14 
Adobe’s a nasty mean bully. It took our hopes of free Photoshop and violently sucker-punched them in the face. I felt picked on, and I wanted to go crying to Mammy. But I didn’t. I kept my resolve, and grew from the ashes to be a bigger and better person. You can too. We don’t need that meanie Adobe and its so-called ‘software’. There’s lots of perfectly good alternatives to Photoshop out there, and you know what? Their makers love us. I love them too.
1.) GIMP (cross-platform)
The big daddy of free image-editing software, GIMP is a free ‘shop alternative for the power user. There’s full support for layers and masks, a good range of sophisticated brush controls and even a rough content-aware fill via unofficial plugins like this. For those pining for Auntie Adobe, there’s a version of GIMP called GIMPshop that sports all the GIMP functionality with a Photoshop-imitation layout.
2.) Paint.NET (Windows-only)
Paint.NET is slightly less powerful than GIMP, but less unwieldy (more wieldy?). The interface I find to be more intuitive, and I spent far less time playing hunt-the-feature than I did in GIMP.
3.) Pixlr (web-based)
Pixlr is a deeply impressive web-based image editor — it’s my go-to program when I’m away from my Photoshop-touting machine but still need to do the nasty to some poor unsuspecting image. Having three levels of editor — basic, intermediate and all-singing-all-dancing-layer-masking-power-clone-stamp-of-doom — makes it accessible to pretty much anyone, not exactly something you can say about Photoshop.
4.) Splashup (web-based)
Like Pixlr, but trading less power for a gorgeous and easy-to-use interface. For image-editing beginners, this would be a sensible choice.
5.) Inkscape (cross-platform)
A decidedly power-user’s tool. Its claim to fame is the use of vector graphics rather than bitmaps as the native format. If you pine for Photoshop’s vector support like you pine for your nanny, Inkscape might just be the program for you. (Yes, I know, Photoshop’s vector support isn’t stellar, but it’s still a lot better than GIMP.)
6.) Seashore (Mac-only)
Seashore is a fairly basic image editor that’s visually quite pleasing, with a UI that apparently “blends right in” with the rest of Mac OS X. You can make up your own mind on that, but the editor itself isn’t bad. No editable text layers is annoying though.
7.) Pixia (Windows-only)
Pixia is the English-language version of a popular Japanese image-editing programme. Once again, it’s a power-user’s tool. Although the interface isn’t the most friendly or slick in the world — in fact, it feels slightly like being slapped in the face by Windows 95 — it has a good range of features, and was the best of these programs for stylus/digitiser support.
8.) Photo Pos Pro (Windows only)
Photo Pos Pro (works quite well as a tongue-twister, by the way) is a Photoshop replacement that promises much, and delivers a little bit. The interface features cutting-edge Windows XP graphics, but it has a slightly confused purpose: on the one hand, it’s trying to be a pro, Photoshop-style tool with dense menus and powerful options; on the other, it’s still got a freaking “tip of the day” popping up, interrupting me and making me want to visit the inventor of pop-ups with a chainsaw and murderous intent.
9.) Picasa (cross-platform)
Google’s Picasa isn’t a Photoshop competitor; regardless, it’s got many of the same basic features as Photoshop, including a half-decent Clone Stamp replacement. If you’re only looking to make image-wide corrections, with a few little re-touches here and there, this is a superb option. The photo-management and batch editing options are just a plus.
10.) Photoplus (Windows only)
More of a basic image editor, Photoplus is relatively user-friendly but lacks the vast majority of features that the more advanced options sport. It also doesn’t have keyboard shortcuts — one omission which drives me completely loopy after about 5 minutes. The pop-ups asking me to buy the full version weren’t particularly attractive either.
Image credit: Open hug from Shutterstock
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” Inkscape (Mac-only)” – Inkscape is cross platform. That’s the 3rd error spot I’ve done today and I claim my promised prize.
Who said three?
come on, none of these lazy gits is going to catch me.
*are going to catch you. Hehe, this pedantry thing is fun
No, sorry “is” is correct. While I am referring to people in the multiple, I can only be caught once, by one person, hence “is”.
“None” is a contraction of “Not one”.
Thank you kind sir, it’s always good when a professional gentleman like yourself supports a mere pedant like myself.
I stand corrected.
But were you actually standing when you typed that?
Now, about that prize, when can I expect delivery?
Or was he standing when you corrected him?
A good point, due to the nature of the comments system I would say,he doesn’t need to be standing when I corrected him, but if he is not standing when he says he stands corrected then he is stating an untruth. You will also note his total failure to address the prize issue.
Does squatting count as standing?
To a pedant? Of course not.
No chairs at Future Tower?
I assume both Kat & Sam must be in. Giz Uk’s budget doesn’t stretch to a third chair yet.
No chairs and acting as Kat’s foot stool… It’s a hard life at FP Towers!
The things I do for my ‘art’…
Chris, you’re right. Gits are the subject of that sentence, and Gits are plural. I’m not going to reply to them though, because I don’t really want to get in an argument
.
Too late, you are wrong, for reasons already explained.
No, I’m not! None is a shortening of not one, but gits is still the subject, and ‘gits’ is plural.
but photoshop is free
Someone needs to tell Adobe.
there was an article yesterday where CS2 suite is free now!
but there was also one today to say that it is infact a mistake.
However… you can still download it for free with Serial keys from Adobe…..
Inkscape is most certainly not mac-only. The very fact that you show a screenshot of it running in Ubuntu should give this away.
#corrections
apologies, edited
I’m with Chris, I use Pixlr when away from the office/home mac.
The official seal of approval! I shall treasure this forever.
i like pixlr because its so similar to photoshop
haha – thanks chris.
Sharing the love! Nicely timed article
A total and complete coincidence
The only problem is that I still love Fireworks.
I like fireworks too, but they are really expensive and not as good as when we were kids. What does this have to do with photoshop though?
Agreed. I used Fireworks way too much at school and now I’ve left I miss it like hell. I could use Fireworks or Photoshop (for the first time) at college and hated Photoshop. Still, thanks to Adobe’s ‘mistake’ I now have Photoshop which is handy. If only they’d make the same mistake with Fireworks…
isnt fireworks in the suite? i hate fireworks anyway.
just checked. its in my CS3 suite. that little bundle cost us about £1600!
If you’re looking for a cheap, rather than free, alternative and you’re on a Mac, then Pixelmator is a lovely program that’s only £10.49. Gorgeous interface and very powerful for the price.
if inkscape is vector, surely its a free alternative to illustrator then?
vector in PS is horrific compared to illustrator
Paint Shop Pro is only any good at version 10 or below, the last version before Corel wrecked all of Jasc’s stellar work.
am with you there
I’d like a copy of whichever one you used to make the headline image!
*ducks
Trying to work out if this is a compliment or a commentary on my appalling Photoshop skillz
It was the latter. That’s why I ducked
I thought you were just using a northern term of affection.
I could never understand why GIMP interface has to be so terrible. Did Adobe patent understandable buttons?
Give GIMPshop a go
Because the users don’t like something unless hardly anyone can use it?
Haven’t had nearly as many issues with 2.8 though.
Where is Pixelmator?
It’s not free.
http://krita.org/ this is a good painting alternative to photoshop, lots of people use photoshop to do digital art work on it, that’s why loads of students torrent it. Would have been great if they let cs2 out for free, but oh well.
I have GIMP, I might as well download the additional programs
Cheers!
I’d buy photoshop if it was £50, they need to do a commercial license and a home user one. That way they could charge £50 for people who aren’t going to make any profit from it and they’d be getting some money out of us. I#m not going to spend hundreds on the software for it to be out of date in a year or two. If they gave free upgrades and the money was a one time thing then maybe… but it isn’t.
You can get Elements in a bundle with Premiere for £60-70 depending on the offer. Just before Christmas I got it for £50.
Chris, have you used Photoshop? Except perhaps Gimp, none of these are alternatives to Photoshop. The only potentially true alternative is Pixelmator but I understand it is not free, therefore not on the list. Great value for money though.
Anyway, I personally agree with this guy: http://apple.blogoverflow.com/2012/02/graphics-editor-shootout-gimp-vs-photoshop-vs-pixelmator/
I really wish I liked GIMP. But I really really don’t. I’m a big open source advocate; I’m a Linux fanboy, a Blender lover etc etc. But GIMP just isn’t good enough. It’s not. The interface is horrible, and that’s not just due to unfamiliarity. Core functionality isn’t up to scratch and almost all editing is destructive. Photoshop is still the only viable professional solution.
BUT. But.
This could all change with GIMP 3.0. There’s a near 100% overhaul of the core code; the underlying engine is being changed to something so, so much better. This will enable proper high-bitdepth support and could potentially even surpass photoshop in non-destructive editing (like – EVERYTHING could be non-destructive and node-based). And speed.
So they’d better fix the goddamn interface as well. Then I might even use it.
Oh, also, point of interest – the “Resynthesize” content-aware fill plugin for GIMP actually came before Adobe’s implementation. GIMP is often on the cutting edge of specific features despite its other flaws.
I dunno any interface is fine when you get used to it and you end up loving the little quirks that made it so painful. To me though if the functionality is there somewhere I don’t care how it is laid out or presented. Functionality is key though because if it is missing a feature then you cannot do anything. You eventually become as fast with a bad UI when you use it enough.
I love Dayz’s inventory system now, wouldn’t change it for the world lol.
PIXELMATOR has my vote. It is Mac only, slick, looks great, punches way above its humble price of £11ish and will replace excessively prohibitively expensive bloatware that is photoshop for 97% of users.
The sad fact is that none of these are an actual alternative to Photoshop, nevermind the whole Creative Suite. Having tight (if not perfect) integration between PS, Illustrator, Bridge and InDesign is something that none of these programs will manage.
Then again, why the average person assumes they’ll need Photoshop is something I’ll never understand. It’s a professional tool that’s charged out at a professional price. The above programs aren’t alternatives, they’re simply the Argos Microwave to Photoshop’s Aga.
Fantastic analogy
Yeah but professionals aren’t just born with the skills, they learn them. You shouldn’t let not being able to afford one piece of expensive software stop you from learning these skills.