PhotoCraft: layer-based image editing that also opens PSD files.
PhotoCraft is a free image editor with layers, masks and over 70 filters. It opens and saves PSD files including layers and uses colour management for screen and print.
How it helps day to day
- Product photos need to go into the shopSelect the subject, refine the mask, swap the background. The selection tools run on your computer, not on someone else’s server.
- The agency delivers a motif as PSDPhotoCraft opens the file with its layers. Small changes such as a new date or different text you can make yourself.
- A flyer motif goes to printCMYK documents and soft proofing show in advance how colours will look in print.
What is inside PhotoCraft
Opens and saves PSD and PSB with layers. According to the vendor, 134 of 135 test files are saved back byte for byte.
- Layers and masks
- Layers, masks, adjustment layers, layer styles, type, vectors and brushes.
- Filters with preview
- 16 adjustment layers and over 70 filters with live preview, plus smart objects with smart filters.
- Colour for print and screen
- 8, 16 or 32-bit documents in RGB, CMYK, Lab and greyscale, ICC colour management and soft proofing.
- Select subjects on your own computer
- Select subjects and objects and refine masks with tools that, according to the vendor, run on your machine rather than someone else’s server.
PhotoCraft compared with Adobe Photoshop
PhotoCraft follows the way Photoshop works: layers, masks, adjustment layers and smart objects are there, and PSD files open and save. Photoshop has been established for decades and includes AI features such as generative fill, which PhotoCraft does not have.
| PhotoCraft | Adobe Photoshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | free, also for business | €25,99 a month (annual plan billed monthly, incl. VAT) Source |
| Licence | open source (Apache 2.0) | commercial software |
| Systems | Windows, macOS, Linux, in the browser | see vendor |
| Shared files | PSD and PSB with layers | |
| Maturity | early alpha, version 0.15.1 | on the market for years |
What independent tests say
- drohnen.de, 21.10.2026Test of version 0.8.2 on macOS: 67 out of 100 points, already usable for casual users. Missing are, among others, generative fill, Neural Filters, classic plug-ins (.8BF), HEIC and CR3. 133 of 256 PSD test files passed. Read the article
Photoshop is a trademark of Adobe Inc.. It is named for orientation only; there is no connection between Adobe Inc. and the maker of PhotoCraft.
Our assessment
PhotoCraft is one of the three Craft apps in alpha and already interesting for simple image editing. If you work with PSD files, start with copies: according to the vendor, 134 of 135 test files save back without loss.
Already useful for
- Editing product and website images
- Opening PSD files and making small changes
- Cutting out subjects without an online service
Better wait for now
- Print files that go to the printer without checking
- PSD files that the agency will continue working on
- Switching your image editing over completely
Frequently asked questions
Can PhotoCraft open PSD files?
Yes, according to the vendor PSD and PSB open and save with layers. One of 135 test files does not yet round-trip exactly, so work on a copy.
Can PhotoCraft replace Photoshop?
PhotoCraft is one of the three Craft apps in alpha and already interesting for simple image editing. If you work with PSD files, start with copies: according to the vendor, 134 of 135 test files save back without loss.
May I use PhotoCraft commercially?
Yes. The Apache 2.0 licence allows business use without a licence fee. It does not require you to publish your own files or data. Licence notices only apply if you redistribute or modify the program itself.
What does PhotoCraft cost?
Nothing. PhotoCraft is open source under the Apache 2.0 licence and may also be used in a business free of charge.
How do I install it?
The vendor’s page offers installers for Windows, macOS and Linux. If you use several Craft apps, the ArtCraft Launcher installs them and keeps them up to date. In businesses with several workstations, new programs should be approved centrally; we can help with that.
Related
Sources: vendor page and source code on GitHub, accessed 25 Oct 2026. We have tested the program ourselves and rated it worth a look. We have no business relationship with the vendor.
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