Photoshop Too Expensive? 8 Photoshop Alternatives for Every Budget (2025)

Ehtsham Ahmed

5 mins read

Updated on 2025-06-09 11:22:17 to Photo Tips

Looking for a cheaper way to edit photos? Many people search for Photoshop alternatives because Adobe Photoshop costs too much. Maybe you're a student, a beginner, or just don't want to pay every month for one tool. The good news is, you don't have to. There are free and paid tools that work just as well.

In this guide, we'll show you the best options for every budget, so you can create, edit, and design without spending a lot. Let's get started.

Table of Contents

Best 5 Free Photoshop Alternatives Recommended

Here are the top 5 Photoshop alternatives you can consider using:

GIMP -- Free Photoshop Alternative for Mac

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a powerful, open-source image editor available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It's a top choice for those seeking a free Photoshop alternative for Mac, offering a wide range of professional-grade editing tools.

⭐ Key Features:
◾ Advanced photo retouching and editing tools
◾ Support for layers, masks, and filters
◾ Extensive plugin support for added functionality
◾ Customizable interface and keyboard shortcuts
✨ Best For: Users seeking a robust, free image editor with extensive features on Mac

Pros
Cons

- Completely free and open-source
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Active community and regular updates
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Interface may feel dated compared to modern applications
- Steeper learning curve for beginners

Photopea -- Photoshop Alternative Free Online

Photopea is a browser-based image editor that closely mimics Adobe Photoshop's interface and functionality. As a photoshop alternative free online, it requires no downloads and supports various file formats, including PSD, XCF, and Sketch.

⭐ Key Features:
◾ Full support for PSD files with layers
◾ Works directly in web browsers
◾ Compatible with various file formats
◾ No installation required
✨ Best For: Users needing a free, online Photoshop alternative with broad file compatibility

Pros
Cons

- Free to use with no account needed
- Familiar interface for Photoshop users
- Accessible from any device with internet access
- Contains ads in the free version
- Performance may vary with large files
- Contains ads in the free version

Krita -- Photoshop Alternatives for Digital Painting

Krita is a free, open-source painting program designed for digital artists. It's one of the leading photoshop replacements for digital painting, offering a comprehensive set of tools tailored for illustrators and concept artists.

⭐ Key Features:
◾ Over 100 professional brushes
◾ Advanced brush engines and stabilizers
◾ Animation support and frame-by-frame editing
◾ Customizable workspace
✨ Best For: Digital artists and illustrators seeking a free, powerful painting tool

Pros
Cons

- Specifically designed for digital painting
- Extensive brush customization
- Active development and community support
- Not ideal for photo editing tasks
- Interface may be overwhelming for new users
- Not ideal for photo editing tasks

Pixlr -- Free Photo Editing Programs Like Photoshop

Pixlr offers two web-based photo editors: Pixlr X (for beginners) and Pixlr E (for advanced users). As one of the notable free photo editing programs like Photoshop, it provides AI-powered tools and a user-friendly interface.

⭐ Key Features:
◾ AI-powered background remover
◾ Support for layers and blending modes
◾ Wide range of filters and effects
◾ Accessible via web browsers
✨ Best For: Users seeking an AI-enhanced, browser-based photo editor

Pros
Cons

- No installation required
- Intuitive interface suitable for all skill levels
- Fast performance with AI enhancements
- Some features require a premium subscription
- Division between Pixlr X and E can be confusing
- Some features require a premium subscription

Canva -- AI Photoshop Alternative Free

Canva is a web-based design platform known for its ease of use and extensive template library. As a top rated free editing software, it's ideal for creating social media graphics, presentations, and marketing materials.

⭐ Key Features:
◾ Drag-and-drop design interface
◾ Thousands of customizable templates
◾ AI-powered tools like Magic Resize and Background Remover
◾ Collaboration features for teams
✨ Best For: Users creating designs for social media, marketing, and presentations without advanced editing needs

Pros
Cons

- Extremely user-friendly
- Extensive free asset library
- Accessible on multiple devices
- Limited advanced photo editing capabilities
- Some features locked behind a paywall
- Limited advanced photo editing capabilities

Best 3 Paid Alternative Programs to Photoshop in 2025

If you are looking for good Photoshop alternatives, here are the 3 best options:

Affinity Photo 2-- Best Photoshop CS5 Alternative for Camera RAW Filter

Affinity Photo 2 is a professional-grade photo editing software that serves as a strong alternative to Photoshop CS5, especially for those seeking advanced RAW editing capabilities. It offers a comprehensive set of tools for photographers and designers.

⭐ Key Features:
◾ Advanced RAW editing with Camera RAW filter
◾ Non-destructive editing with unlimited layers
◾ Comprehensive retouching tools
◾ Support for PSD files and 16-bit per channel editing
💰 Price: One-time purchase - $54.99 for Mac or Windows; $21.99 for iPad; Universal License (includes Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher) - $164.99
✨ Best For: Professionals and enthusiasts seeking a cost-effective, one-time purchase alternative to Photoshop with robust RAW editing capabilities.

Pros
Cons

- No subscription fees
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Regular updates and active community support
- Some users report a learning curve when transitioning from Photoshop
- Limited third-party plugin support compared to Photoshop
- Some users report a learning curve when transitioning from Photoshop

Luminar Neo -- Alternative Software to Photoshop with AI Generative Fill

Luminar Neo is an AI-powered photo editing software that offers innovative tools like AI Generative Fill, making it a compelling alternative to Photoshop for creative professionals.

⭐ Key Features:
◾ AI Generative Fill for content-aware editing
◾ Sky AI and Relight AI for landscape enhancements
◾ Portrait retouching with Skin AI and Face AI
◾ Layer-based editing and RAW support
💰 Price: One-time purchase - $119.99 for the Lifetime Bundle (includes additional resources)
✨ Best For: Photographers and creatives looking for AI-driven editing tools without the commitment of a subscription.

Pros
Cons

- Intuitive interface suitable for all skill levels
- Powerful AI tools streamline complex edits
- No subscription required
- Some advanced features may require additional extensions
- Performance can vary depending on system specifications
- Some advanced features may require additional extensions

Corel PaintShop Pro -- Photo Editing & Graphic Program Like Photoshop

Corel PaintShop Pro is a versatile photo editing and graphic design software that offers a comprehensive set of tools comparable to Photoshop, catering to both beginners and professionals.

⭐ Key Features:
◾ Advanced photo editing with layers and masks
◾ AI-powered tools like AI Upsampling and AI Artifact Removal
◾ Graphic design capabilities with templates and brushes
◾ Support for RAW image processing
💰 Price: One-time purchase - Starting at $72 for PaintShop Pro X9; $90 for PaintShop Pro X9 Ultimate
✨ Best For: Users seeking a comprehensive photo editing and graphic design tool with a one-time purchase model.

Pros
Cons

- Affordable one-time payment
- User-friendly interface with customizable workspaces
- Extensive learning resources and tutorials
- Windows-only compatibility
- Less frequent updates compared to competitors
- Windows-only compatibility

Part 3. Bonus: How to Improve Image Quality Exported from Photoshop with Powerful AI

4DDiG AI Photo Enhancer is a desktop application that utilizes artificial intelligence to improve image quality. It can upscale images to 4K or even 8K resolution, reduce noise, sharpen details, and colorize black-and-white photos. The software supports various image formats, including JPG, PNG, BMP, WEBP, TIFF, and more, and is compatible with both Windows and macOS platforms.

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How to Enhance Photoshop Exports Using 4DDiG AI Photo Enhancer

Improving your Photoshop-edited images with 4DDiG AI Photo Enhancer is straightforward:

Download and install the software on your computer. Open 4DDiG AI Photo Enhancer and select the "AI Enhancer" > "Photo Enhancer" option. In case that you want to add color to your image, just choose "Photo Colorizer".
Click on "Add Photos" to upload the image you exported from Photoshop.
Choose an AI Model and resolution to enhance photo:
- General Model: For overall enhancement.
- Face Model: Optimized for portraits, photo retouch, and blemish removal.
- Denoise Model: Ideal for reducing noise in low-light images.
- Colorize Model: To add color to black-and-white photos.
select ai model and resolution to enhance
Click on "Enhance" to start the AI-powered enhancement process. Once the process is complete, preview the enhanced image and save it to your desired location.

Quick Reference: Best Photoshop Alternatives at a Glance

Software Name
Price
Best For
Supported OS
Ease of Use
Features

GIMP
Free
Free Photoshop alternative for Mac
Windows, macOS, Linux
Moderate
Layers, filters, customizable interface, plugin support

Photopea
Free
Photoshop alternative free online
Web-based
Easy
PSD support, layers, browser-based editing, smart selection

Krita
Free
Photoshop alternatives for digital painting
Windows, macOS, Linux
Moderate
Brush engines, animation tools, customizable workspace

Pixlr
Free / Premium from $1.99
Free programs just as good as Photoshop
Web, iOS, Android
Very Easy
AI tools, filters, templates, one-click edits

Canva
Free / Pro $12.99/month
Top rated free editing software
Web, Windows, macOS, iOS
Very Easy
Templates, drag & drop, AI tools, branding kits

Affinity Photo 3
$69.99 (one-time)
Photoshop-type programs with RAW support
Windows, macOS, iPad
Moderate
Live filters, HDR merge, PSD compatibility

Luminar Neo
From $9.95/month or $79.99
Photoshop AI generative fill alternative
Windows, macOS
Easy
AI sky replacement, background remover, layer-based editing

Corel PaintShop Pro
$79.99 (one-time)
Programs similar to Photoshop with graphics
Windows
Moderate
RAW support, AI tools, graphic design templates

Conclusion

When looking for Photoshop alternatives, there are many great free and paid options to fit different needs and budgets. Whether you choose GIMP, Affinity Photo, or Luminar Neo, you can create amazing edits without breaking the bank. To make your images look even better after editing, try the 4DDiG AI Photo Enhancer, it's a powerful tool that improves photo quality with just a few clicks. Give it a try for sharper, clearer results.

Ehtsham Ahmed (senior editor)

Ehtsham Ahmed, the content writer for 4DDiG, is dedicated to offering workarounds for Windows Data Recovery, Windows Troubleshooting, iDevices System Repair, etc.

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