Open-Source Photoshop Alternatives With Real Open-Source Licences
Search for "open-source Photoshop alternatives" and most lists mix in tools that are free but not open source at all, such as Photopea, Pixlr or Paint.NET. The difference matters: open-source software comes with a licence (GPL, MIT and others approved by the Open Source Initiative) that lets anyone read, change and redistribute the code, so the tool cannot be locked behind a paywall later and will not disappear if one company changes its plans. For this list we checked the licence of every project on its own website or code repository, and the date of its latest release, in October 2026. Every project below shipped a release in the last seven months.
Quick answer: the open-source replacement for Photoshop is GIMP, and PhotoGIMP makes it look and feel like Photoshop. For painting, use Krita; for RAW photos (the Lightroom and Camera Raw side of Adobe), use darktable, RawTherapee or ART; to organise a photo library, use digiKam; for quick edits, Pinta; and in the browser, miniPaint.
Boost Your SEO by Getting Featured in Our Blogs and get a backlink.
We publish content about startups, education, tech, funding, etc. that ranks well not only in Google but also in Perplexity, ChatGPT, Grok and other AI tools.
👉 Get featured now!
Open-Source Photoshop Alternatives Compared
Sources: each project's official website, GitHub repository and release page, checked 26 October 2026.
The 10 Best Open-Source Photoshop Alternatives in 2027
1. GIMP: the open-source Photoshop replacement
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is community-developed free software under the GNU General Public License and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. It covers the core of Photoshop: layers, masks, selections, retouching, compositing and text. The 3.x series brought non-destructive filters and layers, link and vector layers, and better PSD import and export, including clipping paths and CMYK profiles. GIMP does not develop RAW files itself; instead it uses darktable or RawTherapee as plug-ins to open them. The latest release, GIMP 3.2.6, came out on 10 September 2026. If you already use GIMP and want a tool that does one job better, such as painting, raw photos, quick edits or pixel art, see our open-source GIMP alternatives.
2. PhotoGIMP: make GIMP feel like Photoshop
PhotoGIMP is not a separate editor but a free patch for GIMP 3 and later, made for Photoshop users. It reorganises GIMP's tools to mimic their positions in Photoshop, switches the keyboard shortcuts to Photoshop's and maximises the canvas, which removes the biggest complaint people have when they switch. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, and version 3.1 was released in July 2026.
3. Krita: open-source painting and illustration
Krita is a professional painting program licensed under the GNU GPL and owned by its contributors. It is built for illustration, concept art, comics and textures, and it opens and saves PSD files so you can exchange work with Photoshop users. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android tablets, but not on iPad. Version 5.3.4.1 came out on 7 October 2026, alongside the new Krita 6 series. If drawing is your main job, our list of open-source Procreate alternatives compares Krita with other drawing apps.
4. darktable: open-source Lightroom
darktable is a photography workflow application and RAW developer, released under GPL 3.0. It keeps your photos in a database with a zoomable lighttable, and develops RAW files non-destructively in its darkroom, with masks for local edits. It is the closest open-source match to Lightroom Classic. darktable 5.6.2 was released on 4 October 2026 for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Validate your startup idea with the unique borrowed authority approach: we publish articles about your product in our blog and you get traffic and testers for your MVP
- Prove Market Demand: See real organic traffic and waitlist conversions
- Unlock High-Potential Keywords: Receive a curated list of top-performing keywords directly from Google Search Console data.
- Estimate Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Gain financial foresight with an estimated CAC based on real keyword performance data.
🔗 Start validating your startup now
5. RawTherapee: precise RAW processing
RawTherapee is a cross-platform RAW processing program released as free software under GPLv3. It is designed for developing RAW files from a broad range of digital cameras, for users from enthusiast newcomers to professional photographers, and it does not try to be a photo library or a layer editor. Version 5.13 was released on 26 July 2026 for Windows (x86 and ARM), macOS and Linux.
6. ART: RawTherapee made simpler
ART is a derivative of RawTherapee that trades some of its controls for a simpler interface while keeping its image quality. It adds local edits with drawn and parametric masks, XMP sidecar support and easy integration of external tools, including AI-based masking and denoising. ART is released under the GNU GPL version 3; version 1.26.10 came out on 16 October 2026, with builds for Windows, macOS and Linux.
7. digiKam: open-source photo library and editor
digiKam is a KDE project for importing, organising, tagging and searching large photo and video collections, with a built-in image editor and batch processing. It replaces the library side of Lightroom or Adobe Bridge rather than Photoshop itself. Version 9.1.0 was released on 7 June 2026 for Windows, macOS and Linux, and its code is licensed under GPL-2.0.
8. Pinta: simple image editing, MIT-licensed
Pinta is a free, open-source program for drawing and image editing, originally a clone of Paint.NET 3.0. It offers effects and adjustments with live previews and unlimited undo, and it runs on Linux, macOS, Windows and BSD. Its code is under the permissive MIT licence, and version 3.1.2 came out in April 2026. Choose it when GIMP feels like too much.
9. Photoflare CE: quick edits and batch processing
Photoflare Community Edition is a light desktop editor with basic image tools, filters and batch processing. Its source code is available under the GPL, and version 1.7.5 was released on 11 October 2026 with builds for Windows, macOS and Linux. Note that only the CE edition is open source: Photoflare Lens (RAW) and Photoflare Studio (layers) are separate commercial products.
10. miniPaint: an open-source image editor in the browser
miniPaint is the open-source answer to Photopea: an online image editor with layers and filters that runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, and it has no ads. It is MIT-licensed, so you can host your own copy or embed it in another site; version 4.14.3 was released in April 2026. It is much simpler than Photopea and cannot save PSD files, but it is fully open.
An Open-Source Photo Workflow That Replaces Adobe
No single open-source app does everything Photoshop and Lightroom do together, but a combination does. Import and tag photos in digiKam, develop RAW files in darktable, RawTherapee or ART, retouch and composite in GIMP (open RAW files straight from GIMP through the darktable or RawTherapee plug-in), and paint or illustrate in Krita. All of them export standard formats, so you can still hand a designer a PSD from GIMP or Krita.
Tools Removed From This List, and Why
The 2025 version of this article listed several tools that are free but not open source. They are still useful, but they don't belong on an open-source list:
- Photopea: a free browser editor with ads and a paid Premium account. Its code is not open source.
- Pixlr: a freemium online editor with paid plans. Not open source.
- Paint.NET: free for personal and business use, but its licence forbids modifying the software, so it is freeware, not open source. Pinta is its open-source counterpart.
- PhotoScape X: freeware with a paid Pro version. Not open source.
- MyEdit: an online AI photo editor with free and paid plans. Not open source.
- Inkscape: open source, but a vector editor for logos and illustrations rather than a Photoshop alternative. See our guides to free Illustrator alternatives and open-source CorelDRAW alternatives.
- MyPaint: still open source, but its last release, 2.0.1, dates from May 2020; Krita is the maintained choice for painting.
If you only need a free tool and don't care about the licence, our list of free Photoshop alternatives covers Photopea, Pixlr, Paint.NET and the now-free Affinity, with each one's free-plan limits.
Which Open-Source Photoshop Alternative Should You Choose?
- You want one app that replaces Photoshop: GIMP, with PhotoGIMP if you have Photoshop habits.
- You draw, paint or make illustrations: Krita.
- You shoot RAW and want Lightroom-style editing: darktable; RawTherapee for maximum control; ART for a simpler interface.
- You have thousands of photos to organise: digiKam.
- You need quick crops, resizes and fixes: Pinta or Photoflare CE.
- You need an editor inside the browser or your own web app: miniPaint.
Open-Source Licences: What Founders Need to Know
All of these licences let you use the software for any purpose, including client work and commercial projects, and they don't claim any rights over the images you create. The difference only matters if you change or redistribute the software itself: the GPL (GIMP, Krita, darktable, RawTherapee, ART, digiKam, Photoflare CE) requires you to share your changes under the same licence when you distribute them, while MIT (Pinta, miniPaint) lets you reuse the code, even in a closed product, as long as you keep the copyright notice. That makes miniPaint the practical choice if you want to embed an image editor in your own startup's web app.
Open-source tools also keep your costs predictable as the team grows. The same reasoning applies beyond design: see our guides to open-source Blender alternatives, open-source Canva alternatives and open-source draw.io alternatives.
How Founders Use Open-Source Image Editors
Most early-stage startups need the same images: product photos for the website, a founder headshot, social media visuals and screenshots for a pitch deck. GIMP and darktable handle product photos and headshots, Krita covers illustrations and simple brand graphics, and digiKam keeps the growing library in order. If you are building your visual identity, our guide to personal branding for female founders explains what to create first, and AI virtual product photography shows another way to get product shots. Once you have the visuals, the F/MS AI SEO Tool turns a keyword into a blog article to publish them in.
FAQ About Open-Source Photoshop Alternatives
What is the best open-source alternative to Photoshop?
GIMP. It is licensed under the GNU GPL, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and covers layers, masks, retouching and compositing. Add the PhotoGIMP patch to make its layout and shortcuts resemble Photoshop's.
Is Photopea open source?
No. Photopea is free to use with ads, and a paid Premium account removes them, but its source code is not open. miniPaint is an open-source browser editor (MIT licence).
Is Paint.NET open source?
No. Paint.NET is free freeware, also for business use, but its licence forbids modifying the software. Pinta, which started as a clone of Paint.NET 3.0, is MIT-licensed open source.
Is Krita good for photo editing?
Krita is built for painting and illustration. It has layers, filters and PSD support, so it can do photo edits, but GIMP is the better open-source choice for retouching photos.
What is the open-source alternative to Lightroom?
darktable is the closest match, with a photo library and non-destructive RAW development. RawTherapee and ART are RAW developers, and digiKam is a full photo library manager.
Can GIMP open RAW files?
Yes, through darktable or RawTherapee installed as plug-ins. GIMP passes the RAW file to them for development and then opens the result.
Can GIMP open PSD files?
Yes. GIMP imports and exports PSD files, and the 3.x series improved PSD compatibility, including clipping paths and CMYK profiles. Krita can also load and save PSD.
Can I use open-source image editors for commercial work?
Yes. GPL and MIT licences allow any use, including commercial projects, and they don't claim rights over your images. The licence terms only apply when you modify and redistribute the software itself.
Is there an open-source Photoshop alternative that runs in the browser?
Yes, miniPaint. It runs entirely in your browser without uploading your files, and its MIT licence lets you host your own copy.
Which design tools does a startup need besides a photo editor?
Usually a vector tool for the logo, a template tool for social media and a presentation tool. Our list of top design tools for startups covers the main options.
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. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
