1 Best Open-Source Alternatives to Adobe Photoshop in 2026
By Noahlast updated pricing verified
All 5 Adobe Photoshop alternatives
Compared: open-source alternatives to Adobe Photoshop
| Alternative | Best for | Standout | Biggest weakness | Learning curve | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Photoshopreference | photographers and designers who need pixel-level compositing, retouching, or AI-generated image edits beyond what non-destructive editors offer | Generative Fill and Generative Expand, which use Firefly and partner AI models to add, remove, or extend image content directly from a text prompt inside the layer stack. | Subscription-only with no perpetual license, a steep learning curve for anyone new to layers and masks, and heavy enough on CPU/GPU that Capterra reviewers report performance issues even on capable machines. | Steep | Free tier · paid from $19.99/mo |
| GIMP | photographers, illustrators, and designers who want a full-featured, scriptable photo editor without paying a subscription or license fee | A scripting API in Python, C, C++, and Scheme lets users automate batch processing and build custom filters and plugins, backed by a large community library of scripts built up over the project's history. | No official vendor support: there is no paid support tier or SLA, so troubleshooting relies entirely on community forums and documentation, and the interface is widely considered less approachable for beginners than Photoshop or Affinity Photo. | Steep | Free |
Adobe Photoshop
GIMP1.GIMP — best Adobe Photoshop alternative for photographers, illustrators, and designers who want a full-featured, scriptable photo editor without paying a subscription or license fee
GIMP is the best Adobe Photoshop alternative for photographers, illustrators, and designers who want a full-featured, scriptable image editor without paying a subscription or license fee at all, unlike Photoshop's $22.99/month single-app plan. GIMP is licensed under the GPLv3 with its full source code public and freely modifiable, and it costs nothing to download, use, or redistribute, with no paid tier of any kind. Its scripting API in Python, C, C++, and Scheme lets users automate batch processing and build custom filters and plugins, backed by a large community library built up over the project's multi-decade history. GIMP runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, covering a platform (Linux) Photoshop doesn't support at all. Photoshop is still the better choice for users who need generative AI tools and dedicated vendor support: GIMP has no equivalent to Photoshop's Generative Fill or Generative Expand, native .psd file compatibility is imperfect for complex layered files, and there is no official paid support tier or SLA, so troubleshooting relies entirely on community forums rather than the dedicated support a subscription like Photoshop's provides.
Compared to Adobe Photoshop: completely free and open source (GPLv3) vs a $22.99/month subscription, scriptable via Python/C/C++/Scheme, runs natively on Linux which Photoshop doesn't support
Wins:Completely free and open source under GPLv3, with no license fee, subscription, or usage limits, vs Photoshop's $22.99/month plan · Scripting API in Python, C, C++, and Scheme automates batch processing and custom filters · Runs natively on Linux, macOS, and Windows, covering a platform (Linux) Photoshop doesn't support at all
Loses:No equivalent to Photoshop's Generative Fill or Generative Expand AI tools · Native .psd file compatibility is imperfect for complex layered files · No official paid support tier or SLA; troubleshooting relies entirely on community forums and documentation
Pros
- Completely free with no license fee, subscription, or feature paywall.
- Fully cross-platform on Linux, macOS, and Windows with the same feature set on each.
- Scriptable via Python, C, C++, and Scheme for custom filters and batch automation.
- Open-source license means the software can be audited, modified, and redistributed without restriction.
Cons
- No official vendor support or SLA; help comes only from community forums and documentation.
- Interface and non-destructive editing workflow are less approachable for beginners than Photoshop or Affinity Photo.
- Native file compatibility with Photoshop's .psd format is imperfect for complex layered files.
- Smaller plugin and brush ecosystem than commercial competitors, despite community contributions.
Pricing: Free — $0 vs Photoshop's $22.99/month single-app plan (verified undefined NaN, NaN)