The Best Photoshop Alternatives for Mac in 2026
We researched these Photoshop alternatives for Mac through official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings reflect each product’s core editing capabilities, verified features, platform support, and value for money, helping Mac users choose an editor for retouching, compositing, raster artwork, or painting.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
Affinity#1 of 309.2/10A broad Photoshop alternative that also handles vector design and page layout.
Free plan
-
Runner-up
Pixelmator Pro#2 of 308.8/10A Mac-focused Photoshop alternative with RAW layers, masking, and a one-time purchase option.
30-day trial
-
Top-ranked free plan
GIMP#3 of 308.5/10A capable free desktop editor for layered work, retouching and scripted batch processing.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.
The full ranking 30 tools, best first
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Best forMac users wanting one app for graphics and photo work
A broad Photoshop alternative that also handles vector design and page layout.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Affinity -
Best forMac users seeking polished photo editing and design
A Mac-focused Photoshop alternative with RAW layers, masking, and a one-time purchase option.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Pixelmator Pro -
Best forUsers who want a free, open-source editor
A capable free desktop editor for layered work, retouching and scripted batch processing.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit GIMP -
Best forMac photographers who value AI editing and cloud sync
A layer-based Mac editor with AI tools, RAW processing and cross-device options.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Luminar Neo -
Best forIllustrators and comic artists using Mac
A Mac-capable drawing suite built around illustration, comics, and animation.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forDigital painters and animators on Mac
A free Mac painting and animation app with configurable brushes, layers and color tools.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Krita -
Best forFree digital painting with tablet brush controls
A capable free painting tool for Mac, but not a general-purpose Photoshop replacement.
- Layer support
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit MyPaint -
Best forUsers organizing photo and video libraries
A Mac media catalog for finding and organizing photos and videos, not a Photoshop substitute.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Adobe -
Best forUsers needing free layered PSD and PSB workflows
A free editor for layered PSD/PSB workflows, with RGB/RGBA editing limited to 8-bit.
- Plugin support
- RAW processing
- PSD compatibility
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Patchy -
Best forPhotographers focused on RAW and tethered shoots
A deep RAW workflow for photographers, but a narrower fit than a general Photoshop alternative.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Capture One -
Best forPhotographers wanting an all-in-one RAW workflow
A desktop RAW workflow combining editing, masking, batch tools, and cataloging.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit ON1 -
Best forRAW photographers seeking strong corrections and masking
A focused RAW editor for detailed corrections, masking, and batch work—not a full Photoshop stand-in.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit DxO -
Best forPhotographers wanting nondestructive edits and film looks
A desktop RAW editor and organizer with editable effects, masking, and Adobe plug-ins.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Exposure -
Best forCasual editors seeking a free Mac photo toolkit
A practical free editor for casual Mac users who want more than basic adjustments.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit PhotoScape X -
Best forMac users needing photo, vector, and page-layout tools
A Mac desktop editor that combines photo, vector, and page-layout tools in one app.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit PhotoLine -
Best forUsers who want free, detailed RAW development
Detailed, non-destructive RAW processing without layers or a general-purpose editing workflow.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit RawTherapee -
Best forArtists seeking natural-media painting on Mac
A Mac painting suite for artists who want customizable natural-media brushes and tablet input.
- Layer support
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Corel Painter -
Best forMac photographers seeking low-cost RAW edits
An affordable Mac editor for RAW workflows, with limited layer depth and a narrow focus.
- RAW processing
- Non-destructive editing
- Layer support
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit RevelRaw -
Best forMac and iPad users focused on painting and retouching
A layered painting and retouching app for Mac and iPad, with a one-time Mac license.
- Layer support
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Artstudio Pro -
Best forMac users wanting inexpensive layered image editing
An inexpensive Mac editor for reversible layer-based image work, with limited PSD compatibility.
- RAW processing
- PSD compatibility
- Non-destructive editing
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit LiveQuartz -
Best forPainters wanting affordable brush customization
A brush-focused painting app for Mac, with a $25 one-time desktop license.
- Layer support
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit site -
Best forUsers seeking a free basic layered editor
A free desktop editor for basic layered work, with PSD opening but no PSD export.
- Plugin support
- PSD compatibility
- Non-destructive editing
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Impasto -
Best forUsers testing a free Photoshop-style desktop editor
A free Photoshop-style editor with broad tools and a caveat around PSD round-tripping.
- Plugin support
- RAW processing
- PSD compatibility
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Photon Studio -
Best forPainters wanting customizable brushes and layered work
A painting-focused Mac app with layered tools, a free edition and a $49 Studio license.
- Layer support
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Sable Paint -
Best forUsers interested in experimental local AI editing
A GPU-first Mac editor for layered image work and experimental local AI editing.
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit Sable -
Best forMac users wanting layers, RAW editing, and brushes
A Mac-focused editor with deep layer tools, RAW processing, and a free option.
- Plugin support
- RAW processing
- Non-destructive editing
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit EffectMatrix -
Best forArtists seeking realistic watercolor and oil painting
A focused painting app with realistic media simulation and a one-time license.
- Layer support
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Rebelle -
Best forBeginners exploring digital painting and photo tracing
A beginner-focused painting app with photo-art tools and Photoshop file compatibility.
- PSD compatibility
- Layer support
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Corel -
Best forMac users needing simple, free image edits
A free Mac editor for straightforward, layer-based image work—not a deep Photoshop replacement.
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Seashore -
Best forFree RAW processing and photo collection management
A free RAW developer and photo library manager, rather than a layer-focused editor.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit darktable
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Layer support | RAW processing | PSD compatibility | Non-destructive editing | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Affinity | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 9.2 |
| 2 | Pixelmator Pro | No | $29.99/yr | — | — | — | — | 8.8 |
| 3 | GIMP | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 8.5 |
| 4 | Luminar Neo | No | $129 one-time | — | — | — | — | 7.9 |
| 5 | Clip Studio Paint | No | $0.99/mo | — | — | — | — | 7.9 |
| 6 | Krita | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 7.9 |
| 7 | MyPaint | Yes | None | Yes | — | — | — | 7.9 |
| 8 | Adobe Elements Organizer | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.9 |
| 9 | Patchy | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 10 | Capture One | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.9 |
| 11 | ON1 Photo RAW | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.8 |
| 12 | DxO PhotoLab | No | $159.99 one-time | — | — | — | — | 7.7 |
| 13 | Exposure | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.6 |
| 14 | PhotoScape X | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 7.5 |
| 15 | PhotoLine | No | — | — | — | — | — | 7.4 |
| 16 | RawTherapee | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 7.4 |
| 17 | Corel Painter | No | — | Yes | — | — | — | 7.3 |
| 18 | RevelRaw | Yes | $24.99/yr | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 7.2 |
| 19 | Artstudio Pro | Yes | — | Yes | — | — | — | 7.1 |
| 20 | LiveQuartz | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.0 |
| 21 | Paintstorm Studio | No | $25 one-time | Yes | — | — | — | 6.9 |
| 22 | Impasto | Yes | None | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | 6.8 |
| 23 | Photon Studio | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6.8 |
| 24 | Sable Paint | Yes | $49 one-time | Yes | — | — | — | 6.7 |
| 25 | Sable | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 6.7 |
| 26 | PixelStyle Photo Editor | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 6.6 |
| 27 | Rebelle | No | $89.99 one-time | Yes | — | — | — | 6.5 |
| 28 | Painter Essentials | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | — | 6.4 |
| 29 | Seashore | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 6.3 |
| 30 | darktable | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 6.2 |
Head-to-head All 26 comparisons →
- Affinity vs Pixelmator Pro
- Affinity vs GIMP
- Affinity vs Luminar Neo
- Affinity vs Clip Studio Paint
- Affinity vs MyPaint
- Affinity vs Adobe Elements Organizer
- Pixelmator Pro vs GIMP
- Pixelmator Pro vs Luminar Neo
- Pixelmator Pro vs Clip Studio Paint
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How we rank photoshop alternatives for mac
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update