Search
  • Videos
  • Windows 10
  • 5G
  • CES
  • Best VPNs
  • Cloud
  • Security
  • more
    • AI
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
  • Newsletters
  • All Writers
    • Preferences
    • Community
    • Newsletters
    • Log Out
  • Menu
    • Videos
    • Windows 10
    • 5G
    • CES
    • Best VPNs
    • Cloud
    • Security
    • AI
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
      • Preferences
      • Community
      • Newsletters
      • Log Out
  • us
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Europe
    • India
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    • ZDNet around the globe:
    • ZDNet France
    • ZDNet Germany
    • ZDNet Korea
    • ZDNet Japan

Create your own free Adobe Creative Cloud with free and open source software

11 of 12 NEXT PREV
  • Get your free Creative Cloud alternative apps

    Get your free Creative Cloud alternative apps

    Earlier this week, I talked about the muscle memory monopoly Adobe and other vendors have on users. As we become more and more experienced with these commercial products, we also become more tied to them.

    But they are expensive. Individual, non-student licenses for Adobe Creative Cloud can be upwards of $600 per year. While there are lower cost alternatives to many of the individual applications included in Creative Cloud, buying them can add up as well.

    A number of you reached out to me asking what you could do if you wanted the capabilities of Creative Cloud, but didn't want to spend the money. In this gallery, we'll look at the 11 main Creative Cloud products and find (mostly) workable substitutes.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Stock Unlimited

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Photoshop: Replace with GIMP

    Photoshop: Replace with GIMP

    If you want to do image editing and compositing, Photoshop is the professional's solution.

    But if you don't want to pay anything, the open source GIMP has been around for years and will get the job done.

    Also: A free Photoshop alternative: No, it's not GIMP TechRepublic

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: GIMP.org

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Lightroom: Replace with DigiKam

    Lightroom: Replace with DigiKam

    Lightroom is both an image organizer and image optimizer. But you don't have to buy either the Photo plan or the full Creative Cloud to organize images.

    Instead, consider DigiKam, a full featured photo management tool that's also open source.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: DigiKam

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Illustrator: Replace with Inkscape

    Illustrator: Replace with Inkscape

    While Illustrator has been around for decades, it's still the go-to tool for vector graphics artists.

    But look out, because Inkscape showcases the best open source can offer, with a robust vector graphics tool just as good as any commercial product.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Inkscape

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • InDesign: Replace with Scribus

    InDesign: Replace with Scribus

    InDesign was originally used for print layouts, but has progressed into a tool for digital layouts as well.

    While not nearly as well known as Inkscape or GIMP, Scribus is an open source desktop publishing tool. InDesign, it's not. But free, it is.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Scribus

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Premiere Pro: Replace with DaVinci Resolve

    Premiere Pro: Replace with DaVinci Resolve

    We're moving away from open source software with our replacement for video editor Premiere Pro.

    DaVinci Resolve comes in both a free and pay-for Studio version. The thing is, the free version is just so good that it deserves spotlighting here. Even if you are a pro with a budget, you might use the free DaVinci Resolve.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Blackmagic Design

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • After Effects: Replace with Fusion

    After Effects: Replace with Fusion

    Just as Premiere Pro and After Effects go together as a pair, so do DaVinci Resolve and Fusion.

    Fusion is an amazing visual effects and motion graphics tool. Its free version is knock-your-socks-off powerful, and there is a pro version that's ideal for broadcast and movie studios.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Blackmagic Design

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Acrobat DC: Replace with PDF-XChange

    Acrobat DC: Replace with PDF-XChange

    Acrobat DC is part of an entire document management solution and, as such, isn't completely replaceable with open source products.

    But if you're on a budget and just want to create great PDFs, you have many solutions, including PDF-XChange Editor. This tool is free, but has a pro variant. It's not open source, but it does work.

    Personally, on the Mac, I get almost all I need done simply using the MacOS-native Preview program, which comes with the OS.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Tracker Software

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Dreamweaver: Replace with BlueGriffon or Brackets

    Dreamweaver: Replace with BlueGriffon or Brackets

    Like some of the other products we've spotlighted, BlueGriffon has a pro version. But the free version will get you quite a way along with developing webpages and is close in spirit to Dreamweaver.

    If you just want a great, free HTML editor, check out Adobe's own Brackets. It's free and that'll get you into the Adobe camp without spending a cent.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Disruptive Innovations SAS

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Adobe Audition: Replace with Audacity

    Adobe Audition: Replace with Audacity

    I pay for Creative Cloud every month and I still choose to use the free, open source Audacity instead of Adobe Audition.

    Audacity is easy, deeply powerful, consistent, and just that good.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Audacity

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Bridge: Replace with IrfanView

    Bridge: Replace with IrfanView

    IrfanView is an interesting program. Coded by Irfan Skiljan, it's free for non-commercial use.

    You can use IrfanView to accomplish much of what Bridge will do, but it's powerful enough to also replace Lightroom as well.

    We're fans of IrfanView and if you use it, you'll be a fan, too.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Irfan Skiljan

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

  • Media Encoder: Replace with Handbrake

    Media Encoder: Replace with Handbrake

    If you need to transcode video, Handbrake is the tool for you.

    There's no question Adobe Media Encoder has the chops to move your bits, but Handbrake is widely used and extremely powerful.

    Make sure to read the how-tos and check the forums for fancy conversions, and you'll be golden.

    Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

    Photo by: Handbrake

    Caption by: David Gewirtz

11 of 12 NEXT PREV
David Gewirtz

By David Gewirtz for DIY-IT | December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST) | Topic: Open Source

  • Get your free Creative Cloud alternative apps
  • Photoshop: Replace with GIMP
  • Lightroom: Replace with DigiKam
  • Illustrator: Replace with Inkscape
  • InDesign: Replace with Scribus
  • Premiere Pro: Replace with DaVinci Resolve
  • After Effects: Replace with Fusion
  • Acrobat DC: Replace with PDF-XChange
  • Dreamweaver: Replace with BlueGriffon or Brackets
  • Adobe Audition: Replace with Audacity
  • Bridge: Replace with IrfanView
  • Media Encoder: Replace with Handbrake

While Creative Cloud has its strong benefits, it's also costly. If you want to accomplish most of what you can with Creative Cloud, but pay absolutely nothing, these products can help.

Read More Read Less

Bridge: Replace with IrfanView

IrfanView is an interesting program. Coded by Irfan Skiljan, it's free for non-commercial use.

You can use IrfanView to accomplish much of what Bridge will do, but it's powerful enough to also replace Lightroom as well.

We're fans of IrfanView and if you use it, you'll be a fan, too.

Published: December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST)

Caption by: David Gewirtz

11 of 12 NEXT PREV

Related Topics:

Enterprise Software Linux Developer Security
David Gewirtz

By David Gewirtz for DIY-IT | December 5, 2018 -- 13:18 GMT (05:18 PST) | Topic: Open Source

Show Comments
LOG IN TO COMMENT
  • My Profile
  • Log Out
| Community Guidelines

Join Discussion

Add Your Comment
Add Your Comment

Related Galleries

  • 1 of 2
  • Linux turns 29: The biggest events in its history so far

    A year by year summary of the most significant events in Linux's history to date.

  • Linux gaming made easy: The fastest way to get up and running

    Did you know that there are many top-tier commercial games available for Linux? Here's the quickest way we know to get up and running.

  • Linux that fits anywhere: 15 very small footprint distros

    If you've got an old PC or a super-small configuration, one of these Linux distributions should work for you.

  • 10 super sweet laptops that come with Linux pre-installed

    If you're a Windows user, there's tremendous choice when it comes to laptops. And sure, you can install Linux. But if you want to buy a laptop with Linux pre-installed and supported ...

  • WordPress 5.0 is out. Here's a tour of the new features!

    WordPress' first major upgrade in years is here, and it was worth the wait. New WordPress 5.0 comes with a revamped and totally gorgeous WYSIWYG editor. ...

  • Photos: Cold War ZX Spectrum clones spawned behind the Iron Curtain

    Fitted inside telephone cases, or even toy organs, these Speccy replicas were less expensive but arguably more creative than the original Sinclair ZX Spectrum. ...

ZDNet
Connect with us

© 2021 ZDNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Privacy Policy | Cookie Settings | Advertise | Terms of Use

  • Topics
  • Galleries
  • Videos
  • Sponsored Narratives
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About ZDNet
  • Meet The Team
  • All Authors
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Reprint Policy
  • Manage | Log Out
  • Join | Log In
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Site Assistance
  • ZDNet Academy
  • TechRepublic Forums