Photopea

Photopea demo video

Watch Photopea's official demo to see Photopea in action before reading our full review.

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Official video by Photopea via YouTube, embedded for reference. ToolChase does not host or claim this video.

About Photopea

Photopea is a free, browser-based graphics editor with a UI remarkably similar to Adobe Photoshop. PSD is its native format, opened and saved losslessly, and it also reads AI, PDF, INDD, Figma, SVG, EPS, CDR, camera raw and roughly 40 other formats with no installation: the editing itself runs client-side in your browser. AI features include one-click background removal, Magic Replace (swapping part of an image from a text description) and a built-in Generate With AI dialog, all metered in AI credits. For professionals who need a Photoshop workflow without the US$22.99/mo Photoshop single app plan (annual, billed monthly), and for students who can't afford Adobe licensing, Photopea delivers 80%+ of the feature set completely free (ad-supported). Premium is not a subscription: you buy a block of days, from €8 for 30 days up to €50 for 365 days.

Pricing

Photopea has two tiers, and the paid one is not a subscription. You buy Premium as a block of days; when the block runs out you are switched back to the free, ad-supported editor. Prices are quoted in euros to everyone, there is no separate dollar list.

• Free: €0. Every editing feature, plus 0.5 GB of PeaDrive cloud storage. Ads sit beside the canvas.
• Premium, single user: €8 for 30 days, €15 for 90 days, €50 for 365 days. Removes ads, raises PeaDrive to 5 GB, adds 3,000 AI credits a month and twice as many history steps.
• Team Premium (one person pays, every member gets Premium): 5 users €20, €45, €150. 20 users €70, €150, €500. 50 users €150, €300, €999. Same 30, 90 and 365 day blocks.

Photopea advertises Premium as "from €5/mo", which is the 90-day block divided by three. The 365-day block works out cheaper still, a little over €4 a month. There is no free trial of Premium and no need for one: the free tier is permanent, not time-limited.

Features

• PSD is the native format, opened and saved losslessly
• Also opens AI, PDF, INDD, Figma, SVG, EPS, CDR, PDN, TGA, AVIF, HEIC and DDS, plus roughly 40 more formats
• Camera raw support for DNG, CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, RW2, RAF, ORF and FFF
• Layers, masks, blend modes, smart objects, adjustment layers, channels and paths
• Remove BG (1 AI credit) and Magic Replace (3 AI credits), plus a built-in Generate With AI dialog
• PeaDrive cloud storage, 0.5 GB free and 5 GB on Premium, alongside Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive
• Runs in the browser with no installation; the editing happens on your own device

Best For

Students, hobbyists, and professionals who need Photoshop-compatible editing without the Creative Cloud subscription, or for quick edits on machines without Adobe installed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Photopea really free?

Yes, and the free tier is permanent rather than a trial. The core editor is free with ads and 0.5 GB of PeaDrive storage. Premium is sold as one-off blocks of days, €8 for 30 days, €15 for 90 days or €50 for 365 days. It removes ads, raises storage to 5 GB, adds 3,000 AI credits a month and doubles the history steps. When the block expires you are switched back to the free, ad-supported version.

Can Photopea open Photoshop PSD files?

Yes, with excellent compatibility. Photopea opens PSD files preserving layers, masks, blend modes, and smart objects. It can also save back to PSD format, making it a practical alternative for teams mixing Photoshop and Photopea users.

Does Photopea have AI features?

Yes, and they are built in rather than bolted on. Remove BG costs one AI credit, Magic Replace (swapping part of an image from a text description) costs three, and there is a Generate With AI dialog for text to image. Premium includes 3,000 AI credits a month. Free users are not locked out: Photopea offers to run the same action after you watch a short ad.

Photopea vs Photoshop, what's missing?

Photopea covers 80%+ of Photoshop's feature set. Notable gaps include Adobe's Generative Fill (Firefly-powered), some advanced filters, Camera Raw depth, and Adobe ecosystem integrations. For serious retouching or commercial work, Photoshop remains more capable.

Is Photopea safe to upload private images to?

Mostly, with one exception worth knowing. Ordinary editing runs in your browser and Photopea states that there are no uploads and that files never leave your device, which is safer than many cloud-based editors for confidential work. The AI tools are the exception: Remove BG, Magic Replace and Generate With AI run against Photopea's servers and are metered in AI credits. PeaDrive and the Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive connections are opt-in.