The best free Photoshop alternative in 2026 is Affinity by Canva. It is a full desktop app for photo editing, vector design and page layout, and its photo, vector and layout tools now cost nothing for individuals. If you can’t install software, Photopea runs in your browser and opens PSD files. If you want free, open-source software with no account at all, GIMP 3.2 is the safest long-term pick. If all you need is a quick cut-out, read how to remove the background from an image for free first.
Below is our ranked list of five free tools, what each one does well, where it falls short, and which one fits your work. We checked every feature and price on the tools’ official websites on 1 November 2026, because these apps change often.
Quick answer: the 5 best free Photoshop alternatives
| Rank | Tool | Best for | Runs on | Free catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Affinity by Canva | Pro photo editing + design in one app | Windows, macOS (iPad “coming soon”) | Needs a free Canva account; AI tools need Canva premium |
| 2 | GIMP 3.2 | Free, open-source photo editing | Windows, macOS, Linux | Different workflow from Photoshop; learning curve |
| 3 | Photopea | Editing PSD files in a browser | Any modern browser | Ads in the free version |
| 4 | Krita | Digital painting and illustration | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | Weaker for photo retouching |
| 5 | Pixlr | Quick online edits and AI extras | Browser (web app) | Ad-free, unlimited saves need a paid plan |
How we ranked them
We scored each tool on four things that matter when you leave Photoshop: how close its core tools are (layers, masks, selections, adjustment layers), whether the free version is limited in ways that hurt daily work, which file formats it handles (especially PSD), and how easy it is to start. Price was not a factor, since all five can be used for free. Nobody paid us to include or rank any of these tools.
1. Affinity by Canva: best overall free Photoshop alternative
Affinity used to be three paid apps (Photo, Designer and Publisher). Canva bought Serif, the company behind it, and relaunched Affinity as a single app. The official site now says plainly: “Affinity is free for individuals.” It describes the app as “professional design, photo editing, and page layout in one app.”
For a Photoshop user, that matters. You get pixel editing with layers, masks and adjustments, plus vector tools (the job Illustrator does) and page layout (the job InDesign does), without paying a subscription. According to the official FAQ, all vector, pixel and layout tools are free. Only the built-in AI features need a Canva premium plan (Pro, Business, Enterprise or Education).
How to get Affinity for free
- Go to affinity.studio and click the download button.
- Sign in with your Canva account, or create one for free. The FAQ confirms an account is required.
- Download the installer for Windows or macOS and install it.
- Open a photo, add an adjustment layer, and you are working in a familiar layer-based editor.
Pros
- Professional-grade photo, vector and layout tools in one free app
- Non-subscription: the core app costs nothing for individuals
- Closest overall feel to a paid creative suite
Cons
- Requires a Canva account
- AI features are locked to Canva premium plans
- No iPad version yet; the site lists iPadOS as “coming soon” with no date
2. GIMP 3.2: best free open-source option
GIMP has been the default “free Photoshop” answer for decades, and the 3.x releases finally fixed its biggest weakness. GIMP 3.0 brought non-destructive filters, so you can change a blur or colour effect later instead of baking it into the layer. The 3.2 release, whose main focus was “non-destructive layers,” added link layers and vector layers.
The current stable version listed on the official GIMP downloads page is 3.2.6, released on 10 September 2026. It runs on Windows 10 (1903 or newer), macOS 11 Big Sur or newer, and Linux (AppImage, Flatpak and Snap). It is free software: no account, no ads, no paid tier.
Tips if you’re switching from Photoshop
- Use Windows → Single-Window Mode if the panels feel scattered.
- Learn three shortcuts first: free select (F), move (M) and the layer mask option (right-click a layer).
- Export to JPG or PNG with File → Export As; Save writes GIMP’s own XCF format.
Pros
- Completely free and open source, with no account or ads
- Non-destructive filters and new layer types in 3.x
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
Cons
- Menus and shortcuts differ from Photoshop, so expect a learning curve
- No built-in generative AI tools
3. Photopea: best free Photoshop alternative in your browser
If you need to open a PSD file on a school laptop or a Chromebook, Photopea is the answer. It runs entirely in the browser, and the site says “there are no uploads. Photopea runs on your device,” so your images stay on your computer.
The interface looks deliberately like Photoshop: layers panel on the right, tools on the left, the same menu names. PSD is its main format, and its official site lists support for PNG, JPG, GIF, WEBP, SVG, PDF, AI, TIFF, HEIC, Figma files and many more, plus RAW camera formats. The free version is fully featured and supported by ads. A paid Premium account removes the ads; Photopea shows the current price inside the app rather than on its website.
How to edit a PSD in Photopea
- Open photopea.com in Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
- Drag your PSD file onto the page. Layers, groups and text layers open as editable layers.
- Make your changes, then use File → Export as to save a PNG or JPG, or File → Save as PSD to keep layers.
Pros
- Nothing to install; works on almost any computer
- Strong PSD support and a Photoshop-like layout
- Files are processed on your device
Cons
- Ads in the free version
- Large files depend on your browser and computer memory
4. Krita: best free alternative for digital painting
If you used Photoshop mainly for drawing and painting, Krita is better than any other free tool on this list. It calls itself “a professional free and open source painting program,” and it is released under the GNU GPL v3 licence.
Krita’s strengths are brushes, brush stabilisers, a wrap-around mode for seamless textures, and animation tools. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android tablets, but not on iPad or iPhone. Paid copies in Steam, the Microsoft Store and other stores are the same app; buying there is a way to support the project, not to unlock features.
Pros
- Excellent brush engine and painting tools, all free
- Open source, no account and no ads
- Animation features built in
Cons
- Not designed for photo retouching or heavy photo editing
- No iPad or iPhone version
5. Pixlr: best for quick online edits
Pixlr is a browser-based editor with two main tools: Pixlr Editor for layer-based work and Pixlr Express for fast fixes and templates. (If you would rather buy a large library of ready-made templates and stock assets, see our breakdown of Envato Elements pricing.) It also has AI features such as image generation, which use monthly AI credits. (If you mainly want to create pictures from text prompts, our ranking of the best free AI image generators compares tools with bigger free allowances.)
Pixlr is free to use, but the free tier comes with ads and limits. According to its pricing page, the Plus plan ($1.99 a month billed yearly, or $2.49 month to month) is what removes ads and gives unlimited saves plus 80 AI credits a month. Premium costs $7.99 a month billed yearly ($9.99 monthly) and includes 1,000 AI credits. That makes Pixlr the most “freemium” tool here: fine for a quick crop or social post, less ideal as your everyday Photoshop replacement.
Pros
- Fast and simple; nothing to install
- AI tools and templates for social media graphics
Cons
- Ads and limits on the free plan
- AI features run on paid credits
Which free Photoshop alternative should you choose?
- You edit photos and also design logos, flyers or social posts: Affinity by Canva.
- You want free software with no account and no strings: GIMP 3.2.
- You receive PSD files or can’t install software: Photopea.
- You draw, paint or animate: Krita.
- You need a 30-second edit in a browser: Pixlr.
Many people end up using two: one desktop app for real projects (Affinity or GIMP) and Photopea for the odd PSD that lands in their inbox. If you are building a free creative toolkit, see our ranked list of the best free AI video generators, and students should also check the best free AI tools for students. To automate the boring parts of a creative workflow (exporting, renaming, posting), our guide to the best free AI agent builders shows what you can do without code.
Before you publish edited images online
Whichever editor you pick, two small habits make your images work harder on a website. First, export at the size you actually display and compress the file; heavy images are one of the most common reasons pages load slowly, as we explain in our guide to speeding up WordPress. Second, give every image a descriptive file name and alt text, which helps both screen-reader users and image search. Our alt text guide has examples you can copy.
FAQ
Is there a completely free version of Photoshop?
Not the full desktop app. Adobe sells desktop Photoshop by subscription, with a free trial; its lighter free apps change often, so check adobe.com for what is currently offered. The tools in this list are separate apps you can keep using for free: Affinity, GIMP, Krita, Photopea and Pixlr.
Is Affinity really free now?
Yes, for individuals. Affinity’s official FAQ says “Yes, Affinity really is free.” You need a free Canva account to download it, and only the AI features require a Canva premium plan.
What is the closest free alternative to Photoshop?
For the look and feel, Photopea is the closest, because its menus and panels copy Photoshop’s layout and it opens PSD files. For overall power on the desktop, Affinity by Canva is the closest.
Can GIMP open PSD files?
GIMP can import PSD files, but complex PSDs with Photoshop-specific effects may not look identical. If you work with PSDs from clients or designers often, Photopea handles them better.
Which free Photoshop alternative works on a Chromebook?
Browser tools work best: Photopea and Pixlr both run in Chrome. Krita also has an Android version that some Chromebooks can install from Google Play.
Is GIMP safe to download?
Yes, as long as you download it from the official site, gimp.org, or the official Microsoft Store listing. Avoid third-party download sites that bundle extra software.
The bottom line
You no longer need a monthly subscription to get professional image editing. Start with Affinity by Canva if you want one app that does it all, keep Photopea bookmarked for PSD files, and choose GIMP or Krita if you prefer open-source software. Test two of them on a real project this week and keep the one that feels natural. If you are also paying for Word and Excel, our ranking of the best free Microsoft Office alternatives shows how to cut that subscription too.
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