the globe.Adobe Lightroom Classic Review
MSRP: $9.99Pros: Excellent photo management and organization. Camera and lens-based corrections. Brush and gradient adjustments with color and luminance masking. Face detection and tagging. Plug-in support. Connected mobile apps.Cons: Although improved, import is still slow. Initial raw conversion is slightly more detailed in some competing products.Bottom Line: Adobe's Photoshop Lightroom remains the gold standard in pro photo workflow software. It's a complete package, with top-notch organization tools, state of-the-art adjustments, and all the output and printing options you'd want.Read ReviewAdobe Photoshop Elements Review
MSRP: $99.99Pros: Many powerful image-manipulation tools. Strong face- and geo-tagging capabilities. Excellent output options. Auto-tagging and powerful search options. Helpful guidance for advanced techniques.Cons: Large disk footprint. No HEIF support on Windows. No chromatic aberration correction or lens geometry profiles. Lacks many social sharing outputs. No local help system.Bottom Line: Adobe Photoshop Elements, our favorite consumer-level photo editor and organizer, adds AI-powered auto-curation, an open closed eyes tool, and new Guided Edits.Read ReviewDxO PhotoLab Review
MSRP: $129.00Pros: Clear interface. Best-in-class noise reduction. Excellent autocorrection based on camera and lens characteristics. Haze remover. Geometry corrections. Powerful local adjustments.Cons: Few workflow tools. Highest noise-reduction setting can require long waits.Bottom Line: Though it's still not a complete photo workflow solution, DxO PhotoLab can deliver image results beyond what's possible in other photo software.Read ReviewCorel PaintShop Pro Review
MSRP: $79.99Pros: Photoshop-like features at a lower price. Powerful effects and editing tools. Tutorials. Good assortment of vector drawing tools.Cons: Interface can get cluttered. Ineffective chromatic aberration removal. No face or object recognition. No Mac version.Bottom Line: Corel continues to add new photo editing possibilities to its PaintShop Pro software, making it a worthy Photoshop alternative at a budget-conscious, one-time price.Read ReviewCyberLink PhotoDirector Review
MSRP: $99.99Pros: Friendly yet powerful interface. Effective noise reduction. Cool multiple-exposure and faux HDR effects. Body shaper and other powerful editing tools. Layer support. Cool AI styles. Tethered shooting support.Cons: Not enough lens-profile corrections. Inadequate chromatic aberration correction. No geotag maps.Bottom Line: Photo workflow and editing program CyberLink PhotoDirector offers a smooth interface and powerful capabilities. New in this version are multiple-exposure effects, more layer options, and a video-to-photo tool.Read ReviewPhase One Capture One Pro Review
MSRP: $299.00Pros: Excellent raw file conversion. Pleasing interface. Fast import. Good photo-adjustment toolset. Keyword tagging tool.Cons: Some usability quirks. No online-sharing features. No face recognition. No panorama or HDR merging capabilities.Bottom Line: Phase One Capture One offers pro and prosumer digital photographers excellent detail from raw camera files, and local adjustments including layers, but it trails in organization tools.Read ReviewACDSee Photo Studio Professional Review
MSRP: $99.99Pros: Full set of image editing tools. Good performance. Lens-profile-based geometry correction. Face recognition and geotagging. Good skin-improvement tools. Responsive performance. Cloud storage integration.Cons: Interface not as polished as others. Lens-profile-based image correction tools less effective than the competition's. Weak noise and chromatic aberration tools.Ie 11 for windows 7 32 bit. Internet explorer 11 windows 7 32 bit free download - Internet Explorer, Windows Internet Explorer 7 MUI Pack for Windows XP SP2, Windows 7 (Professional), and many more programs. Choose the version of Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7 you need. Internet Explorer 11 (32-Bit) Internet Explorer 11 (64-Bit) Next. Selecting a language below will dynamically change the complete page content to that language. Internet Explorer is the most popular Web browser. Security, ease of use, and improvements in RSS, CSS, and Ajax support are Microsofts priorities for Internet Explorer. This version of IE runs on the 32-bit version of Windows 7. Nov 06, 2013 Internet Explorer 11 for IT Professionals and Developers-Windows 7 64-bit Edition and Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit Edition. Internet Explorer 11 (32-Bit) Internet Explorer 11 (64-Bit) Next. Selecting a language below will dynamically change the.Bottom Line: ACDSee's pro-level tool offers many powerful photo organizing and editing tools, but it falls short of competitors in raw camera file conversion and usability.Read ReviewExposure Review
MSRP: $149.00Pros: Pleasing interface. Lots of nifty effects and filters. Fast image transfer. Layers and local adjustments. Good printing options.Cons: No auto-correction tools. Weak lens-profile corrections. No chromatic aberration correction. No face or geo-tagging.Bottom Line: Photo-workflow application Exposure is similar to Adobe's Lightroom. It boasts lots of filter effects, but it's missing some key capabilities, such as automatic image correction.Read ReviewSkylum Luminar Review
MSRP: $69.00Pros: Pleasing interface. Good automatic photo fixes. Lots of filters. Local adjustments with brush and gradients. Curves. Multiple workspaces and catalogs.Cons: Some speed and reliability issues on Windows. No Library search. Some standard controls are buried. No face recognition or keyword tagging.Bottom Line: Skylum Luminar offers effective automatic photo enhancement, a modern interface, and some unique filters and adjustment tools. Its organization capabilities, however, fall short of the competition's.Read Review
BestPhotoshop Alternatives for WindowsWindows Central2019
We were not having it when Adobe decided to double the price of Photoshop in early May. Even though the price has since been put back to normal, the idea of a subscription has turned many off from wanting to use Adobe software. Fortunately, there are many programs out there that work just as well to help you edit photos or create digital art. Our favorite is Affinity Photo since it has many of the same tools as Photoshop and produces powerful edits.
Best Overall: Affinity Photo
This is hands down the best alternative to Photoshop out there right now. It makes for an easy transition since it uses many of the same keystroke shortcuts and provides many of the same editing features. However, one of the best things about Affinity is pricing. Make a one-time payment and the software is yours to use — no subscriptions and no unexpected changes in price.
You'll find the basic tools like red-eye removal, crop, resize, drawing tools, selection, and more, but you'll also find lens distortion correction, a cloning stamp, color adjustment, blur, brushes, layer masks, and several other advanced editing tools. Importantly, it also features batch processing so you can make the same adjustment to several images at once. You can even use this software to create HDR images or stitch multiple images together into a Panorama. One of the coolest things this software offers, is the Inpainting Brush Tool, which operates much like Photoshop's Content-Aware Fill. You'll be able to remove unwanted objects from your photos and fill the space believably so it looks like nothing was ever removed.
Do you want other Adobe alternatives? The company also offers Affinity Designer and a Beta version of Affinity Publisher, which are similar to Illustrator and InDesign, respectively. This means you can get the equivalent of the full creative suite. Affinity programs have also recently come to iPad and with any luck, we'll see them on Android tablets in the near future.
Pros
- One-time payment
- Inexpensive
- Professional tools
- Interface similar to Photoshop
- Layer masks
Best Overall
Affinity Photo
A powerful and inexpensive photo editor
Affinity photo gives you access to a myriad of editing tools that are similar to what you get with Photoshop. It produces powerful results and is a great option for professionals on a budget. Best of all, it only requires a one-time payment instead of a yearly or monthly subscription.
Corel has been around for years and has created an impressive database of tutorials and support features to help you learn the software. Beginners and frequent editors alike will appreciate them, along with all the automatic editing tools. You'll find 99 preset filters that each allow you to give a unique, artistic effect to your photos. You can also manually adjust your images to get them looking exactly how you want them.
Best Photoshop Software For Mac Free
The interface is clean and organized into two tabs: Manage and Edit. In the Edit tab, you'll find the basic editing tools such as selection, crop, resize, and shape, as well as advanced tools. This software includes touch up tools to help remove blemishes and unwanted elements from your photos. This program works in layers so you can make changes to one layer without affecting the rest. You won't find many vector tools in this software compared to others, which limits potential projects. This program cannot create animated GIFS, so if that's something you like to do you might need a different program.
The Manage tab allows you to search your computer for images. Once you've found what you want to use, organize photos by rating, categories, date, and location. There's even a facial recognition feature, but as is common with many photo editing programs, it often makes mistakes. You'll need to manually tag every photo and make sure it didn't just tag a random part of a background as a face.
Pros
- 99 filters
- Simple interface
- Inexpensive
- Photo organization library
- Works in layers
Best Filter Options
Corel PaintShop Pro
An inexpensive photo editor Xampp 64 bit windows 10 pro.
PaintShop Pro is an established photo editor that also features plenty of powerful tools. Touch up photos, organize your photo library, or create something from scratch. It has a simple interface and features object removal tools so you can take away distracting elements from your photos.
One of the best things about this free, community-created software is its versatility. You can install a number of plugins to get the tools you want and it gives you access to basic tools like crop, color picker, eraser, selection, and text tools. You'll also be able to use some more advanced features like a clone tool, layers, smudge, blur, sharpen, and pen tools. There are even a limited number of automatic presets that you can use to adjust the look of your images.
Professionals will notice that the editing effects often aren't as good what you'd find in a paid-for photo editor. Color adjustments might seem a little washed out or brightness changes might seem too harsh. That being said, it still provides decent results and is a great option for home projects. Professionals can get by using it but they might have to turn to other software to get a certain look from their work. In addition, the interface and functionality of the software can be a bit clunky at times. The user interface has all the tools you need, but they aren't organized in the best fashion, so it might be hard to find what you're looking for.
The creators of GIMP say that it works best when used in conjunction with other free programs such as Scribus, a desktop publishing software, and Inkscape, which is a vector graphics editor. If you use it with those programs, it will be similar to having the Adobe creative suite.
Pros
- It's FREE!
- Can install plugins and scripts
- Works in layers
- Regularly gets updates
Cons
- Edits don't always look as professional
- Not as intuitive as other programs
Best Photoshop Software Free
Best Free Software
GIMP
Best Photoshop Software For Android
Free software that actually provides decent editing tools
GIMP is the most popular free photo editing software in the world. It offers a wide range of tools to enhance your photos or create digital images. Some of the features aren't as good as other paid programs, but considering that you don't have to pay anything it's a good option to go with.
PhotoDirector's interface is organized into six different tabs so you can quickly find different tools. This is especially good for novices since it prevents them from feeling overwhelmed and helps them learn each of the tools faster. Keep in mind, this is not a program for digital painters since you cannot create an image from scratch, you can only edit existing photos. Additionally, the tools included are only for enhancing your photos so you won't find vector tools or complex brushes. Even the pen tool behaves more like a pixel brush.
Editing tools are split between the Adjustment tab and the Edit tab. In the Adjustment tab, you'll find preset filters and basic editing tools, like red-eye removal and crop. This tab is perfect for when you just need to make a simple edit. The Edit tab is where you'll find a lot of cosmetic tools and photo fixes. This tab also helps you create 360-degree panoramas with your images, add color effects, remove unwanted objects, turn your photos into HDR images, and much more.
In the Library tab, separate images by color, rating, and keywords making them easier to organize and sort. When you're done editing and organizing, you can use the Create tab to add your photos to a slideshow. Complete the experience by adding music, choosing the speed of the slides, and picking your own transitions.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Great photo organization system
- Several support features
- Works in layers
- Slideshow creator
Cons
- Limited vector graphics tools
- Cannot create images from scratch
Best for Beginners
CyberLink PhotoDirector Ultra
A simple photo editor that produces great results
CyberLink PhotoDirector is one of the easiest photo editors to use. It features an intuitive interface and the tools themselves produce high-quality edits. You'll also be able to organize your photos in several different ways. When you're done editing, create full-blown slideshows complete with music and transitions.
Best for Digital Drawing and Painting: Clip Studio Paint Pro
I'm a huge fan of this software and will say that it works better than Photoshop when it comes to paint brushes and line art, partially because it allows you to work with raster and vector layers in the same file. Brush strokes come out looking just like they would on actual paper, giving you plenty of control when drawing. Since it's drawing focused, this software works best in conjunction with a drawing tablet.
There are pens, watercolor brushes, oil painting brushes, pencils, pastels, airbrushes and much more. I've found that these brushes blend together much better than Photoshop's do. If your hands are a little shaky, use the stabilization tool to smooth out your strokes. Nifty, eh? Clip Studio Paint also offers some of the best resources in its template library, with options like trees, buildings, and much more. If you're having difficulty drawing a complex body position, pose and scale the 3D human figure templates before drawing over them.
While there are several drawing and painting tools, this is not the software to use for editing photos. Filters, adjustment tools, and cropping tools do exist, but they are clunkier than other programs and will take longer to use. Additionally, this isn't the easiest program for beginners to pick up, since it is a professional software. You'll need to rely heavily on tutorials to learn all the tricks and features it offers. If you do master this software, you will find that it creates amazing results and makes painting and inking processes easier.
Pros
- Excellent brush tools
- Line tools
- Works in layers
- Large template library
Cons
- Not easy for beginners
- Not good for editing photos
Best for Digital Drawing and Painting
Best Photoshop Software For Graphic Design
Clip Studio Paint Pro
Software designed for illustrators and painters
Clip Studio Paint Pro is the must-have digital painting software for serious artists. In addition to the amazing quality of the brushes and tools, this software allows you to work with both raster and vector layers within the same program. It works best with a graphics tablet so be sure to have one ready.
Best Photo Organizer: ACDSee Photo Studio Professional
What really makes this photo editor stand out among the others is its exceptional photo organizing features. You can sort and search for your photos by metadata, date, rating, locations, color labels, file size, and image type. That's more organizing categories than most other photo editors offer. Using batch processing you can edit, rotate, resize, and export several files at the same time. You can even password protect your photo files to keep them safe.
You'll find the basic editing options like cropping and red-eye removal, but there are also some more advanced features like the ability to smooth skin, make color adjustments, and remove unwanted objects from your photos. However, the process it takes to edit photos is riddled with extra unnecessary steps. You can get used to it after a while, but it's a bit off-putting when you first start using the program. Everything is divided into tabs, but the user interface is confusing. It will take you a while to know which tab to go to for specific tools.
If you want to take advantage of SeeDrive{.nofollow}, ACDSee's cloud storage, you will need to pay extra. Many other photo editing companies that offer cloud storage do so for free. The lowest option is a 50GB plan, which costs $25 per year.
Pros
- Batch organizing
- Several sorting features
- Powerful editing tools
- Password protect your files
Cons
- Pay extra for cloud storage
- Editing takes extra steps
- Confusing user interface
Best Photo Organizer
ACDSee Photo Studio Professional
A software with exceptional photo organizing features
With this software, the photo organization options are just as useful as the editing tools. Edit your photos and then sort them in a way that makes the most sense to you. The editing tools are powerful and will create professional-level results.
Summing up
As you can see, there are plenty of alternatives to Adobe Photoshop on the market. When deciding which programs to place on this list, we considered convenience, price, the editing tools offered, and any special features. You'll need to figure out exactly what it is you're looking for in a photo editor in order to know which one to buy.
If you simply want something akin to Photoshop, we highly recommend using Affinity Photo. It's very similar to the aforementioned program and produces professional-level results. If you mainly want a photo editor that allows you to draw and paint, you should use Clip Studio Paint Pro. Since its focus is painting and drawing, it has better line and brush tools than Photoshop and will help you create exactly what you envision.
Credits
Rebecca Spear has a background in graphic design and has tested dozens of photo editing programs in the last four years. In addition to creating her own digital artwork, she loves reading and playing video games.
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