Adobe Alternatives: A Comprehensive List of Software for Creative Professionals

If you’re looking for alternatives to Adobe’s suite of creative software, you’re in luck! Thanks to contributions from @XdanielArt and an engaged community, here’s a comprehensive list of tools that can help you achieve your creative goals without breaking the bank. This guide organizes alternatives by functionality, placing free and open-source options at the top whenever possible, though your ideal choice may vary depending on your specific use case.

Legend

• ✨ = Free and open-source
• ⭐️ = Free of charge
• 💵 = Single purchase
• 🔒 = Subscription-based for advanced features

Alternatives to Adobe Software

Photoshop

For photo editing and graphic design:

• ✨ GIMP (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ Sumo Paint (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ Photopea (Browser-based)
• ⭐️ Paint.NET (Windows)
• ⭐️ Pixlr (Browser-based)
• 💵 Pixelmator Pro (Mac)
• 💵 Affinity Photo (Windows, Mac, iOS)

Illustrator

For vector design and illustration:

• ✨ Inkscape (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ Boxy SVG (Browser-based)
• 💵 Affinity Designer (Windows, Mac, iOS)
• 💵 CorelDRAW (Windows, Mac)

Animate

For 2D animation:

• ✨ Tahoma2D (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ✨ Blender (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ✨ OpenToonz (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 💵 Toon Boom (Windows, Mac)
• 💵 Clip Studio Paint (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

InDesign

For desktop publishing:

• ✨ Scribus (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 💵 Affinity Publisher (Windows, Mac, iOS)
• 💵 QuarkXPress (Windows, Mac)

Substance (Painter & Designer)

For texture creation and 3D materials:

• ✨ Material Maker (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ✨ ArmorPaint (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS)
• ⭐️ Quixel Mixer (Windows, Mac)

Lightroom

For photo organization and editing:

• ✨ Darktable (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ✨ RawTherapee (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 💵 Luminar Neo (Windows, Mac)
• 💵 Capture One (Windows, Mac)

XD

For UI/UX and prototyping:

• ✨ Penpot (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ Lunacy (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ Figma (Browser-based, Windows, Mac)
• 💵 Sketch (Mac)

Premiere

For video editing:

• ✨ Kdenlive (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ✨ Olive (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ DaVinci Resolve (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 💵 Final Cut Pro (Mac)

Acrobat

For PDF editing and reading:

• ✨ LibreOffice Draw (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ PDF24 (Windows)
• 🔒 Xodo (Browser, Windows, Android, iOS)

Bridge

For digital asset management:

• ⭐️ XnView MP (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 🔒 Anchorpoint (Windows, Mac)

Dreamweaver

For web development:

• ✨ NetBeans (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ✨ VSCodium (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ Visual Studio Code (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 🔒 WebStorm (Windows, Mac, Linux)

Audition

For audio editing and mixing:

• ✨ Audacity (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ Ocenaudio (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 💵 Reaper (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 💵 Logic Pro (Mac)

After Effects

For compositing and motion graphics:

• ✨ Natron (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ✨ Blender (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• ⭐️ DaVinci Resolve Fusion (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• 🔒 Cavalry (Windows, Mac)

Closing Thoughts

There’s a growing world of creative tools beyond Adobe’s ecosystem, offering flexibility, affordability, and in many cases, complete freedom through open-source initiatives. Whether you’re exploring these alternatives for budgetary reasons or personal preference, the options listed above empower creators to find the tools that best fit their workflow.