Professional photographers, designers, and filmmakers should definitely incorporate these Adobe Creative Cloud alternatives into their workflow. Are you looking for a similar product to Adobe Creative Cloud to save some money? Buy it The entire suite of Adobe products is quite expensive as you have to pay $52.99 per month. Unless you specialize in photography and videography and produce a lot of media content, you probably don’t need such a large number of programs. You can start with the free Adobe software to start with. However, it does not offer features that meet the needs of advanced users. In this article, I have collected free and cheap programs that will help you improve photos for your portfolio, create videos for social media platforms or presentations Great graphics.
Top 22 Adobe Creative Cloud alternatives worth your time
These alternatives to Adobe Creative Cloud emulate the functionality of Adobe products, but come completely free. Use With them you can retouch, create drawing and graphic design projects, as well as improve video clips. These programs will also come in handy if you are involved in the development of motion graphics, animation, prototypes and web design.
1.GIMP
Best Open Source Alternative Price: Free Platform: Mac OS/Windows/Linux GIMP is the most popular alternative to Photoshop, it emulates Adobe e software's numerous features. It is compatible with common file formats and includes a large number of pre-installed filters, templates and brushes. While Photoshop allows you to perform precise editing and editorial photo manipulation, GIMP is best for basic enhancements.
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Advantages
Updates and fixes are released regularly
Customizable via plugins and scripts
Supports almost all file formats
Layers and masks
Cons
Lack of batch editing
If you compare GIMP and Photoshop, the former is very suitable for small businesses or photography enthusiasts, they Looking for a user-friendly editing software with basic functions. As for Photoshop, it is the choice of professionals. Although GIMP does not have as precise organization as Photoshop, it has a relatively intuitive functional user interface. GIMP includes layers, customizable brushes , filters and automatic image enhancement tools. It supports a large number of plug-ins (some of which are pre-installed, others can be downloaded separately). For more advanced users, there are many more possibilities, including layer masks, Bezier Curves, filters and animation packages. Another bragging point is its open source nature, so experienced users can easily adapt the program to their needs without having to look for another photo editing software.
2 .Pixlr
Best Online Alternative Price: Free or $4.90/month Platform: Online/Mac OS/Windows/Android/iOSPixlr does not require downloading and installation. However, if you compare Pixlr vs Photoshop However, the functionality of the former is relatively limited than Adobe products. Nonetheless, it offers more image editing options than the pre-installed PC or Mac editing programs.
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Advantages
Plug-in support
The web version is absolutely free
Perfect for non-professional tasks
Optimized for mobile devices
Disadvantages
Ad-free version
Pixlr's features are suitable even for those who are into portrait editing. That is why many users consider this Adobe Creative Suite alternative to be a streamlined web version of Photoshop. Mainly this program is compatible with Mac and The difference with Photoshop for PC is that it does not offer batch editing functionality. Pixlr offers a wide selection of filters - fun and classic (black and white, sepia, film) filters. Additionally, the software supports layers and filters for advanced Masks for editing. All brushes and other tools are customizable. You can manually adjust every aspect of your photo by customizing color, exposure, and levels. But there are also automatic tools to help you enhance your photo as quickly as possible.
3.PhotoScape X
Best for photo collage Price: Free or $39.99 Platform: Mac OS/Windows PhotoScape Allows cutting, resizing, pasting images. In addition, PhotoScape X does not require too many computer resources. It can be run even on weak machines, which is almost impossible to achieve with Photoshop.
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Advantages
Free version with basic functions
Batch adjustment Options
Large library of effects and stickers
Optimized for weaker PCs or laptops
Disadvantages
Free version has limited features
PhotoScape Tools for naming and color correction. PhotoScape
Best for RAW files Price: Free Platforms: Mac OS/Windows/Linux Like Lightroom, RawTherapee has interesting filters, crop tools, and adjustment brushes for effective editing. However, RawTherapee is different from Lightroom One of the main differences between them is the editing algorithm. Additionally, RawTherapee offers all features for free, while Lightroom is a paid product and can be tried for free.
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Advantages
RAW file support
Effective cataloger
Save editing history in a hidden file
Disadvantages
Inconvenient export
Sometimes lags
RawTherapee establishes itself as a fast and efficient cataloger that supports RAW files and provides management and editing functions of different image libraries. The editor has improved color correction, histogram matching and high dynamic range ( HDR) tonal display. Additionally, it supports non-destructive editing. It also offers a host of tonal correction, noise removal, rotation, shadow and light changes, exposure control, tonal and white balance adjustment tools, so if you don't want to buy Lightroom, you You can completely rely on this program.
5.LightZone
Best for sharing photos Price: Free Platforms: Mac OS/Windows/LinuxLightZone is another Creative Cloud alternative with open source code and an interface inspired by Lightroom. A comparison of LightZone vs. Lightroom shows that the former doesn't include many tweaks for batch editing. Also, LightZone doesn't offer as efficient a workflow as its competitors. Still, if you're a beginner, the features available Can accomplish all your creative goals.
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Pros
Non-destructive editing
Organize images directly in the browser
Stylish interface with dark theme
Disadvantages
May be too simplistic for professional users
Occasionally lags
LightZone can enhance photos, fix defects , correct colors, adjust white balance, selectively blur or sharpen images, and remove dust and noise. All operations performed in this free Lightroom alternative are reversible and will not affect the original picture. You can add seven tones Curves or adjust colors in 13 modules. Among its features, I like the "Live Preview" feature. Another important feature is its styles, which can help you add some creative effects to your pictures, including high dynamic range (HDR), Sepia, etc.
6.DarkTable
Similar interface to Lightroom Price: Free Platform: Mac OS/Windows/Linux, etc. Although Lightroom is in the Adobe series A useful tool, but Darktable is a general editing program with a much wider range of capabilities. The main difference between Darktable and Lightroom is that Adobe products are available on a subscription basis, while Darktable is distributed for free.
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Advantages
Frequent Updates
Excellent RAW support
Many formats available
Disadvantages
Not available on mobile devices
Slower performance compared to Lightroom
Darktable has a virtual light table for viewing RAW photos and a darkroom for viewing RAW photos. Supports RAW image processing for more than 400 cameras. .This software was specially developed for photographers who want to organize their images perfectly. The program can maintain a database of original photos, visually navigate the images, correct distortions, and change the quality without affecting the original image. In addition, it preserves all operations Complete history of .
7.Inkscape
Has easy-to-use drawing tools Price: Free Platform: Mac OS/Windows/Linux Although Illustrator is rich in features, for beginners Would choose Inkscape because of its user-friendly interface and free features. This Adobe Illustrator alternative offers drag-and-drop rendering, Boolean operations, node tools, tracking bitmap tools, and customizable fonts.
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Advantages
Useful plugins
Drawing tablet support
Allows exporting in many common formats
Disadvantages
Slow working speed
Cannot use CMYK color model
Missing module to import images directly from scanner
Inkscape slightly emulates the functionality of Adobe Illustrator for Mac. However, once you compare Illustrator vs. Inkscape, you'll find that Inkscape's bragging rights are a freehand tool (pencil) and Calligraphy pen. Additionally, using the Bezier tool, you can create paths consisting of straight lines and curves. With the help of the Bezier tool, you can draw approximate trajectories that will be changed later, or you can add precise curves to the trajectory to Minimize the work performed after creating the track. Other tools such as Spray, Eraser, and Gradient provide several handy shortcuts that make it easy to create very interesting effects. For example, Spray can use another object as a selection.
8.Affinity Designer
Professional use Price: Free or $54,99 Platforms: Mac OS / Windows / iPadAffinity Designer has the basic functionality you will find in Illustrator. This program caters to creatives Needs of Professionals A comparison of Affinity Designer and Illustrator shows that Serif software is easier to master than Adobe products. Affinity Designer has simple functions and an intuitive and clean interface.
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Advantages
Support AI and EPS files
Convenient smart shapes
Support multi-touch
Magnify 1,000,000%
Disadvantages
Lack of image tracking
No grid, not enough scripts and actions
Incognito
Affinity Designer allows you to create promotional materials, websites, concept art, icons and other UI elements. Using this program you can create sketches on the go on your iPad, Mac or Windows laptop and Export the finished project in any popular graphics format. You can use layer effects, styles, all types of blending modes and masks. Affinity Designer will open the PSD file with 95% probability of preserving layer styles, transparency, etc. If you Don't want to buy Adobe Illustrator, all these features make Affinity Design a good choice.
9.Vectr
For vector art Price: Free Platform: Online/Mac OS/Windows / LinuxVectr is a program for creating and modifying vector graphics, which can be used directly in the browser or as desktop software. With its help you can generate simple images (logos, emblems, icons) and complex vectors Illustration. If you plan to get Adobe Illustrator for free, be prepared to use it for a short period of time. Those who are looking for a free Creative Cloud alternative can make the most of Vectr.
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Pros
There are many video tutorials on YouTube
WordPress plugins
Collaboration features
Disadvantages
Registration is required to save files
There are ads in the workspace
An important advantage of Vectr is the ability to work together with other users. The strongest advantage of this program Yes it works offline so you can perform the necessary edits even without an internet connection. You can just send your colleagues a link to your project so they can participate in discussions and edits. Every element of the UI has been carefully designed so It won’t take much time to master the program.
10. DaVinci Resolve
Free Professional Software Price: Free or $295 Platform: Mac OS/Windows/Linux in Adobe Defining the winner in the Premiere vs DaVinci Resolve face-off is quite complex. Both programs have similar UIs. But while Premiere Pro has a wide range of tools and features, DaVinci Resolve also has something to offer. It deserves special praise for Its well-designed color correction function.
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Advantages
Download Premiere Pro for Free
Full Audio editing suite
Supports color plug-ins (LUTs)
Disadvantages
Steep learning curve
Free Version Missing Some Features
Although this software has a steep learning curve, filmmakers who don't want to buy Adobe Premiere will appreciate its features. DaVinci Resolve includes tools for editing, color grading , sound reproduction as well as video effects and motion graphics. This free video editing software offers a classic timeline with a multimedia pool, effects and sound libraries, mixer, inspector and the use of an unlimited number of audio and video track possibilities. The program also offers new audio plug-ins and features, editable page header templates, color page lookup tables (LUTs) and a browser for common color knots.
11.VideoPad
Easy-to-use video and audio editing program Price: Free or $19,99 Platforms: Mac OS / Windows / iOS / Android VideoPad features a familiar timeline/storyboard workflow meaning you can View your project or each individual object linearly, no matter how long it takes. It allows you to easily edit video, including your own clips, recorded on digital, tape or webcam.
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Advantages
Supports 4K video
Advanced Chroma Key tool
Built-in automatic video stabilizer
Batch Video Editing
Disadvantages
Missing some professional features
Possible errors when processing GIF files
You can use video transitions and effects, create and edit musical compositions. All transitions can be fine-tuned: change duration, angle, color and speed. This Adobe Premiere Pro alternative works with all popular formats , including 3D. You can crop frames of your footage, pan and zoom, add motion blur, and adjust parameters such as shadows, saturation, exposure, etc. Additionally, the program allows you to import, edit and export 4K videos with Ultra HD resolution. High Resolution. You can only use Premiere Pro for free for 7 days, while VideoPad offers a free plan with no time limit.
12. HitFilm Express
Features professional-grade VFX Price: Free or $349 Platform: Mac OS/Windows After comparing Adobe Premiere and HitFilm, I found that Adobe Premiere Pro can be quite complex for novice users. Hitfilm Express boasts of more user-friendly features. Both programs have features like multi-purpose etc. Features. Track editing, trimming and text tools. However, sequence management in HitFilm Express is not as efficient as in Premiere Pro.
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Advantages
Built-in Boris FX and Imagineer system
Can be extended with add-on applications
Disadvantages
High system requirements
After you finish editing your video, you can quickly export it in high quality. The program has two versions - Free HitFilm Express and the paid HitFilm Pro. The features of the first version are slightly limited but sufficient for basic tasks. HitFilm Express offers a large number of built-in templates to help you get the necessary work done without any extra effort. HitFilm Express is a Great option that allows you to trim, combine video parts, add music, create transitions and titles, add masks, transforms and effects (you can create your own), and color grade your video. Unlimited number of tracks. Most Popular features among professionals are object tracking, particle system creation, 3D object import and chroma key.
13. Blender
Best for 3D creation Price : Free Platform: Mac OS / Windows / Linux After Effects is a popular program designed for creating extraordinary visual effects, motion graphics and compositions. Blender caters to the needs of those who work with 3D models and animations. If you are looking to create complex Computer graphics and complement your projects with visual effects, Blender is your choice in the Blender vs. After Effects competition.
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Advantages
Blender vs. After Effects Comparison
Professional Visual Effects
Sculpting, UV Unwrapping and Raster Graphics Editing
Lots of Add-ons
Cons
Some tools need improvement
This intuitive editor provides a large number of tools to create animated movies, visual effects, 3D printing models, 3D applications and video games. It comes with comprehensive modeling tools, which means you can quickly create, edit and convert models. This motion graphics software provides tools for faking and animation. Users can also combine 2D with 3D Preview window. This Adobe After Effects alternative has a fluid simulator that enables users to create effects with flowing bodies, such as smoke or liquid. Real-time computational physics tasks are possible, such as simulations
14 .Natron
Open Source Compositing Software Price: Free Platforms: Mac OS/Windows/Linux If you are choosing between Natron vs After Effects, pay attention to their features. After Effects allows you to create graphics with video effects and animations To complement your projects, Natron incorporates advanced features for professional filmmaking. Plus, you can get After Effects for free for only 7 days. Natron has open source code and is free to use with a recharge.
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Advantages
Support plug-ins
Suitable for 4K materials
GPU rendering acceleration
Disadvantages
May be unstable
Natron is a non-linear video editing software for Windows that you can take advantage of if you don't want to buy Adobe After Effects. The The program allows you to process an unlimited number of video and audio tracks, add various special effects and apply various filters. Users can also combine multiple graphic and audio objects into one. Rich functionality, well-thought-out modular interface, 2K and 4K video and OpenFX plug-in support make Natron a promising storyboard software.
15. Synfig Studio
50+ built-in layers Price: Free Platform: Mac OS/Windows/Linuxx Although Synfig has different drawing capabilities than Adobe Animate, it has excellent features with 50+ built-in layers. It also allows the use of bitmap pictures, as well as making cutout animations. This open source software is used to create professional 2D animation.
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Advantages
Available in two versions
It can tween vectors
Convenient time Axis
Disadvantages
Steep learning curve
This program allows you to create animations using vector and raster images , instead of the "frame-by-frame" approach. If you don't want to get the free trial of Adobe Animate, you can use Synfig Studio and its various types of animation layers, gradients, distortions, filters, and transitions to create your Animation. It also provides full support for gradient paths, allowing you to easily add soft tones to your animation without having to draw it in every frame. Synfig Studio allows you to save animations as SIF (default project), SIFZ ( gzip compressed projects) and SFG (zip compressed). You can import multiple images into your project, including PNG, JPEG, BMP and SVG files.
16. Animatron Studio
Web-based animation maker Price: Free or $15/month Platform: OnlineAnimatron helps create stunning videos and animations. The program has a user-friendly interface and charming characters. The program is based on the latest and safest HTML5 technology and is available on Provides smooth playback on desktop and mobile devices.
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Advantages
"Drag and drop" function
Lots of resources
Multiple options for adjustable graphics
Cons
Heavy animations slow down the UI
Animatron also has impressive import options: you can import fonts, images, videos and audio in various formats. In addition to supporting the HTML5 export format, Animatron Studio integrates with Google AdWords and DoubleClick. The library includes 500K royalty-free media files. Additionally, there are two modes (Beginner and Pro) so you can choose the right option and achieve your creative goals.
17.Scribus
Have top-notch DTP tools Price: Free Platforms: Mac OS/Windows/Linux etc. Adobe products are leading in the Scribus vs InDesign war due to larger feature set. Also, Scribus has an outdated interface. You can Adobe InDesign is only available if you pay for a subscription. Scribus is available for free.
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Advantages
Ready-to-use templates
Excellent WYSIWYG PDF compression options
Disadvantages
Confusing
Solution Problems may take a long time
Scribus was originally developed by typesetting and printing professionals. As such, it has a fairly wide range of professional text typesetting and prepress features. This desktop publishing software Can help you quickly create various types of documents efficiently - from brochures to business cards. You can use one of the available templates or create the design manually using the built-in advanced tools.
18. Lucidpress
Collaborative Publishing Tools Price: Free or $10/month Platform: Online If you can’t choose between Adobe InDesign and Lucidpress, first determine your usage. Although Adobe InDesign has a comprehensive graphics feature set , but Lucidpress is suitable for creating flyers, presentations, brochures, newsletters, etc. Furthermore, Lucidpress is a web-based program that uses the HTML 5 protocol. Therefore, there is no need to launch the Flash player to use the program.
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Advantages
Provides a large number of templates
Management is very simple
High-quality templates
Cons
Free features are limited
It takes up no more than 25 MB on the server
When When you launch Lucidpress, you will see a document with multiple pages where you can view and add your content. You can drag text fields and images, redraw pictures, choose from hundreds of available fonts, or Upload your own fonts and more. This InDesign alternative is an easy-to-use tool, but the free features are limited. You can't edit documents containing more than 3 pages. Additionally, you can only use 25 MB of storage space.
19.Shutterstock
350+ Million Images Price: Free or $29/mo Platform: Adobe Stock Online Guaranteed smooth workflow and integration with all Creative Cloud Compatibility of the product. However, if you compare Shutterstock with Adobe Stock, the Creative Cloud alternative is more affordable and contains a wider library of stock images. So, it is a number one choice for people who need stock images. Choices.
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Advantages
Images of almost any theme
Keyword search system
After paid authorization Images may be used, no attribution required
Disadvantages
Lower compensation for artists
Slow approval process for participants
Shutterstock boasts of having the largest collection of images, music, videos, and editorial assets. The best thing is that most of the images are available for free. Finding the right photo won't rely on intuitive Search and filter features without spending too much time. Shutterstock's editor tools also let you quickly customize your photos and do things like crop images and add filters. If you're preparing a project and plan to share it on YouTube, this is it Best place to search for components. The problem is that YouTube and similar platforms scan videos for copyright, and when you use content from Shutterstock, all licensing nuances are completely covered.
20. Dreamstime
Excellent Stock Community Price: Free or $23/month Platform: OnlineDreamstime is a popular place for magazines, advertising agencies, and media companies to get images. After comparing Dreamstime to similar platforms and the Adobe Creative Suite trial, I can Confidently say that it contains the most affordable picture visual material, ensuring its quality.
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Advantages
No ID is required when registering
Accepts images in many formats
Disadvantages
Long photo review time
Limited number of images loaded per day
The collection contains more than 169 million pictures, music, videos, vectors, sound effects and illustrations. You can choose different subscription plans and credit packages according to your financial ability. Or you need some cheap stock images, Either looking to sell yours, Dreamstime is a great place. Get Adobe Stock for free for just one week. With Dreamstime, you can try a 7-day trial, but the number of photos you can download is limited.
21.Sketch
Features simplified collaboration Price: Free or $9/month Platform: Mac OS / Online While Adobe XD is a popular choice for Windows users, Sketch is for Mac fans and those who need good plug-in support. When I compared Sketch with Adobe XD, I learned that the former is an excellent program for creating desktop and mobile interface layouts, prototypes, and mockups.
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Advantages
Highly professional interface design tool
User-friendly interface
Convenient text processing
Disadvantages
Issues when dealing with large files
If you want to edit and manipulate images, Sketch can come in handy. Unlike most Unlike drawing software, Sketch makes it easy to create interactive prototypes. For example, to mock up a prototype of your website or app and see how the screen scrolls down, you can select scrolling or non-scrolling areas, in pages, sections, Menus and definition hotspots. This Adobe Creative Suite alternative is especially popular among teams due to its collaboration features. Once you import your files into Sketch Cloud, you can use libraries and organize teamwork to edit projects.
22. InVision
Premium prototyping tool Price: Free or $7.95 Platforms: Windows/Mac/Online If you’re choosing between Adobe XD vs. Invision, you’ll want to consider the benefits of each product Features. You can use Adobe XD to create websites, mobile apps, voice, augmented reality and virtual reality projects, games, etc. InVision only allows creating prototypes for desktop and mobile platforms. Nonetheless, with the help of this program, you can Create animations and work offline.
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Advantages
You can order all items on one screen
Integrated crafting in Sketch Plugin
Board for making quick portfolios or as a style guide
Disadvantages
Some limitations in web applications
There are multiple features for joint working, use templates to experiment, implement different ideas, etc. The integrated digital dashboard allows visualization of concepts to understand how successful they are. The most popular feature of InVision is Prototyping Creation, presentations, wireframing, digital whiteboarding, planning, and feedback management. Thanks to the Inspect module, you can speed up your overall workflow, especially prototype development. Additionally, with InVision LiveShare, multiple team members can collaborate in real-time on a single design file , making it easier to brainstorm ideas, make design decisions, and iterate quickly.