A picture is worth a thousand words.
Fortunately, in the age of computers, smartphones, and the internet, teachers and students already have the tools to readily record and access digital images. And the top free image editing tools below will help users enrich assignments, convey information, or even create art.
The following image editing sites and software range from straightforward and convenient to powerful tools that rival Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. All are fully free or offer a robust free basic account.
Best Free Image Editing Sites
Adobe Express Background Remover (opens in new tab)
If you've ever painstakingly outlined an irregular foreground figure in an effort to remove the background, you will love Adobe Express' remarkable free tool that quickly and effectively removes background of your uploaded image. Then download your background-free image or customize further online. Free account required for download.
Pixlr (opens in new tab)
Super easy-to-use site with a clean stylish interface that’s great for photobugs of any skill level. Simply upload your image and start using the tools provided, including text, animations, special effects, filters, touchup, and more. Freemium model.
Sumo Paint (opens in new tab)
Offers a Photoshop-like scope of image-editing tools, drawing and painting tools. Free basic account, with education accounts only $19 annually and bulk discounts.
Photopea (opens in new tab)
Billing itself as an advanced image editor, Photopea supports multiple popular formats such as PSD (Photoshop), XCF (Gimp), XD (Sketch App), and CDR (CorelDRAW). The generous free account allows all features, while going premium adds history steps and removes ads.
Colorcinch (opens in new tab)
Simple interface supports quick image editing with plenty of editing tools, free graphics, and templates. The handy tooltips are great for novices; experienced users can disable with one click. Free basic account provides essential features and effects. Unlike many other freemium-model sites, premium features are easily identified with a diamond symbol.
iPiccy (opens in new tab)
On this deceptively simple site, visitors will find a wide range of free photo, collage, and design tools. Upload images and start editing and creating right away. Check out the features page to quickly link to tutorials on professional-style techniques such as editing backgrounds, retouching, and meme creation. Fully free.
Best Free Image Editing Software
GIMP (opens in new tab)
GIMP (Gnu Image Manipulation Program) is considered by many to be the best free alternative to Photoshop. Building on more than two decades of development as an open-source program, Gimp is widely employed by both amateurs and professionals to create and edit images and illustrations of every kind. Tutorials and multiple online forums are helpful for beginners as well as more experienced users. Ideal for high school graphic arts projects. Linux/Windows/MacOs.
Paint.net (opens in new tab)
Often cited as one of the best free Photoshop alternatives, Paint.net is full-featured software with all the bells and whistles, from layers to plugins to unlimited history. A robust users’ forum offers a great way to discover how to make the most of this potent imaging software. Windows.
Inkscape (opens in new tab)
A free, open source vector graphic design tool to rival Adobe Illustrator. Features include a diverse set of drawing, shape, text, and transformation tools, as well as tutorials and forums to learn how best to use this powerful freeware. Linux/Windows/MacOs.
Reshade (opens in new tab)
A super-light and fast free image resizing software, Reshaden is designed to do one thing very well—resize/enlarge, enhance, and crop images without loss of resolution. It’s extremely easy to use, but watch the brief tutorial first for an even better result. Windows.
Ashampoo Photo Commander Free (opens in new tab)
From the German software company Ashampoo comes a free image-editing download, designed with powerful features—but not with a steep learning curve. Windows.
iRFanView (opens in new tab)
A free, fast and lightweight download that supports multiple languages, dozens of file types, and easy batch conversions. Windows.
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