With a huge amount of design tools and limitless possibilities, Photoshop is the industry-standard software for any professional entering the creative industry.
Graphic designers, Web developers, Photographers, Artists, and many other creative professionals use Photoshop for image retouching, photo manipulation, mockups, compositions, digital art, and making attractive graphics.
The problem with Photoshop however is its expensive subscriptions which many aspiring designers cannot afford.
which is why many people might resort to downloading illegal, bootleg copies of the tool which might get them penalized.
Below we’ll look at some ways to legally get Photoshop and use it to start designing our next project.
BunnyPic as a Free Alternative to Photoshop
The first way to use Photoshop legally for free is to use free online Photoshop tools such as BunnyPic.
BunnyPic is a robust, online photo editor that uses powerful API from Photopea that enables anyone to leverage the editing power of a complete, powerful Photoshop editor online.
Bunnypic has almost all the tools similar to Photoshop to design stunning images and graphics. You can even access some tutorials to use it over here on the blog.
Bunnypic was created for users who wanted to use Photoshop but did not have the money or resources to afford it. It is completely free and easy to use because of its beginner-friendly and intuitive interface. It doesn’t require any download as it is an online editor and also doesn’t require you to sign up or make an account to start using it. It has everything you may need as a designer, digital artist, or photographer.
To start using BunnyPic you can click here.
Free Trial Version of Photoshop
Another very common way of getting Photoshop legally for free is to subscribe for their free trial which gives you access to not only Photoshop but other Creative Cloud applications such as Lightroom, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and more for 7 days.
How to get the free trial of Photoshop?
To download Photoshop’s free trial, follow the instructions below:
- Go to Adobe’s official website and under Photoshop select Start Free Trial
- After clicking the start free trial button you will be greeted with a page with different download options and pricing plans. If you are looking to get more than just Photoshop you can also buy their Photography Plan which includes both Lightroom and Photoshop, these 2 applications are great for photographers or if you want to try all the Creative Cloud products you can start the CC free trial.
- After selecting your subscription plan click Start Free Trial. On the next screen you will be required to type in your E-mail address.
- After entering your E-mail hit Continue. Next you would be asked to enter your payment information and method (Credit/Debit card or PayPal). Adobe won’t deduct any amount from your account for the first 7 days. They, however, need this info if you want to continue with your subscription in the future beyond the 7 days. You can also cancel your subscription at any time or if you have purchased the application you can get a refund after the first 14 days of purchase.
- After completing all the steps you will be given your Adobe ID Login. Click on Get Started to get access to your downloads page and download your free Photoshop.
There is another app developed by Adobe called Photoshop Elements which is a simplified version of Photoshop with basic editing features.
Even though it is a paid app the best thing about it is that you don’t need a desktop to access it. It’s fully portable as you can download it on your smartphone and create it on the go. It also has a 30-day free trial compared to Photoshop’s 7-day free trial.
Photoshop Elements is available to download on the Apple Store, Google Play Store, and Windows Store.
Free Photoshop Alternative by Adobe for Mobile Users
You might have an idea of some free Photoshop alternatives such as Krita and Inkscape.
However, if you want the complete look and feel of a genuine Photoshop tool you might want to stick with products made and recommended by Adobe.
Fortunately, Adobe has made free products easily available to people who want to use the basic features of Photoshop that are part of the “Photoshop Family.”
Photoshop Express (Mobile)
The first free product by Adobe is only available on mobile and is Photoshop Express. Photoshop Express is a photo editor that offers limited features similar to Photoshop. It is best used for:
- Photo manipulation
- Photo retouching
- Removing and blurring backgrounds
- Adding effects, filters, stickers and text
- Photo restoration
- Making collages
You can download Photoshop Express from the Apple Store and Google Play Store.
Photoshop Camera (Mobile)
Adobe Photoshop camera is a free photo editor app that lets you apply filters and styles before even taking the picture. It is similar to the Snapchat camera.
A Photoshop camera is perfect if most of your pictures are intended for Instagram. The Photoshop camera allows you to:
- Apply Photoshop filters to your images from a huge library including over 100 unique effects
- Apply Photoshop effects in real-time with powerful A.I. that can easily detect subjects
- Balance the brightness and shadows of your images
- Retouch photos automatically using there portrait filter which detects and optimizes the subject
- Use Influencer-inspired lens which allows you to mimic your favorite creator’s aesthetic and style with their custom-designed camera lenses
Other than these options the Photoshop camera also recommends preset editing and effects tailored to your pictures meaning you can just take the shot and let Photoshop do the rest.
You can download the Photoshop Camera app from the Apple Store and Google Play Store.
Conclusion
It is not possible to get the latest version of Adobe Photoshop for totally free legally but there are many alternatives to getting the same thing.
BunnyPic is the best online photo editor tool which has many similar features and functions to Photoshop. By using BunnyPic you have access to filters, effects, editing tools, photo retouching, and many more. The tool is perfect for Graphic designers, Web developers, Photographers, and Artists and is totally free and beginner-friendly.
A legitimate way to get access to all the features of Photoshop officially is that you opt for their 7-day free trial however you would have to pay after the 7 days and the costs could be overwhelming as it requires recurring payments, paid either annually or monthly.
There are other applications developed by Adobe that are totally free-to-use. It includes some of the basic features of Photoshop such as Photoshop Camera and Photoshop Express for smartphone users. However, these apps have limited features which might be enough for basic editing but not for professional designs.
