Most people who look for free alternatives to Photoshop don’t need all of Photoshop. They need to crop, resize, fix exposure, cut out a subject, or open a PSD a client sent over. For those jobs, two browser editors and three desktop programs do the work without a subscription. I tested the two browser tools hands-on; the desktop picks are based on their official pages.
How I tested
On October 31, 2026 I ran the browser editors in Chrome without creating an account, using two sample files:
photo-3000x2000.jpg: a 3000×2000 JPG, 502 KBsubject-on-background.jpg: a 1600×1200 JPG of a figure standing in front of busy green foliage, 161 KB
For each tool I opened the file, made one edit, exported it, and checked the result’s dimensions and file size. I also looked for watermarks and sign-up walls. GIMP, Krita and Paint.NET need a download and install, so I didn’t test them here. Details on those three come from their official sites, checked the same day.
Free Alternatives to Photoshop at a Glance
| Tool | Key Feature | Free Limit | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photopea | Photoshop-style layout, opens and saves PSD | Free in the browser; no save cap seen in my test | Quick PSD edits on any computer |
| Pixlr Editor | Fast browser editor with AI tools | 3 free saves per day without an account (seen in my test) | Occasional light fixes |
| GIMP | Layers, masks, plugins, scripting | Fully free, open source | Detailed desktop editing |
| Krita | Brush engine and painting tools | Fully free, open source | Illustration and painting over photos |
| Paint.NET | Lightweight and quick to start | Free from the official site (Windows only) | Simple edits on Windows PCs |
1. Photopea: closest to Photoshop, and it runs locally
Photopea is the one I’d send most Photoshop users to first. The menus are laid out like Photoshop’s: File, Edit, Image, Layer, Select, Filter. Photopea says on its home page that there are “no uploads”: the editor runs on your device, and files never leave it. That’s reassuring for client work. It opens and saves PSD as its main format and also reads common camera RAW formats such as DNG, CR2, NEF and ARW.
What happened in my tests:
- Resize and export. I opened the 3000×2000 JPG, set Image Size to 1500 px wide (height filled in at 1000), and exported a JPG at the default 70% quality. The download took well under a second, and the file came out at 1500×1000 and 75 KB, down from 502 KB. There was no watermark and no account prompt.
- One-click background removal. On the figure-in-foliage image I ran Select > Remove BG. It finished within the 15 seconds I waited and added an editable layer mask, which is the right non-destructive approach. The cutout itself was poor, though. It removed the band of sky at the top and left all the green foliage around the figure.
So the AI button isn’t magic on busy backgrounds. You’d still need the selection tools and the mask to finish the job. If cutouts are your main task, a dedicated tool is often faster. I compared several in this guide on how to remove a background from an image for free.
The PNG export dialog also shows the final size before you save (801.3 KB here).
One annoyance: the interface loaded in my browser’s language (Korean). More > Language switched it to English.
2. Pixlr Editor: quick, but the free saves run out
Pixlr Editor is lighter and more modern-looking than Photopea, with AI features built in. My test turned up two things worth knowing before you rely on it.
First, when I opened the 3000×2000 JPG, Pixlr stopped me with a “Pre-resize Image” box. It offered Original (max 3000 px), Full HD (max 1920 px) or Web (max 1280 px) to “save on memory and minimize lag.” I chose Full HD. That’s sensible for social posts, but if you need full resolution, make sure you pick Original.
Second, after I saved a JPG at the default 90% quality (1920×1280, 192 KB, no watermark), a popup said “Success! 1/3 daily free save!” It came with buttons to sign up through Google, Facebook, Apple or email. You can close it and keep working, but the counter means three saves a day without an account. Pixlr’s pricing page lists “Unlimited saves” and “Ad-Free” as Plus plan features, at $2.49 a month or $1.99 a month billed yearly (checked October 31, 2026).
A smaller snag: in my automated test browser, “Save as” did nothing until I turned on Settings > “Use legacy save method (Download).” Remember that switch if saving ever fails.
3. GIMP: the full desktop editor
GIMP is the long-standing open-source answer to Photoshop. The current stable release is 3.2.6, dated September 10, 2026, and it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. You get layers, masks, curves, selection tools, plugins and scripting for repetitive jobs like batch resizing. It also imports PSD files, which helps when you’re working with people who use Adobe.
The trade-off is the learning curve: menus and tool names don’t match Photoshop’s, so expect to look things up at first. As a desktop app, it isn’t limited by a browser tab’s memory, which is why I’d pick it over Photopea for heavy work.
4. Krita: painting first, photo edits second
Krita is free and open source under the GNU GPL. Its download page currently offers version 5.3.4.1, with a 6.0 line also being released. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android, but not on iPhone or iPad. Krita’s strength is its brush engine, with brush stabilizers and good support for pressure-sensitive tablets. That makes it great for hand-painted masks, retouching and drawing over photos.
It’s weaker for text-heavy layouts like posters. If your “Photoshop work” is mostly illustration, pick Krita. For photo correction, GIMP or Photopea will feel more natural.
5. Paint.NET: small, fast, Windows only
Paint.NET is the light option. Version 5.1.12 (March 2026) needs Windows 10 21H2 or later, or Windows 11, and a 64-bit processor. It’s free to download from the official site, and a paid Microsoft Store version exists if you want to support the developer. You get layers, adjustments, effects, unlimited undo through the history panel, and a plugin system for extra effects.
There’s no Mac version, and it doesn’t try to match Photoshop feature for feature. For cropping screenshots or quick color fixes on a Windows laptop, it feels less cluttered than GIMP.
Which free Photoshop alternative should you pick?
- You receive PSD files or know Photoshop already: Photopea. Nothing to install, and my two exports had no watermark or save prompt.
- You only need one or two quick edits a day: Pixlr works, as long as you remember the three-save cap.
- You edit large photos often or want full control offline: GIMP.
- You draw or paint: Krita.
- You want something light on a 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 PC: Paint.NET.
If you also record tutorials of your editing process, our roundup of free screen recorders with no watermark pairs well with any of these.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can these tools open Photoshop (PSD) files?
Photopea opens and saves PSD as its main format, and GIMP can import PSD files too. Complex layer effects may not carry over perfectly in GIMP, so check them after opening. For Pixlr, Krita and Paint.NET, I’d treat PSD support as limited and test your own files first.
Is Photopea really free?
In my tests, yes. I opened, edited and exported two images without an account, and neither output had a watermark. Photopea also says your files stay on your device instead of being uploaded.
Does Pixlr add a watermark on the free plan?
My JPG export had no watermark. The limit I actually hit was a daily save cap: the popup said “1/3 daily free save.” Unlimited saves are listed under the paid Plus plan.
Which one works offline?
GIMP, Krita and Paint.NET run fully offline once installed. Photopea and Pixlr load in the browser, so you need a connection to open them.