PhotoCraft
The Crafting Apps entry: a clean-room, pure-Rust reimplementation of Photoshop. Officially Early alpha — see our status page for release and activity numbers.
ALTERNATIVES / SOURCES CHECKED OCTOBER 13, 2026
The open source Photoshop alternative shortlist, honestly labeled
Looking for a Photoshop alternative without the subscription? These are the five worth knowing about right now — what they cost, what license they carry, and where each one actually stands. Every fact links to its source.
01 / THE TABLE
Five options, side by side.
| Tool | Platforms | License | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhotoCraft → | macOS · Windows · Linux · Web | MIT OR Apache-2.0 | Free and open source · Early alpha | Repository ↗ |
| GIMP | Windows · macOS · Linux | GPL-3.0 | Free and open source | Official site ↗ |
| Krita | Windows · macOS · Linux · Android | GPL-3.0 | Free and open source (optional paid store builds fund development) | Official site ↗ |
| Photopea | Web | Proprietary | Free (ad-supported) | Official site ↗ |
| Affinity (by Canva) | macOS · Windows | Proprietary | Free since 2025-10-30; Canva AI features require Canva Pro | Official site ↗ |
Sources checked October 13, 2026 (official pages linked per row). Prices and licenses change — recheck before you commit.
02 / NOTES
Free Photoshop alternative notes: what each one is for.
GIMP
The veteran open-source image editor (first released 1996). Full layer, mask and plugin ecosystem; the default answer for a free Photoshop alternative on Linux.
Krita
Built for digital painting first, with layers and masks on top. Latest release 5.3.4.1 (2026-10-07). No iOS version.
Photopea
Runs entirely in the browser — files are processed locally and never uploaded, per its homepage. Full PSD open/save support. Not open source.
Affinity (by Canva)
The former Affinity Photo/Designer/Publisher suite merged into one app in October 2025 and went freemium: the editor is free, AI features are paywalled. Not open source.
03 / OPEN SOURCE ONLY?
Just want an open source image editor?
If the license matters to you, three of the five options above are open source: GIMP and Krita (GPL-3.0), and PhotoCraft (MIT OR Apache-2.0). The same shortlist applies whether you call it an open source image editor or an open source photo editor — the honest answer is identical either way. Realistic expectation for this page's pick: a solid mid-field option you verify yourself, not an overnight number one.
04 / QUESTIONS
Asked and answered.
What is the best free Photoshop alternative?
For a free Photoshop alternative, GIMP and Krita are the established open-source options, and Photopea covers quick browser edits. Affinity has been free since October 2025. If you want a ground-up open-source rebuild of Photoshop itself, PhotoCraft is the one to watch — it is early alpha.
Is there a truly open-source Photoshop alternative?
Yes: GIMP and Krita are GPL-3.0 open source, and PhotoCraft is an open-source (MIT OR Apache-2.0) clean-room reimplementation in Rust, currently early alpha. Photopea and Affinity are free but proprietary.
GIMP vs Photoshop — what do I give up?
GIMP covers layers, masks and plugins for $0, but lacks some of Photoshop’s polish: non-destructive adjustment layers arrived only recently and partially, CMYK support is limited, and there are no AI generative features. For print-heavy or AI-assisted workflows, Photoshop still leads.
Which open source image editor should I start with?
For general layered editing, GIMP is the mature default; for digital painting, Krita. If you specifically want Photoshop's layout and shortcuts rebuilt in open source, watch PhotoCraft — early alpha today, but the most direct reimplementation of the Photoshop workflow.
Is there an open source photo editor that runs in the browser?
PhotoCraft compiles to WebAssembly and runs in a browser tab (early alpha). Photopea also runs in the browser and is free, but it is proprietary, not open source.