The following is a list of (mostly) free image editing tools, software and apps available online. I will add to it as I come across new things (or at least things that are new to me)… and I’ll try to delete anything that gets out of date.
Jump to Downloadable Image Editors, Online Image Editors, Vector Graphics Editors, Graphic Design, Specialist Image Tools, Image Viewers and Photo Organisers.
Quick Picks
Not sure where to begin? These quick picks will help you find the right tool.
| I want to… | Try… |
|---|---|
| Make straightforward everyday photo edits | PhotoScape X |
| Use professional creative tools for free | Affinity |
| Carry out detailed open-source photo editing | GIMP |
| Edit Photoshop files in my browser | Photopea |
| Draw or paint digitally | Krita |
| Edit and organise RAW photographs | darktable |
| Create graphics for social media | Canva |
| Compress images for a website | Squoosh |
| Create logos or vector graphics | Inkscape |
| View and organise a photo collection | XnView MP |
| Manage a very large photo library | digiKam |
| Restore or colourise an old photograph | ImageColorizer |
Downloadable Image / Photo Editors
GIMP
GIMP is a fantastic, free, open-source graphics editor. It can be used for photo editing, free-form drawing and much, Much, MUCH, more. It supports many different file formats. GIMP contains many painting tools (for example, Brush, Pencil, Airbrush, Clone), it supports layers and channels, Undo/Redo (which is only limited by the disk space available), has editable text layers, contains many transformation tools (including rotate, scale, shear and flip) and selection tools (for example, rectangle, rounded rectangle, ellipse). In other words, GIMP is a good alternative to Photoshop!
Best for: Advanced photo editing, retouching and image manipulation
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: GIMP has an extensive collection of professional-level tools, so its interface can initially feel daunting to beginners.
Affinity
Affinity combines professional photo editing, vector design and page-layout tools in one downloadable application. It includes layers, masks, RAW image processing, retouching tools, typography and precision drawing features. It is a powerful choice for anyone who wants more control than a simple online editor can provide.
Best for: Professional photo editing, vector design and page layout
Cost: Free; a free Canva account is required
Works on: Windows and macOS
Worth knowing: Affinity contains a large number of advanced tools, so complete beginners may need a little time to become familiar with the interface.
Krita
Krita is a free, open-source creative program designed primarily for digital painting, drawing and illustration. It includes an extensive collection of brushes, layers, masks, filters and animation tools. Although it can edit photographs, it is particularly well suited to artists, illustrators and anyone using a graphics tablet.
Best for: Digital painting, drawing, illustration and concept art
Cost: Free and open source; optional paid app-store versions help support its development
Works on: Windows, macOS, Linux and Android tablets
Worth knowing: Krita is designed primarily for creating artwork rather than organising or making quick adjustments to photographs. The Android version is still described as a beta.
paint.net
paint.net is brilliant photo/image editing software for Windows. It is user-friendly and has an intuitive interface. It supports layers, unlimited undo, special effects (e.g. blurring, sharpening, red-eye removal, distortion and noise), and a wide variety of tools for drawing shapes. You can download it for free, or you can help fund ongoing development and receive automatic updates by paying it through the Microsoft Store.
Best for: Straightforward photo editing with layers and effects
Cost: Free from the official website; an optional paid Microsoft Store version provides automatic updates
Works on: Windows
Worth knowing: paint.net is easier to learn than GIMP and can be extended with plug-ins, but it is not available for macOS or Linux.
PhotoScape X
PhotoScape X is a user-friendly photo editor for Windows that also allows you to fix and enhance photos and images.
Best for: Everyday photo editing, collages, batch processing and animated images
Cost: Free version; an optional paid Pro version is available
Works on: Windows 10 and 11, and macOS
Worth knowing: PhotoScape X offers an accessible collection of tools for beginners, although some effects and features are reserved for the Pro version.
Photo Pos Pro
Another good free image and photo editor. It does have a choice of interfaces – one for beginners (which is simpler) and one for experts.
Best for: Photo enhancement, retouching and creative effects on Windows
Cost: Free version; an optional paid Premium version is available
Works on: Windows
Worth knowing: It offers different interfaces for beginners and more experienced users, although the number of tools and panels can still feel rather busy.
darktable
An open-source photo editor and manager. Features include RAW processing, non-destructive editing (so you can make changes to an image without overwriting your original), professional colour management, the ability to automate repetitive tasks, to name but a few. It is also cross platform – darktable runs on Linux, macOS and Windows.
Best for: Organising and editing RAW photographs
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: darktable uses non-destructive editing, so your original photograph is preserved. It is aimed mainly at photographers and has a fairly steep learning curve.
PhotoDemon
An open-source, free, portable (you can run it from a USB stick, for example) program for Windows. PhotoDemon supports layers, infinite undo, and many filters and effects. It also supports many different file formats, including .psd (Photoshop) files and .ico (Windows) files.
Best for: Portable photo editing on a Windows computer
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Windows
Worth knowing: PhotoDemon does not need to be installed and can run from a USB drive. It is Windows-only but offers considerably more than most lightweight editors.
Icecream Photo Editor
Supports JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF and BMP. Really intuitive interface. Easily add text and images, crop and resize, add filters and create collages.
Best for: Quick edits, annotations, collages and simple photo organisation
Cost: Free version; an optional paid Pro upgrade is available
Works on: Windows
Worth knowing: Its simple interface is particularly suitable for beginners, but it does not provide the advanced editing control offered by GIMP or Affinity.
Pinta
Pinta is a free, open-source program for drawing and editing images. Its streamlined interface includes familiar tools for cropping, resizing, painting and retouching, together with layers, unlimited undo and a useful collection of adjustments and effects. It provides a friendly step up from very basic editors without being as daunting as GIMP.
Best for: Straightforward image editing and drawing with layers
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Windows, macOS, Linux and BSD
Worth knowing: Pinta is easier to learn than GIMP, but it offers fewer advanced retouching and colour-management tools.
Browser-based / Online Image Editors
Photopea
Photopea is an advanced image editor. It includes all of the standard image editing tools, lots of templates and supports many different file formats. Photopea’s goal is to create the most advanced and affordable image editor. There is a paid version too.
Best for: Photoshop-style editing and opening PSD files in a browser
Cost: Free with advertisements; an optional Premium account removes the advertisements
Works on: Any device with a modern web browser
Worth knowing: Files are processed locally and do not leave your device. Its Photoshop-like interface is powerful but may feel complicated to new users.
Polarr
Polarr is an online photo editor that allows you to upload and edit .jpeg, .tiff and .png formats. It also supports .raw files. Available for iOS, Android, Mac and Windows and includes many professional photo editing tools. Premium features, such as masks, some filters, flares etc are only available with the paid version. No sign-up necessary.
Best for: Colour adjustments, filters and enhancing photographs
Cost: Free version; an optional Pro subscription adds advanced tools and filters
Works on: Web browsers, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android
Worth knowing: The free version includes useful editing controls, but masks, overlays, batch exporting and many premium filters require a Pro account.
Adobe Express Photo Editor
Adobe Express Photo Editor is a free, beginner-friendly online tool for making quick changes to photographs. You can crop and resize images, adjust brightness and colour, apply filters, add text and remove backgrounds. Edited photographs can also be added to Adobe Express templates to create social-media posts, flyers and other designs.
Best for: Quick photo editing and creating images for websites and social media
Cost: Free plan; optional paid plans provide additional assets and features
Works on: Web browsers, iOS and Android
Worth knowing: An Adobe account is needed to save projects, and some premium templates, assets and AI-powered features are limited on the free plan.
Pixlr Express
Another good online photo editor. It includes effects, filters, overlays and so on. You can use Pixlr Express to easily create Facebook covers, profiles, Instagram stories etc.
Best for: Quick browser-based photo editing and AI-assisted adjustments
Cost: Free version; paid plans remove advertisements and add more saves, assets and AI credits
Works on: Web browsers, iOS and Android
Worth knowing: Pixlr Express is easier to use than the more advanced Pixlr Editor, but free use of some AI tools and premium resources is limited.
Fotor
Fotor is probably best-known for simple one-click filters and enhancements to photos. However, it does support many different image file formats and can be used to create a photo collage quickly and easily. In addition, Fotor can also be used to create social media covers and posts (For example Facebook cover, X formerly Twitter cover) with its templates.
Best for: Quick photo enhancement, portrait retouching and collages
Cost: Free basic plan; optional Pro and Pro+ subscriptions are available
Works on: Web browsers, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android
Worth knowing: Basic edits can be exported without a watermark, but many premium effects and AI tools require credits or a paid subscription.
LunaPic
LunaPic is well known for its huge range of filters and effects. It also includes basic photo editing tools, such as cropping, rotating and amending contrast etc. You can save your image or share it on social media.
Best for: Free effects, animations and quick edits without creating an account
Cost: Free and supported by advertising
Works on: Any device with a web browser
Worth knowing: LunaPic includes an unusually large collection of effects and animation tools, although its interface looks more dated than most modern editors.
piZap
A very user-friendly online photo editor. A login is required. There is a free version and a paid-for version (with more features). piZap allows you to add text, borders and stickers, apply filters and effects and has many editing tools. You can easily edit photos, create collages, design Facebook covers, Twitter headers and YouTube channel art.
Best for: Collages, memes, social-media graphics and fun photo effects
Cost: Free basic version; an optional paid Pro version is available
Works on: Web browsers, iOS and Android
Worth knowing: piZap is beginner-friendly and requires no download, but many templates, fonts and other assets are restricted to Pro users.
Vector Graphics Editors
Info: Whereas raster images are made up of tiny squares (pixels), a vector graphic is made up of points, lines, and curves that are based on mathematical equations. When you zoom in on a raster image, the pixels become more visible and the details of the image may become blurred. Vector images remain smooth and crisp, even when they are scaled up or down. Vector file formats include –
- .ai (Adobe Illustrator document)
- .eps (Encapsulated PostScript)
- .svg (Scalable Vector Graphic)
Inkscape
Inkscape is fantastic, open-source vector graphics software which runs on Linux, macOS and Windows. It can be used to create or edit vector graphics such as illustrations, diagrams, line arts, charts, logos and complex paintings. Inkscape is more than capable of producing professional quality images (as long as the user is too!). It has flexible drawing tools, wide file format compatibility, a powerful text tool and includes bezier and spiro curves.
Best for: Creating logos, illustrations, diagrams and scalable vector graphics
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: Inkscape is a powerful alternative to commercial vector-design software, but its extensive collection of tools can take time to learn.
Lunacy
Lunacy is a free, powerful vector design tool for Windows, macOS and Linux. The interface is really intuitive, and it’s not as complex to use as Inkscape. It is free for both personal and commercial use.
Best for: Vector graphics, interface design and working with Sketch or Figma designs
Cost: Free plan; an optional paid Pro plan adds premium resources, cloud storage and AI tools
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: Some built-in images and graphics require attribution on the free plan, while premium assets and several AI features require Pro.
Vectr
Vectr is a free graphics software, which can be used to create vector graphics easily and intuitively. It is simple but powerful cross-platform tool. Vectr even supports real-time collaboration.
Best for: Creating simple logos, icons and vector illustrations online
Cost: Free limited plan; paid options provide additional credits and features
Works on: Any device with a modern web browser
Worth knowing: Vectr is easier to approach than Inkscape, but its free credit allowance may be restrictive for frequent use or AI-assisted tasks.
LibreOffice Draw
LibreOffice Draw is a cross-platform, open-source, powerful graphics editor principally for vector graphics and diagrams. You can use Draw to create technical drawings, brochures, posters and much more.
Best for: Diagrams, flowcharts, technical drawings and simple vector graphics
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: Draw is included in the complete LibreOffice suite. It is useful for diagrams and everyday graphics but is less suitable for detailed professional illustration.
SVG-edit
SVG-edit is an open-source graphics editor. It can be used to create or edit scalable vector graphics images from within a web browser (for example, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Safari and Chrome).
Best for: Creating and editing simple SVG graphics in a browser
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Any device with a modern web browser
Worth knowing: SVG-edit requires no installation and is useful for basic vector work, but it has fewer tools and conveniences than Inkscape.
Graphic Design
Canva
Canva is a web-based graphic design tool. Very user-friendly to use, with drag and drop design features, and a library of more than a million stock photos for you to use. With Canva you can easily create logos, posters, invitations, postcards, social media posts, business cards and much more. Canva integrates well with other platforms such as Mailchimp, Facebook, Eventbrite and so on. Canva can be accessed online in a browser, on a mobile, or downloaded for desktop. There is a free version and a paid-for pro version (with a few more added features).
Best for: Social-media graphics, presentations, posters and other template-based designs
Cost: Free plan; optional paid plans provide additional templates, assets, storage and AI features
Works on: Web browsers, Windows, macOS, iOS and Android
Worth knowing: Canva is particularly accessible for non-designers, but many premium graphics, photographs, Brand Kit features and AI tools require a paid plan.
Scribus
Scribus is a powerful, open-source desktop publishing programme (like Microsoft Publisher RIP.) With Scribus you can design your layout, typesetting and prepare your document for professional-quality printing. The aim of Scribus is to make DTP accessible to beginners without limiting the more professional functions. Available for Windows, macOS, Linux etc.
Best for: Page layout, brochures, newsletters, booklets and print-ready PDFs
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: Scribus is desktop-publishing software rather than a photo editor. It provides excellent control over printed documents but has a steeper learning curve than Canva.
Image Viewers and Photo Organisers
IrfanView
IrfanView is a light and fast image viewer which is free for non-commercial use. Has many features, including a paint option – to draw lines, circles, arrows, straighten image etc, lossless JPG rotation, crop and EXIF date change (also in batch mode), slideshow options, multiple undo steps, email & print options cut/cropping, add overlay text/image (watermark), effects (including sharpen, blur etc.) and screen capturing.
Best for: Fast image viewing, basic adjustments and batch conversion on Windows
Cost: Free for private, non-commercial, educational and charitable use; businesses require a licence
Works on: Windows
Worth knowing: IrfanView is extremely fast and lightweight. Additional plug-ins expand the formats it supports, although its interface looks rather dated.
XnView MP
XnView MP is a versatile image viewer, organiser and converter that supports hundreds of different image formats. It can browse photo collections, display metadata and perform useful tasks such as batch renaming, resizing and converting multiple files. It also includes straightforward cropping, colour-adjustment and editing tools.
Best for: Viewing, organising and batch-converting image collections
Cost: Free for personal, educational and non-profit use; businesses require a licence
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: Its editing features are useful but relatively basic, so it is better considered an image manager and converter than a replacement for a full photo editor.
digiKam
digiKam is a powerful, open-source photo-management program for importing, organising, searching and editing large image collections. Photographs can be arranged using albums, tags, ratings, dates, locations and facial recognition. It also supports RAW files, metadata editing, duplicate searches and batch processing.
Best for: Managing and searching a large photo library
Cost: Free and open source
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: digiKam offers far more organisational features than most casual users will need, so its interface can initially feel quite complex.
Specialist Image Tools
These tools are designed for specific jobs such as restoring, colourising, enlarging, compressing and cleaning up images.
Hotpot AI Picture Restorer
Hotpot uses AI to automatically restore, sharpen, and repair pictures. It can remove scratches, sharpen colours, and enhance faces, transforming either black & white or colour photos. There is also a colouriser (to colour b&w images) and a background remover among other tools.
Best for: Repairing scratches and improving old or damaged photographs
Cost: Limited free use for personal, non-commercial images; paid credits are required for commercial use
Works on: Any device with a web browser
Worth knowing: Free use has a daily limit and its results are covered by a non-commercial licence. AI restoration can help significantly, but results vary according to the original image.
Photo Enlarger
There’s no way to enlarge an image whilst also maintaining the original quality. If you resize an image in any photo editor, making it larger will reduce its quality. However, using PhotoEnlarger will minimise the extent to which the image is degraded. Simply upload your image, then use the slider to specify the new size. PhotoEnlarger will give you 6 versions of your image, each resized using a different algorithm including an AI option. You can use the zoom slider to help decide which one is best.
Best for: Enlarging and upscaling photographs online
Cost: Free, with no account or credits required
Works on: Any device with a modern web browser
Worth knowing: It compares several enlargement methods, including an AI option. Images are processed locally and do not leave your device.
Squoosh
Squoosh is a free browser-based tool for compressing, resizing and converting images. Its side-by-side preview makes it easy to compare the original with the optimised version and find a good balance between picture quality and file size. This is especially useful when preparing images for a website.
Best for: Compressing and resizing images for websites
Cost: Free
Works on: Any device with a modern web browser
Worth knowing: Your images are processed locally and do not leave your device. Squoosh is an image optimiser rather than a complete photo editor.
ImageColorizer
If you want to quickly convert a black and white image to a colour one, ImageColorizer of the following may help. Quickly drag & drop an image onto the website then use the tools to colourise it. Supports .jpg .jpeg and .png files.
Best for: Colourising, enhancing and repairing old family photographs
Cost: Free account with a limited number of credits; paid plans provide more credits and higher limits
Works on: Web browsers, iOS, iPadOS, macOS and Android
Worth knowing: A free account is required and each AI task uses credits. The results can be impressive, but the accuracy of automatically generated colours cannot be guaranteed.
Upscayl
Upscayl is a free, open-source AI image upscaler that can enlarge and enhance low-resolution images. The desktop application offers several AI models and batch processing, and it processes images locally rather than uploading them to a website.
Best for: Enlarging low-resolution photographs and artwork using AI
Cost: Free and open-source desktop application; an optional paid cloud service is also available
Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux
Worth knowing: The desktop application keeps images on your computer, but it requires a Vulkan-compatible graphics card and may not work on older devices.
Go to…
Note: please read the disclaimer before downloading or using any software.