Photoshop is the top photo editing software, but its subscription price is quite high. Here are some noteworthy alternatives that can deliver what you need for less money.
Best Adobe Photoshop Alternatives for 2025
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Adobe Photoshop Elements is one of the best photo editing applications for amateurs, offering many advanced capabilities and AI features in a simplified interface.
Pros
A variety of powerful photo editing tools
Powerful face tagging and geotagging
Excellent output options
Effective search functionality
Helpful guides for non-basic techniques
Cons
Licensing lasts for only three years
Limited cloud storage for syncing on mobile and web
Corel PaintShop Pro
Corel continues to add new photo editing capabilities to PaintShop Pro for Windows, making it a suitable alternative to Photoshop at a reasonable price.
Pros
Photoshop-like features at a lower price
Powerful effects and editing tools
Comprehensive help and tutorials
Good selection of vector drawing tools
Automatic noise removal
Cons
Inconsistent interface
No macOS version
Some slow operations
CyberLink PhotoDirector
CyberLink PhotoDirector is a photo editing software with a range of powerful tools, and its latest AI generative features make it more capable than ever.
Pros
A multitude of effects and advanced editing tools
A complete set of generative AI capabilities
Unique body shaper feature
Extensive layer support
Cons
Complex interface
Some operations are slow
Phase One Capture One Pro
Capture One provides professional photographers with excellent detail from RAW camera files, along with local adjustments, advanced colors, and layer tools, but it still lags behind in photo organization features.
Pros
Good quality RAW file conversion
Fast importing
Batch auto-adjust tools
Collaboration support
Cons
The interface can become complex, especially with layers
No face recognition feature for organization
Expensive
Photopea
Photopea is an impressive online clone of Adobe Photoshop. The software is free unless you want to upgrade for online storage and generative AI tools.
Pros
Amazing number of Photoshop features
No installation required
Clear interface
Includes vector editing
Cons
Leaving the page can lose your project
Some actions may be slow
Lacks some advanced Photoshop features
Skylum Luminar Neo
Luminar Neo features unique AI photo editing tools that remove power lines from street scenes and dust from digital images, along with a wide array of effects and adjustments, all within a clear and enjoyable interface.
Pros
Unique AI photo repair tools
Simple and enjoyable interface
A wealth of adjustment tools, filters, and effects
Cons
Some operations are slow
No face recognition or keyword tagging feature
ACDSee Ultimate
ACDSee Ultimate combines powerful photo organization and editing features from both Lightroom and Photoshop, but its tools are not fully developed.
Pros
Excellent color grading tool
Lens-based geometric correction
Automatic tagging and face recognition with geotagging
Good skin enhancement tools
Responsive browsing and editing performance
Cons
Busy interface with too many menu options
Weak tools for chromatic aberration and noise
No generative AI image creation
GIMP
GIMP is a free photo editor packed with features that offers Photoshop-like functionality such as layers, filters, and masking, but it requires patience to master.
Pros
A plethora of photo editing tools
Good text tools
Strong layer support
Free
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