The top Adobe Photoshop alternatives for Windows & Mac in 2022

There was a time when professional designers and artists looked down upon the alternatives of Photoshop as the software was held in high esteem. However, if you have ever edited pictures with Adobe Photoshop, you know how complicated and intimidating the software can be. Even though it is the best, without the right training and experience, the software isn’t worth much to you.

This guide will find the best Adobe Photoshop alternatives for Windows and Mac. Read through to find the one that is right for you.

Photoshop Alternatives for Mac

• Preview

Mac users don’t have to go too far to find an alternative for Photoshop because Preview does the trick, and it comes built-in with macOS. Preview is the default application for opening any image on Mac, and it is considered the best photo editor for Mac, among many others. Furthermore, the application is free, and you can use Preview to rotate and crop images, adjust levels, shadows, exposure, saturation, etc. In addition, by clicking on the Show Markup toolbar icon, you can access the photo editing capabilities of the application.

If you are looking for free photo editing alternatives, you can also check out Apple Photos. When you start to feel Preview’s editing capabilities are limited, rely on Apple Photos, which also comes preinstalled with macOS.

• Sketch

Sketch is not a photo editing application per se, but images can be edited within the Mac prototyping tool. In addition, all edits in Sketch are nondestructive, which means the changes take effect without altering or overwriting the original picture file. So, if you don’t like the edits, you can go back to the original and start again.

The app allows for basic image editing, including cropping, inverting images and color fill. Its use is ideal for simple projects. Some other app features include reducing image or file size, color adjustment capability, replacing and changing images in projects with a single click, etc.

The full version of the app costs $99/year.

• GIMP

GIMP offers potent editing and photo manipulation capabilities in an open-source, free package. It is specifically designed for high-quality image manipulation, including photo restorations and retouching pictures. You can even use the software to create original artwork, which is a feature that many other non-Photoshop editors do not provide.

Using GIMP, you can create icons and other elements and utilize color management tools like Inkscape. In addition, you can use GIMP for scripted image manipulation and use the extensive tutorial library to quickly learn the maximum use of the tool.

GIMP is available for macOS, along with Linux and Windows users.

Photoshop alternatives for Windows

• Photopea

A web-based editor, Photopea, is available in any web browser. In addition to being free, the interface is directly based on the menus and tools of Photoshop. So, if you are a veteran of Adobe and not looking to learn an entirely new photo editing tool, Photopea is for you.

Since the web-based software cannot take advantage of powerful hardware, Photoshop users may need to re-learn a few keyboard shortcuts.

While users get access to the program’s tools for free, you can unlock the premium version that banishes ads by signing up for the $3 per month plan.

• Paint.NET

For almost two decades, Paint.NET has been in continual development. It is a Windows-first editing program, and as the name suggests, it is a more powerful alternative to the Paint tool, a staple of the Windows OS. However, Paint. NET’s capabilities are much closer to Adobe Photoshop than Paint.

The program lacks a few advanced graphic design tools in Photoshop’s belt. Still, it can seamlessly handle basic editing tasks with complete support for action history, layers and even complicated plugins.

• Rebelle

Seeking a program that offers a true-to-life painting experience? Rebelle 4 does the trick, and it is an affordable software that replicates conventional painting techniques, especially watercolor. That’s why it is a worthy alternative to Photoshop.

The program enables users to simulate a drop of color running or blown in various directions. In addition, users can specify the length of the blow, the amount of water to be used with paint and the drip size. With 170 presets available and oil and watercolor effects, Rebelle is one of the best Photoshop alternatives for professional painters.

To sum up

The Photoshop alternatives mentioned above for Mac and Windows users are some of the best in the market. Ensure to go through the features of each to make your choice.