Adobe has long been considered one of the powerhouse applications for creative work, but in recent years, its current functionality has taken hit after hit. Between shifting to a subscription-only model, a requirement for periodic license verification, and massive installation footprints, Adobe Creative Cloud is the farthest thing from user-friendly. Here’s the good news: you don’t need it.

There are loads of free and open-source applications that can do everything Adobe Creative Cloud can do, and you can use these tools without paying an arm and a leg. You can also use them without an internet connection, which is ideal for people who prefer to minimize distractions while working on a project.

GIMP

A Photoshop alternative with more intuitive tools

GIMP, otherwise known as GNU Image Manipulation Program, is one of the most-recommended alternatives to Photoshop. This application is open-source and offers basically the same tools that Photoshop does, but it brings a unique advantage to the table: because it’s community-supported, you can find third-party plugins to address specific needs and use cases.

Don’t get me wrong—GIMP has a learning curve. Moving from Photoshop to GIMP takes some time, especially since many of the keybinds and shortcuts differ, and functions may have slightly different names between programs. That said, GIMP offers tons of online tutorials to help you learn the ins and outs of the program.

Credit: Source: GIMP

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)

The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) is an open source, free image editor with support for multiple operating systems.

Kdenlive

Premier’s hippie cousin

Adobe Premiere Pro is often regarded as the crème de la crème of video editors, but there are numerous alternatives available that offer nearly identical levels of utility without being locked into Adobe’s ecosystem. Kdenlive is a great alternative; it’s lightweight, which makes it a solid pick for more modest hardware, and it works across Linux, Windows, and Mac with similar interfaces on each. You can use Kdenlive for things like multi-track editing and color correction, and it recently received an automatic transcription feature.

The downside? Kdenlive’s documentation isn’t as exhaustive as it could be, and users report a fair number of bugs and crashes. Make sure to save often, but even if you do encounter a few bugs here and there, it’s a lot better than paying the cost of Premiere Pro.

Kdenlive

Kdenlive is a powerful open-source non-linear video editor with advanced keyframing for both beginners and professionals.

Inkscape

Illustrator who?

Inkscape is another open-source tool that rivals Illustrator in almost all of its functionalities, and its popularity among users means there is extensive support and documentation available. Yes, Inkscape has a different interface than Illustrator, and that can lead to a few hurdles when you first start using it — but once you get the hang of the application, you’ll be able to create anything you can imagine.

Inkscape nearly matches Illustrator in terms of features, except for the built-in AI tools. Of course, many users see the absence of those tools as yet another reason to choose Inkscape. The biggest downside is that a lot of graphic design work is expected as an .AI file (Adobe Illustrator), which Inkscape can’t export to.

Inkscape

Inkscape is a vector graphics editor available on windows, macOS, and Linux.

Darktable

It’s the opposite of a light room

If you’re a photographer, then you’re familiar with Adobe Lightroom. It’s one of the most popular tools for editing photos after the fact, and it’s an ideal way to make corrections and touch-ups to images. But like all other Adobe software, it’s locked behind a subscription model (and Adobe has removed all one-time payment options). The answer? A nifty application called Darktable.

This open-source alternative to Lightroom is basically a one-to-one match, offering nearly all the features without the subscription fee. The downside, like many other open-source applications, is that Darktable has a bit of a learning curve and lacks the cloud-based workflows that Lightroom is known for.

Darktable

Darktable is an open-source application for editing photographs and images. It presents itself as an alternative to Adobe Lightroom.

Scribus

Your layouts have never looked better

Adobe InDesign is the go-to option for anyone trying to create a layout for a magazine, ebook, or other medium that requires a visual-first approach. Most people are familiar with it, as it’s a favorite pick for universities. That said, not everyone wants to deal with the intricacies of InDesign (or the cost), and that’s where Scribus comes in. This tool offers a completely free alternative, but don’t be misled — it doesn’t compromise on functionality.

Scribus offers commercial-grade utility across Windows, Mac, and Linux. It even supports .svg, .eps, and InDesign files, so you can import work from InDesign users without losing too much work. There’s also an active, vibrant community behind Scribus that can help you surmount the learning curve and get the hang of creating truly eye-catching layouts.

Scribus

Scribus is an open-source alternative to layout applications like Adobe InDesign. It supports a wide variety of professional features, including ICC color management and PDF creation.

Adobe is good, but open source is better

I won’t lie and say there’s no point to using Adobe. There’s a reason the suite is so popular; the seamless workflow between different Adobe tools can’t be matched by open-source applications. If you’re constantly bouncing between different apps, it will slow down your workflow. On the other hand, the cost savings more than make up for that, especially if your projects don’t require professional levels of polish at all times.