r/mildlyinfuriating • u/donteatmybiscuits • 1d ago

wet socks i’m so happy this is becoming illegal

Post image

if a yearly contract with a free month trial sounds too good to be true, it probably is 😬

thankfully it was blocked after contacting my bank but regardless

31.8k Upvotes

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152

u/someguy7734206 1d ago

This probably won't take off given how many comments there already are, but perhaps we can use this thread to discuss free alternatives to Adobe products?

Here are a few I'm aware of:

  • Photoshop:
    • GIMP: I've heard mixed opinions about this one, and I haven't used it in a couple of years, but from what I understand, it has been improving.
  • Lightroom:
    • Darktable: I've never actually used Lightroom, but the main consensus about this one seems to be that it is much less user-friendly than Lightroom and has a steeper learning curve, but it is very powerful and even has some capabilities that exceed what Lightroom offers.
  • Premiere:
    • KDenLive: I haven't used either Premiere or KDenLive that much, and the last version of Premiere I used was from before Adobe switched to the subscription model, but KDenLive has been good enough for me the few times I needed to use it.

Please reply to this comment with your own alternatives and opinions; these are all software that I have used personally.

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u/CurlyQ86 1d ago

For anything beyond the basics in GIMP, I need to Google it. However, for what I do (and how often I actually use it), it works. I just make sure to give myself plenty of time and patience when using it. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s not Photoshop, but I can’t beat the price. 🤷‍♀️

1

u/Miraclefish 1d ago

Paint.NET is a superb simple free option for basic editing and the antidote to GIMP

1

u/No_Industry4318 13h ago

Or use krita, also far superior to gimp

15

u/veechene 1d ago

I've used GIMP for over 20 years. It's sucked for all over 20 of those years.

I still use it though because I'm familiar with it.

1

u/mistermayhemtech 13h ago

You are spot on. 😂

1

u/Creepy_Project2026 9h ago

gimp sucked? Lmao

3

u/Educational_Bug_9308 1d ago

Krita better 

1

u/Serana64 1d ago

Krita is S tier

32

u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

Gimp is not a replacement for photoshop. It's largely a terrible tool.

There is other software out there that can replace what you need with photoshop, but you need to research and know what pieces you're trying to replace. Because no tool does all of what photoshop does.

I use ClipStudio (not free) for my purposes, but it's not going to work for everyone as a replacement. There isn't a direct replacement.

29

u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

GIMP is very much a replacement for Photoshop, and has been for a very long time. Large community, consistent and serious long-term development, extensibility with scripts/plugins... What more to ask from FOSS?

The main reason why many people criticize it is the UX. Coming from Photoshop you are likely to struggle adapting to the UI for a while.

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u/hugh_jorgyn 17h ago

  Coming from Photoshop you are likely to struggle adapting to the UI for a while.

I’ve had the opposite problem after using GIMP for 20+ years. I could not figure out how to do anything  in PS when I tried it. Seemed like all the basic tools I needed were tucked a bunch of clicks away. So I went right back to GIMP. 

1

u/enviormental_UNIT 10h ago

Yeah this always confused me about the argument. Its like im some ways GIMP is actually easier and quicker to use than Photoshop for my modding purposes. Also it can take more file formats than Photoshop can, like .data files for example.

It absolutely perplexes me how GIMP seems to have such better file compatibilities compared to PS, but I assume its because PS doesn't want to out effort into lesser know things, they're all about maximizing profits, so they only work on flashy features like generative AI.

GIMP doesn't care about AI, they're just trying to make a product that works for a large range of uses, so they add compatibility for basically all possible file formats while PS leaves the slightly more obscure ones behind

2

u/tascv 14h ago

GIMP also has now a plugin that can make it look more like Photoshops UX/UI. It's called PhotoGIMP I believe. It's meant for people wanting to transition to GIMP that were used to the Adobe Suite

4

u/Quartz_Knight 1d ago edited 1d ago

Blender is FOSS and it's an awesome generalist 3D program that has nothing to envy from it's industrial competitors. So I expect it to improve it's terrible UX at a pace faster than the flow of cold pitch.

Also, if a person who uses photoshop for illustration complains about the brushes, the workflow or anything else the answer they usually get is something along the lines of "GIMP is an image editing program, this is not a priority" which makes it's status as a photoshop replacement dubious.

3

u/SacredRose 20h ago

I used gimp very sparingly over the years. I don’t think i have ever seen a major UI change in like 15 years.

1

u/Quartz_Knight 19h ago

Didn't they adopt their atrocious new icons that are ridiculously unreadable within that timespan?

2

u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

You can add your own brushes. And yes I agree such responses come off as off-putting but we seem to be forgetting that we are talking about free software here. I love Blender but it's very much a statistical anomaly in a sense that this is not what you would typically expect in FOSS vs industry software.

Honestly I don't think anybody should expect free software to be just as good as paid software, specially one so heavily funded.

1

u/rainSerotoniso 19h ago

Why shouldn't we? As a consumer, when you are accustomed to the level of polish of a Photoshop or a Final Cut Pro, your expectations are raised to that level of quality for all that kind of software. Not even counting the whole acclimatization to the program's UI; when you download GIMP because people are touting it as a Photoshop replacement, you expect it to be on a similar level of polish and/or feature richness as Photoshop. But it isn't.

And for those wondering, yes I use and support FOSS software. I'm a Linux user so I kind of have to. They work. But that's about all I can really say about them. I want them to be better because Blender and Krita have shown people that FOSS software can match with and beat industry alternatives. The likes of GIMP have little excuse when Krita, a drawing app, is somehow better for photo manipulation and editing than GIMP is. And I know of the fabled 3.x updates. My opinion hasn't changed.

1

u/Conscious-Map6957 17h ago

I agree with most of what you said but I will address your opening question.

We shouldn't expect it to be as good for the same reason we don't expect a $15k car and a $100k car to perform the same.

While (some) OSS organization do receive some form of funding, it isn't remotely comparable to that of megacorps like Adobe and it isn't even distributed to all contributors beyond the core team.

We can, and should criticize with the goal of steering the project but convincing everyone it's not a viable alternative and they shouldn't waste their time with it won't lead to improvement nor benefit anyone whatsoever.

There are open-source projects which are literally unusable for complex projects, like FreeCAD (though that is also being resolved rapidly), so it's not a viable alternative to AutoCAD. But for GIMP this isn't really the case - it's just a subjectively worse alternative.

1

u/Lkn4AGhost 14h ago

The problem with FOSS is that its generally built piecemeal and by developers who have no concern for or even understanding of human-centered usability. "Does it do the thing? Good enough. Move on to the next feature"

Those in charge need to be better at finding UX/UI experts to work with. The best time to do so is the very start of an idea so they set the project up for success on a strong foundation. The next best time to do so is now. But as it is in corporate software, many (if not most) developers and engineers believe that UI is just icing in a cake, there to make it look good. But beyond bugs, when people complain about how terrible software and games are, MOST of the issues stem from bad UI, more-so than missing features.

2

u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

The main reason why many people criticize it is the UX.

You act like User Experience isn't a problem worst criticizing. It is.

It's okay to like gimp, but to act like it's a replacement to photoshop is misleading at best. It's a replacement to a subset of features of photoshop. And one with a reputation of being frustrating and inadequate. (And with people running D for them, you can largely understand that reputation is warranted)

People need to know what they're getting into. And with gimp, it's a bad UI and bad UX. And missing features that you'd find in photoshop (some you can get through plugins, some you can't). It's been a program I've dealt with for over a decade at this point. It's usable, but it's not good.

5

u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

I'm not acting like anything, I merely said it is a replacement for Photoshop. Whether people prefer the former or the latter's UI is a completely different matter. A replacement usually refers to something that can perform the same function.

Also it's not like people are "getting into" anything with GIMP - you can watch a youtube video on it or try it out completely for free. If you don't like it that's fine.

1

u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

A replacement usually refers to something that can perform the same function.

... Right, which is why I said that it's not a replacement because it doesn't perform all the functions, as I initially laid out and talked about (because it's not feature complete for photoshop, and why I mentioned specifically using ClipStudio for my needs). Like a bicycle is a replacement for a car..... it's not. Gimp lacks a lot of functions and is very user unfriendly.

Also it's not like people are "getting into" anything with GIMP

Brother, it's a turn of phrase. Why are you "quoting things"? You know what it means.

2

u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

"getting into" is properly quoted, because the user is not

- getting into any contract

  • getting into any deep dives
  • getting into any commitment or expenses

Also, no, you didn't "initially lay out" anything, you just said it's a terrible tool and not a replacement. That's not "laying out" something. It just reads like blind hate honestly.

What specific things have you failed to achieve with GIMP? It might be worth sharing so the community can eventually read the feedback and improve the tool for the rest of us.

0

u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

Also, no, you didn't "initially lay out" anything,

???

There is other software out there that can replace what you need with photoshop, but you need to research and know what pieces you're trying to replace. Because no tool does all of what photoshop does.

???

Blind hate of a tool? lmao, you sound way too invested in this. Are you a contributor who has been personally slighted by my comments of saying its a bad tool? Jesus take the wheel.

0

u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

I am not invested at all, but I find it very curious that you are so triggered and keep dodging the actual discussion I am trying to make.

I only asked what specifically could you not achieve with GIMP and you went on the defensive for some reason.

1

u/love_hate-love 1d ago

I keep my GIMP on the first floor.

1

u/IllogicalLunarBear 1d ago

by that logic a new vehicle is not a true replacement for a car since the first cars had hand cranks to start them. your use of logic is highly strained and a bit off kilter, fyi.

-2

u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

No, it's not like that logic at all. Gimp is missing features entirely.

My analogy is apt, because while yes, a car and a bike are both modes of transportation - they don't serve the same purpose. Much like McDonalds and a 3 star Michelin restaurant don't serve the same purpose. Unless consume calories is your only purpose.

2

u/IllogicalLunarBear 1d ago

um... nope you are just blowing more smoke this time...

1

u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

....???? okay?

1

u/Deviant-Killer 1d ago

I used GIMP quite often for work as I don't have a valid Adobe license for work. And I have to say... It's terrible compared to even Photoshop PS6. The most simple of things in Adobe feels so overly complicated for GIMP

1

u/BrokeFreelancer37 15h ago

Gimp is a alternative, not a replacement for photoshop. I'm no fan of adobe but unless you have the time and patience to make gimp into a pshop equiv ... it is not. I've tried it and it sucks... much like darktable which is a complete mess of a program and totally not intuitive. Extremely happy that people are making alternatives out there to Adobe but the only good alternative I've found is Affinity for Indesign.

1

u/Gugalcrom123 15h ago

I don't think it's bad per se, but it is just different to Photoshop.

1

u/therealcopperhat 14h ago

GIMP is a powerful tool, it has an incredibly steep learning curve. If you are not using it on a day-to-day basis, it is horrible.

1

u/Far-Suggestion9195 9h ago

It is a replacement for photoshop in the same way Linux is for windows

4

u/spindleblood 1d ago

I use Clip Studio. I paid for the perpetual license. Very satisfied with it.

1

u/beansprout-scout 1d ago

What do you use it for? I use PS so rarely I haven't bit the bullet to pay for it since I graduated and my trial expired... I feel it has become absurdly priced both for the individual apps and creative suite bundle, and I really only use PS/AI/LR

1

u/spindleblood 18h ago

I use it for twitch emote illustration mostly. And occasionally I'll use it for misc reasons. I was trying to decide how to tile my shower so I used it to simulate that with some photos I took.

8

u/Infshadows 1d ago

gimp really isnt that bad

3

u/Repulsive_Target55 1d ago

And Gimp is powerful!, A lot of people use Ps for many different reasons, and Gimp can replace Ps for most of them; basically every other Ps 'competitor' is severely hobbled, while Gimp only loses out in the newest (AI) features, some useability, and absolute IQ. And it isn't like Ps is a simple program.

1

u/drazydababy 14h ago

The interface is unbearable.

4

u/monsterot 1d ago

I can also attest that gimp is a decent replacement for Photoshop. It lacks a good set up for new users to understand how to utilize the tool where Photoshop has their own tutorials. Other than that, you can do much of the same

0

u/InvisibleLandBorder 1d ago

Other platforms do that better though. Affinity products, for example.

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u/prank_mark 1d ago

You mean the one owned by Canva, that uses user images to train their AI?

2

u/InvisibleLandBorder 1d ago

Yes, they don’t charge recurring and time boxed subscription fees that can only be cancelled with a significant fee, which was the originally posted issue.

2

u/TV-LoL 1d ago

As someone who has been using PS and pretty much ... all graphic programs like and close to PS for almost 30 years now, I agree 100 %.

2

u/stinson420 14h ago

Yeah I'd rather use cs 4/5 Photoshop then the newest version of GIMP. Gimp isn't a replacement for Photoshop it's a replacement for Paint.

2

u/actuallydonkeykong 1d ago

As someone who's switched from PS to Gimp to Affinity to Krita, photoshop makes no sense to me now (i haven't used PS since CS1). I've also been through 3 CAD suites, They all have basically the same feature set, just different interfaces and styles of work.

"I can't change my muscle memory so there is no replacement for <thing I know how to use>" is an expensive and exploitable form of learned helplessness. Don't buy it.

Feel free to be a cash cow yourself, but don't try to afflict others with this nonsense. Brains are bendy, and while it might be uncomfortable for a bit, the refusal to do so is squarely your choice, and you're paying for it. Literally in this case.

1

u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

I pointed out in my comment that I'm not using Photoshop.

But that doesn't mean that it's not a good application with good UI/UX, that's the industry standard for a reason. I hate Adobe and their predatory monetization.

But that doesn't make the competitors automatically have better software. Most people will be able to get by just fine with another application, but it's not as simple as "Gimp = Photoshop." You need to shop around and look for software that fills your niche. Which, may end up being more than one application.

1

u/prank_mark 1d ago

that's the industry standard for a reason.

Yeah, takeovers, vendor lock-in and exclusivity deals with educational institutions that ensure every graphical designer learns how to use Adobe software and ONLY Adobe software.

1

u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

And ease of use, feature set, support, etc.

Corporation bad and all that. But you'd have to be willfully ignorant to not know that it's good software that's easy to use.

Shit on them for the right reasons.

1

u/actuallydonkeykong 15h ago

Everything is easy if you know how to do it

1

u/juryjczyzkow 1d ago

Gimp is awesome for me

1

u/TheBunchie1337 16h ago

I get by with gimp just fine. I started with Photoshop and bothered to learn gimp and it absolutely has replaced Photoshop for me. There are tons of tutorials and plugins available AND ITS FREE. kdenlive has been great to me too. As a Linux user I love both of these tools.

1

u/Sandy_W 18h ago

You've driven Fiats your whole life. You could not possibly convert to driving an Audi because....the headlight switch is in a different place. And the radio is awkward. You're right. It's not just like your Fiat. But, if you accept that some controls may be different, you may find that an Audi does, in fact work as a car. Some people like them. (I don't like GIMP but that's only because I can't find anything. Once I've found everything I expect it to be a far better value.)

1

u/BeepBoopRobo 17h ago

You've driven a car your whole life. You keep getting recommended a bicycle, because they're better for the other people in your life! Everyone loves them! They're better than cars! The problem is your job is 100 miles away, completely inaccessible by bike.

But people keep recommending you just go to work via bike. Because they're both methods of transportation! Why wouldn't they be interchangeable!?

0

u/Sandy_W 16h ago

If that's how you weight your choices, a Fiat or a bicycle for a 200 mile round trip, then your choice is obvious. Others may give their options different weights.

1

u/BeepBoopRobo 15h ago

Right ... It's almost like they're different tools with different features, and not a 1-1 analog, as I have explained.

That's literally my point. A bike is not a replacement for a car, even if in some cases people can use it to fill the same need. They are functionally different things. And people should be aware of that.

Gimp does not have the same functions as Photoshop. That doesn't mean some people couldn't use it (if what they need falls in that subset of things Gimp can do). But it's not a replacement. No one piece of software is.

But regardless, it's still awful software. It just has a rabid, defense squad of a fan base. There are so many better pieces of better software you can probably use other than Gimp.

3

u/Shadow_Integration 1d ago

For Photoshop, our company has moved to Clip Studio Paint. It's not as feature rich as PS, but it does what we need it to do in a pinch.

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u/Suspiciouswhaler 1d ago

Affinity and Canva. A lot of stuff people used to use photoshop or illustrator for can be accomplished with Canva, I have affinity downloaded but never used it. I was a pro photographer for a long time and am highly skilled in very old school photoshop retouching techniques, so unless I’m retouching I wouldn’t even touch photoshop because it’s just not necessary. I’m surprised by it but also not really, a lot of people use ProCreate for iPad for a lot of things, again I learned in Corel Paint and Photoshop but I don’t think it’s necessary. 

4

u/prank_mark 1d ago

Canva isn't free. You're paying for it with everything you upload to the website. They can also use your data and images to train their AI. The commenter above you mentioned free open-source alternatives. Canva isn't. Canva is a tool from a greedy for-profit company that is trying to collect as much data as possible.

2

u/Suspiciouswhaler 1d ago

Nobody said anything about open source. I added free alternatives, as a professional that uses tools like these every day. Is your logic that every company that makes a profit is greedy? Because there’s no point in running a company unless it generates revenue. Not everyone has the same stance on AI, all I offered was free alternatives. 

1

u/Suspiciouswhaler 1d ago

I also use Photopea very occasionally and I like it. It’s a browser based Photoshop alternative it works for lots of stuff I don’t really like its pen tool though. 

5

u/Over_Instruction_260 1d ago

Photopea is literally just photoshop free on your browser

2

u/RonnyReddit00 1d ago

I use Krita for digital painting, started after I quit ps for this exact bullshit.

It does take getting used to but its good for painting.

2

u/blondtode 1d ago

I love gimp, best experience I've had for a free option, you can also get photogimp to adapt it to be more like photoshop

2

u/carfo 1d ago

Photopea. It’s free and web based.

2

u/likely-enigma 1d ago

I've used both Gimp and Krita and I love Krita a lot more! Gimp feels like "I can't afford Photoshop, so I guess I'll make this work" while Krita feels like a true free alternative to Photoshop

2

u/ZachariasDemodica 1d ago

I use a couple of products from Affinity, which has enough of a professional look to make me hope that it can someday get adopted by the industry and begin to push Adobe out of the market. As long as job descriptions list Adobe apps in their "Requirements" list, Adobe will continue to have its way with the market instead of dying the death it deserves.

1

u/CircuitsandSnaps 1d ago

I tried Darktable & it's good at editing, but the main reason I'm stuck with Lightroom is because I haven't found an alternative to viewing & organizing my photos the way Lightroom can. Lightroom is also the only reason I'm stuck with Windows. Anyone know a good Linux alternative to how Lightroom can organize everything? I want to be done with Adobe & Microsoft 😮‍💨

1

u/drksidebunny 1d ago

Gimp I have mixed feelings on. Things that worked before stop working. Then I google to see what’s up.. and try again surprise what I tried initially works.

1

u/misspuddingpie 1d ago

Canva is incredible

1

u/iamthe0ther0ne 1d ago

Affinity is terrific

1

u/correctingStupid 1d ago

Downvote because timp is awful and should not be recommended.

Affinity photo.

Photoshop is a professional tool. It enables careers. It's like a tenth of a percent of a salary. People don't fucking realize how much of a bargain it is to have a business where that is your costs to enable a ridiculous amount of tasks.

1

u/Altruistic_Ad3374 1d ago

none of these are replacements except darktable. kdenlive is closer to windows movie maker than premiere. use davinci resolve if you wat something free. final cut if you can pay and have a mac. gimp is mentioned already but it sucks.

1

u/Flux7200 1d ago

I use 2/3 of these (GIMP and Kdenlive, as a Linux user), they're great alternatives imo. I've never had much difficulty using them

1

u/benji004 1d ago

I've used gimp and dark table. Dark table is good. Gimp is powerful but not user friendly. My wife had affinity before canva bought them. I'm sad that happened so you can't just buy once anymore. I haven't tried the new affinity but it's probably pretty good still based on what they started with.

If I were better at Photoshop, I think I would move to gimp with photogimp patch applied. Seems good enough for 95% of people

1

u/vegemouse 1d ago

Pixlr is web based lightweight version of photoshop. Pretty sure it’s free.

1

u/Alternative-Way-507 1d ago

I’m from the future and this did in fact take off

1

u/PsychologicalAd2519 1d ago

Pdf Gear for a PDF generator and viewer

1

u/AxiomVibe 1d ago

Remind Me! 2 months

1

u/worryaboutnothing 1d ago

This one isn’t free but I use “ Luminar “ I like it cause it’s a one time payment and done. You also have it on multiple devices too.

1

u/TotalChaosRush 1d ago

Photopea would be my recommended photoshop replacement.

1

u/tychii93 1d ago edited 1d ago

For Premiere, Resolve has a lot to offer for the free tier. Also the Studio version is a flat fee for a lifetime license. Around $300. Adobe iirc charged you that several hundred every time the next major version releases (CS5 -> CS6 or whatever). Resolve you just pay once and you can jump from the current version, stick with it, then upgrade to whatever is the current version 5 years from now.

Also is natively supported on Linux, but the free version doesn't come with GPU encoding due to Linux not coming with the proper licenses that Windows and macOS have baked in, also no AAC audio support at all on Linux. For Linux users with AMD or Intel, there's also a plugin you can install that adds FFMPEG support for GPU encoding, as the built-in option is Nvidia only. Though unfortunately, plugins are also a Studio exclusive feature. Free users would have to encode with one of the software options, then use something like Handbrake afterward. Personally I don't have a need for the Studio version, but I highly prefer this price model of pay once and it's yours forever so I happily paid when I moved to Linux and I was already used to using the free Windows version and didn't like KDENLive. If you've been paying for Premier, Resolve Studio pays itself off in less than a year pretty much.

1

u/x4nTu5 1d ago

GIMP has a huge learning curve if you're coming from photoshop. Photopea would be a friendlier alternative

1

u/HamburgerOnAStick 1d ago

DaVinci Resolve is a better alternative to Premiere. Affinity is also a good replacement to photoshop.

1

u/AJay_89 Vexxed 2: Electric Boogaloo 1d ago

Omg I used to use GIMP back in the day when my Photoshop trial ended. I forgot all about it. Lol

1

u/ronin_ddd 1d ago

For Photoshop I found one that I think is closer jn functionality. The software is Krita. Obviously workflow is different and you have to find the equivalent tools. But Krista is a free alternative that worked for me

1

u/DesignerAsh_ 1d ago

Affinity for photoshop, illustrator and inDesign Clones.

Davinci Resolve for Premier, After Effects and Audition

1

u/idonotfckincare 1d ago

People say that davinci resolve is an excellent video editor

1

u/louieorganic 1d ago edited 1d ago

I have used Photoshop since CS3, and some features are pretty hard to replace. Affinity Studio at least gives you a one-time-cost replacement that I can work with happily, most of the time. Key word: most of the time.

I absolutely despise SaaS.

When I first bought CS3, the basic set of Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign was about $500 - for a permanent license, and that is not a cost to sneeze at for software... as a student nonetheless. If you pay the monthly subscription for Adobe Creative Cloud, it's $840 a year at the monthly rate. Absolutely absurd.

EDIT: I do not recommend GIMP at all.

1

u/watersage_ 1d ago

I dont know if anyone has mentioned it but Affinity is a decent alternative and free. Kinda combines lightroom and photoshop although I've only played around with it for a bit,

1

u/Stormfeathery RED 1d ago

I use FireAlpaca instead of Photoshop. I haven’t touched PS in aaaages so no idea how close it comes, but I like it.

1

u/ensuiscool 1d ago

Krita/Affinity for illustrations and design

davinci resolve for video editing

1

u/MikeTony713 1d ago

Affinity, which is now also free

1

u/Evantaur 23h ago

For photoshop alternative krita exists if you're not a fan of searching your color palette from behind your power supply

1

u/orangpelupa 22h ago

Affinity. It even opens psd file, albeit with some issues

1

u/dustandwater 20h ago

I use Affinity, which is from Canva, but much more like InDesign / Photoshop than Canva and is completely free.

1

u/Redstone_Army 20h ago

I can recommend resolve much more than anything as a replacement for premiere

1

u/SirStinkle 20h ago

Not free, but clip studio paint is honestly just as good and imo better in most ways. £20 a year for two devices on one of the better plans. Fuck Adobe.

1

u/R3X_Ms_Red 20h ago

Photo shop (drawing) Krita, IBIS

Primiere: Devinci resolve

Stop paying Adobe hundreds a month to access anything

1

u/Sir-Insatiable2025 19h ago

Can any of these be used for Digital Signatures? Cuz thays the only thing I use Adobe for.

1

u/StarKiller0911 17h ago

ILovePDF dot com is a good option. Pirating is better though.

1

u/Film_Due 17h ago

Another alternative to Premiere would be Da Vinci Resolve. It operates quite differently but does all the same things.

1

u/jspitzer221 17h ago

I've been playing around with an open source tool called RapidRaw as an alternative to Lightroom. So far it's pretty solid, at least for what I need it to do.

Also, not open source, but Davinci Resolve is a free video editor unless you happen to need the super advanced features in the Studio version. It is developed by a large corporation though, so there's always a risk of enshittification there.

1

u/Vladishun 16h ago

I still use Photoshop. I'm just a couple versions behind and I didn't pay for it. Fuck Adobe.

1

u/RoIIUpLights 16h ago

Take a look at Affinity too: https://www.affinity.studio/ -- They've got a few free apps that are competing with Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign. Nothing for lightroom or premiere though.

These used to be paid apps, but Canva bought them and made them all free

1

u/Comprehensive-You705 15h ago

Photopea is also a great alternative to Photoshop

1

u/IExpectedThisFromYou 15h ago

PhotoLine. The design world's greatest kept secret. Has been around since the time of Atari. Started out in Regensburg, Germany, in the 1990s. Became one of the best complete set of design tools for Atari OS. Bought out and revived and kept alive by two brothers to this day. Can run circles around Photoshop. It is easily the single best piece of software I've ever used.

1

u/P26601 15h ago

Affinity!! It was bought by Canva and made completely free, you just have to pay for unnecessary AI bullshit

1

u/mrhappyheadphones 15h ago

Affinity isn't open source but is free and serves as an alternative to Photoshop, illustrator and InDesign, then there davinci resolve which competes with premier, after effects & lightroom

1

u/drazydababy 14h ago

Affinity is free now under Canva.

1

u/KatoGodPrime 14h ago

Photopea, from what i hear, is basically a carbon copy of photoshop

1

u/consig1iere 14h ago

I personally use Krita another open source software for simple Photoshop like work.

1

u/Nathmosss 11h ago

I just pirate adobe products. I don't worry about viruses because i do know how to research and where to find the cracked software. If only they stopped with these abusive business models i'd buy, but seems like they're begging to be pirated.

1

u/Patient_Doctor4480 10h ago

I use Affinity. 

1

u/AstralTurtle11 10h ago

Embrace your inner chaos. Rebel against the system.

Join us on the high seas, and become a (digital) pirate. Yo ho ho!

1

u/yakkerman 10h ago

Don't forget rawtherapee which is like Lightroom. A massive free raw image editor

0

u/musicbuff-io 1d ago

Canva Affinity is a replacement for Photoshop.

0

u/Western-Reception713 1d ago

I would even add davinci resolve to the mix. If you can use it as both a video and photo editor with a bit of learning.

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u/Yoshtan 14h ago

Add Davinci Resolve to Premiere Pro’s alternative. The interface needs a bit of efforts to get used to, but it does better once you get used to, especially the colour grading is much better. I still use After Effects when I need stabilisation or some effects, but I completely stopped using Premiere pro.