PSD file is a photo file generated by popular Adobe Photoshop to create web graphics and enhance digital images. PSD is the native format of this excellent photo-editing application. A PSD file may contain adjustment layers, layer masks, keywords, file information, annotations, and image layers.
PSD format supports monochrome, indexed colour, grayscale, CMYK, RGB, lab colour, duotone, and colour codes.
What is PSD Editor?
Many platforms are there in the market that can open and display PSD files and make changes in files instantly. These platforms are known as PSD Editors. These programs help perform editing on PSD files like Adobe Photoshop.
Many applications allow performing complex tasks to enhance image quality. They also include rotating, cropping, batch processing, and conversion to other formats tools.
Best PSD Editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux
Here is the list of Best PSD Editors for Windows, Linux, and Mac, having advanced tools.
1. GIMP
GIMP is a GNU Image Manipulation application that supports many plugins and provides numerous tools and options. It is a simple tool that offers customization for better working. In custom mode, you can choose the file types and tools you want to use in your workflow. It provides a problematic interface if you want to perform complex operations.
It offers many layers and effects, allowing you to apply custom patterns and gradients with minimal resources. You can generate bitmaps from scratch and retouch digital images. Besides, you can make animations, adjust contrast and saturation, add text strings, use powerful zooming tool, and clone objects.
Features
- Add plugins
- Batch process images
Pros
- Apply effects and layers
- Create animations
Cons
- Limited file support
Download: GIMP for Windows
2. Krita
Krita is a simple PSD editor tool that allows users to make realistic and comprehensive artistic drawings and illustrations. This powerful digital painting program provides you with the freedom to work with a collection of tools. The black-themed interface has a primary window displaying all the tools of the app.
The program offers HDR painting, CMYK support, painting assistants, dockers, perspective grids, and collection of brushes. Besides, work with multiple effects like a smudge, pixelate, filter, hatching, hairy, curve, deform, colour smudge, and spray. Save the presets of brushes and work with sophisticated and modern selection and masking. Add effects and layers like emboss, paint, wave, and oil.
Features
- Symmetry tools
- Mirror capabilities
Pros
- Modify the centre position
- Add layers and effects
Cons
- Limited drawing tools
Download: Krita for Windows | Mac | Linux
3. Artweaver Free
Artweaver Free is a simple image editor that includes enhanced settings and advanced tools for editing. It supports many filters, layers, and image formats like PCX, JPG, GIF, TGA, and BMP. Start a new project by setting up the name, background colour, size, and resolution. Standard drawing features are there for selection like movement, magic wand, brush, gradient, stamp, zoom, paint bucket, dropper, eraser, and perspective grid.
You can perform redo and undo actions, work with many layers, configure the colour set, transform or merge layers, and modify the canvas or photo size. Besides, you can apply filters, set up advanced options, and switch to full-screen mode.
Features
- Import Clipboard
- Import supported content
Pros
- Apply filters
- Drawing tools
Cons
- Limited format support
Pricing
- Free: $0
- Pro: $40
Download: Artweaver Free for Windows
4. FireAlpaca
FireAIpace is a full-featured photo editor that provides advanced tools and layers for performing tasks. You can select the toolbars and menus to sow or hide on show on the interface using a fast keybind. A collection of preset brushes with different effects is there, and you can insert personal brushes or pencils. Control the opacity and size of sticks using the pen pressure sensitivity.
You can separate projects into layers and test ideas before implementing them on the primary image. Multiple tabs option help to work on different projects simultaneously, and you can copy objects from one project to another one.
Features
- Multiple tabs option
- Separate project into layers
Pros
- Graphical tablet support
- Pen pressure sensitivity
Cons
- Support limited image formats
Download: FireAlpaca for Windows | Mac
5. Pixie
Pixie is a fast and advanced application that allows users to view photos in the slideshow and arrange them in galleries. The program has aimed to make a slideshow of chosen images and scroll through them automatically at given intervals. The cleverly designed user interface provides a large space for your image files. Right-click on the primary window to get options and buttons.
You can organize your photos collection in galleries by specifying names and folders for selected photos. Switch between galleries through the context menu of the application. It provides different options such as apply transparency, switches to fullscreen view, and toggle borders on or off.
Features
- Organize images in galleries
- Create slideshows
Pros
- Cleverly designed interface
- Quad view
Cons
- Few options
Download: Pixie for Windows
6. PhoXo
PhoXo is an editing program for beginners that offers configuration settings and options for enhancements. The application support significant image formats and provides a library with many effects, frames, and clip art. You can rotate and crop images, make different types of selections, draw shapes with paintbrush or pen, insert text, and zoom in or out.
You can use multiple layers and manage them according to your preferences. You can tweak the levels of contrast, brightness, color tone, hue, canvas size, and borders. It creates ASCII art instantly and opens it in text documents. You can apply watermarks to different images simultaneously and save them using multiple formats.
Features
- Make transparent images
- Image adjustments
Pros
- Create ASCII art
- Multiple layers
Cons
- Some advanced options are missing
Download: PhoXo for Windows | Mac | Linux
7. Gimphoto
Gimphoto is a small and simple program that has a Gimp mode with additional functionality. This reliable and robust platform can fulfil the requirements of every user. This GIMP modification tool has a new menu, many resources, and plugins to provide the best experience to Photoshop users. The menu structure of Gimphoto is quite similar to the Photoshop menu.
However, the program still maintains the menu naming convention of GIMP. The program offers many new plugins like Save for Web, CMYK separation, Layer Style, and Batch Process. Work with it to make changes in images according to your requirements.
Features
- Batch Process
- Layer Style
Pros
- CMYK Separation
- GIMP modification
Cons
- Need more features
Download: Gimphoto for Windows | Mac | Linux
8. HeliosPaint
HeliosPaint is a feature-rich graphic editor that helps you to paint on top of a photo. You can make artistic composite images by using the lasso selection tool, shapes, or brush. Besides, toggle brightness, contrast, transparency, or color balance in the picture. Many painting features with numerous shapes and sizes are there like the paint bucket, the highlighter, classic brush, and the spray can.
Work with different types of spectrums for painting. You can select between perfect RGB scheme, HSV or CMYK color collections. A user can apply many color filters such as adjust the effect’s intensity, tint, or saturation and turn the photo to white and black. He can apply effects to a specific area of an image.
Features
- Accurate selections
- Apply filters
Pros
- Color filters
- spectrums
Cons
- few image formats
Download: HeliosPaint for Windows | Mac | Linux
9. PixBuilder
PixBuilder is an advanced application that contains color filters, special effects, and many editing tools. You can upload photos to the working environment through a built-in browse tool or using drag and drop options. Edit your photos using a collection of tools like eraser, brush, or pencil and insert rectangles, ellipses, and lines.
The built-in text editor helps you to customize the text regarding color, size, style, font, and alignment. Besides, you can work with many layers, flatten the photo, measure the distance between objects, and rotate or resize the items. It supports multiple image formats like ICO, PSD, TGA, PNG, BMP, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and PCX.
Features
- Make file associations
- Switch to full-screen mode
Pros
- Support multiple formats
- Multiple layers
Cons
- Limited control
Download: PixBuilder for Windows
10. IrfanView
IrnfaView is an excellent program having a long list of plugins. A minimalistic interface has a large room for displaying the image and limited buttons to perform basic tasks. The program performs the resize and conversion process and offers the batch features. You can convert, rename, crop, resize, and alter the color depth of numerous photos using few clicks.
From the Settings window, you can modify anything from the given options. You can integrate it within the Windows context menu to get all features and provides support for multi-language for better use. Besides, create slideshows, generate panoramas, take screenshots, and view multi-page photos.
Features
- Make panoramas
- Create slideshows
Pros
- Take screenshots
- Multi-language support
Cons
- Few editing options
Download: IrfanView for Windows
The Verdict
Overall, these top ten applications work well with PSD files and enhance them according to user requirements. Users can apply many filters and effects to the image. They can create slideshows, take screenshots, and export images to other formats.
They can change contrast, brightness, color scheme, and transparency. Some applications provide drawing tools with color brushes and pencils to enhance functionality.
