Alternatives to PhotoDemon

A free, portable, open-source photo editor for Windows that runs without installation. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as PhotoDemon.

  • Paint.NET

    A fast Windows image editor that sits between Microsoft Paint and a full photo suite.

    FreeProprietaryWindows

    Paint.NET is a free but closed-source Windows editor with layers, GPU-accelerated effects and a large plugin library, installed rather than portable.

  • GIMP

    The long-running free image editor for photo retouching, compositing and general pixel work.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    GIMP is a free GPL editor for Windows, macOS and Linux with full layers, masks, paths and scripting, larger and with its own interface conventions.

  • Pinta

    A small painting and image editor modelled on Paint.NET 3, and the closest thing to it on macOS and Linux.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Pinta is an MIT-licensed Paint.NET-style editor that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, with layers and history but fewer tools.

  • LazPaint

    A free cross-platform image editor with raster and vector layers, similar to Paint.NET.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    LazPaint is a free open-source editor for Windows, macOS and Linux with raster and vector layers, with fewer advanced features.

  • PhotoFlare

    Simple cross-platform image editor for quick edits and batch processing.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    PhotoFlare is a free GPL-3.0 cross-platform editor with built-in batch processing for quick edits, but no layers or non-destructive editing.

  • Photopea

    Browser-based image editor that opens Photoshop, XD and Sketch files.

    FreemiumProprietaryWeb

    Photopea runs in the browser with no installation and opens PSD files, but it is closed source and ad-supported unless paid.

  • miniPaint

    Open-source online image editor with layers and filters that runs entirely in the browser.

    FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted

    miniPaint is an MIT-licensed browser editor with layers and filters that needs no installation and can be self-hosted, with fewer tools.

Also worth comparing

These listings name PhotoDemon as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Acorn

    A one-time-purchase image editor for macOS covering photo editing, painting, text and graphics.

    PaidProprietarymacOS

    PhotoDemon is a free, portable open-source editor with batch processing and macros, but it runs only on Windows rather than macOS.

  • Affinity Photo 2

    Raster photo editor for retouching, compositing and RAW processing.

    PaidProprietaryWindowsmacOS

    PhotoDemon is free, open source and portable on Windows, opens PSD files and has over 200 tools, but is mainly maintained by a single developer.

  • Cleanup.pictures

    A web tool that removes unwanted objects, people, text and defects from photos using AI inpainting.

    FreeProprietaryWeb

    PhotoDemon is a free, open-source, portable Windows editor with content-aware fill among over 200 tools, so images are edited locally rather than uploaded.

  • Microsoft Paint

    Simple image editing and drawing app for Windows, distributed through the Microsoft Store.

    FreeProprietaryWindows

    PhotoDemon is a free, open-source portable Windows editor with over 200 tools, macros and batch processing, runnable from a USB stick without installing.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.