Photopea: The Free Photoshop in Your Browser

Photopea is one of the most impressive feats of web development in existence: a fully functional image editor running entirely in a web browser that replicates the vast majority of Adobe Photoshop's functionality—layers, masks, adjustment layers, filters, the pen tool, smart objects, blending modes, and a capable brush engine—completely free, with no installation, no account creation, and no subscription. Created single-handedly by Czech developer Ivan Kutskir starting in 2013, Photopea has grown into a tool used by millions of artists, designers, and students worldwide.

The application's most remarkable capability is its native support for PSD files. Photopea opens Photoshop files with near-perfect fidelity—preserving layers, masks, adjustment layers, text, smart objects, and effects. For anyone who receives PSD files but doesn't have Photoshop installed, Photopea is an instant solution. It also supports XCF (GIMP), Sketch, Adobe XD, CorelDRAW, SVG, RAW photo formats, and dozens of other file types.

Why Photopea Matters for Artists

Zero Barrier to Entry

Photopea requires nothing: no download, no installation, no account, no payment. Open a browser, navigate to photopea.com, and you have access to a professional image editor. For students, artists in developing countries, or anyone working on a borrowed or restricted computer, this zero-barrier access is transformative.

Photoshop-Compatible Workflow

Artists who know Photoshop will feel immediately at home. Keyboard shortcuts, tool locations, panel layouts, and workflows mirror Photoshop's interface closely enough that the transition requires almost no learning. This compatibility means Photopea can serve as a genuine Photoshop replacement for most common tasks.

Digital Painting Capability

While not a dedicated painting application, Photopea's brush engine supports pressure sensitivity, custom brush creation, and blend modes that make it viable for digital painting and illustration work. Combined with its layer system and adjustment capabilities, it provides a capable—if not specialized—digital art environment.

Runs Anywhere

Because it runs in a browser, Photopea works on any device with a modern web browser: Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebooks, and even tablets. This universal compatibility means you can edit images on any available computer without worrying about software installation or compatibility.

The Business Model

Photopea is supported by non-intrusive advertisements in the free version. A Premium subscription ($5/month) removes ads and provides additional features. The sustainability of this model—a single developer supporting millions of users through ad revenue—is itself remarkable.

The Complete Feature Set

Layer System

Photopea's layer system replicates Photoshop's capabilities with impressive fidelity: layer groups, blending modes, opacity and fill controls, layer masks, clipping masks, smart objects, and adjustment layers all function as expected. Artists accustomed to complex, multi-layer compositions in Photoshop can work with the same organizational structures in Photopea without simplifying their workflows.

Selection Tools

Professional selection tools—rectangular and elliptical marquee, lasso, polygonal lasso, magnetic lasso, magic wand, and quick selection—provide the precise control needed for compositing, masking, and targeted editing. The select and mask workflow for refining complex selections around hair and fine detail is functional and produces usable results.

Filters and Effects

A comprehensive filter library including blur, sharpen, distort, stylize, and noise filters provides the post-processing capabilities that digital artists and photographers rely on. While the filter set doesn't match Photoshop's full catalog, it covers the most commonly used effects with adequate quality.

Vector Tools

Photopea includes vector shape tools and the pen tool for creating resolution-independent graphics, paths, and selections. Text tools with comprehensive formatting options support design and typography work. These vector capabilities, combined with the raster editing tools, create a versatile environment that handles both graphic design and image editing tasks.

Use Cases for Artists

Digital Painting and Illustration

While dedicated painting apps like Procreate or Clip Studio Paint offer superior brush engines, Photopea's pressure-sensitive brush system is functional for digital painting. Artists who primarily work in Photoshop will find Photopea's painting tools familiar, and the ability to work with PSD files means that paintings started in Photoshop can be continued in Photopea and vice versa.

Photo Manipulation and Compositing

Photopea excels at photo manipulation—combining images, adjusting colors, removing backgrounds, adding effects, and creating composite artworks. The combination of layers, masks, selections, and adjustment tools provides everything needed for professional-level photo compositing work.

Graphic Design

Logo design, social media graphics, poster layouts, and web design work are all well-served by Photopea's combination of raster and vector tools. The ability to export in multiple formats—PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF, PSD—ensures compatibility with any downstream workflow.

The One-Developer Achievement

Photopea's development by a single programmer makes it one of the most remarkable software engineering achievements in creative tools. Ivan Kutskir has built and maintained an application that competes with software developed by thousands of Adobe engineers—and he's done it as a web application running in a browser, which adds significant technical complexity. The application processes files locally in the browser rather than uploading them to a server, ensuring that user files remain private and the application works even with limited internet connectivity.

Photopea vs. GIMP

For artists seeking free Photoshop alternatives, the comparison between Photopea and GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is relevant. GIMP offers more powerful features in some areas, particularly custom scripting and plugin extensibility. However, Photopea's Photoshop-compatible interface, native PSD support, zero-installation browser access, and gentler learning curve make it the more practical choice for most artists—particularly those transitioning from or collaborating with Photoshop users.

Who Benefits Most

Students who need image editing capabilities for coursework but cannot afford Adobe subscriptions will find Photopea covers virtually all academic needs.

Artists on shared or restricted computers who cannot install software will find browser-based Photopea available on any machine with internet access.

Freelancers and occasional users who need Photoshop-level tools intermittently but cannot justify a monthly subscription will find Photopea provides the capabilities they need at no ongoing cost.

Artists in developing countries where software costs represent a significant financial burden will find Photopea's free access transformative for their creative practice.

The Bottom Line

Photopea is the most capable free image editor available, period. Its combination of Photoshop-level functionality including comprehensive layers, masks, filters, selections, and vector tools, native PSD file compatibility that preserves complex layer structures, browser-based accessibility requiring no installation or account, the remarkable achievement of a single-developer application competing with industry-standard software, and zero cost makes it an essential tool for any artist or designer who needs professional image editing without the Adobe subscription.