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12 Free Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Alternatives Ranked by Real Users (2026)

Explore 12 alternatives to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

The best free Adobe Photoshop Lightroom alternatives, ranked by SpotScore

Quick answer

Looking for a Adobe Photoshop Lightroom alternative? The top picks are Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements and Paintshop Pro. Adobe Photoshop comes out ahead with a SpotScore of 9.5 and a 4.7★ rating. See all 12 compared on score, rating, and price below.

You don't have to settle for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom if it isn't working. These 12 photo editing software free alternatives are the strongest replacements, ranked by SpotScore (real-user satisfaction and market presence), star ratings, and pricing. Editors vet each tool. Use the table for a fast comparison, then read the sections below for the full story.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
Adobe PhotoshopUnleash your creativity with unparalleled editing power.9.5★★★★★ 4.7(570)Freefrom $22.99/moteams of all sizes
Adobe Photoshop ElementsUnleash your creativity with effortless photo editing.9.1★★★★☆ 4.3(251)Freefrom $59.99 One-Time Paymentteams of all sizes
Paintshop ProUnleash your creative potential with ease.8.9★★★★☆ 4(39)FreeFree Trial · One-time licenseteams of all sizes
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom ClassicTransform your photos into masterpieces with ease.8★★★★★ 4.6(789)Freefrom $9.99/moteams of all sizes
FotorTransform your photos into masterpieces.9.8★★★★☆ 3.5(233)FreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
PicMonkeyEdit, create, and share your photos with ease.9.7★★★★☆ 3.5(222)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
BefunkyUnleash your creativity with effortless photo editing.9.6★★★★☆ 4.1(72)FreeFreemium · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
PixlrTransform your photos with Pixlr's powerful features.9.4★★★★★ 4.5(345)FreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
PhotopeaTransform photos like a pro with Photopea.9.3★★★☆☆ 3.1(28)FreeFreemium · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
FotoJetEffortlessly elevate your photos with FotoJet's precision tools.9.3★★★★★ 4.51(230)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
piZapUnleash your creativity with piZap.9Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
RibbetEdit, organize, and share photos effortlessly.8.9★★★★☆ 4.3(47)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses

9.5

SpotScore

Adobe Photoshop - Photo Editing Software

Adobe Photoshop

Unleash your creativity with unparalleled editing power.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.7

570 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Adobe Photoshop?

Photoshop is the industry-standard photo editing software used by professional photographers and designers around the world. Get unrivaled power and performance with this photo editing software. This photo editing software helps to work with layers, blend colors, remove flaws, and more to ...

Read more about Adobe Photoshop
Free TrialTry Free →

9.1

SpotScore

Adobe Photoshop Elements - Photo Editing Software

Adobe Photoshop Elements

Unleash your creativity with effortless photo editing.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.3

251 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Adobe Photoshop Elements?

Adobe Photoshop Elements is a digital photo editor to help to fix, organize and share images. Enjoy one-click auto fixes that let users instantly improve photos, then use simple yet powerful tools to adjust color, lighting and more. From easy sharing that lets user publish projects to mobile ...

Read more about Adobe Photoshop Elements
Free TrialTry Free →

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8.9

SpotScore

Paintshop Pro - Photo Editing Software

Paintshop Pro

Unleash your creative potential with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.0

39 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Paintshop Pro?

Paintshop Pro is a photo editing program that is fast and powerful, with exceptional tools for digital artists. Featuring core technologies designed to increase productivity and performance, extensive file format support and new Digital Camera Raw technology to enhance speed and quality, ...

Read more about Paintshop Pro
Free TrialTry Free →

8.0

SpotScore

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic - Photo Editing Software

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic

Transform your photos into masterpieces with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.6

789 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic?

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for Mac & Windows, formerly known as Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC, is photo editing software that allows to import, organize, edit and share photos. Work at an desirable pace with non-destructive edits that allow to change mind any time during the process. Edit ...

Read more about Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic
Free TrialTry Free →

9.8

SpotScore

Fotor - Photo Editing Software

Fotor

Transform your photos into masterpieces.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

3.5

233 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Fotor?

Fotor is photo editing software that lets users dramatically improve the photos of family or of nature's beauty. User can perform advanced edits such as skin smoothing, blemish fixing, straightening, redeye reduction, pixelation removal, background light adjustments, and modifications to ...

Read more about Fotor

Starts from $8.99/Month, also offers free forever plan

9.7

SpotScore

PicMonkey - Photo Editing Software

PicMonkey

Edit, create, and share your photos with ease.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

3.5

222 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is PicMonkey?

PicMonkey photo editing software helps to easily edit, create, and sharephotos. Upload photos or create free photo upload accounts at various social media sites. Then use the one-click color correction tools, feathering options, lens flares, graphics, text overlays, and doodles to enhance ...

Read more about PicMonkey
Free Trial·

Starts from $6/Month when Billed Yearly

9.6

SpotScore

Befunky - Photo Editing Software

Befunky

Unleash your creativity with effortless photo editing.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Try for Free

4.1

72 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Befunky?

Befunky is an online photo editor for graphic designers, photographers and other visual artists. This allows users to easily, instantly and safely modify photos online while still retaining the full resolution of images. Befunky uses easy drag-and-drop features to put together collages, add ...

Read more about Befunky

Starts from $4.99/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.4

SpotScore

Pixlr - Photo Editing Software

Pixlr

Transform your photos with Pixlr's powerful features.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

4.5

345 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Pixlr?

Pixlr is a free photo editing application that includes more than 350 professional-grade filters and tools for basic adjustments, complex photo compositions, sharing photos on social networks, and more. Unlike basic software, Pixlr is compatible with every major browser and mobile device. It ...

Read more about Pixlr

Starts from $4.90/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.3

SpotScore

Photopea - Photo Editing Software

Photopea

Transform photos like a pro with Photopea.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Try for Free

3.1

28 verified reviews

Add to compare

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What is Photopea?

Photopea is a browser-based photo editing software designed for individuals and teams seeking professional-quality editing tools without the need for installations or costly licenses. Built for graphic designers, small business owners, educators, students, freelancers, and social media ...

Read more about Photopea

Starts from $5/month when monthly, also offers free forever plan

9.3

SpotScore

FotoJet - Photo Editing Software

FotoJet

Effortlessly elevate your photos with FotoJet's precision tools.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.5

230 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is FotoJet?

FotoJet is an easy-to-use photo editing software designed for users of varying levels and technical know-how, from enthusiasts to semi-professional photographers, with unparalleled image quality. With it's thorough file browser, easily browse through folders with thousands of images and edit ...

Read more about FotoJet
Free Trial·

Starts from $3.33/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.0

SpotScore

piZap - Photo Editing Software

piZap

Unleash your creativity with piZap.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is piZap?

piZap is an easy-to-use software application that makes photo editing simple and fun. The intuitive user interface makes it natural to apply cool filters, borders, frames, stickers, and effects. piZap is robust and easy-to-use: Crop, Resize, Deskew, Straighten, Rotate, Mirror image, Flip image, ...

Read more about piZap
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $4.99/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

8.9

SpotScore

Ribbet - Photo Editing Software

Ribbet

Edit, organize, and share photos effortlessly.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.3

47 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Ribbet?

Ribbet is a photo editing software. The app makes it fun and easy to edit digital photos with a design that is simple and clean. With Ribbet, quickly fix image flaws such as poor lighting, color casts, red eye, and more. It also allows to organize, store and share photos from social networks, ...

Read more about Ribbet
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $3.33/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

Why these Adobe Photoshop Lightroom alternatives made the cut

Adobe Photoshop9.5Best for teams of all sizes

Wide range of tools for image editing and manipulation, catering to various creative needs.

Watch for: Overwhelming richness of features and customizations might be complex for newcomers without proper guidance.

Adobe Photoshop Elements9.1Best for teams of all sizes

Provides a user-friendly experience for both beginners and enthusiasts.

Watch for: Limited selection in the Marketplace for additional apps and connectors.

Paintshop Pro8.9Best for teams of all sizes

Affordable alternative to Adobe Photoshop, suitable for beginners and mid-level users.

Watch for: Lacks advanced features needed by professional graphic designers.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic8Best for teams of all sizes

Non-destructive editing

Watch for: Steeper learning curve

Fotor9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Easy to use with a user-friendly interface, suitable for beginners and experienced users alike.

Watch for: Some advanced features may require a paid subscription, limiting access for users who prefer free versions.

PicMonkey9.7Best for small & mid-size businesses

Easy to use, even for non-designers, with a user-friendly interface and intuitive functionality.

Watch for: Limited undo/redo functionality and less extensive history of changes, affecting workflow efficiency for artists.

Befunky9.6Best for small & mid-size businesses

Wide variety of tools for easy and hassle-free photo editing, including filters and effects.

Watch for: Limitations on free features and access to templates, with more advanced features restricted to paid versions.

Pixlr9.4Best for teams of all sizes

Free web-based image editor with a broad feature set comparable to Photoshop.

Watch for: Free version has a storage cap, shows ads, and excludes premium features.

Photopea9.3Best for small & mid-size businesses

The tool is a great alternative for users looking for free or low-budget editing options and has a good set of features.

Watch for: Some users experienced performance issues like lagging, slowing down after prolonged usage, and occasional crashes.

FotoJet9.3Best for small & mid-size businesses

Easy-to-use interface with a variety of options for creating collages and editing photos.

Watch for: Some users faced challenges with saving their work or downloading without paying for certain features.

piZap9Best for small & mid-size businesses

Intuitive user interface

Watch for: Limited advanced features

Ribbet8.9Best for small & mid-size businesses

Easy to use, intuitive interface with various useful features like filters, text, stickers, and frames.

Watch for: Some premium features and tools are available only with paid subscriptions.

Why teams look for a Adobe Photoshop Lightroom alternative

Here's what tends to push teams toward a Adobe Photoshop Lightroom alternative:

  • Steep learning curve for beginners, especially in mastering advanced features and navigating the interface.
  • Subscription-based pricing model can be expensive and may limit access to premium features for some users.
  • Performance issues, such as slow loading times and lag, when working with large catalogs or high-resolution images.
  • Limited sharing options and higher memory requirements, impacting software usability and efficiency.

The things that matter when replacing Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

By the numbers, these 12 photo editing software free alternatives shake out as follows: 12 offer a free tier; paid plans run $9.99–$59.99, with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic the cheapest entry point; and Adobe Photoshop is the highest rated at 4.7★ across 570 reviews.

How the order works.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom are Adobe Photoshop (4.7★), Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic (4.6★), FotoJet (4.5★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, prioritize: Text Tool, Transform tools, Import from web, Effects and Filters, Collaborative Editing, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom starts from $9.99 /Month. Many alternatives offer similar functionality at different price points — some with free tiers, others with more flexible per-seat pricing. Use the filters above to narrow by budget.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to decide on a Adobe Photoshop Lightroom alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements and Paintshop Pro let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Adobe Photoshop has the strongest star rating (4.7★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Adobe Photoshop has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.5) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

Making the move from Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

A clean break from Adobe Photoshop Lightroom starts with your data. Export it, verify the new tool can take it in, and check that your core workflows carry over. Pilot the switch with a small team or project before going all in, and don't cancel Adobe Photoshop Lightroom until the migration's finished. Free trials above make testing low-risk.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].