Adobe Photoshop vs PaintFE

Adobe Photoshop9.4Visit PaintFE5.6Visit

Higher score Adobe Photoshop #1 in Photo Editing Software 9.4/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 6 of 6 features Try Adobe Photoshop

vs

PaintFE #37 in Photo Editing Software 5.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit PaintFE

• Adobe Photoshop fits best

  Professional compositing and advanced editing

• PaintFE fits best

  Free flexible editing and automation

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Side by side

Feature	Adobe Photoshop 9.4/10 Visit ↗	PaintFE 5.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	5.6
Ranking	#1 in Photo Editing Software	#37 in Photo Editing Software
Best for	Professional compositing and advanced editing	Free flexible editing and automation
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	7 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Desktop, Cloud
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Community, Docs · 24/7	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features Adobe Photoshop 6/6 · PaintFE 5/6
RAW photo support	✓	✓
Layer editing	✓	✓
Masking tools	✓	✓
Batch editing	✓	✓
Cloud sync	✓ (best)	—
AI retouching	✓	✓
Specs
Platform	Multi-platform	Multi-platform
Our review
Pros	Editable layers, masks, Smart Objects, and Camera Raw support Batch processing, automated conversion, and cloud documents Generative Fill, Generative Expand, and AI-powered Harmonize	Supports RAW formats, layered PFE projects, masks, and blend modes Local AI background removal with compatible ONNX models Batch CLI workflows and Rhai scripting support repeatable edits
Cons	Desktop, web, and mobile versions have different feature sets Web and full desktop access require a plan or trial Cloud storage ranges from 100GB to 1TB by plan	Browser edition is beta and has native-only feature limitations AI background removal requires desktop setup and compatible local models No cloud sync for cross-device project access
Our verdict	Adobe Photoshop is an image-editing application for creating, retouching, compositing, and transforming photos and graphics. It is aimed at professionals and advanced editors who need editable layers, masks, RAW adjustments, batch… Read the review →	PaintFE is a free, MIT-licensed photo and raster editor for Windows, macOS, Linux, and the browser. It suits photographers, designers, and technical users who want local editing without an account, subscription, telemetry, or required… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Adobe Photoshop — where it wins

  • Editable layers, masks, Smart Objects, and Camera Raw support
  • Batch processing, automated conversion, and cloud documents
  • Generative Fill, Generative Expand, and AI-powered Harmonize

  Where it doesn't

  • Desktop, web, and mobile versions have different feature sets
  • Web and full desktop access require a plan or trial
  • Cloud storage ranges from 100GB to 1TB by plan

• PaintFE — where it wins

  • Supports RAW formats, layered PFE projects, masks, and blend modes
  • Local AI background removal with compatible ONNX models
  • Batch CLI workflows and Rhai scripting support repeatable edits

  Where it doesn't

  • Browser edition is beta and has native-only feature limitations
  • AI background removal requires desktop setup and compatible local models
  • No cloud sync for cross-device project access

• Adobe Photoshop9.4/10 · 7-day trial

  A deep, multi-platform editor for compositing, retouching, RAW work, and AI-assisted edits.

  Try Adobe PhotoshopFull verdict →
• PaintFE5.6/10 · Free plan

  A flexible free editor with RAW, layers, automation, and local AI tools.

  Visit PaintFEFull verdict →