Photopea
Photoshop’s file formats in a browser tab, free, with advertising instead of a paywall.
What it is
The pragmatic answer to “I just need to open this PSD”. Photopea reads Adobe’s formats, keeps layers, and exports almost anything — all in a tab, with no install and no account. It is ad-supported and slower than a native app on big files, but for converting and light editing it replaces a subscription most people use twice a year.
Pricing updated 2026-11-12
Photopea pricing explained
The site makes the pricing question unusually simple: every premium feature is free, funded by advertising, and the home page states you can use it without spending anything. There is no published price list at all — removing the adverts is offered inside the editor rather than on a public pricing page, so we record that tier without a number instead of inventing one. The honest costs are the adverts beside the canvas, slower performance on very large files, and browser memory limits: a 2 GB PSD is still a desktop job.
Free-tier limits are taken from the official pricing page on the update date above. They change often — confirm before you commit to an annual plan.
Photopea key features
Opens proprietary Adobe formats
PSD, AI, XD, Sketch, Figma and PDF open in a browser tab, with layers intact rather than flattened into a picture.
Layer-based editing with masks and smart objects
The mental model is Photoshop's, including adjustment layers, layer styles and non-destructive smart objects.
Exports almost anything
PNG, JPG, WebP, SVG, PDF and PSD out of the same document, which covers both a web asset and a printable file.
Batch conversion of multiple files
Point it at a folder and convert every file in one pass, which is the fastest way to deal with a pile of PSDs you did not make.
Curves, levels and adjustment layers
Real tone and colour controls rather than preset filters, so colour correction can be done properly instead of approximately.
Text and vector shape tools
Enough type and vector editing for layouts and simple illustrations, without switching to a second application.
Photopea: how it works
Runs entirely in the browser, locally
The editor is compiled to run on your own machine: files are not uploaded, and the documentation states it keeps working after you disconnect.
No account required
There is nothing to sign up for and no document storage, so using it on a locked-down laptop takes no approval from IT.
Ad-funded, with an optional paid removal
The site states that every premium feature is free and funded by advertising; removing the adverts is offered inside the editor rather than on a public price page.
Photopea core strengths
Opens files Adobe software would otherwise be needed for
A PSD from a client, an XD mockup, a Sketch file — all readable without installing anything or asking for an export.
Nothing to install and nothing to approve
On a managed work laptop, a browser tab is the difference between editing the file now and filing a software request.
A real editor, not a viewer
Masks, smart objects and adjustment layers mean the file can be saved back out still editable by whoever opens it next.
Local processing means confidentiality
For an unreleased design or a client's file under NDA, the fact that nothing is uploaded is the deciding property.
Photopea compared with alternatives
| Tool | Photopea | Canva | Clipdrop | Upscayl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Opening Adobe-format files without Adobe software or an install | Design work by people who are not designers | Single-purpose image fixes with no prompt engineering | Batch upscaling on your own GPU with no quota |
| Pricing shape | Free and ad-supported; optional ad removal sold inside the editor, no public price page | Free / Pro US$144 per year / Business per seat | Free daily quota / Pro SGD 22 per month | Free and open source / Cloud from $24.99 per month |
| Where files are processed | Entirely local in the browser | Cloud | Cloud | Entirely local, nothing is uploaded |
Written from the official product pages listed under Sources, not copied from another directory. Prices and limits reflect the update date above; features ship faster than reviews, so treat the list as a starting point and confirm on the official site.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Opens proprietary Adobe formats without Adobe software
- No install, no account, works on a locked-down laptop
- Genuinely capable editor, not a viewer
Limitations
- Adverts sit beside the canvas
- Large PSD files can exhaust browser memory
- No cloud storage or version history
Photopea use cases
Opening a client PSD
Inspect layers, swap a logo and export a PNG without installing Photoshop or asking the client to re-export.
Editing on a locked-down machine
Do the fix in a browser tab when you cannot install software and cannot wait for an IT request to clear.
Converting a folder of mockups
Batch-convert XD or Sketch files to PNG for a review deck instead of opening each one by hand.
Working with confidential designs
Edit an unreleased layout knowing the file never leaves the machine, which cloud editors cannot promise.
