Photoshop isn't for everyone.
If you are a social media manager however, creating quality content for your clients' social channels is a must. The reality is that you don't always have access to a professional graphic design team.
What do you do then? You take the lead!
You will need some sort of graphics program to create impromptu images, enhance an image and layout and create your client's social media images,
If you aren't comfortable using Photoshop, or you need a tool that is free, you will need to find good Photoshop alternatives to be able to create images. Side Note: You might need more than one tool.
What are two main reasons people shy away from Photoshop?
- Knowledge aka Learning C
urve - Cost
We understand that learning a seemingly complicated graphics program isn't for everyone. It scares away many of us, and we aren't going to judge anyone for asking for Photoshop alternatives, read: easier, less complicated, ways to create images for their clients.
In this article, you will find 10 Photoshop alternatives. These are tools to create graphics for social media; tools social media managers report using on a daily basis.
Check Out These 10 Photoshop Alternatives Busy Social Media Marketer Use.
Canva
If you are not a graphic designer, yet you are looking for an easy way to create graphics for all your social media headers, flyers, ads and more, check out Canva. Canva offers free templates in many different sizes and has a design school with video tutorials.
No matter what ‘work’ means to you, Canva for Work has all the tools you need to design graphics for projects big and small. No design skills necessary: simply drag and drop.
Canva
Gimp
Gimp is free software you download to your computer to create images. Gimp offers a large library of tutorials to get you started.
Whether you are a graphic designer, photographer, illustrator, or scientist, GIMP provides you with sophisticated tools to get your job done. You can further enhance your productivity with GIMP thanks to many customization options and 3rd party plugins.
Gimp
Gravit
Gravit does more than create images. It is a cross-platform graphic design tool and is a full-featured vector graphic design app right at your fingertips. They currently offer 13 tutorial videos on their YouTube channel to get you started.
Create graphics, design logos and icons, edit images, photos & presentations, all for free. Online professional vector graphic design tool
Gravit
Easil
We are your DIY Design Secret Weapon. Visual Content SO good it looks like a Pro designed it.
Easil
Photopea
We offer an advanced image editor, which can work with both raster and vector graphics. You can use it for simple tasks, such as resizing images, as well as complex tasks, such as designing webpages, creating illustrations, processing photographs and more.
Photopea
PicMonkey
The PicMonkey tool is a photo editor and graphic design tool and is available for mobile editing via their apps (iOS and Android) and offers a robust resource center to learn more about their tool.
PicMonkey gives you the power to make images that are anything but, well, basic. Unleash your creativity with our user-friendly photo editing and design tools.
PicMonkey
Stencil
The fastest way to double your social engagement. Ridiculously simple image creation for social media marketers, bloggers
Stenciland small businesses.
InkScape
Inkscape is a vector graphics software which runs on Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux. It is used by design professionals and hobbyists worldwide, for creating a wide variety of graphics such as illustrations, icons, logos, diagrams, maps
Draw Freely. Inkscape is a professional vector graphics editor for Windows, Mac OS X
INKSCAPEand Linux. It's free and open source.
Pixlr
Pixlr is an online photo editing tool available to use both on web and mobile. Visit their active blog for inspiration, design ideas, photography tips, tutorials and videos.
Make Every Moment Beautiful
Pixlr
RelayThat
Last but not least, check out
Elegant Design. Fast and Easy.Instantly make on-brand images for every channel.
RelayThat
Creating Images for Social Channels Never Was This Easy!
We encourage you to check out each tool and depending on your comfort level, current skills, budget
Also, let us know if you have a tool you love that we should have mentioned in this article! We will be happy to include it in a follow up article.
I am a Certified Social Media Manager, Strategist, International Keynote Speaker, Organic Specialist and Agile marketer! Blogging is my creative outlet. Running, hiking and skiing are how I recharge. You'll recognize me on stage and online by my always present orange glasses, a nod to my Dutch heritage.