Overview
- Jump To Details
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Best for Hobbyists - Jump To Details
Corel PaintShop Pro
Best for Budget-Conscious Image Editors - Jump To Details
CyberLink PhotoDirector
Best for Enthusiasts - Jump To Details
Phase One Capture One Pro
Best for Pro Photographers - Jump To Details
Photopea
Free or Inexpensive Photoshop Replacement - Jump To Details
Skylum Luminar Neo
Best Overall Experience - Jump To Details
ACDSee Ultimate
Best for All-in-One Image Editing - Jump To Details
GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
Free, Fulll-Featured Image Editing - Jump To Details
ON1 Photo RAW
Filters and Enlarging
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Best for HobbyistsBottom Line:
Adobe Photoshop Elements is an excellent photo editing application for hobbyists who don't want to pay for a subscription or learn complex Photoshop techniques.Pros
- Many powerful image-manipulation tools
- Strong face-tagging and geotagging capabilities
- Excellent image output options
- Powerful search
- Helpful guidance for advanced techniques
Cons
- No local help system
- No chromatic aberration correction tool or lens geometry profiles
- Little cloud storage allocation for mobile and web syncing
- No generative image AI
Learn MoreAdobe Photoshop Elements ReviewCorel PaintShop Pro
Best for Budget-Conscious Image EditorsBottom Line:
Corel continues to add new photo editing capabilities to its PaintShop Pro software for Windows, making it a worthy Photoshop alternative for a more affordable price.Pros
- Photoshop-like features at a lower price
- Powerful effects and editing tools
- Extensive help and tutorials
- Good assortment of vector drawing tools
- Automatic noise removal
Cons
- Inconsistent interface
- No macOS version
- Some slow operations
Learn MoreCorel PaintShop Pro ReviewCyberLink PhotoDirector
Best for EnthusiastsBottom Line:
CyberLink PhotoDirector is a photo workflow and editing program with a host of powerful image editing tools. An interface refresh and new generative AI features and effects are among the many additions in the latest version to this highly recommended application.Pros
- Friendly yet powerful interface
- Many advanced effects
- Body shaper and other impressive editing tools
- Extensive layer support
- Painterly AI styles
- Tethered shooting
Cons
- No geotag maps
- Weak chromatic aberration and noise corrections
- Not enough lens profiles
- Some menus occasionally slow
Learn MoreCyberLink PhotoDirector ReviewPhase One Capture One Pro
Best for Pro PhotographersBottom Line:
The pricey Capture One offers professional and prosumer photographers excellent detail from raw camera files, as well as local adjustment, advanced color, and layer tools, but it still trails in photo-organizing features.Pros
- Good raw file conversion quality
- Fast import
- Automatic batch adjustment tools
- Collaboration supported
Cons
- Interface can get complex, especially with layers
- No face recognition for organization
- Expensive
Learn MorePhase One Capture One Pro ReviewPhotopea
Free or Inexpensive Photoshop ReplacementBottom Line:
Photopea is a surprisingly capable online clone of Adobe Photoshop. It’s free, unless you want upgraded online storage and generative AI tools.Pros
- Surprising number of Photoshop features
- No installation required
- Clear interface and good help
- Includes vector editing
Cons
- Navigating away from page loses project
- Some actions can be slow
- Lacks some advanced Photoshop features
Learn MorePhotopea ReviewSkylum Luminar Neo
Best Overall ExperienceBottom Line:
Luminar Neo has unique AI photo editing tools that remove power lines from street scenes and dust from digital photos, as well as a vast selection of effects and adjustments, all in a clear and pleasing interface.Pros
- Unique AI photo-fixing tools
- Simple, pleasing interface
- Lots of adjustment tools, filters, and effects
Cons
- Some operations are slow
- No face recognition or keyword tagging
Learn MoreSkylum Luminar Neo ReviewACDSee Ultimate
Best for All-in-One Image EditingBottom Line:
ACDSee's pro-level software gives you many powerful photo organizing and editing features, combining functions of both Lightroom and Photoshop, but its tools aren't quite as state of the art.Pros
- Excellent Light EQ tool
- Lens-profile-based geometry correction
- Face recognition and geotagging
- Good skin-improvement tools
- Responsive browsing and editing performance
Cons
- Busy interface with a lot of tools buried in menus
- Weak noise and chromatic aberration tools
- No generative AI
Learn MoreACDSee Ultimate ReviewGNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
Free, Fulll-Featured Image EditingBottom Line:
GIMP is a free, feature-packed image editor with Photoshop-style functionality such as layers, filters, and masking, but it requires patience to master.Pros
- Loads of image editing tools
- Good text tools
- Strong layer support
- Free
Cons
- Outdated, cluttered interface
- Slow performance
- Can’t open raw camera files without a third-party app
ON1 Photo RAW
Filters and EnlargingBottom Line:
ON1 Photo RAW is brimming with editing tools and offers a wide selection of high-quality filter effects, but its interface is dense and it's short on organization and output options.Pros
- Lots of high-quality filters
- Supports layers
- Face-tuning tools
- Lens profile adjustments
Cons
- Interface is not as slick as Adobe's
- Some operations run slowly
- No face recognition tagging
- Limited online sharing in Windows app
Learn MoreON1 Photo RAW Review
Buying Guide: The Best Adobe Photoshop Alternatives for 2024
What Are the Best Photoshop Alternatives for Beginners?
A reasonable place to get started with photo editing is to use the free, included applications that come with your operating system: Apple Photos for macOS and iOS, Google Photos for Android, and Microsoft Photos for Windows. They give you basic light and color editing tools in simple interfaces.
If you're interested in building your photo editing chops with more Photoshop-like editing, Adobe Photoshop Elements is a simpler version of Adobe's software with more handholding, and its many Guided Edits take you through the steps of creating both standard and advanced effects.
Lightroom, the non-Classic version, is also worth a look. Lightroom gives users access to the Discover community, where photographers and editors share their entire process from raw image to final product. You can even submit your photos to the community and let them edit your work.
What Are the Best Free Alternatives to Photoshop?
Desktop operating systems typically include photo software that can serve consumers' needs at no extra cost. For example, the Microsoft Photos app included with Windows 11 may surprise some users with its capabilities. In a touch-friendly interface, it gives you a good level of image correction, auto-tagging, blemish removal, face recognition, and even raw camera file support. It can automatically create editable albums based on photos' dates and locations.
On macOS, Apple Photos does those things, too. Both programs sync with online storage services: iCloud for Apple and OneDrive for Microsoft. (You can now access iCloud Photos in Windows 11's Photos app, too.) Both included photo apps let you search based on detected object types, like "tree" or "cat" in the application. Apple Photos supports plug-ins like the excellent Perfectly Clear and Topaz DeNoise.
Ubuntu Linux users are also covered when it comes to free included photo software. One option for them is the capable-enough Shotwell app. For more sophisticated editing, the venerable GNU Image Manipulation Program, better known as GIMP, is available for Windows and Mac as well as for Linux. It has a ton of Photoshop-style plug-ins and editing capabilities but very little in the way of creature comforts or usability. For free Lightroom-style workflow options, look to the open-source Darktable and RawTherapee applications.
What's the Best Image Editor for You?
While you're deciding which is the best alternative to Adobe Photoshop for you, read our detailed reviews of the best photo editing software to help you make an informed decision. If you're mostly working on photos rather than illustrations, you might also want to see PCMag's list of the best digital cameras. And for some help with creating those images, read up on our beyond-basic digital photography tips.
