Best PaintShop Pro Alternatives in 2026
15 photo editing software our editors would look at instead of PaintShop Pro, in our ranking order.
PaintShop Pro: A broad Windows editor for photographers and designers who need more than basic corrections. Where it falls short: available only for windows.
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Best forProfessional compositing and advanced editing
A deep, multi-platform editor for compositing, retouching, RAW work, and AI-assisted edits.
- Cloud sync
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
8.0/10★★★★☆Try Adobe Photoshop -
Best forRAW workflows and cross-device photo editing
A broad Lightroom workflow for RAW editing, masking, organization, and synchronized access.
- Cloud sync
- AI retouching
- RAW photo support
8.1/10★★★★☆Try Adobe Lightroom -
Affinity Photo not yet scored
Best forFree desktop editing with deep controls
A free desktop editor with deep controls for RAW, layers, masking, retouching, and batch work.
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
- RAW photo support
—not yet scoredVisit Affinity Photo -
Best forProfessional RAW and tethered workflows
A deep choice for professional RAW and tethered workflows, without a free plan.
- Cloud sync
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Capture One -
darktable not yet scored
Best forFree open-source RAW cataloging
A free, cross-platform RAW workflow with cataloging, masking, batch editing, and AI tools.
- AI retouching
- RAW photo support
- Masking tools
—not yet scoredVisit darktable -
GIMP not yet scored
Best forFree layered editing and extensibility
A capable free editor for layered work, masking, scripting, and plug-in-based RAW workflows.
- Layer editing
- Masking tools
- Batch editing
—not yet scoredVisit GIMP -
Best forAll-in-one desktop RAW editing
A broad desktop RAW editor with layers, masking, organization, AI, and cloud sync.
- Cloud sync
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit ON1 -
Best forHigh-quality RAW correction and denoising
A focused desktop editor for RAW correction, denoising, and batch workflows.
- AI retouching
- RAW photo support
- Masking tools
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit DxO PhotoLab -
Best forWindows photo management and editing
A broad Windows editor for photographers who want organization, advanced editing, and cloud services.
- Cloud sync
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Zoner -
Best forApple users needing RAW batch workflows
A capable Apple-focused editor for RAW, masking, retouching, and batch workflows.
- Cloud sync
- AI retouching
- RAW photo support
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit Photomator -
Best forAI-focused editing across devices
A multi-platform editor with deep AI tools, RAW support, layers, and masking.
- Cloud sync
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Luminar Neo -
RawTherapee not yet scored
Best forFree open-source RAW development
A capable free RAW workflow with masking, batch tools, and non-destructive editing.
- RAW photo support
- Masking tools
- Batch editing
—not yet scoredVisit RawTherapee -
Best forLow-cost browser and batch editing
A low-cost, multi-platform editor with layers, batch macros, and AI tools.
- Cloud sync
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Pixlr -
Photopea not yet scored
Best forFree Photoshop-style browser editing
A capable free browser editor for Photoshop-style workflows and mixed file formats.
- Cloud sync
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
—not yet scoredVisit Photopea -
Best forAffordable AI-assisted desktop editing
A broad desktop editor with free basics, RAW tools, layers, batch AI, and cloud options.
- Cloud sync
- Layer editing
- AI retouching
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit PhotoDirector
PaintShop Pro Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to PaintShop Pro?
Adobe Photoshop: #1 in our Photo Editing Software ranking, with an editor score of 8.0 out of 10. A deep, multi-platform editor for compositing, retouching, RAW work, and AI-assisted edits.
Is there a free alternative to PaintShop Pro?
Yes. Adobe Lightroom, Affinity Photo, darktable, GIMP and RawTherapee have a free plan or a free tier (8 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
PaintShop Pro vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Platform | RAW photo support | Layer editing | Masking tools | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | PaintShop Pro | No | — | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.1 |
| 1 | Adobe Photoshop | No | — | Multi-platform | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 2 | Adobe Lightroom | Yes | — | Multi-platform | Yes | — | Yes | 8.1 |
| not scored | Affinity Photo | Yes | None | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| 4 | Capture One | No | — | Multi-platform | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.8 |
| not scored | darktable | Yes | None | Multi-platform | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| not scored | GIMP | Yes | None | Multi-platform | No | Yes | Yes | — |
| 7 | ON1 Photo RAW | No | — | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 8 | DxO PhotoLab | No | — | Multi-platform | Yes | — | Yes | 7.7 |
| 9 | Zoner Photo Studio X | No | — | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 11 | Photomator | — | — | Multi-platform | Yes | — | Yes | 6.3 |
| 12 | Luminar Neo | No | — | Multi-platform | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| not scored | RawTherapee | Yes | None | Desktop | Yes | No | Yes | — |
| 14 | Pixlr | Yes | — | Multi-platform | No | Yes | Yes | 7.1 |
| not scored | Photopea | Yes | — | Web | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| 16 | PhotoDirector | Yes | — | Multi-platform | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 |
Guides on Photo Editing Software
- Best Free Photo-Editing Software for WindowsAug 2026
- The Best Photo Editing Software We've Tested for 2026Aug 2026
- Best Free Photo Editing Apps for Mac: Which Free Photo Editor Is Right for You?Aug 2026
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026