When it comes to photo editing software, Adobe Photoshop is definitely the most well-known and widely used.
But Photoshop definitely has its drawbacks; if you’re not experienced with the program, it can be challenging to pick up, and its hefty price tag (currently, the pricing for Adobe Photoshop is $239.88 per year for Photoshop on its own or $599.88 per year to bundle Photoshop with Adobe’s other Creative Cloud applications) puts it out of reach for a good chunk of potential users.
Luckily, Photoshop is by no means the only option out there to edit your photos. There are plenty of other photo editing tools on the market if Photoshop just doesn’t feel like the right fit for you and your designers.
Here are five Photoshop alternatives that will get the job done when it comes to editing your photos (and for a fraction of the cost):
GIMP
Compatible Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux
Online or Software: Software
Pricing: Free
In terms of value, you’re not going to find a better Photoshop alternative on the market than GIMP. GIMP (which stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program) is an open-sourced photo-editing tool – think of it as the Wikipedia of photo editors – that offers a smorgasbord of editing features (like paint tools, layers, color correction, and enhancement) all for the low, low price of $Free.99.
GIMP works across multiple operating systems (including Windows and Mac) and has almost the same functionality you’d expect from Adobe. The interface and features do vary slightly, but it’s super easy to pick up. If you’re set in your Photoshop ways, there’s a version of GIMP that mimics Photoshop to make things easier.
Affinity Photo
Compatible Platforms: Windows, Mac, iPad
Online or Software: Software
Pricing: $34.99 for desktop, $13.99 for iPad
If you want software that can truly go head-to-head with Photoshop – and, in many people’s opinions, surpass it – you’re going to want to check out Affinity Photo.
Affinity Photo works with a variety of file formats (including PSD) and offers the same editing capabilities as Photoshop, but devotees claim it’s faster, less buggy, and offers an easier-to-use interface (note: this app is targeted to the more seasoned photographer or editor, so expect a learning curve if you’re new to the editing game).
Originally launched as a Mac-only application (it previously won the “Mac App of the Year” award), Affinity Photo is now also available for Windows, so whatever computer you’re working on, Affinity Photo is an option.
Pixlr
Compatible platforms: iOS, Android, web
Online or Software: Both
Price: Free
If your photo editing needs fall more under the umbrella of “hobbyist” than “professional,” you’re definitely going to want to check out Pixlr. This free application – which you can either download to your iPhone or Android or use online – has everything an amateur photographer would need to edit professional-looking photos, including hundreds of effects and filters and basic editing tools like resizing images or getting rid of that pesky red-eye.
Pixlr’s creators definitely had Photoshop in mind when they were designing their interface; the platforms are very similar, so if you’ve used Photoshop before, learning this app should be a breeze.
Photo Pos Pro
Compatible Platforms: Windows
Online or Software: Software
Price: Free
If you’re a Windows user, Photo Pos Pro is worth checking out. One of the more unique features of this application is the fact that it has two interfaces – one for beginners and one for experts. An interface tailored to your skill level isn’t something you’ll find with any of the other Photoshop alternatives on this list, so that alone makes it something worth exploring.
That being said, the multi-interface model does have some challenges. The beginner interface offers limited functionality. For example, you can’t work with layers in beginner mode. And, the expert interface is extremely complex – so no matter how experienced you are with other photo editors, expect a steep learning curve. However, once you get the swing of things, Photo Pos Pro does offer a suite of awesome editing tools on par with Photoshop – so if you don’t mind learning a new system, this could be a great alternative.
Sketch
Compatible platforms: Mac
Software or Online: Software
Price: $99
For Mac users, Sketch is one of the most comprehensive Photoshop alternatives on the market. Marketed as the “digital design toolkit,” this app takes the best of Photoshop (not to mention other apps in Adobe’s Creative Cloud), adds additional features, and puts it all on one simple, easy-to-navigate interface.
In addition to standard editing features like nondestructive editing and vector editing, Sketch offers a host of convenience-boosting options like Symbols (which allows you to easily save, manipulate, and reuse common design elements like icons and avatars) and built-in prototyping that add serious value to the user experience. Sketch also has a devoted community – and (added bonus!) that community is always developing plug-ins that can increase the platform’s functionality.
And the best part? It’s less than half the price of Photoshop.
Photoshop isn’t your only option – so get out there and start exploring
If you need to edit photos for your flyer design, Photoshop is by no means your only option! These five Photoshop alternatives offer similar functionality to Adobe’s juggernaut (some even have additional features) without the hefty price tag.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and explore these Photoshop alternatives to create and edit your photos – and then use those photos to create epic flyer designs!
Featured Image Photo Credit: https://desky.com.au/