Photopea

Photopea is a free image editor that runs in the browser and works like Photoshop. It has layers, masks, smart objects, adjustment layers and blend modes, in an interface that mirrors Photoshop closely. It opens PSD files with layers intact, plus PDFs, SVG and AI vector files, Figma files and camera RAW formats. Photopea states that files are processed on your own device and never leave it.

It runs on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebooks alike, with nothing to install and no account needed. The full editor is free, supported by an ad sidebar. Premium removes the ads, doubles the undo history and adds monthly credits for the AI tools. Photopea states it is a one-time payment, not a subscription.

Photopea fits when you need real editing power without Adobe's price or an install. Use it if:

• You need Photoshop-style edits, layers, masks, retouching, but will not pay a subscription for them.
• Someone sent you a PSD file and you need to open or tweak it without owning Photoshop.
• You work on a Linux machine, a Chromebook, or a locked-down computer where you cannot install software.
• Your files are sensitive and you want editing that happens on your device instead of a server.
• You already know Photoshop and want familiar tools available on any computer you sit down at.

Skip Photopea if any of these describe you:

• You want one-tap fixes without learning a manual editor. A simpler photo editor or an AI photo editor will serve you faster.
• Your work is organizing and developing whole shoots of RAW photos. That is what Adobe Lightroom does.
• You use Photoshop professionally: large files, plugin ecosystems and guaranteed PSD fidelity still favor Adobe Photoshop.
• You mainly want generative AI editing. Each AI action here costs Premium credits, or you watch a short ad to run it free. AI photo editors are built around this.
• You edit on a phone. Photopea has no phone app, and its layer-based interface is built around a mouse and keyboard.