FOSSDesk

THE DIRECTORY / CREATIVE SOFTWARE

Free Adobe Alternatives

Explore six creative-work categories, compare open-source options and get software directly from the official projects. Read our documented Inkscape and RAW workflow tests as you choose.

Official downloads · Documented hands-on tests

Scroll horizontally to see licenses and platforms.
Find a category
Adobe appOpen-source candidateLicensePlatforms
PhotoshopGIMPGPL-3.0-or-laterWindows, macOS, Linux
PhotoshopKritaGPL-3.0Windows, macOS, Linux
IllustratorInkscapeGPL-3.0-or-laterWindows, macOS, Linux
PremiereShotcutGPL-3.0Linux, macOS, Windows
PremiereKdenliveGPL-3.0-onlyWindows, macOS, Linux
LightroomdarktableGPL-3.0Linux, macOS, Windows
LightroomRawTherapeeGPL-3.0Linux, Windows, macOS
AcrobatPDF ArrangerGPL-3.0Windows; other platforms: check official site
InDesignScribusGPL-2.0-or-laterWindows, macOS, Linux
EXPLORE THE OPTIONS

Photoshop

GIMP · Release 3.2.8 · Released 2026-11-02

Krita · Release 5.3.4.1 · Released 2026-10-07

EXPLORE THE OPTIONS

Illustrator

One candidate listed for now.

Inkscape · Release 1.4.4 · Released 2026-05-06

Inkscape: a small SVG round trip

Tested 2026-11-12 · Inkscape 1.4.3 · Windows · Command line only

A self-created 640×480 SVG opened, saved as plain SVG and reopened. The saved SVG produced a pixel-identical PNG. PNG exports at 640×480 and 1280×960 passed size checks; transparent, semi-transparent and white-background samples passed. A one-page PDF measured 480×360 points and reopened for a 640×480 PNG export.

Scope and limits. Pending: GUI usability, real Illustrator file migration, complex effects and print/color fidelity. This test covers version 1.4.3, not any newer release shown in the download listing.

Read the Inkscape SVG round-trip test ↓
EXPLORE THE OPTIONS

Premiere

Shotcut · Release 26.9.27 · Released 2026-09-28

Shotcut

Release 26.9.27 also includes platform builds with different file versions. Each package below shows its own version.

Windows
macOS
Linux

Checksums are supplied by the project; files have not been locally verified.

Kdenlive · Release 26.08.3 · Released 2026-11-07

EXPLORE THE OPTIONS

Lightroom

darktable · Release 5.6.2 · Released 2026-10-04

darktable

Windows
  • darktable-5.6.2-win64.exe ↗

    File version 5.6.2 · x86_64 · exe · 132.4 MiB

    Official SHA-2567f7a1eabcd0a1b548dcfacac842c8203fc85a4175697fb09f90bb891c8931edd
  • darktable-5.6.2-woa64.exe ↗

    File version 5.6.2 · arm64 · exe · 102.9 MiB

    Official SHA-256bcb700de8275f894c29ae4ccb5f600412b269bef1a581eecce9bbed697421fcc
macOS
  • darktable-5.6.2-arm64.dmg ↗

    File version 5.6.2 · arm64 · dmg · 84.8 MiB

    Official SHA-2566ff88e58a2a59cb07b0a1502fea7205e68cd783380a33a3ce7bda68ec29def0c
Linux

Checksums are supplied by the project; files have not been locally verified.

RawTherapee · Release 5.13 · Released 2026-07-26

RawTherapee

Windows
macOS
Linux

Checksums are supplied by the project; files have not been locally verified.

Explore the Lightroom alternative guide ↗
EXPLORE THE OPTIONS

Acrobat

One candidate listed for now.

PDF Arranger · Release 1.14.0 · Released 2026-05-23

PDF Arranger

Windows

Other platforms: visit the official website ↗

Checksums are supplied by the project; files have not been locally verified.

EXPLORE THE OPTIONS

InDesign

One candidate listed for now.

Scribus · Release 1.6.7 · Released 2026-10-27

Other Adobe Apps

After Effects: suitability assessment pending. Natron’s latest stable GitHub release is v2.5.0, dated 2022-11-26 (checked 2026-11-13). This release includes 1 Windows ZIP package. A release date alone does not establish current project maintenance. Explore Natron’s official website and Blender’s compositor documentation. Hands-on suitability and current maintenance need review before a recommendation.

This page is an independent, unofficial guide. It is not affiliated with Adobe or with the projects listed. All downloads link to the official release pages.

Before you choose

Which candidate should I use?

Start with your task and operating system, then check the official project links. This directory lists candidates, not a universal winner. Limited Inkscape and RAW test notes are included; other listed tools do not yet have hands-on suitability verdicts.

Will my existing project files transfer?

Migration of existing Adobe projects was not tested. The synthetic Inkscape SVG round trip and three RAW samples do not prove Illustrator or Lightroom project compatibility. Keep originals and evaluate separate copies before switching.

What are the workflow limitations?

The test notes identify software versions, methods and sample-specific limits. High-quality output, complete feature parity, color fidelity and production suitability are not established for every candidate. Follow the detailed guides for recorded results and unresolved questions.