Photoshop Alternatives on Mac: Pixelmator Pro, Affinity & Why Keep Photoshop

Photoshop is powerful, but it’s no longer the only serious option on a Mac. With Pixelmator now owned by Apple and Affinity now completely free, many users can replace Photoshop entirely. Here’s who can, and who shouldn’t.

Why Photoshop is the first Adobe app people question

When Mac users think about cancelling Adobe, Photoshop is usually the first app they look at. That’s because it’s expensive on its own, many people use only a fraction of its features, and modern Mac apps now cover most everyday workflows. The key question isn’t “Is Photoshop good?” It’s “Do you still need Photoshop specifically?”

Photoshop in Australia: the cost reality

For Australian users, Photoshop pricing adds up quickly. Approximate current retail cost: Photoshop single app around A$36 per month¹, or the Photography Plan (Photoshop + Lightroom) around A$31 per month¹. That’s roughly A$370¹-430 per year, for a single app. For users who mainly edit photos, create graphics, or prepare images for web and print, that cost is increasingly hard to justify.

Pixelmator Pro: Apple’s Photoshop alternative

Pixelmator Pro is no longer just a third-party alternative. It is now owned and developed by Apple, which changes its long-term position significantly.

Approx cost (AU): one-time purchase around A$79.99¹, or included with Apple Creator Studio.

What Pixelmator Pro does well: fast, smooth performance on Apple Silicon, a clean, modern macOS-native interface, strong machine-learning tools for object removal, subject selection, and image upscaling, and it’s excellent for photo editing, web graphics, social media assets, and light design work. For many Mac users, Pixelmator Pro already covers 80-90% of typical Photoshop use.

Where Photoshop still wins: Pixelmator Pro does not fully replace Photoshop if you rely on complex compositing, advanced masking edge cases, heavy plugin workflows, or agency-standard PSD pipelines.

Affinity Photo: now completely free

Affinity has built a loyal following by offering serious power, and as of 2026, it’s free. Canva, which now owns Affinity, has retired the old one-time purchase licence entirely, the full Affinity suite (Photo, Designer, Publisher) costs nothing to use. An optional Canva AI add-on is available for those who want it, but the core apps themselves carry no cost at all.

What Affinity Photo does well: advanced layer-based editing, strong retouching and compositing tools, PSD file support, and it’s excellent for photographers, designers, and power users who want control. Affinity Photo feels closer to “classic Photoshop” than Pixelmator does, and being free removes essentially the entire cost argument for trying it.

Where Photoshop still wins: Photoshop still leads in AI-assisted workflows, industry training and tutorials, and its massive plugin ecosystem. Affinity Photo is powerful, but less forgiving for beginners.

Pixelmator vs Affinity: which one should you choose?

Choose Pixelmator Pro if you: want a Mac-first experience, prefer a clean, modern interface, value speed and simplicity, or are already considering Apple Creator Studio.

Choose Affinity Photo if you: want maximum control, prefer a Photoshop-like workflow, do complex image manipulation, or simply want a free option with no subscription and no purchase cost at all.

Both are excellent. The better choice depends on how you work, and with Affinity now free, there’s very little downside to trying it first.

Who should not cancel Photoshop (yet)

Despite the alternatives, some users still need Photoshop. You should probably keep Photoshop if you work in an agency or studio that mandates it, exchange layered PSDs daily with clients, rely on specific third-party plugins, teach or train using Adobe tools, or work across macOS and Windows. This series isn’t about forcing everyone off Adobe, it’s about making informed choices.

A common middle-ground setup

Many Mac users now run a hybrid workflow: Pixelmator Pro or Affinity Photo for daily work, Photoshop installed but rarely opened, and an Adobe subscription downgraded or paused. With Affinity now completely free, this hybrid approach costs even less to set up than it used to.

Where this fits in the bigger picture

Photoshop is still excellent software. But in 2026, on a Mac, it is no longer unavoidable. With Apple owning Pixelmator Pro and bundling it into Apple Creator Studio, and Affinity now free entirely, Photoshop is now a specialist tool, not a default requirement. For many Mac users, Photoshop is no longer worth the price. If your work is photo editing, content creation, web or social graphics, or small business marketing, you can almost certainly replace Photoshop or at least stop paying for it every month.

Need help setting up the right tools for your business?

If you run a creative or design business and want help choosing between Photoshop, Pixelmator Pro and Affinity Photo, or setting any of them up properly on your Mac, see our Creative & Design Businesses industry page, or get in touch directly.

1. Prices shown are current as at August 2026.