The 7 Best Photoshop Alternatives to Use in 2025

Creative teams need speed, collaboration, and predictable costs. Many still love Photoshop, yet they want options that run in a browser, work on any device, and fit a lean budget.

What Photoshop Does Well — and Why Some Users Switch

Photoshop excels at layer-based editing, masks, smart objects, RAW workflows and now powerful generative AI like Generative Fill and Expand that can extend scenes or add objects from a text prompt. These features compress work hours into minutes and help marketers, SMB owners and designers deliver assets fast.

Adobe keeps pushing AI across the suite with updates that speed up background removal, object cleanup, and bulk creation tasks. That pace of innovation helps teams move quickly, but it also nudges some toward lighter tools when they want less complexity or a simpler buy once model.

Cost also drives change. In 2024, Canva announced significant price changes for its Teams tier, a reminder that SaaS pricing shifts can hit budgets fast. Many readers now evaluate a Photoshop replacement with licensing predictability high on the checklist.

What to Look For in a Photoshop Alternative

Pick a tool similar to Photoshop that feels the same, runs lighter and scales with the team. These features might matter, depending on usage:

• PSD compatibility and non-destructive layers
• RAW support, color profiles, and export control
• Desktop performance for large, layered files
• Web access for shared links and fast approvals
• Asset libraries, brand kits, and team permissions
• AI helpers for object removal and upscaling
• Transparent pricing with fair licensing

Judge alternatives by how well they support craft. They should make it simple to test black-and-white when contrast gets loud, crop or repeat elements to correct proportions, and direct attention to the key subject.

Run a real-world pilot before buying — open a layered PSD, export web and print variants, and share links to see how fast reviews move. Measure the total cost of ownership, not just the sticker price — include training time, storage and brand-kit setup. Confirm integrations with your stack — like DAM, CMS or SSO — so assets move from brief to publish without going through manual hops.

The Best Photoshop Alternatives in 2025

Here are seven strong options. Each summary covers what it does, standout features, where it runs, why it works as a Photoshop replacement and pricing details.

1. GIMP

GIMP offers a full raster editor with layers, masks, paths and robust plugin support for retouching and compositing. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, which helps mixed-device teams. The interface is customizable, and the community maintains tutorials that speed learning.

For power users who want control and no lock-in, it’s a dependable tool similar to Photoshop that handles everyday design and photo work well. Cost — free, open source.

2. Canva

Canva focuses on speed, brand consistency and collaboration. It’s web-first with iOS and Android apps so teams can review or tweak designs anywhere. Brand kits, templates and approvals help non-designers stay on-brand while designers move faster on campaigns.

Canva fits social graphics, presentations and lightweight photo editing, which makes it a practical Photoshop replacement for marketing deliverables. Cost — free plan, Pro and Teams subscriptions with per-user pricing shown on the pricing page.

3. Photopea

Photopea brings PSD-friendly editing to the browser with layers, masks and smart objects that enable non-destructive changes. It opens files from PSD to AI and Sketch, so handoffs stay simple. Because it runs in any modern browser, it’s perfect for quick banner fixes or on-the-go edits when installs aren’t possible.

Teams use it as a fast tool similar to Photoshop for social assets and ad variants. Cost — free with ads, optional ad-free premium.

4. Krita

Krita excels at digital painting and illustration with an advanced brush engine, color management and non-destructive layers. It’s free and open-source and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Active development is ongoing across desktops, plus an Android and ChromeOS build, which is helpful for sketch sessions on tablets.

While it targets painting more than photo compositing, its layer tools and masks cover many editing needs. Cost — free from the website, and an optional store builds support for development.

5. Affinity Photo 2

Affinity Photo 2 delivers pro retouching, HDR, focus stacking and robust PSD support with a responsive, modern UI. It runs on macOS, Windows and iPad, which suits photographers and studios that balance desktop shoots with mobile review.

The big draw is licensing. Affinity offers a one-time purchase with no subscription, including a Universal License that spans platforms. That predictability makes it an attractive Photoshop replacement for budget owners. Cost — perpetual license, free trial available.

6. Fotor

Fotor streamlines common edits, background removal and batch processing, and quick social post templates. It works on the web, desktop and mobile, so small businesses can keep content moving without a steep learning curve. The platform integrates across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android under one account, making it easy to start on a laptop and finish on a phone.

For teams who need simple touch-ups and branded graphics fast, it’s a friendly Photoshop replacement. Cost: free tier with Pro and Pro+ plans for advanced features.

7. Pixlr E and X

Pixlr X speeds up template-driven design, while Pixlr E adds finer control for photo edits. Both run in the browser with layers, overlays and AI helpers like background removal, which cover most social graphics and ad creatives. Zero installs make last-minute changes easy during approvals.

For day-to-day marketing art, it bridges the gap between simplicity and control. Cost — freemium model with Premium and Team plans listed on the pricing page.

When Web-First Editors Make More Sense

Browser editors reduce friction during reviews because anyone can open a link and comment. They also remove OS headaches, which helps distributed teams that mix Windows, Mac and mobile.

Desktop apps still win for huge layered files, color-critical print work and heavy batch processing. Many teams pair one desktop workhorse with one browser tool to cover both.

Web tools centralize brand kits, fonts and templates so everyone pulls from the same source. Stakeholders review on phones and approve in context without extra installs. Version history and permissions cut the “final_v7” chaos and keep audits clean. When a project needs offline reliability or GPU acceleration, teams keep a desktop seat for those heavy lifts.

Clear Takeaways for Choosing a Photoshop Alternative in 2025

Pick the editor that matches the job. If the team composites big PSDs, choose a desktop workhorse and pair it with a fast web tool for social variants. If collaboration and brand kits rule the workflow, prioritize browser access and permissions. Keep costs predictable, keep ethics visible and keep the craft sharp.