Fe/male Switch: Your Startup Facilitator & Incubator for Women

Top 10 Alternatives to PicMonkey in 2025: A Comprehensive Comparison

As design and photo editing tools evolve, many new alternatives have emerged as strong contenders to PicMonkey in 2025. This article explores the top 10 alternatives, detailing their features, pricing, and unique capabilities to help you find the best tool for your needs.

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1. Canva

Pricing: Offers a free plan; paid plans start at $12.99 per month (Canva Pro).
Features: Wide range of templates for social media, presentations, posters; photo editing tools, design grids, background remover, and a large library of images, fonts, and graphics.
Ease of Use: Highly intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
Collaboration: Real-time collaboration features.
Platform: Web-based, iOS, and Android apps.
User Reviews: G2 rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars from over 4000 reviews. Learn more about Canva

2. Adobe Photoshop

Pricing: Subscription-based; part of Adobe Creative Cloud, with plans starting around $22.99/month for the Photoshop plan.
Features: Advanced photo editing, retouching, complex compositing, layer-based editing, masking, filters, and integration with other Adobe tools.
Ease of Use: Geared more toward professionals; beginner-friendly tutorials available.
Platform: Windows, Mac, and iPad.
User Reviews: G2 rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 13,000 reviews. Learn more about Adobe Photoshop

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3. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

Pricing: Available through Adobe's Creative Cloud, starting around $9.99 per month for the Photography plan.
Features: Excellent for photo organization, color correction, and enhancing RAW images; cloud-based storage and syncing.
Ease of Use: Optimized for photographers' workflow.
Platform: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Web.
User Reviews: G2 rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 3,000 reviews. Learn more about Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

4. Pixlr

Pricing: Free version available; paid plans for advanced features.
Features: Includes a wide range of editing tools, including layers, filters, and retouching; offers AI-powered tools.
Ease of Use: Web-based, no software download needed.
Platform: Web-based.
User Reviews: G2 rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars from over 700 reviews. Learn more about Pixlr

5. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

Pricing: Free.
Features: Offers layers, filters, masking, and other advanced tools; good for photo retouching and image manipulation.
Ease of Use: Steeper learning curve than some other options but powerful.
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux.
User Reviews: G2 rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from over 1400 reviews. Learn more about GIMP

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6. Fotor

Pricing: Offers a free version; paid plans for more features.
Features: AI object removal, image enhancement, design templates, collage maker, and social media graphics tools.
Ease of Use: Suitable for both casual users and marketers.
Platform: Web-based, iOS, and Android.
User Reviews: G2 rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars from over 300 reviews. Learn more about Fotor

7. BeFunky

Pricing: Free version available; paid subscription for advanced features.
Features: Offers a wide range of photo effects, touch-up tools, collage maker, and templates; AI-powered image enhancement.
Ease of Use: Known for its easy-to-use interface.
Platform: Web-based.
User Reviews: G2 rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from nearly 100 reviews. Learn more about BeFunky

8. Luminar Neo

Pricing: One-time purchase or subscription options.
Features: AI-powered tools for sky replacement, skin retouching, and enhancing images; offers layer-based editing and advanced masking.
Ease of Use: Strong focus on AI-powered editing tools.
Platform: Windows and Mac.
User Reviews: Users praise its AI capabilities and user-friendly interface. Learn more about Luminar Neo

9. Adobe Creative Cloud Express (formerly Adobe Spark)

Pricing: Free version available; paid plans for more features. Part of Adobe Creative Cloud.
Features: Templates, integration with other Adobe products, quick image editing, and video tools.
Ease of Use: Ideal for marketers and social media users.
Platform: Web-based, iOS, and Android.
User Reviews: G2 rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 400+ reviews. Learn more about Adobe Creative Cloud Express

10. Photopea

Pricing: Free (ad-supported version) or paid plan for ad-free access.
Features: Supports PSD files, layer-based editing, professional tools such as masks, filters, and raw file support. Also includes vector editing capabilities.
Ease of Use: Web-based, no download required.
Platform: Web-based.
User Reviews: Highly praised by users for its Photoshop-like interface and capabilities. Learn more about Photopea

(Note to the reader: Pricing and specific features can change. Always check the official websites for the most up-to-date information.)

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FAQ

1. What is the best alternative to PicMonkey for beginners?

Canva is a very popular online design tool known for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, making it suitable for both beginners and professionals. Learn more about Canva

2. Which alternative is best for professional image editing and graphic design?

Adobe Photoshop is the industry-standard software for image editing and graphic design, offering a robust set of features for professionals. Explore Adobe Photoshop

3. What is a good alternative for photographers who need organization and post-processing tools?

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a powerful photo editing tool primarily for photographers, focusing on organization and post-processing of images. Discover Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

4. Which alternative is a good free option with powerful editing tools?

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free, open-source image editor suitable for both basic and advanced image editing. Find out more about GIMP

5. What is a recommended web-based alternative that requires no download?

Pixlr offers both simplified (Pixlr X) and advanced (Pixlr E) web-based photo editing interfaces, making it a popular free Photoshop alternative. Learn more about Pixlr

6. Which alternative offers AI-powered tools and is easy to use?

Fotor is an online photo editor and design tool with a focus on ease of use and AI-powered features. Explore Fotor

7. What is a good alternative for creating social media content quickly?

Adobe Creative Cloud Express (formerly Adobe Spark) is an easy-to-use design tool for quick content creation, designed for social media and simple graphics. Discover Adobe Creative Cloud Express

8. Which alternative is known for its creative effects and user-friendly interface?

BeFunky is an online photo editor and graphic design tool with a focus on creative effects and ease of use. Find out more about BeFunky

9. What alternative offers strong AI-powered editing tools?

Luminar Neo is praised for its AI-powered tools for sky replacement, skin retouching, and enhancing images, making it a powerful photo editor. Learn more about Luminar Neo

10. Which free alternative mimics Photoshop and supports PSD files?

Photopea is a free online photo editor that strongly mimics Photoshop, supporting PSD files and offering professional-level features. Find out more about Photopea

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.

Violetta Bonenkamp

2025-07-04 15:54 Top Alternatives