Alternatives
Best Adobe Photoshop alternatives in 2026
Data compiled by Toolradar Updated How we rate
Cite this list: Toolradar, best Adobe Photoshop alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/adobe-photoshop
7 direct alternatives to Adobe Photoshop, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.
Quick answer
- CorelDRAW is the top alternative to Adobe Photoshop on our list, followed by GIMP and Pixelmator Pro.
- 5 of the 7 alternatives have a free plan, starting with GIMP.
- Highest rated: Pixelmator Pro, 4.6 out of 5 from 139 ratings, Sep 2026.
- 7 alternatives
- 5 with a free plan
Top 3 alternatives to Adobe Photoshop
CorelDRAW
#1 Top pickProfessional graphic design software for vector illustration, layout, image editing, and typography.
Pricing
Not published
4.0 /5 across SourceForge, G2, Capterra and more · 2,115 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best overall
GIMP
#2Professional image editing, free and open-source
Pricing
Free
3.7 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Trustpilot · 1,575 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best free tier
Professional image editing for Mac
Starting price
From $49.99 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of October 2026
4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 139 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Highest rated
Adobe Photoshop vs 7 alternatives
| Tool | Starting price (Oct 2026) | Free plan | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Price: $22.99/mo | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 13,416 ratings on G2 (13,416) |
| Price: Not published | Free plan: No | 4.0 out of 5, from 2,115 ratings across SourceForge, G2, Capterra and more (2,115) |
| Price: Free | Free plan: Yes | 3.7 out of 5, from 1,575 ratings across SourceForge, G2 and Trustpilot (1,575) |
| Price: $49.99/mo | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 139 ratings across G2 and Capterra (139) |
 | Price: Free | Free plan: Yes | 4.6 out of 5, from 333 ratings across G2 and Capterra (333) |
 | Price: $5/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.5 out of 5, from 134 ratings across G2 and Capterra (134) |
 | Price: Free | Free plan: Yes | 4.3 out of 5, from 147 ratings across G2, Capterra and SourceForge (147) |
 | Price: Free | Free plan: Yes | n/a |
Why people consider alternatives to Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is the leading software for image editing, graphic design, and digital art. It empowers users to create, enhance, and transform images with unparalleled precision and creative control.
Teams most often switch away when one of these starts to bite:
- Pricing at scale as usage or premium tiers add up.
- Missing integrations with the rest of your stack.
- Performance or scale limits as your needs grow.
- A specific feature gap you have hit in graphic design.
The 7 alternatives below cover the same core job (graphic design) with different trade-offs.
Adobe Photoshop by the numbers
Toolradar data: Adobe Photoshop's entry paid plan ($22.99/mo, billed monthly) ranks #50 of 65 for price among the Image Editing tools with a verified entry price and no stated unit, where the median is $11.99/mo. Its head-to-head comparison pages had 145 visits in the last 30 days, ranking #8 of 68 tools with 20+ compare-page visits in Image Editing. As of Nov 2026.
- #25 (joint) most-listed alternative in UI/UX Design, out of 441 tools in UI/UX Design. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
- #20 most-listed alternative in Graphic Design, out of 258 tools in Graphic Design. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
- #14 (joint) most-listed alternative in Image Editing, out of 173 tools in Image Editing. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
| Metric | Adobe Photoshop | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | $22.99/mo, billed monthly | $11.99/mo | #50 of 65 tools with no stated price unit, verified price |
| Free plan | No | 65% have one | n/a |
| Listed as an alternative to | 17 tools | 2 | #14 of 173 (joint) |
| User rating | 4.6/5 (across the web, 13,416 ratings) | 4.5/5 | #20 of 64 (joint) tools with 20+ reviews |
| Compare-page visits, last 30 days | 145 visits | 41 | #8 of 68 tools with 20+ compare-page visits |
Visitors most often compare Adobe Photoshop with Clip Studio Paint, Krita and GIMP (last 30 days, Nov 2026).
Listed as an alternative to: #14 on 2026-10-16 to #14 on 2026-11-02 (rank among 173 tools, 1 is best).
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. A lower entry price ranks higher; prices are read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis. All Image Editing data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source.
Cite this: Toolradar, “Adobe Photoshop by the numbers”, Nov 2026.
Graphic Design leaderboards from Toolradar data
Toolradar ranks Graphic Design tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Nov 2026.
Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 104 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dreamstime | $0.69/mo |
| 2 | Design Studio by Monday Merch | $2.17/mo, billed yearly |
| 3 | Slidesgo | $2.50/mo, billed yearly |
| 4 | Coolors | $3/mo, billed monthly |
| 4 | Noun Project | $3/mo, billed monthly |
Most visited, last 30 days
Distinct visitor sessions on the tool's Toolradar page over the last 30 days, with bots excluded by our analytics. A session counts once however many times it reloads the page.
Counted among 12 tools with 50+ visits.
A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 104 of 258 Graphic Design tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source. How we compute this. Cite this: Toolradar, “Graphic Design leaderboards”, Nov 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. All Graphic Design statistics.
7 alternatives to Adobe Photoshop
Ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review, plus how directly they replace Adobe Photoshop.
- 1
CorelDRAW
Paid Battle-tested at scaleProfessional graphic design software for vector illustration, layout, image editing, and typography.
4.0 /5 across SourceForge, G2, Capterra and more · 2,115 ratings, Sep 2026
Price not published
- 2
GIMP
100% free Cheaper than Adobe PhotoshopProfessional image editing, free and open-source
3.7 /5 across SourceForge, G2 and Trustpilot · 1,575 ratings, Sep 2026
Free
- 3
Pixelmator Pro
PaidProfessional image editing for Mac
4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 139 ratings, Sep 2026
From $49.99/mo
- 4
Affinity Photo
100% free Cheaper than Adobe PhotoshopPro photo editing without the subscription
4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 333 ratings, Sep 2026
Free
- 5
Photopea
Free plan Cheaper than Adobe PhotoshopPowerful Photoshop-like image editor, no installation needed
4.5 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 134 ratings, Sep 2026
From $5/mo, billed monthly; free plan available
- 6
Krita
100% free Cheaper than Adobe PhotoshopFree digital painting and illustration software
4.3 /5 across G2, Capterra and SourceForge · 147 ratings, Sep 2026
Free
- 7
Affinity by Canva
100% free Cheaper than Adobe PhotoshopCreate vector graphics, edit photos, and build page layouts
Free
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Adobe Photoshop?
Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to Adobe Photoshop are CorelDRAW, GIMP, Pixelmator Pro. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.
Is there a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop?
Yes. GIMP is 100% free (no paid upgrade path) (Professional image editing, free and open-source). Freemium tools on this list offer a free tier with paid upgrades; they are not the same as fully free.
Why do people look for Adobe Photoshop alternatives?
Common reasons teams switch away from Adobe Photoshop: pricing that scales aggressively, missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in graphic design. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with different trade-offs.
Side-by-side comparisons
In-depth comparison pages for Adobe Photoshop versus each alternative.
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