Best Free Affinity Photo Alternatives in 2026
One-time purchase Photoshop alternative at $69.99
Affinity Photo Pricing
$69.99 one-time
Affinity Photo is a professional photo editing software with a one-time purchase of $69.99, positioned as a Photoshop alternative without subscription.
3
Free Alternatives
2
Open Source
0
Self-Hostable
$828
Est. Yearly Cost
Why Consider Affinity Photo Alternatives?
Free open-source alternative (GIMP)
Web-based free option (Photopea)
Lower-cost one-time purchase
Common Affinity Photo Pain Points
These are the top reasons users look for alternatives
Still a cost (one-time)
Impact: $69.99 upfront
Less third-party plugin support than Photoshop
Impact: Some Photoshop plugins don't work
Smaller community than Photoshop
Impact: Fewer tutorials and resources
All Affinity Photo Alternatives (4)
Compare features, pricing, and migration difficulty
Why it's a good alternative: Completely free and open-source photo editor with advanced features
BEST FOR
KEY FEATURES
Why it's a good alternative: Free web-based Photoshop alternative with similar interface
BEST FOR
KEY FEATURES
Why it's a good alternative: Free open-source painting and photo editing software
BEST FOR
KEY FEATURES
Why it's a good alternative: Mac-only photo editor with one-time purchase
BEST FOR
KEY FEATURES
Affinity Photo vs Free Alternatives — Detailed Comparison
| Tool | Price | Open Source | Self-Hosted | Rating | Migrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affinity Photo | Paid | — | — | ||
| GIMP (open-source) | Free | — | |||
| Photopea (web-based) | Free | — | |||
| Krita (open-source) | Free | — | |||
| Pixelmator Pro | Paid | — |
How to Migrate from Affinity Photo — Step by Step
- 1
Download GIMP or Photopea
- 2
Export Photoshop files as PSD (Affinity can open them)
- 3
Learn basic Affinity shortcuts (can mimic Photoshop)
- 4
Test your common workflows
- 5
Decide if one-time purchase is worth it
Pro Tips
- 💡GIMP is completely free but has a learning curve
- 💡Photopea is web-based and free — great for quick edits
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Affinity Photo open PSD files?
Yes, Affinity Photo can open and edit PSD files. It also saves to PSD format.
Is GIMP as good as Photoshop?
GIMP is very capable but has a different interface. It's free and open-source, making it the best free alternative.