Are you looking for an alternative online photoshop to use? Although Adobe photoshop is the gold standard for photoshopping, it has proven to be too expensive. Therefore, many people have started looking for alternatives and that is why we are here today. In this article, we will be looking at different online Photoshop alternative.
Online photoshopping, unlike before, has different alternatives that have made photoshopping easier and more fun. These online alternatives include Pixlr, GIMP, Paint.Net, Photopea, Luminar, Dxo Photo Lab, InPixio and many others.
All these alternatives, although not entirely free, have free options. This free option is to properly introduce you to the capabilities of the sites and it helps influence your decision to either pay or not. There is a need for many different tools, interfaces and designs that are sought after by photographers and video editors. Some of these online Photoshop alternatives have beginner-friendly interfaces that make navigation on the web easy.
Different Online Photoshop Alternative
Not everyone can afford Adobe Photoshop, and it can also be difficult to navigate Adobe as a new user. That is why there are alternatives. Let’s dive into the online Photoshop alternative in the following subheadings.
1. GIMP
GIMP, also known as the GNU Image Manipulation Program, is often considered the best online Photoshop alternative. It is an open source program that was made by a community of dedicated individuals who saw the need for an online photoshop alternative.
Amazingly, GIMP is supported by all the operating systems and it has all the professional features you need in Photoshop. GIMP was made in such a way that you would not exactly miss Adobe Photoshop. GIMP has its advantages and disadvantages; they include the following:.
Advantages Of GIMP
- GIMP has features that you would usually find in paid professional programs like Photoshop and Affinity Photo, e.g., vector tools.
- GIMP gives room for the addition of advanced features like CMYK color printing and free plugins.
- It supports RAW photo editing.
- GIMP is totally free.
- It has all the advanced professional tools you need for editing.
Disadvantages Of GIMP
- The editing of several layers can be very difficult.
- GIMP has a steep learning curve.
- Typography editing can be very challenging.
- GIMP has an issue committing automatic adjustments and filters.
2. Luminar
Luminar is another amazing online photoshop alternative that is very easy to use. It is a well-known photo editing program that was created by Skylum. Luminar has a very clean and straightforward interface. Luminar is a very creative piece of software that allows you to experiment as much as you can. Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of Luminar.
Advantages Of Luminar
- Luminar can be used in two ways; it can be used as a standalone piece and it can also be installed as a plugin for Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop.
- It provides AI tools, e.g Luminar AI sky replacement, AI structure, etc
- Luminar has features that help remove unwanted images or blemishes while maintaining a natural look.
- Luminar provides both basic and professional tools that help with light adjustment, denoising, background removal, landscape enhancement, etc
- It is suitable for both amateurs and professional photographers.
- It provides 7-day free trials to new users with no credit card required.
Disadvantages Of Luminar
- It doesn’t have a long term free version
3. DxO PhotoLab
One very advanced online photoshop alternative is DxO PhotoLab. This program, although not as easy to use as Luminar, has very advanced tools you wouldn’t want to miss out on. It doesn’t require you to be a professional to use it; it has AI features that make your work easier. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of this program include the following:
Advantages Of DxO PhotoLab
- It gives you control over hues with its amazing colour wheel
- It processes RAW images very fast
- It has a unique feature that helps you balance light and shade to produce perfect pictures. That way, your outdoor experience is optimized
- DxO PhotoLab has automatic lens and image correction.
- It has features like Clearview, that helps you optimize hazy pictures and automatically make them very clear.
- It has amazing AI tools that help you do the heavy lifting
- It provides you with the flexibility you need to reposition and overlap your edits with precision using the Repair tool feature.
Disadvantages Of DxO PhotoLab
- It is not entirely free; it only provides a 30-day free trial.
- It is not very easy to use
4. Photo Pos Pro
Another amazing online photoshop alternative that checks all the boxes of tools needed for photo editing is Photo Pos Pro. It has a similar interface as GIMP but with a very basic layout. This basic layout is to encourage new users to use the program without any hassle.
Advantages Of Photo Pos Pro
- It is very user friendly
- It supports many file formats, including RAW files
- It is suitable for both professional freelancers and beginners
- It has a free version
Disadvantages Of Photo Pos Pro
- You have to pay to access professional tools in the premium version.
- It is hardware intensive.
- Most professionals prefer to use other paid alternatives instead of it.
- The free version has so many ads.
5. Paint.Net
Paint.Net is one of the very good online photoshop alternative. It is a very intuitive program that is easy to work with. It is an improved version of MS Paint with advanced features like pressure sensitivity and tablet support. Advantages and disadvantages of Paint.Net include the following:.
Advantages Of Paint.Net
- Paint.Net is one of the quickest photo editing programs when compared to other free photo editing programs.
- It supports many formats
- It is available via plugins and it accepts Photoshop plugins
- it is completely free
- it is a powerful tool and very user friendly
Disadvantages Of Paint.Net
- Paint.Net is only supported by Windows
- It has an archaic, i.e old interface
- It doesn’t provide customer support except for forums and documentation.
6. Photopea
Photopea is one of the best online photoshop alternatives. It is a completely powerful tool that provides conventional desktop users with the features they expect and need. It is very popular for its connection to Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive, which makes it easier to access edits. Advantages and disadvantages of Photopea include the following:.
Advantages Of Photopea
- Photopea provides 60 editing tools that make editing easy. These tools include layes, brushes, pencils, red eye tool, magic wand and many selection tools.
- Photopea provides all advanced features for free
- It supports all file formats, including RAW files
Disadvantages Of Photopea
- Photopea can be very slow after many edits
- It requires very strong internet connection
- It has steep learning curve
- Its free version has ads and for the ads to be removed, a certain fee is paid.
7. Pixlr
Pixlr is one of the best online photoshop alternatives because of its ability to be used on a mobile device. Pixlr has two versions; Pixlr X and Pixlr E. Pixlr X is the free version of Pixlr while Pixlr E is the paid version.Both versions have the same features except one, which is the presence of ads in the free version and absence of ads in the paid version. Let’s go on to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Pixlr.
Advantages Of Pixlr
- Pixlr has very beautiful interfaces
- It has a broad range of free features
- It has AI generator
Disadvantages Of Pixlr
- Pixlr requires flash for it to perform
- Although Pixlr has similar interfaces as other high grade competitors, some of the functions perform worse.
- The presence of ads slows down the performance of the program.
8. InPixio
InPixio is a very good online photoshop alternative that has all the tools you need to either edit or export digital photos. It doesn’t require formal training to operate this program. Some advantages and disadvantages are listed below.
Advantages Of InPixio
- InPixio helps to remove unwanted images with ease
- It helps you change the background of your pictures
- It helps you add frames to your picture, enhancing the finished product
- InPixio has a large range of selection tools that are needed to change and tone your images
Disadvantages Of InPixio
- The AI feature doesn’t produce impressive results.
- It adds watermark to the picture in the free version
- Some advanced features can only be accessed in the paid version.
9. Fotor
Fotor is an amazing online photoshop alternative. Fotor is a user-friendly photo editor that is not only suitable for photographers; it is also suitable for graphic designers. This is because it provides graphical elements. Fotor has options for three very important functions, which include; edit, collage and design. Some advantages of Fotor include:
Advantages Of Fotor
- It is very user friendly and very easy to use
- Most of its features are free, e.g background removal feature
- It is a very good option for social media edits
Disadvantages Of Fotor
- It is only best for beginners
- It is very limited when compared with other photo editing programs
Conclusion
Photoshop is not meant for everyone, that is why there are alternatives available. All the online photoshop alternatives are all very good options, despite their significant differences. Depending on what you want, you can use either a totally free online photoshop alternative like GIMP or programs with paid options like Pixlr E, Photo Pos Pro and the like.
You should also ensure that you use the ones from which you can easily download your edited photos, like the ones earlier mentioned. One online Photoshop alternative that was not mentioned in this article is Canva. You can check out Canva as well.