Switch to a Free Photoshop Alternative
Photobun is a free alternative to Adobe Photoshop for everyday image editing. It follows Photoshop's menu structure, tool names and keyboard shortcuts, opens and saves PSD files, and runs in your browser or as a small desktop app for Windows and macOS. Photobun is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Adobe.
How to Switch to a Free Photoshop Alternative
- Open Photobun in your browser, or install the desktop app for Windows or macOS.
- Open your existing PSD files; layers, masks and layer styles come in editable.
- Use the shortcuts you already know, such as V, M, L, B, Ctrl/⌘+T and Ctrl/⌘+J.
- Save back to PSD whenever you need to share files with Photoshop users.
Familiar from the first click
Menus are organised like Photoshop's (File, Edit, Image, Layer, Select, Filter, View, Window), and features that aren't built yet are shown greyed out instead of hidden.
PSD compatibility
Open and save PSD and PSB files with layers, blend modes, masks, clipping masks and layer styles, so files move between Photobun and Photoshop.
Free, with no catch
No subscription and no trial period. The web version is ad-supported with a one-time US$1 option to remove ads, and the desktop app has no ads at all.
Runs on modest hardware
A small app with GPU compositing and background workers, comfortable on older laptops and Chromebooks where a full Photoshop install isn't practical.
Many people use only a fraction of Photoshop: cutting out objects, retouching blemishes, adjusting colour, resizing and exporting for the web. If that sounds like you, a free editor that keeps the same workflow lets you drop the subscription without retraining your hands.
Photobun is open about what it doesn't do yet: items that aren't built are greyed out in the menus, and the list gets shorter with each release. Available today are layer masks, clipping masks, layer styles, healing tools, Liquify, Vanishing Point, Blur Gallery and AI background removal.
Compared with other free editors, Photobun focuses on Photoshop-style menus and shortcuts, multi-board editing for sets of social posts, and a desktop app of only a few megabytes. The quickest way to judge whether it fits your work is to open one of your real PSD files.
Frequently asked questions
Can Photobun replace Photoshop?
For many everyday tasks, yes: retouching, layered compositions, social graphics, PSD edits, RAW development and exports. It doesn't cover everything yet; smart objects and CMYK are not available.
Can I open Photoshop files?
Yes. PSD and PSB files open with their layers, groups, adjustment layers, blend modes, masks and layer styles, and can be saved back as PSD or PSB.
Do Photoshop shortcuts work?
Most do. Tools use the same letters and common commands share the same keys, for example Ctrl/⌘+T for Free Transform, Ctrl/⌘+J to duplicate a layer and Shift+Backspace for Content-Aware Fill.
Can I use Photoshop brushes?
Yes. Import .abr brush files or PNG images as brush tips and save your own presets with Define Brush Preset. Pen pressure, flow, jitter and scatter are supported.