Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving PaintShop Pro.
Want the closest match?
PhotopeaMost similar to PaintShop Pro in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Photopea in a new tab)Need a free plan?
PhotoroomHas a free plan, rated 4.6 out of 5. PaintShop Pro has none.
Visit (opens Photoroom in a new tab)Want the lowest price?
AI Image CleanerFrom $6/mo, the lowest starting price here.
Visit (opens AI Image Cleaner in a new tab)Want the best rated?
PortraitProRated 4.2 out of 5 in our review, against 3.6 for PaintShop Pro.
Visit (opens PortraitPro in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than PaintShop Pro, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 PaintShop ProBaseline | 3.6 | Not listed | No | Corel's desktop photo editor, with seven AI tools and no subscription. | |
| Photopea | 4.2+0.6 | Free | YesPaintShop Pro has none | Free browser-based photo editor that works with PSD, RAW, SVG and 40+ other formats, with AI for one-click background removal and for replacing any part of an image from a text description. | vs PaintShop Pro |
| PortraitPro | 4.2+0.6 | $65.95/mo | No | Portrait retouching software for Windows and Mac that detects the face and its features with AI, then applies adjustable skin, hair, eye, makeup and relighting edits, with generative mouth and teeth inpainting in version 24. | vs PaintShop Pro |
 Polarr | 3.7+0.1 | $19.99/mo | YesPaintShop Pro has none | AI photo and video editing suite from Polarr, Inc., spanning a mobile app, Polarr Pro desktop/web editor and the browser-based Polarr Next AI workflow. | vs PaintShop Pro |
 AI Picture Editor | 3.8+0.2 | Free | YesPaintShop Pro has none | Prompt-based photo editing on GPT Image 2 - remove, replace, restore, retouch - with up to 16 reference images per edit. | vs PaintShop Pro |
 PicTools.AI | 3.8+0.2 | Free | YesPaintShop Pro has none | Text-prompt or one-click editing across 100+ filters - LinkedIn headshots, family-photo restoration, product shots - starting at 2 credits, no card for the trial. | vs PaintShop Pro |
 Clipping Magic | 3.9+0.3 | Free | YesPaintShop Pro has none | Auto-Clip AI trained on millions of real-world images (not lab data) removes backgrounds automatically, then a Smart Editor with a hair tool and scalpel handles the hard edges by hand. | vs PaintShop Pro |
| AI Image Cleaner | 3.3−0.3 | $6/mo | YesPaintShop Pro has none | Removes people, clutter, text and watermarks from photos with brush-mask AI inpainting | vs PaintShop Pro |
| Photoroom | 4.6+1.0 | $13/mo | YesPaintShop Pro has none | A mobile-first background remover built for product photos | vs PaintShop Pro |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches PaintShop Pro.
Photopea
4.2Free
vs PaintShop Pro+0.6Free plan
Free browser-based photo editor that works with PSD, RAW, SVG and 40+ other formats, with AI for one-click background removal and for replacing any part of an image from a text description.
- One-click AI background removal
- AI replacement of any part of an image from a text description
- Layers, masks, blending, curves, filters, liquify and puppet warp
Free to use with no download
Plan, price and AI usage limits could not be confirmed beyond a free claim
PortraitPro
4.2$65.95/mo
vs PaintShop Pro+0.6
Portrait retouching software for Windows and Mac that detects the face and its features with AI, then applies adjustable skin, hair, eye, makeup and relighting edits, with generative mouth and teeth inpainting in version 24.
- AI detection of the face, facial features, skin, hair and background
- ClearSkin 5 skin smoothing with slider control
- Generative AI inpainting for the mouth and teeth
Every automatic edit can be tuned with sliders
RAW support and plugin use need the Studio edition or above
Polarr
3.7$19.99/mo
vs PaintShop Pro+0.1Free plan
AI photo and video editing suite from Polarr, Inc., spanning a mobile app, Polarr Pro desktop/web editor and the browser-based Polarr Next AI workflow.
- AI enhancement filters plus millions of community-made filter presets
- Polarr Next: browser-based batch RAW editing and AI culling workflow
- 2,000 free exports to trial Polarr Next before paying anything
Import and edit for free on Polarr Next; pay only when exporting
Classic Polarr Pro's exact current price varies by source and app store region
AI Picture Editor
3.8Free
vs PaintShop Pro+0.2Free plan
Prompt-based photo editing on GPT Image 2 - remove, replace, restore, retouch - with up to 16 reference images per edit.
- Prompt-based background removal, object erasure and restoration
- Powered by GPT Image 2
- Up to 16 reference images per generation
Text-prompt editing removes the need for traditional editing software skill
Ambiguous prompts can produce unintended results on precise edits
PicTools.AI
3.8Free
vs PaintShop Pro+0.2Free plan
Text-prompt or one-click editing across 100+ filters - LinkedIn headshots, family-photo restoration, product shots - starting at 2 credits, no card for the trial.
- Text-prompt editing plus 100+ one-click style filters
- Background, object and watermark removal
- Old photo restoration
Named, credible real-world use cases beyond stylistic filters
Watermark removal specifically requires a paid plan or credits
Clipping Magic
3.9Free
vs PaintShop Pro+0.3Free plan
Auto-Clip AI trained on millions of real-world images (not lab data) removes backgrounds automatically, then a Smart Editor with a hair tool and scalpel handles the hard edges by hand.
- Auto-Clip AI trained on real-world images
- Smart Editor with dedicated hair-clipping and scalpel tools
- Batch processing with configurable default settings
Dedicated manual tools target exactly where automatic removal fails most (hair, low-contrast edges)
Complex images still need manual review, not blind trust in the automatic pass
AI Image Cleaner
3.3$6/mo
vs PaintShop Pro−0.3Free plan
Removes people, clutter, text and watermarks from photos with brush-mask AI inpainting.
- Removes people, objects, text and watermarks from photos
- Brush mask for precise selection, plus auto-mask tools
- Inpainting that rebuilds the background behind what was removed
Brush masking gives more control than one-click object removal
The daily free allowance covers only about 2 cleans
Photoroom
4.6$13/mo
vs PaintShop Pro+1.0Free plan
A mobile-first background remover built for product photos.
- Mobile-first background removal app
- Batch processing for multiple product photos
- Templates sized for common marketplace listings
Genuinely strong mobile app experience, not a desktop tool retrofitted for phones
Higher resolution export and advanced features require a paid plan
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is PaintShop Pro free?
PaintShop Pro does not list a free plan. Check its pricing page for current plans.
What is the best free alternative to PaintShop Pro?
Photoroom is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (4.6 out of 5). Other free options: Photopea, Clipping Magic, AI Picture Editor.
What is the cheapest alternative to PaintShop Pro?
Among paid plans, AI Image Cleaner has the lowest starting price (from $6/mo). If you need it free, start with Photoroom.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.