Here are 3 free Japanese-supported image editing software + services that can be used as alternatives to Photoshop.
The need for image editing arises not only for professional designers but also frequently in daily work and personal projects. In particular, engineers and blog operators often have opportunities to improve the visuals of their sites or create their own banners. However, the industry-standard Adobe Photoshop requires an expensive subscription fee, which is not an easy option for everyone. Therefore, free or low-cost image editing software and services that support Japanese are highly valued.
Engineers may not often do design work, but there are times when they need to do simple image processing or create quick banner designs for their websites. These are the image editing software + services I found as alternatives to the paid Photoshop.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop Image & Photo Editing Software
Photoshop is a professional image editing tool equipped with rich features and advanced editing options.
It offers a 7-day free trial, but from the 8th day onward, a paid subscription is required.
The paid plans are: “Monthly: 3,828 yen/month (tax included)”, “Annual contract (monthly payment): 2,728 yen/month (tax included)”, and “Annual contract (lump sum payment): 28,776 yen/year (tax included)”.
This can be a significant expense, especially for users who only use it occasionally.
Photopea
Photopea | Online Photo Editor
Photopea is a free online image editing service that runs in the browser and fully supports Japanese.
It has a user interface similar to Photoshop and provides basic image editing functions. Since it can be accessed without registration, you can easily start editing images. However, since files are handled online, you need to upload your photos to the web, which may be a concern for some users.
For light editing, it’s very convenient because you don’t need to install any software on your PC.
GIMP
GIMP – GNU Image Manipulation Program
GIMP is a free open-source software that supports Japanese. Many people use it as a free alternative to Photoshop.
It allows simple image editing and processing, so for non-designers who just want to make small edits, this should be sufficient.
The interface may require some learning at first, but once you get used to it, it becomes a very powerful tool.
Canva
Free Design Tool: Presentations, Videos, SNS | Canva
Canva is a web-based service that makes it easy to create designs, and many features are available even in the free version.
It offers plenty of templates for logos, banners, and visual designs, allowing users to create beautiful designs without professional design skills. The paid version gives access to even more templates and features, but the free version is powerful enough.
It’s especially convenient for non-designers who want to make logos, simple banners, or visual designs. As a free service, it’s highly recommended.
Conclusion
Image editing tools are essential not only for professionals but also for many engineers and blog operators. While paid software like Adobe Photoshop is high-functioning, free or low-cost alternatives such as Photopea, GIMP, and Canva are also excellent and meet the needs of many users. By utilizing these tools, anyone can easily perform image editing and design creation. We hope these tools lower the barrier for engineers and beginners to try design and lead to the creation of more creative works.
*Please use at your own risk if reused.
