I’ve been in the graphic design and digital creation game for a while. Over a decade, in fact. Even throughout my degree, when we were all poor students who barely had two pennies to rub together, Photoshop was the encouraged program of use. Even with a student discount, it’s pricey. But with browser-based tools like Photopea, there’s little requirement to fork out hundreds of dollars a year on Photoshop anymore. Photopea is one of the best alternatives to Photoshop, besides price alone. Here’s why I made the switch.

9 Plugins, templates, and tutorials

Great for extra inspiration

Plugins and templates are made by the Photopea community. They might not be as extravagant as those available for Photoshop, but it’s helpful to have them. You can find these directly on Photopea’s website — which is also where Photopea is hosted.

Similarly, there’s a Tutorials page on the Photopea website too. This is listed with dozens of various tutorials and these are more detailed than the trending tutorials you might find for Photoshop. I want to learn how to create things well, not just to get likes on Instagram.

8 Varied formats compatibility

Open or save a wide range of formats

Lack of format compatibility is often a nuisance of switching from major creative tools to open-source or non-standard tools. Photopea has great compatibility to a wide range of file formats, whether you’re opening PSDs, AI files from Illustrator, Sketch or Figma files, or have previously saved in other formats like JPEG, PNG, and EPS.

You can also save or export in a whole host of formats, giving you as much flexibility as Photoshop. Photopea allows me to continue working for a range of project types and different client needs, without compromise.

7 AI tools

Helpful AI features

Even I have to admit, there are some helpful creative AI tools. Photopea has leaned into the helpful tools rather than gimmicky AI features found in many creative apps.

Most of Photopea’s AI tools come under its Premium plan, which you can get with a one-off payment rather than a subscription or you can gain access simply by watching a couple of ads.

Photopea’s smart or AI tools include the Magic Replace, Spot Healing Brush, Healing Brush, Content-Aware Move Tool, Remove BG, and a few more. The AI tools in Photopea aren’t shiny, flashy features. They’re helpful without being gimmicky.

6 Online community

Photopea’s developer builds the community

Photopea doesn’t have a large community of contributors and developers like open-source creative tools. Instead, Photopea has Ivan. Ivan Kutskir is the sole developer of Photopea. But even as a one-man-show, Ivan has brought the online community together well.

Using forums like Reddit, or even Photopea’s GitHub page, Ivan ensures that Photopea users are heard and their ideas are taken into consideration for Photopea development. The GitHub page is available for users to report issues. Visiting the Photopea Reddit community, you’ll see Ivan personally responds to almost every enquiry on all threads.

5 Vectorpea sister tool

Missing Illustrator? Not a problem

Although in its development infancy, the Photopea brand also has a vector-based equivalent to Illustrator — Vectorpea. Here, you can natively create vector graphics and scalable projects in ways that Photopea doesn’t offer with raster-based tools.

Although Photopea began in 2013, Vectorpea only began in 2023. As a newer tool, it couldn’t quite replace everything in Illustrator the way Photopea could for Photoshop. Eventually, this may turn into a creative suite of sorts, and then Photopea can truly rival Photoshop.

4 Familiar layout to leading software

A much smaller learning curve than other tools

Photopea’s interface and layout almost exactly replicate Photoshop’s. This has made it easier to transition since there’s less guessing or exploring to find tools, menus, and features.

It’s daunting moving to new software and feeling like you’re thrown into the deep end when they’re both so different. Although I like using tools like GIMP instead of Photoshop, I find the interfaces so different that it takes me a while to orient myself, killing my creativity.

3 Your data is all yours

Photopea’s privacy policy is explicit for your data use

Photopea has a short, but sweet privacy policy which reassures me that it’ll never use my files or data for anything. No files used in Photopea are sent anywhere else. They stay entirely on my own device, and once I’ve closed Photopea after each session, all unsaved work, data, and projects disappear.

This means I need to be mindful of saving more frequently — a habit I learned using Adobe software, with its frequent crashes — but it’s reassuring knowing my files are safe and private.

2 Web-based solution

Browser-based tools are more accessible

Photopea is a browser-based tool, which has advantages over the installed apps.

Firstly, the accessibility is better with web-based tools, since you can access them from anywhere with an internet connection.

Secondly, Photopea can also run offline through your browser. So long as you’ve loaded Photopea while connected, you can then switch off your connection and continue accessing Photopea.

There are many times when I’m traveling or have to deal with a subpar internet connection at home when Photopea’s offline mode comes in handy. I can continue working on creative projects.

Being based in the browser also means I can access Photopea from my phone, iPad or tablet, or from someone else’s computer if needed.

1 Free to access for all

Photopea doesn’t cost a thing

I can’t beat around the bush here; the major reason I use Photopea instead of Photoshop is the cost. Or lack, thereof.

Even subscribing to Photoshop as a sole app rather than a larger plan, it’s a huge financial undertaking. A sole Photoshop subscription costs in the region of $260 per year. If you’re using it for a creative hobby and not a professional purpose to make a profit from, that’s a lot of money. Photopea costs nothing to use.

Anyone, anywhere can access Photopea. You can pay for Photopea Premium, which is a one-time cost for a set amount of time, but this payment only enhances you with extra AI credits, a little more storage on the PeaDrive, and removal of ads. Those aren’t features that I need; I’m happy as a free user.

I made the switch. You could, too

Photopea doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, nor the developmental power, as Photoshop. But for most creative uses, Photopea does the job perfectly. Photopea offers familiarity, most of the same tools, and freedom from the Adobe entity. I think Photopea is the best alternative to Photoshop in a world where there are so many options to choose from. Although Photopea lacks the open-source element which many enjoy — that is, being able to inspect, edit, or distribute the source code — it feels very similar to open-source projects with a hands-on developer who listens to Photopea users.