10 Online Photo Editors That You Definitely Need to Bookmark

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10 Online Photo Editors That You Definitely Need to Bookmark
by Anoop Engineer 59 comments Delicious

Tag Best Daily Feature Images Web Apps


Sumo Paint :: Online Image Editor :: Home
- 22 visits - May 21Browser based online image editor and drawing application. Community and sharing features for registered users. Requires Flash.

Online image editors are in a rage these days. Everyday, you hear about the release of a new online photo editor that claims to be the next big thing.

From among the great number of online editors, we have hand picked some of the best ones that we found to be are noteworthy. With each site description, we have tried to tell you how or what feature of the editor forced us to include it in the list.

To bookmark this page in delicious, you can use this link.


1. Picnik

image

Picnik seems to be the most popular online image editor in this list. The interface of the site is beautiful, responsive and can put many desktop applications to shame. You don’t need to know anything about photo editing to use Picnik. Most noteworthy feature is its integration with other Web2.0 services. You can pull photos directly from most photo sharing sites such as Flickr, Picasa Web Albums, Facebook, Photobucket and pretty much provide any image URL to start editing it.

Picnik.com | Bookmark on delicious


2. Splashup

image

Splashup, earlier known as Fauxto, is a web based photo editor that looks just like a desktop application. Users coming from Photoshop should feel right at home with this editor.

You can open files from your computer or from all popular photo sharing sites. You can open multiple images in a tabbed environment. It supports the concept of layers, like Gimp and Photoshop. Splashup also has the ability to import images from your webcam.

Splashup.com | Bookmark on delicious


3. Pixlr


Relatively new into the arena, but have made quite a big fan fare in a short time. Pixlr described as Photoshop in a browser, continues to amaze many.

It lacks features like importing from other sites like flickr, but you can still open an image by specifying its URL.

Pixlr.com | Bookmark on delicious


4. Snipshot


Unlike the three editors mentioned above, Snipshot is not a flash based editor. It’s a highly responsive, Ajax powered image editor. So, this should be your choice if stranded in a computer having no flash plugins. You can import photos stored in your computer or from the web by mentioning its address. You can also import photos from flickr using a bookmarklet. Snipshot allows you to export and save your photos in a number of different formats - JPG, PNG, TIF, BMP and even PDF and Photoshop PSD.

Snipshot.com | Bookmark on delicious


5. Pixenate


Pixenate, formerly called PXN8 is a simple but intuitive application. With a straight forward interface, it lets you play with all its features relatively easy compared to others. You can edit photos stored in your computer or import from a web site and save also save the edited photo back to your flickr account.

Pixenate.com | Bookmark on delicious


6. Picture2Life

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Picture2life is just another online image editor. But what makes it stand apart is the radical UI design for an image editor. Unlike all classical picture editors with toolboxes and a number of buttons, Picture2life has a descriptive side panel stacked into four vertical tabs – Quick Fixes, One Clicks, All and Featured. Selecting any tab replaces the sidebar with a new sidebar that contains a number of options like Brightness, Color, Contrast etc. But, instead of showing them as buttons, it takes your picture and shows you how the picture will look if the effect is applied and uses this as thumbnails for the buttons. Pretty useful for beginners who don’t know the difference between stuff like hue and saturation (and that includes us).

Picture2life.com | Bookmark on delicious


7. LunaPic

image

LunaPic isn’t as jazzy as the other image editors in this list. However, this one provides ability to convert your images to animated GIF files, which differentiates it from others. There are a couple of ready made fancy animation effects, that you can apply to your photo. This is an apt tool for creating your social network profile image – for Facebook, MySpace etc.

LunaPic.com | Bookmark on delicious


8. FotoFlexer


Want to have a Picasa running in your browser? Try FotoFlexer. It describes itself as the most powerful online digital photo editor in existence. If you are searching for a feature in online picture editors, then FotoFlexer has it.

FotoFlexer.com | Bookmark on delicious


9. Adobe Photoshop Express

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If it’s from Adobe, it’s gonna be big. Photoshop express, apart from being an image editor, also acts as a photo organizer and online photo storage. It provides up to 2 GB of online space and ability to create and share albums which distinguishes it from other online image editors.

www.photoshop.com/express/ | Bookmark on delicious


10. Aviary

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Aviary is a suite of 4 tools among which Phoenix – an online image editor is the one which we are interested right now. Phoenix is a very powerful image editor that can be said as a true competitor for Photoshop, just that this one runs from a browser. The Phoenix page contains many videos on using it to produce some stunning photo effects.

A.viary.com | Bookmark on delicious

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223 Comments
10 Free Web-based Alternatives to Photoshop

Chanpory Rith
May 20, 2008

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I’m fed up with Photoshop and its one billion rarely-used features.

How about a simple photo-editor that’s quick, easy, and doesn’t cost a thousand dollars. Fortunately, there’re tons of web-based photos editors popping up. Most are crap, but some are promising. Check out these free web-based Photoshop alternatives:
1. Picnik

Picnik

Arguably, Picnik is the most popular web-based photo editor. Why? Because it’s now integrated with Flickr.

2. Splashup

Very polished interface. Tools and palettes are modeled after Photoshop. And it has layers!
3. Phoenix

Phoenix

Part of the Aviary suite of creative apps, Phoenix also offers layers and compositing.
4. Photoshop Express

Photoshop Express

Adobe was a little late to the web-apps game, but this is a pretty good first try. I like the free 2GB of space. Unlike the real Photoshop, this web version has no ability to layer or composite images.
5. Snipshot

Snipshot

Nice, simple, and clear interface, with no ads at all.
6. flauntR

flautR offers a cornucopia of image tools, boasting thousands of photo effects. If you want to make your photo look like a cheezy painting, this is the place.
7. Pic Resize

Picresize

Another ad-free editor. I love the huge buttons.
8. Pixenate

Pixenate

Hmm… looks like Pixenate was “inspired” by Pic Resize. The icons and ads are annoyingly awful, but the app works.
9. FotoFlexer

Fotoflexer

Another simple interface. This one enables you to composite and “layer” images but without using a traditional layers palette. Instead, you can drag the photos and “push” them back or forward.
10. Phixr

Phixr

An example of how ugly these apps can get.
Any others?

Let me know if I’ve missed any other good ones. (I’ve tried to weed out the janky ones).

If you liked this post, please bookmark it on del.icio.us. Thank you.

Posted in: Photoshop, Web
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223 Comments

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Kirby

gravatarMay 20, 2008
8:05 am

I know that you are looking for a program more closely associated with Photoshop but as a quick and easy editing app I use Google’s Picasa 2 quite often. It is very easy to use and though limited it does do some quick and easy cropping, black and white from color, soft focus, slide shows, red-eye removal, a host of other nice features, and is free.
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mahalie

gravatarMay 20, 2008
10:15 am

I use Picasa for fast photo editing too. I own Photoshop, but Picasa is just faster and easier for bulk editing a lot of photos…I export (batch resize) all my starred images at the end of a session to a folder and bulk upload them to Flickr.

It’s not very good/intuitive for resizing photos to exact dimensions, so I’m still on the lookout for the best/easiest option for my blogging clients who always need to resize to certain width for their website, for instance.
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Rusty

gravatarMay 20, 2008
10:36 am

While it’s not free, at $59.00, Pixelmator is a strong altermative.
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kadavy

gravatarMay 20, 2008
11:04 am

I saw a live demo of http://a.viary.com/ and it looked very impressive. They have a whole suite of apps, but it looks like it’s not quite public yet.
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fr3sh

gravatarMay 20, 2008
11:32 am

http://a.viary.com/ is starting a whole suite of web based apps. You can sign up for the beta and use Phoenix.
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Savio

gravatarMay 20, 2008
11:32 am

http://www.rsizr.com has a very different approach to resize images in different proportions (PS doesn´t have this feature). That´s only a resizer tool, not a PS alternative.
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AM

gravatarMay 20, 2008
12:05 pm

I’m not sure what you mean by web-based, I mean aren’t Phoenix and Slashup desktop apps. Anyway,

Web based: http://www.lunapic.com/editor/

But the best free photoshop alternative is Gimp (gimp.org):

GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring.

It has many capabilities. It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert quality photo retouching program, an online batch processing system, a mass production image renderer, an image format converter, etc.

GIMP is expandable and extensible. It is designed to be augmented with plug-ins and extensions to do just about anything. The advanced scripting interface allows everything from the simplest task to the most complex image manipulation procedures to be easily scripted.
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Chanpory Rith

gravatarMay 20, 2008
12:09 pm

Hey AM, thanks for pointing out lunapic.

I believe Phoenix and Slashup are Adobe Air apps, which means they work on web, as well on the desktop. So I think it’s for to include them.
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luciano

gravatarMay 20, 2008
12:10 pm

why not picasa ? easy, very easy for most common editing
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jb

gravatarMay 20, 2008
1:47 pm

are any of these useable programmatically? accessible via an api?

what i’d like is to be able to give my web server php code the caperbility to resize images using a similar quality algorithm as photoshop uses. i know about imagemagic and gd but the image resize is never as good as photoshop’s.
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Lance

gravatarMay 20, 2008
2:17 pm

i did once a little tool just for resizing and rotating an image …

http://resizr.lord-lance.com

got quite popular ..

Greetings Lance
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Allen

gravatarMay 20, 2008
2:43 pm

Another free alternative is GIMP.. has almost the same features as Photoshop
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Oxnard

gravatarMay 20, 2008
3:14 pm

Paint.net is very close to Photoshop.
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Jason

gravatarMay 20, 2008
4:59 pm

I second Paint.net It is simple to use and is a very powerful photo editing program, especially for being free.
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#

gravatarMay 21, 2008
4:23 am

Wow, I can’t even believe I know one more than you :p Here is it: http://www.wiredness.com/

(never tried though, and never tried any other)
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James

gravatarMay 21, 2008
9:31 am

GIMP and Paint.net are the two I use. Paint.net has a huge selection of add-ons created by users that allow you to do pretty much anything you want. You can also get an interface for GIMP that mimics Photoshop to make it easier to use. The only thing I have found that Paint.net can’t do is create or edit animated GIF files.
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robsitka

gravatarMay 21, 2008
11:00 am

I use Picasa for the “garden variety” chores, its database, email capabilities, and the upload to free website capabilities. But for Photoshop needs I turn to the Open Source Paint.NET. I used GIMP for a while, but really like the Paint.NET interface, power and the price can’t be beat(free).
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NetDiva

gravatarMay 21, 2008
12:47 pm

I know it’s been said but I’ll just chime in. It’s all about the Gimp!
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T

gravatarMay 21, 2008
5:08 pm

“I–™m fed up with Photoshop and its one billion rarely-used features.”

Try not pirating a program you clearly know nothing about.
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JuanaBee

gravatarMay 21, 2008
8:20 pm

For $99 you just can’t beat Corel Painter 10, student version. Add another $99 and get the student version of CorelDraw 4 (Windows only on this one) and you can have true professional graphics apps on the cheap! Though I am not a “student” by strict definition, Corel does not ask for school ID. Since I am not using either professionally, I feel that this is a fair deal for Corel as I am an amateur “learning” their apps for my personal use.
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Cynthia

gravatarMay 21, 2008
10:37 pm

Photobucket has free photo editing tools
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Chanpory Rith

gravatarMay 22, 2008
8:36 am

T, just to clarify, I have a fully licensed version of Photoshop, because I work as a designer at my day job.

Adobe also just sent me another copy Photoshop for participating in their user studies. So that’s another non-pirated copy that I have.

I’ve been using Photoshop for over a decade. Even before it had layers. So I’d say I know quite a bit about the program.

The problem with Photoshop is that each new version adds more and more and more features, to the point that it just becomes bloated and harder to use. This is a post about getting back to basics.
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T

gravatarMay 22, 2008
4:36 pm

Don’t upgrade if you don’t need the new features. I happily use Photoshop CS.

My point was most people have (pirated) Photoshop when they clearly don’t need it, and the programs you listed are actually better for them. They shouldn’t have Photoshop to begin with.
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Rod Beckwith

gravatarMay 22, 2008
6:34 pm

Hi,

I am looking for an actual script that does what these sites do. I would like to purchase one for a site I am creating.

Pleas let me know,

Rod
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Ilyas

gravatarMay 22, 2008
6:57 pm

I would like to see alternatives for Adobe Illustrator, maybe in the next post.

(vector functionality ) Vectoring is a big deal for me, and how many of these programs support that?

Thanks for the post.
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Janis

gravatarMay 22, 2008
7:17 pm

It’s not web-based but FastStone is a very fast photo organizer (free download)with some basic editing features. It can display and even convert RAW files. It’s great for organizing and viewing images and FAR faster than any other I’ve tried, at least for managing mass quantities of images. I never use Bridge in PS CS3 because it’s so slow on my desktop.
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Gil Megidish

gravatarMay 23, 2008
1:29 am

http://www.dumpr.net runs really awesome photoshop-like effects in real time. Recommended! :)
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aljuk

gravatarMay 23, 2008
12:05 pm

I guess it depends what you’re using it for. Personally I’d say that Photoshop’s a perfect tool. And I can’t think of any features I’d describe as rarely-used - they’re all there with good reason.
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Tiffyy

gravatarMay 23, 2008
1:17 pm

Try GIMP. I loooove it >.< Just google it, you will find it.
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Emily

gravatarMay 23, 2008
2:47 pm

Thanks for these! These’ll come in handy when I just need to resize an image or something and don’t wanna have to wait for a program to open.
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Melissa

gravatarMay 23, 2008
3:54 pm

I use Paint.net for all of my editing needs =).
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BigNerd

gravatarMay 23, 2008
5:56 pm

Any takers for Photofiltre? It’s freeware.

http://photofiltre.free.fr/ v6.3.1 seems to be the latest version.

I carry a copy on my USB stick.
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Migoo

gravatarMay 25, 2008
12:16 pm

Yes photofiltre is great! light! fast! and… free! http://photofiltre.free.fr/frames_en.htm
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sir jorge

gravatarMay 26, 2008
9:57 pm

they might be alternatives, but just like most knock offs…they are inferior.
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Postal57

gravatarMay 27, 2008
12:33 pm

If you take the trouble to do a bit of learning you will find that there is nothing that can replace Photoshop. If you can’t afford Photoshop, The Gimp is the best but I’m afraid that here too there is going to be learning involved.
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petnos

gravatarMay 29, 2008
6:45 am

the list is great. i will add to it but i forget the name of sites that is suitable for this category. when i find them i will write them down.
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DexX

gravatarMay 31, 2008
7:56 am

For free vector editing, Inkscape is pretty good.
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Don

gravatarMay 31, 2008
11:43 pm

Wow. . I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people with sublimated Photoshop Envy in all my life. :)
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boo

gravatarMay 31, 2008
11:51 pm

Why not use a picture frame; no buttons, simple as hell.

twat.
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Family Matters

gravatarJun 1, 2008
5:55 pm

Great stuff!

For my graphic design, I’ve been using Microsoft Word for layering WordArt text and photos, and IrfanView (or Picasa) for editing. That was good enough for most things, but requires switching applications all the time, even if the results look great (see Family Matters).

I’m going to try your reviewed alternatives, so thank you for posting. I like your other popular posts as well.

Gal Baras
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Thakur Dalip Singh

gravatarJun 1, 2008
9:09 pm

IRfanview is very useful and easy to use application. It is free. It can convert raw also. Why it is not listed here? None of the listed are true alternatives to Photoshop but easier, smaller and free to use for novices.
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Timmay

gravatarJun 2, 2008
11:15 am

“I–™m fed up with Photoshop and its one billion rarely-used features…”

Wow- what a cranky person!

Its Photoshop dude- Its FOR professionals! they never claimed different!

Go play with Windows ‘Draw’ if its too overwheming for ya!
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David B. Fisher

gravatarJun 4, 2008
9:24 am

Those who complain about Photoshop do not need it. Adobe won’t mind a bit. I won’t mind. I DO mind whining–¦
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paul

gravatarJun 6, 2008
3:17 pm

GIMP GIMP GIMP GIMP!!!!! almost all the features of photoshop. and some unique ones too. all hail GIMP!
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Jherek

gravatarJun 10, 2008
12:25 pm

You can try http://kizoa.fr It’s in french for the moment, but will be translated in english soon.
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M. Tisdale

gravatarJun 10, 2008
1:57 pm

Nice review! We did one as well back in April 07 and updated it back in March of this year. You can read our take here - http://2aday.wordpress.com/2007/04/13/my-free-photoshop-the-5-best-online-editors/

We reviewed Fauxto, Picnik, Pixenate, Snipshot (which is really, really fast), WebpictTool and Picture2Life.
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mello

gravatarJun 10, 2008
2:35 pm

In reply to Ilyas:

I use Inkscape as an open source vector graphic programme. It compliments the GIMP nicely. It isn’t exactly like Illustrator but close enough, with some fun features.
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G. Austin

gravatarJun 10, 2008
9:18 pm

All though this one is not web based, it is FREEWARE. http://www.irfanview.com I have used Irfy for quite some time and prefer it for its ease of use and useful advanced tools. I wouldn’t recommend anything else for photo editing.
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Philippe Roy

gravatarJun 11, 2008
1:06 am

Although I’m unlikely to use any of those since the photos I manipulate are 30mb and more (and I like all the gizmos in PhotoShop)… it’s certainly a good alternative to all my friends that ask about simpler/easier things than PhotoShop to “resize/contrast” their photos!! Thanks!
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6pack Abs

gravatarJun 11, 2008
1:53 am

You forgot all programs with the free shareware trial. Use it and don’t waste money and let a product collect dust.
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gregvanderlaan.com

gravatarJun 11, 2008
7:08 am

paint.net has astounding polar distortion effects. for generating psychedelic images it is great…

arcsoft photo 2.0 is easy and just gets the job done for basic image resizing, cropping and brightness/contrast-sharpen. mirror effect.

gimp has the best lens flares: supernova, hidden planet.. great for adding mystical fairies glowing near your friends faces…
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macs

gravatarJun 11, 2008
9:03 am

stupendi!!! ne farò una versione in italiano!

great! i like it, i’ll publish an italian version on my new blog! my favourite is flauntR :D
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Gwen

gravatarJun 11, 2008
7:11 pm

Not a web based application, but both my sister and I have been using Tech Smith’s SnagIt! for years now. The price can’t be beaten and it just gets better and better all the time. We both love it and don’t know what we’d go without it. Tech Smith is a superb Company with remarkable customer support. They have other applications that probably are a good adjunct, Camtasia Studio, but neither of us have used that one.

Right now, I’m trying to work with one of the recommended ones: Adobe Photoshop Express. (Free ed.)

I’ve looked at all the others posted, and GIMP, Picassa, et al. Just could never get my head around them.

But then, my needs are simple.
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sreedharan.t.p

gravatarJun 11, 2008
10:50 pm

gimp is a usful and comfortable alternative to photoshop.
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efrain

gravatarJun 11, 2008
11:44 pm

i have a macbook pro (OS 10.5.3) and I use GIMP. For some reason, INKSCAPE won’t install on the computer, and I can’t even get GIMPSHOP to work either. Anyone have any tips on this?
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John D Burgoyne

gravatarJun 12, 2008
3:41 am

For those who have time to waste playing with any or all of the expensive top-end programmes, fine just stay with them. For those interested in photography with none of its inherent, potential gimmicry, use Paint.net.com. It is superb, easy to use and so well-supported, it is embarassing.
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adobe

gravatarJun 12, 2008
7:19 am

As a professional graphic artist, I have to say that Photoshop rawks! And, I’m glad it has a billion features - all of which I use to give me the widest range possible for my projects.

But if you’re limited - in one way or another - then I can see that ‘free’ and ‘almost free’ is a good fit for you hobbyist.
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Jen

gravatarJun 12, 2008
7:43 pm

I didn’t notice if anyone had mentioned IrfanView. It’s totally free and so useful. You can’t do anything fancy, but if I need to crop, resize, save as a JPEG, it works like a charm. Super simple. I use it almost every day.
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Eric C

gravatarJun 15, 2008
11:15 am

I own and enjoy very much Corel paint shop photo pro. Only $99.00, and has layers, clone brush and lots of effects. Add an Alienskin plug in or 2, and you can do incredible pro quality stuff.
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ramon_omar

gravatarJun 15, 2008
7:52 pm

GIMP is functional and practical. As a user of Photoshop for years I found the switch easy and comfortable.

Give it a shot and while you’re at it get Ubuntu too!
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Eric C

gravatarJun 16, 2008
6:02 am

Oh yeah, forgot to say Picasa is awesome. Probably the best free thing ever.
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Shreemani

gravatarJun 18, 2008
2:53 am

As the topic goes, “10 Free Web-based Alternatives to Photoshop”

So… Photoshop still rocks. I did try to get used to Gimp… but lost my interest somewhere … I will definitely try it again too.
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Murk

gravatarJun 18, 2008
4:09 am

I’m a bit fed up with Photoshop too. I’m using CS2 and it takes a good three minutes to fully load up on my (now) antique HP laptop. Plus, there’s not a decent “browser” interface.

So, for bulk processing (and for animation) I still ise PaintShopPro v7. Ok, it’s not web based, but it loads in seconds, it has all the browser capabilities I need, and it can batch process. (I find it particularly useful for stepping down the jpeg quality on hundreds of photographs).

However, there is one job that no Windows or Mac software can cope with - batch renaming images as they come off the camera. I found this fantastic utility called MS-DOS ….
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Irene

gravatarJun 20, 2008
11:41 pm

@Murk: CKRename, useful for batch renaming files.
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Gabriel S

gravatarJun 21, 2008
10:48 am

I would like to suggest PhotoFiltre. It is also a free photo editor. Grant it, it is not photoshop but it definitely gets the job done with more than enough ease. Check it out :)
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john

gravatarJun 23, 2008
11:24 pm

i think gimpshop is not maintained anymore, because nobody really wanted it. The Gimp interface has some advantages over the unflexible photoshop one, so the people just used gimp instead of gimpshop.
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Flo

gravatarJun 24, 2008
12:50 am

However, there is one job that no Windows or Mac software can cope with - batch renaming images as they come off the camera.

The camera software that I use (“ZoomBrowser EX”) can rename images during download. Veeery useful indeed.

I’m pretty sure there are other utilities for batch renaming, too.
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trixie

gravatarJun 25, 2008
1:09 pm

hmm.. I wish that photoshop was a free program,and that there werent virus’s and such. Many people I know have tryed to download an alternative to photoshop because they didnt have enough money to actually go out and but the cd-rom. Well, the one they downloaded ended up being a very bad virus, and they had to pay quite a bit of money to get there computer fixed. I dont appreciate scammers, everyone has there hobbies, and my friend just couldnt pay for the thing she liked to do most. So, people that are just trying to scam others and arent actually giving them a free program, that is useful, and they will love. Just.. stop.
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Brian

gravatarJun 27, 2008
8:57 am

Rod & jb,

There’s freeware program, imagemagick, you can get that will resize, optimize, etc. images server-side…

http://www.imagemagick.org/script/index.php

Pretty easy to use and implement…
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Guy

gravatarJun 29, 2008
6:18 pm

Wiredness works pretty well for quick edits and re-sizes.
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*NEmo*_(^.^)

gravatarJun 30, 2008
2:49 am

I use Paint-Shop Pro9 but on the web flauntR is a good choice. :M
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woahhh

gravatarJul 2, 2008
8:20 pm

I LOVE FlauntR. =]] I used to use picnik a lot but flauntr is my favorite now

only one slight problem! is anyonw having trouble downloading the pictures from flauntr to your computer because I sure am.
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Megan

gravatarJul 4, 2008
11:55 am

There is also Photofiltre. I use it, it works very nice :]
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Aye

gravatarJul 11, 2008
12:17 am

I tried them all and they all suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna make a naked picture.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Karen Falcon

gravatarJul 12, 2008
8:10 pm

Hi, I love your post. I stumbled upon it, via stumble, of course.

Hey, could you also tell me/us a free alternative to weblayouts?

I am on blogger, and I really like all the wordpress sites I see so much better. I just didn’t know about it before I went ahead and made my blogger blog.

I appreciate any feedback! I’m going to write up a review of your post on my blog and link back to you. xoxox ~Karen Falcon http://falconsays.com
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PervasivePersuasion.com

gravatarJul 16, 2008
6:27 am

There are other alternatives for creating web design graphics than those listed here. They may not be free, but “free” sould not be a primary criterion for a professional web designer selecting tools.

Bruce Arnold Miami Florida
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Alan

gravatarJul 18, 2008
9:10 am

If anyone needs a good photo editor for use with Mac OS X Leopard, try LiveQuartz (livequartz.com). It’s a free app, not web-based, and is based on non-destructive layers and filters. I found it to be extremely intuitive and easy to use (the Help videos cover just about everything you need to know).
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Juicy Joe

gravatarJul 18, 2008
4:34 pm

Does anyone know a free website were I can go to edit a picture to black and white but it still has a color?
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Stephanie

gravatarJul 19, 2008
7:35 am

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally, someone who gets it.
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Stephanie

gravatarJul 19, 2008
7:46 am

In response to the question: “Does anyone know a free website where I can go to edit a picture to black and white but it still has a color?” Yes, Picnik does that. It’s a free web-based program at http://www.picnik.com. Once in, click on “Create” and either use Black & White (the first feature listed under Create). Use the Fade feature to control how much B&W you want applied to your pic. You can also use Focal B&W down further on the Create menu to make only certain parts of your pic B&W.
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marcel lemieux

gravatarJul 22, 2008
2:26 pm

A great list…tried some of them..they all do what they are supposed to do….also the comments here are all useful and positive…..a big thanks
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Tiffany

gravatarJul 25, 2008
10:50 pm

photofiltre is great its almost exactly like photoshop and its free.
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Barbara

gravatarJul 26, 2008
10:56 pm

Thanks for this list - I hadn’t heard of some of these. While I rely on photoshop for certain things - quick editing online would be a real bonus (especially on my laptop). I’ll be sure to check these out!
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Jason

gravatarJul 28, 2008
9:25 am

There–™s a new one call pictureful.com, it has automatic red-eye removal and some other simple things for those that don–™t want a full image editor. It also has some overlay effects. check it out pictureful.com ( Free Online Photo Editor ).
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johnnie

gravatarJul 31, 2008
1:40 am

Hi , I am looking for a free programe that allows you to edit the pic, like putting your face onto another photo.
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AkiraMayMayKikiru

gravatarAug 3, 2008
8:14 pm

Paint.Net & Gimp i have, i dont use gimp much tho. I use paint.net ALOT, but when i try to upload a picture on photobucket or anyother site, it refuses to let me, Errr..thats the only problem with paint.
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Johnny12g

gravatarAug 9, 2008
3:33 pm

I use Photoscape. Found it easy to use and it’s a free download. It has lots of features that u don’t get with most free software.
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Me

gravatarAug 9, 2008
11:19 pm

“Its Photoshop dude- Its FOR professionals! they never claimed different!” Exactly. That really says it all. If you’re not using those features it’s because you’re not that talented or creative, or have no need for them, in which case, you don’t NEED photoshop, but there really is NO alternative for Photoshop. Inferior programs that do less, sure, but no replacements.
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M. R. Shah

gravatarAug 11, 2008
3:38 am

Thank you all. It’s excellent post for Photoshop users. “Photoscape” & “GIMP” - The Free photo editing softwars are really Good for General Purpose use. If you are a professional Designer and earning from your creativity, Photoshop is a must even after a thousand dollar. It saves lots of time and helps you to show you your talent.
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Sudhir Borde

gravatarAug 11, 2008
8:56 pm

Hi Friends, I want such software in which i can edit beautiful broders and can wite down my name at the corners so which will be best software (except photoshop),

Waiting for reply,

Borde
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S

gravatarAug 17, 2008
8:47 am

I like Windows Live Photo Gallery for organising a basic editing- it’s free to download and is simple.
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Michael Hinkel

gravatarAug 18, 2008
7:36 am

Quite nice is Pixlr @ http://www.pixlr.com/
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Zefei Xuan

gravatarAug 27, 2008
7:52 pm

For people that want some quick special effects (skin retouch, color enhancement, red eye removal) on their photos, you may as well consider this online editor: http://www.picmagick.com
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Melv

gravatarSep 4, 2008
8:56 pm

they’re decent resources for those who just want the absolute basics and simple web-based image manipulation
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Aiden

gravatarSep 5, 2008
2:14 am

“I’m fed up with Photoshop and its one billion rarely-used features.” I’m sorry you’re not educated in the program, but I fail to see how that’s a valid point of contention.

“How about a simple photo-editor that’s quick, easy, and doesn’t cost a thousand dollars.” $1000? Current standard price from Adobe = $649.00 USD. (http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/index.html) Even cheaper from a third party (Amazon, Newegg, etc.)

While these web apps can be a nice, scaled down image editing alternative, comparing them on the same level as Photoshop does the program a massive injustice. Those “billion” rarely used functions that you’re unfamiliar with may be common place and essential to others.
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Vivek

gravatarSep 6, 2008
10:46 am

Best commercial alternative to Photoshop is Paint Shop Pro (PSP for its fans). I have been using PSP v7 for years, and it has a cool Animation Shop Pro addon bundled with it. Best freeware alternative to Photoshop is probably the GIMP which is quite powerful but a bit cumbersome, while Paint.Net is still in its infancy. IrfanView and Picasa are also lightweight picture tools with some editing features. I am surprised no one mentioned XNView — it is a freeware image browser, and it has support for lots of image formats, batch conversions and what not. It is what I use for most of my rudimentary image manipulations. The trick to learning new things is to always keep explore for new and hopefully better alternatives. Free is fun!
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canadianmomma

gravatarSep 14, 2008
11:25 pm

I was wondering does anyone kno a site where i can go on and add different colors to a tattoo i want to get but want to look for colors first. Thanks
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Sue

gravatarSep 15, 2008
9:23 am

Its good, but I uses Picasa 2. Cos it has plenty re-size, colour etc. Really very useful.
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gopal

gravatarSep 16, 2008
1:50 am

i would like to have any of the above softwares. i donot know how it works. it will be known after using the software.

gopal
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Cricket Vail

gravatarSep 21, 2008
9:45 pm

I have been using picassa2 for a couple of years now. Just upgraded to Picassa3. Easier to use and has a couple of features. I love it .
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Nero62

gravatarSep 25, 2008
8:41 pm

I’ve used Picasa, I’ve tried GIMP and Paint.net. They’re all pretty useful and good programs. Right now I’m using Photoscape and it seems to be a pretty good open-source option from the average user, although it can be unstable at times and seems to use a lot of memory. But it does have some pretty cool effects, at any rate it’s worth a try.
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erosthegeek

gravatarSep 27, 2008
7:06 am

I have stumbled onto several of these web based photoshop-esque apps in the last couple of months. One that I don’t see in your list and I haven’t seen anyone mention in the comments is Sumo Paint. It’s only beta, I guess, but it already has layer support.
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erosthegeek

gravatarSep 27, 2008
7:07 am

Forgot to leave a link. :-P

http://www.sumo.fi/products/sumopaint/index.php?id=0
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Jeff CJ

gravatarSep 30, 2008
12:25 am

It isn’t free (or web-based), but for only $89 it would be hard to beat Xara Xtreme. It is a lightning-fast vector-based graphic app. It comes with a free 30-day trial. http://www.xara.com
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Jeff CJ

gravatarSep 30, 2008
12:48 am

It’s neither free nor web-based, but a discussion of low-cost graphics programs wouldn’t be complete without the screaming fast vector-based Xara Xtreme (www.xara.com). At $89 it definitely isn’t freeware, but a great deal for the money. You can download a 30-day free trial.
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Abby

gravatarSep 30, 2008
7:28 pm

Any recs for a simple program for creating stuff with both images and text eg. a promo sign?
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Aner

gravatarOct 4, 2008
10:38 am

Hi , You missed Irfan View.Its great and free, worth a review.
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Lee

gravatarOct 7, 2008
4:55 pm

We teach photo classes and use Photoshop elements and Picasa.

Elements 2.0 can still be picked up for around $12-18. Great for beginners.

But I am looking for a free one to also use in classes. Just down loaded Paint.net.

I am also loooking at Serif PhotoPlus 6. it is an older version that they give away for free. They are currently at 8.
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Jarroid Warner

gravatarOct 16, 2008
1:38 pm

I wanted 2 know which of these you can design clothes suc as t-shirts like on photo shop??????? HELP???
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Picanuper

gravatarOct 19, 2008
3:24 am

This guy’s a fool. A number of people here have pointed out, don’t use features you don’t like or use. Simple; the point is, they’re there with Photoshop.

I’ve tried a number of the “alternatives” - Gimp is slow, splattered all over the desktop and just nasty, Paint.Net is OK but the print facilities are poor, Picnik is a con - its useful features are only available if you buy the “premium” version. And so on.

You get what you pay for. Photoshop works, it does pretty well everything the “free alternatives” do, does them better and does plenty more, too.

Most of what’s listed here is a waste of time. Try them and find out for yourself !
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Emilie

gravatarOct 19, 2008
9:19 pm

Hey there,

Im wondering if anyone can suggest a free program that will enable me to scan and edit slides on a flat bed scanner. Cant seem to find anything that will work.

Thank you

Emilie
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JessicRAWWR

gravatarOct 21, 2008
4:12 am

Heya

I think that Picnik is a really good site, I heard about it from a friend and only ever used that one. but now I will try all of these as well as these ones might be better.

(: Thank you Jessica x
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Liam:]

gravatarOct 21, 2008
10:38 am

PhotoFiltre. its not web based, either. they’res tutorials to do almost everything in photoshop.
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mariska

gravatarOct 26, 2008
1:50 pm

II Use Photo Scape N I THink Its Quite Good x
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Freeware

gravatarOct 28, 2008
1:01 am

I think photoshop is still alive and well in the professional design studios as this was the standard but for the home enthusiast there is a vast array of online and freeware tools now available - look out Adobe!!!
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AlphaOmega

gravatarNov 13, 2008
10:20 am

Why you may not use those 1 billion extra features, the majority of professional graphic artists find those features invaluable tools.

Nonetheless, As previously mentioned a few good free alternatives are Picasa and Gimp.

Though I use photoshop extensively and have never found a free alternative that can do everything I need it to do.

Thanks for the list though.. These come in handy for clients that just need a simple quick editor.
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Smurfy

gravatarNov 17, 2008
3:51 pm

i make animated avi’s and photoscape was very good and easy to use…it has alot of feature and is of course free…hope dis helps some1! =]
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Gimp All the way

gravatarNov 29, 2008
12:01 am

Gimp…

(low rumble)

Gimp…

(low rumble)

Gimp…

(low rumble)

Gimp…

(low rumble)

Gimp…

(low rumble)

Gimp…

(low rumble)

Gimp…