There are tons of online editing tools available to help you create and modify your images. One such online editing tool is the Photoshop Express. Not only does this tool let you edit photos for free, it also offers you a variety of filters and effects that you can use on your images to give them a professional touch and edit and enhance them.
In this article, Let me introduce you to the best photoshop alternatives that will blow your mind off!
Polarr
A simple, intuitive image editing app, Polarr gives you Lightroom-like image manipulation capabilities like editing exposure, temperature, denoise, diffuse, dehaze, and more. It does have advanced HSL and RGB curve tools, as well as filter blending, mixing, and toning tools. Plus, you get persistent edit history and infinite undo and redo—making it super user-friendly.
OS: web, Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iOS, Android
Pricing model: free
Potential downsides: It seems there have been some recent bugs and now users must upgrade to Pro in order to save edited photos
Krita
Krita is a free, flexible, open-source painting program that won TechRadar’s #1 best free painting software for 2019. With over 100 brush types, 9 brush engines, and brush stabilizer, there’s plenty to play around with in Krita. A more intuitive and lightweight alternative to GIMP, Krita is one of the best alternatives to Photoshop in terms of brush performance.
OS: Mac, Windows, Linux
Pricing model: free
Potential downsides: Since Krita is focused on digital painting, it doesn’t have the photo editing features some users might need from an alternative to Photoshop.
Fotor
Fotor describes itself as “fundamentally Photoshop online.” With advanced editing, effects, and retouching, you can also make use of some fun features like the GoArt AI photo effect that makes photos look like classic pieces of art. Fotor is also available in 7+ languages.
Trial version: Yes
OS: web-based app available across browsers and mobile
Pricing model: Starts at $8.99/month (annual Plan $39.99/year)
Potential downsides: No template or photo libraries, few advanced photo editing capabilities
Pixelmator Pro
Pixelmator Pro is a Mac-only image editing tool that uses emerging tech like machine learning to give users highly functional and exciting capabilities like layer management, nondestructive resizing, layouts, retouching, selections, painting, and image repair. Its sleek UI and fast functionality make this tool pleasant to use. Pixelmator Pro is perfect for skilled hobbyists or creatives who don’t need super-advanced PS capabilities.
Trial version: Yes
OS: MacOS (with Pixelmator for iOS for iPhone and iPad)
Pricing model: One-time $39.99 (iOS app for $4.99)
Potential downsides: Missing some more advanced PS features like tone mapping or source and target layer ranges for blending
Pixelied
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Create scroll-stopping graphics with a full-featured design suite that’s easy for anyone to use.
$59.00 | $480.00
Pixelied is just like Pixlr (they sounds similar too), but with thousands of ready-made templates and icons, millions of stock images, and a suit of photo-editing capabilities like removing background in one click.
Two unique features set Pixelied apart from many graphic design tools as an alternative to Photoshop. First, its mockup editor lets you get to create powerful product mockups for your brand. And with Pixelied’s workspace, you can switch between workspaces, each with its own separate assets, designs and team members.
Trial version: Free plan available for limited features
OS: Web-based app available across browsers
Pricing model: Starts free and with Pro plan at $7.95 per month. For a limited time, you can get Pixelied Pro starting at $59 for life at AppSumo.
Potential downsides: Many features focus on graphic design instead of photo-editing
Affinity Photo
As a photo editing tool, Affinity Photo is more lightweight than PS, promising fewer crashes and fast, real-time rendering of all your edits. Enjoy unlimited layers, healing brush, over 1,000,000% zoom, a full set of 16-bit filters, and RAW file editing. Apply effects like blurs, lighting, and distortions as non-destructive live filter layers. Plus undo/redo up to 8K steps—with autosave that always has your back. Users will be happy that most standard PS keyboards commands will work for Affinity too.
Trial version: Yes
OS: Mac, Windows, and iPad
Pricing model: One-time price of $49.99, free and frequent updates (only $19.99 on iPad)
Potential downsides: Still comes with a learning curve similar to PS
Acorn
Acorn 6 is a Mac-only photo editor known for its circle text/text on a path tool, making it especially friendly to designers looking to create expert-level graphics, ads, and logos. In addition to photo-editing tools like the brush designer, layer masks, and filters that allow you to mute or unmute by later, it does have vector-editing tools as well. While it may be simpler than PS, it does pack a punch under the hood.
Trial version: Yes
OS: MacOS
Pricing model: One-time $29.99
Potential downsides: Not compatible with PC; some users report slowness.
Skylum Luminar.
Best HDR and Filters for Photographers.
Skylum Luminar is an excellent alternative to Adobe Lightroom. As a result, it has been gaining massive popularity among photographers.
It comes with powerful image editing capabilities with more affordable pricing. Its latest version, Luminar 4, is faster and provides a perfect blend of both Lightroom and Photoshop. With one single software, you get the best of both worlds.
KEY FEATURES:
Some of its notable key features include:
- Adjustment layers and masks
- Offers 24/7 Technical and Sales Support
- Fast editing controls with a lesser lag time
- Clever shortcuts for automatic management of photographs
- Folders are always updated with the content available on the hard disk
- Viewing options include filmstrip view, gallery view, and single image view
- AI-powered sky enhancer, and accidental AI and sun rays
PRICING PLANS:
Unlike recurring payment for Adobe editing tools, Luminar comes with a more affordable one-time payment plan of $70. You also get a 60-day money-back guarantee.
CONS:
- Healing and cloning tool is not always reliable
- Handling of workflow and organization could use improvement
Get started with today and order the brand new Skylum Luminar 4. Try Skylum Luminar
Adobe Lightroom.
Best Online Photo Editing Tool.
Adobe needs no introduction in the world of photo editing. In fact, it continues to be a pioneer in releasing cutting-edge photo editing software updates over the years.
Adobe Lightroom is another powerful editing software by Adobe. Ideally, it is perfect for photographers who want a more straightforward yet capable tool to edit their images.
Unlike Photoshop’s complicated and intimidating user interface, both Lightroom Classic and CC offer a more intuitive and user-friendly interface for image editing.
KEY FEATURES:
Some of its incredible features include:
- Sliders are customizable
- Blurring and fixing tools
- It syncs with multiples devices
- Cam and lens-based corrections
- Gradient and brush adjustment tools
- Professional filters along with numerous presets
- Its face detection capability helps in organizing the photographs more efficiently
PRICING PLANS:
The cloud-based photo editing tool offers seamless editing capabilities across mobile, web, and desktop through a single subscription plan. The annual subscription of its Basic plan starts at around $119.88 and ranges up to $239.88 for up to 1 TB of Cloud storage.
CONS:
- Limited editing options
- Absence of layers or blend modes
- Fewer graphics designing elements
Get started with Adobe Lightroom.Try Adobe Lightroom
Skylum Aurora HDR.
“The word’s most advanced HDR photo editor for Mac and Windows.”
Skylum Aurora HDR facilitates the efficient merging of imagery to create final shots that look both natural and stunning at the same time. It operates as a standalone app and can be plugged-in right into other tools like Adobe Photoshop.
You can also integrate it as an Apple Photo extension. Aside from the traditional methods to create HDR images, Aurora enables photographers to create HDR images from a single file through its AI-based neural network.
KEY FEATURES:
Aurora HDR is a boon for HDR photography as it offers several leading-edge features to create cutting edge images. Here are some of its key features:
- It comes loaded with 20+ tools that help you create stunning HDR images
- It smartly cleans noise and enhances depth & details
- Its HDR clarity feature optimizes clarity and enhances localized contrast for better results
- You can leverage its 80 unique presets to create RAW images into creative masterpieces in a few seconds
- You can also use manual mode to take all the control in your hands.
PRICING PLANS:
It costs around $99 and comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Get started with Skylum Aurora HDR.Try Skylum Aurora HDR
Canva.
Best Tool for Business Templates and Designs.
Canva is one of the most popular tools to help you design stunning photo templates. Its simplistic user interface has enabled millions to edit graphics without any substantial technical knowledge.
Its user-friendly drag and drop editor can be used to add several layers to your photos. Plus, it allows you to easily add fonts and other graphics to your photos for publishing on social media or your website.
KEY FEATURES:
Canva is a go-to tool for professionals who want to create photo designs for websites, social media, flyers, brochures, and marketing collateral.
Here are some of its key features:
- You can download its mobile app to edit photos and create designs on the go
- It offers more than 8,000 templates, photos, icons, and cards for easy creation of visual content
- Straightening and image cropping
- Offers speech bubble maker
- It is online and can be used on any decent computer
- Get access to its massive library of images and designs
- Stores your photos and designs in the cloud
PRICING PLANS:
Canva operates on a freemium model. The Pro version comes at a subscription price of $12.95 per month. Canva also offers a quote-based version for teams with more than 20 members.
Get started with Canva today.Try Canva
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. However, these are the tools I fully recommend when it comes to photo editing. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.
Stencil.
Best for beginners with no graphic design skills ($9 per month).
Stencil is a web-based graphic design and photo editing tool that helps you create and edit images for your social media and website. It comes with a user-friendly interface and is suitable for social media marketing professionals, bloggers, and small business owners.
It helps you easily design social media images, including ad banners, headers, profile pictures, posts, and more.
Some of its key features include:
- Instant image resizing.
- Ability to store and upload multiple logos.
- Easy to use addons for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.
- Identify safe areas to put content in your image.
- Share images on different social platforms directly from your dashboard.
- Keep all your ‘favorite’ icons, logos, and images separately for quick access.
Stencil comes with a bank of over 5 million royalty-free images in high resolution that you edit within your Stencil dashboard. Besides, you get over 1400 templates to create different designs like quotes, banners, etc.
With over 3,300 Google fonts and the ability to upload your custom fonts, you won’t lack options to design and customize your images.
Other elements include over 3 million unique icons for commercial and personal use, and 140+ custom size presets to design images for different requirements. However, it also allows you to design images with a custom size. After you’re through with the final measurements, you preview the designed image to get a precise idea of how the final cut would look like.
Additionally, Stencil offers multiple filters to beautify images and download them in high resolution. You can also share your designs as a Bit.ly link with anyone across various platforms.
Integration with social platforms helps you share images directly to social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Buffer, and more. On top of that, it enables you to schedule your posts with Buffer.
Pricing:
Stencil comes with three subscription plans:
- Free: $0 per month (always free)
- Pro: $9 per month (when paid annually)
- Unlimited: $12 per month (when paid annually)
The Free plan lets you save up to 10 images/month; the Pro plan allows you to save 50 images per month, while you can save unlimited images with the Unlimited plan. Plus, all paid plans come with a 100% 7-days money-back guarantee.
Make sure to use my promo code ENFROY10 to get a 10% discount on any plan.Try Stencil
PicMonkey.
Best for Online Ads and Social Posts.
PicMonkey is recommended for starters who want to brush up their design and photo editing skills. It offers a complete range of photo editing tools including touch up, crop, collages, and many more.
You can leverage its free trial version to test its photo editing capabilities before going for the paid version. One of the best parts about PicMoney is its user interface, which is straightforward and easy to use. It is also a perfect alternative to professionals who are overwhelmed by complex features of other heavyweight photo editing software.
KEY FEATURES:
- A good selection of templates
- Advanced touch-up tools for stunning images
- Addition of features and tools through constant updates
- You can edit images easily through its feature-rich smartphone app for iPhone and Android
- Sophisticated graphic design tools to create images for online publishing
- You don’t have to be an editing wizard to use this photo editing software
PRICING:
PicMonkey offers a 7-day free trial, which allows you to test out the product before upgrading to a paid version. The Basic plan is $7.99 per month; the Pro plan is $12.99, and the Team plan is $33.99.
Get started with your free trial of PicMonkey. Try PicMonkey
Capture One.
Most Powerful Tool for Advanced Users.
Created by a camera company called Phase One, Capture One is a great addition to this list. At first glance, this RAW image editor looks like any other image editing software, but it actually offers a lot of unique features. If you are a photographer who is mostly interested in enhancing RAW images, then this is a better option than Adobe Lightroom.
KEY FEATURES:
Capture One offers a lot of robust features to make image editing a total breeze.
Here are some of its key features:
- Its masking capabilities eliminate the requirement of using Photoshop
- Performance is faster and slick even with massive images
- Advanced Color Editing feature offers greater flexibility to adjust colors and white balance
- You can customize the interface as per your preference
- Allows you to make several adjustments on each layer without getting sluggish
PRICING PLANS:
Its monthly subscription plans start from $20 per month. You can also purchase it outright by paying $299, which includes 500+ camera support. Other premium plans can go as high as $417.
CONS:
- You can’t export an image without a watermark. You will have to process it to remove the watermark.
- Dehaze tool is absent
- No cloud storage option
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I receive a small commission for at no cost to you. However, these are the tools I fully recommend when it comes to photo editing. You can read my full affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy in the footer.
Conclusion
Some photo editors behave for a specific kind of work, while others can be used for everything, offering a set of tools suitable to every kind of user. If you’re looking for a free image editor, a free photo editor or if you’d like to test a few online Photoshop installment solutions before investing in software, here is the right place for you to begin!