Photoshop is the best photo editing software there is.
But, like many other things in life, this one does not come free.
In fact, it is quite pricey, and that is why people often look for its free alternatives, and that’s why we have put together the list of the best free alternatives to Photoshop so that you know exactly which one of these to download.
Coming to the topic of downloading, The Pirate Bay is there.
You can download most of these software tools from this site for free, so that’s another perk!
Now, let’s check out the best Photoshop alternatives here:
Table of Contents
1: PhotoWorks
The most appealing aspect of PhotoWorks is its content-aware AI, which greatly simplifies the editing process for both landscapes and portraits.
This picture editing program, which supports over 450 RAW files, has a simple, straightforward interface and a large selection of capabilities — from basic to pro-level.
When it comes to hardware, PhotoWorks is pleasantly undemanding, running well even on low-spec PCs. It provides non-destructive editing and a variety of one-click effects and does not shy away from traditional manual tweaks.
Portrait retouching is one of PhotoWorks’ standout features.
This picture editor streamlines a time-consuming editing process into a single click — without losing image quality.
2: Luminar AI
Luminar AI is unlike any of the other Photoshop options we considered.
With this edition of Luminar, the developers at Skylum adopted an unconventional approach to picture editing: it is entirely powered by artificial intelligence.
That is, Luminar can identify and mask areas of a picture that you would ordinarily have to accomplish manually.
Artificial intelligence analyses your image and recommends the finest templates that will work with it. Of course, you may customize any template to your liking.
3: Affinity Photo
Users accustomed to Photoshop will find the layout of Affinity Photo to be second nature. They have a similar appearance and feel, and the software is the most comparable in terms of usage and capabilities.
Affinity Photo offers a specialized frequency separation filter, which Photoshop does not have — a fairly cool tool for folks who do a lot of this sort of editing.
Affinity Photo is also the first professional photo editing tool that works on Windows, Mac, and iPad, allowing you to edit the same file on all platforms.
Affinity Photo, like Photoshop, has layers, allowing for non-destructive editing.
4: Capture One
Capture One isn’t as user-friendly for beginners as some other applications on our list. At first, new users may find the UI difficult to use. It may, however, be tailored to your specific requirements.
There are also several free tutorials available to help you get started.
Capture One’s fundamental function is picture management, and it excels at it.
It is possible to edit RAW files using the program, and it includes layers-based editing, lens correction, levels, curves tweaks, spot removal and cloning, and color grading.
5: Darktable
Darktable claims to have been made by photographers for photographers.
It lacks the capabilities of Photoshop, but it does have some basic photo editing tools and an interface akin to Lightroom that allows you to apply modifications to many photographs at once.
RAW non-destructive editing, the ability to build and store your own presets, and color correction are some of its important features.
The application is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux.
6: Colorcinch
One of Colorcinch’s strongest points is the inclusion of a number of AI-powered specialty effects. One of these is the Cartoonizer, which can convert photos into cartoons, drawings, and paintings.
Since this picture editor is an online platform, you don’t need to download or install anything to use it.
Colorcinch offers over 1.5 million high-resolution stock pictures for personal and business usage.
There are also hundreds of beautiful borders and masks, as well as tens of thousands of vector drawings and icons to pick from.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, we have enlisted the best free alternatives to Photoshop here; you can decide to use any one of them and gain the same level of satisfaction that you do while working on Photoshop.
Once you understand how these alternatives work, you can tailor them to your requirements and use them accordingly.
For further details on these software tools, post your concerns in the comment box.