ArtCraft Guide › PhotoCraft
PhotoCraft: the free Photoshop alternative
The flagship image editor — layers, masks and PSD support in a free Rust-native app.
What PhotoCraft does
PhotoCraft is the most complete app in the suite and the reason most people discover ArtCraft. It is a desktop image editor with the features photographers and designers actually use daily: layer-based editing, masks, filters and brushes, plus the ability to open and save PSD files. Because it is written in Rust it launches fast and runs comfortably on older hardware where Photoshop crawls.
Key features
- Layer/document workflow modelled on the tool it replaces — muscle memory transfers
- Open, standards-based file formats so your work is never locked in
- Rust-native performance: fast launch, smooth on modest hardware
- Runs 100% locally — no account, no cloud upload, no telemetry traps
PhotoCraft vs Photoshop: the honest take
For everyday photoshop work, PhotoCraft covers the core loop well and the price is unbeatable. Power users will hit edges — specialized plugins, pro color pipelines and niche formats are where the paid incumbent still wins. Our rule of thumb: try PhotoCraft first for a week; you will know quickly whether your work lives inside or outside its 90%.
Who it's for
- Students and teachers who need real tools without license gymnastics
- Indie makers and small teams cutting software costs to zero
- Anyone who left Photoshop over subscriptions but still needs the workflow
How to get it
PhotoCraft ships with the ArtCraft suite on GitHub. Follow the download guide for step-by-step install and verification.
FAQ
Is PhotoCraft free forever?
It is open source — the code is public, so even if the project direction changed, the current apps stay usable and forkable.
Does it open my existing files?
It targets the common interchange formats for its category; check the download page notes for the current list for PhotoCraft.
Where do I report bugs?
On the project's GitHub issue tracker — it is actively maintained and releases land frequently.