As a frequent photo editor and graphic designer, a raster-based image editing tool is paramount in my day-to-day life. Photoshop has been considered the gold standard for over 30 years , but relying on an Adobe subscription becomes pricey. By using two alternative apps instead, you can save $2,000 in 3 years instead of forking it out for Adobe Photoshop.
Related
I don't use Photoshop, here are the 6 image editors I use instead
I don't let Photoshop rule my workflow, and neither should you
Krita is a great open-source raster editing tool
A free tool that competes with Photoshop
Close
Over a three-year period of subscribing to Adobe Creative Cloud, you'll have said goodbye to over $2,000. That's providing that the cost doesn't fluctuate (which it often does) as they may raise you to an increasingly expensive annual plan.
Krita is one of my favorite direct alternatives to Photoshop. It works in tandem with Inkscape to become a collective open-source alternative Creative Cloud option , since there's no direct open-source creative suite. But Krita alone is a fantastic Photoshop alternative you can use for great results and money-saving measures.
Of course, with Krita being open-source, that also means it's totally cost-free. You can donate to improve the community-driven project, but there's no requirement. Even non-donating users have access to all the same features as anyone who donates to the cause.
Why Krita can replace Photoshop
Krita is primarily a raster-based tool, with some minor vector features -- just like Photoshop. There are even plugins available to introduce AI tools to Krita to bring it closer in alignment to Photoshop's generative AI tools.
Krita has a better default brush library compared with Photoshop's. Not only does Krita provide a large number of raster brushes for various textures and styles, but there's also vector-layer brushes, live texture brushes, and pattern brushes for all manner of digital creativity. Krita's brush engine is also more powerful than Photoshop's, offering a greater variety of brush types for you to use.
You can animate and add audio in Krita, as you can in Photoshop. You're not losing out on features by accessing the open-source program. Krita's animation timeline rivals Photoshop's and makes a great replacement (although there are much better tools to animate with regardless).
Related
7 free open-source tools for amazing photo and video edits
The only open-source photo and video editing tools you will ever need
Photopea can replace most of Photoshop
Browser-based raster design tool
While Krita is a downloadable software, Photopea is a replication of Photoshop found right in your browser. Photopea is free to use for all users, including its premium features which are cost-free. You can open Photopea on any platform, so long as you're able to access a web browser.
Photopea on the browser competes well with Photoshop on the Web, allowing both Krita and Photopea to replace all uses of Photoshop across your desktop, browser, or handheld devices.
The interface in Photopea replicates Photoshop's very well, so you'll feel familiar in this tool if you're a previous Photoshop user. You'll have access to the same import and export file types, including PSD and Figma. You can also edit RAW photos in Photopea, something you can only do in Photoshop with the Camera RAW plugin and help from Lightroom.
Related
7 reasons Photopea is the best free alternative to Photoshop and Lightroom
Your free ticket to stunning edits
Save on Photoshop with Krita and Photopea
With no subscription fees or mandatory payments for any features, using both Krita and Photopea allows you to replace your Photoshop needs completely free of charge. Over a period of three years, this can save you over $2,000 compared to a full Adobe Creative Cloud plan, or $720 over three years of just subscribing to the Adobe Photography plan which bundles Photoshop and Lightroom. These are giant savings, and you could use the money to learn new creative skills instead.
Krita
See at Krita
Photopea
See at Photopea