A lot of people are a big fan of Adobe Photoshop. There is only one downside of this software though- it can be quite expensive that newbies may not be able to afford. If you want to do some photo editing of your own but do not have the budget for it, here are top five free Photoshop alternatives you can try.

1. Gimp
Gimp is one of the more popular open-source photo-editing editors. If you are adept with Photoshop, it is easy to go through the Gimp interface. There are a number of similar features that can be found in these two editing software.

2. Serif Photoplus
Serif used to be a software that you can download for a cost, but it has launched a fully functional and absolutely free photo-imaging editor. You can edit colors, change lighting and a lot more.

3. Paint.Net
This is popular free software for Windows. Just like Photoshop, it has layer features, special effects and color adjustments.

4. Pixia
This particular software is originally from Japan. It has both vector and bitmap drawing tools. It also has undo and redo features with masking capabilities.

5. VCW VicMan
VCW is a promising free photo editor that can be used to add life to your pictures. It features text tools, gradients and special effects. It is a powerful editing and painting software.

If you want to venture into photo editing, for fun or professionally, you can always try some of the free software mentioned above and practice your creative skills without shelling out a fortune!