If you work in creative software — or any area of tech, really — you’ll be familiar with Photoshop, and likely agree it’s the go-to option for image editing and design. Since Photoshop’s inception in 1990, it’s become the most famous creative software, to the point of even using it as a verb to generally describe any image editing and manipulation. There are many alternatives to Photoshop, but when all is said and done, Adobe Photoshop is still the best photo editor among our options.

8 Years of research and development

Photoshop is one of the longest running image editing programs

Since Photoshop is one of the longest standing graphic design software available, it only makes sense that a lot of research and development has gone into making it so timeless. Adobe works with and for its users to create software that we want to use.

Rarely are tools removed from Photoshop unless there’s a lack of use — such as most 3D tools being removed from Photoshop in 2022, since they were added into Illustrator with much better utilization there. Most Photoshop users subscribe to other Adobe programs, meaning that although Photoshop and Illustrator offer different features, you can file share and use similar tools across them both to create the best results.

With the lengthy history of Photoshop comes a powerful system. Adobe boasts extensive cloud software, giving users globally the best of all tools. As they say, "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and that is reflected in the way Photoshop’s longstanding software keeps getting better with improvements and doesn’t change things needlessly.

7 Versatile file output

You can save or export in almost any file type

Unlike some other editing tools, Photoshop offers a huge variety of output file types — and input file types too, as it happens. There are no limitations, such as only being able to export or save certain formats if you subscribe to the next tier, like other software. Any Photoshop subscriber is free to export or save in any format available.

Not only can you save in many image formats, including being able to edit RAW photos using Photoshop’s Camera Raw plugin, but you can even animate in Photoshop and create short videos and GIFs. While it isn’t an extensive video editor, it’s a great option to have without purchasing more software just to do it.

6 Powerful AI tools

Whether you like AI or not, these tools are fantastic

Adobe introduced AI tools to most of its software in 2023. Photoshop received many generative AI tools, intelligent selection, neural filters, and many behind-the-scenes AI tools from the power of both Adobe Firefly and Adobe Sensei’s technology.

While many AI tools in other photo editing software can seem gimmicky, or not work particularly well, Photoshop’s AI tools are helpful and create great results more often than other tools.

You do need an internet connection in order to utilize Photoshop’s AI tools, which is a minor problem. But how often do you use your computer without an internet connection, anyway?

5 Seamless Adobe integration

Creative Cloud subscribers can benefit from more than just Photoshop

While you can subscribe to Adobe Photoshop as an individual program subscription, it’s not a cost-effective way to access Photoshop.

Luckily, other Adobe plans are more cost-effective, meaning if you subscribe to either the Photography Plan, which includes a subscription to both Photoshop and Lightroom, or the Adobe All Apps plan which, as the name suggests, provides access to every Creative Cloud software, then you can seamlessly move your work between Adobe tools.

Not only is this good for your own personal workflow, but if you’re using Photoshop in a professional setting, with clients, or teammates, it makes creating group projects much easier and stress-free.

You can send linked Adobe assets easily via the Creative Cloud to open in a variety of Adobe software, making it easy to apply your Photoshop edits to an InDesign layout document, or add doodles in Illustrator to your edited Photoshop image.

4 Great collaboration tools

Photoshop is useful for team projects

Along with being able to access your Photoshop assets in other Adobe programs, Photoshop also boasts excellent collaboration features.

Whether you’re using Photoshop from the desktop app, the mobile app, or Photoshop on the web, you can share links to your project with Adobe subscribers and non-Adobe users.

This allows for easier collaboration, giving access to others to view, comment, or edit the project in Photoshop.

3 Consistent and reliable

Even as it evolves, Photoshop stays consistent in all the ways that matter

Photoshop’s interface is one of the most recognizable creative software interfaces around. Most Photoshop alternatives even copy the same structure and style, so it must be good.

The consistency found in Photoshop is second to none, and it allows it to become a reliable tool for your creative work.

Even with updates, Photoshop remains the same. Its familiar UI and UX make things comfortable for users, both new and old. It isn’t a confusing software to learn, even with its abundance of tools. Once you’ve cracked Photoshop, you’ll never have to re-learn a new model, as the future changes are minute and will only improve your workflow rather than hinder it.

A small downside of its consistency (or lack, thereof) might be considered to be its price. Photoshop has gone up in price over the years, with its biggest downside found in the lack of ownership access in its Creative Cloud subscription model.

2 Endless tools and features

You really can do anything in Photoshop

Anything you can imagine for photo editing can be achieved in Photoshop. Its powerful manipulation features — without even bringing AI into the equation — let you turn your creative imagination into a visual reality.

Even as a long-time Photoshop user of over a decade, I still find new tools and new techniques I didn’t know existed. You can never quite learn all of Photoshop, and that’s really exciting as a creative user.

1 It’s the industry standard

There’s a reason it is the most widely used

Photoshop is seen as the industry standard in the creative industries and beyond. This makes it difficult to use alternatives to Photoshop because you’ll find limitations in the professional space.

Using Photoshop is natural in any professional setting that requires image manipulation or photo editing. PSD files are commonly sent from designers or clients, which are difficult or sometimes impossible to utilize in other software.

The creative industry leans on the power of Photoshop, including its reliability, collaboration tools, and integration with other software. You’ll be hard-pressed to find alternatives to Photoshop to be helpful in any way except for making images as a hobby, for yourself, or just as a freelance experience.

For this reason alone, Photoshop remains the best photo editor to use. You’ll be taken seriously, and you will face fewer issues in your workflow.

Despite some negatives, Photoshop remains the number one choice

There are still some negatives about using Photoshop — the increasing price, subscription-only model, and requirement to access the internet as a small handful — but the positives far outweigh the negatives. Learning and using Photoshop will push you to become a great photo editor and image manipulator. You can do many powerful things with your skills in Photoshop, so there’s no need to utilize other software when Adobe Photoshop by far still takes the top spot in the industry.