Adobe Photoshop Pricing: What It Costs and Better Free Alternatives

When people think of Adobe Photoshop, a professional image editing software used by designers, photographers, and agencies worldwide. Also known as Photoshop, it’s the go-to tool for serious photo editing — but it’s not the only one, and it’s not always worth the price. The monthly subscription starts at $20.99, but that’s just for Photoshop alone. Add more apps like Lightroom or Illustrator, and you’re looking at $52.99 a month. For most people in India — whether you’re a student, a small business owner, or a hobbyist photographer — that’s a lot to pay just to remove a person from a photo or fix the lighting on a wedding picture.

Here’s the truth: you don’t need Photoshop to edit like a pro. Tools like Photopea, a free, browser-based editor that mimics Photoshop’s interface and supports PSD files, or GIMP, a powerful open-source alternative with layers, masks, and advanced filters, give you nearly all the same features without a single rupee. Even your phone can do a lot — apps like Snapseed, a free Google app that lets you adjust exposure, remove objects, and apply professional-grade filters are used by photographers who need quick, clean edits on the go. And if you’re just trying to turn a regular photo into a passport photo, you don’t need Photoshop at all. You need a 5-minute guide and a white wall.

Most of the posts here focus on what people actually need: fixing photos without spending money, avoiding subscription traps, and using tools that work in real life — not just in ads. Whether you’re editing a selfie for your passport, removing someone from a group photo, or making a photo book for your wedding, the tools you need are already free. Photoshop is powerful, but it’s also overkill for 90% of users. The real question isn’t how much Photoshop costs — it’s why you’d pay for it at all.

Below, you’ll find real, tested methods for editing photos without Adobe. From step-by-step guides on removing people to comparisons between Canva and Photoshop, these posts cut through the noise and show you what actually works in India today — no credit card needed.