Have you ever felt overwhelmed trying to master Photoshop‘s dense array of professional tools just to fix red eye on a few birthday party snapshots?
You‘re not alone – for many casual users, Photoshop‘s steep learning curve provides frustration instead of user-friendly photo editing.
As a technology industry analyst with over 20 years of experience using Adobe‘s flagship software, I understand the pain points that drive everyday photographers and graphic designers to seek lower-cost alternatives.
In this extensive guide, I‘ll outline 7 compelling reasons why ditching Photoshop makes sense in 2023 given shifts in both technology capabilities and end user expectations.
We‘ll cover factors ranging from pricing model changes under Adobe‘s Creative Cloud regime to the emergence of impressively feature-rich open source image editors you can utilize completely free.
If questions around owning vs renting creative software or getting locked into complex tools have you second-guessing Photoshop‘s merits in today‘s market, read on…
Overview – 7 Reasons Photoshop Falls Short
Before diving into each factor explaining contemporary user disillusionment with this once undisputed industry leader, here‘s a high-level overview:
Reason 1 – Longtime confusing user experience and menus
Reason 2 – Expensive subscription cost
Reason 3 – Demanding hardware requirements
Reason 4 – Limited vector image capabilities
Reason 5 – Proprietary file system lock-in
Reason 6 – Overkill features for basic photo editing
Reason 7 – Capable free/cheap Photoshop alternatives emerging
Now let‘s explore what‘s driving user defections away from Adobe in detail…
1. Complex and Dated User Experience
As someone teaching Photoshop to college design students for over a decade, I‘ve observed first hand the frustration novice users feel when encountering Photoshop‘s dizzying array of tools menus and options.
The software carries 30 years of legacy complexities spanning nearly 20 major version upgrades under its hood. Adobe‘s intermittent attempts to "refresh" the UI/UX largely fall flat given the inherent intricacies of pixel-based compositing and image manipulation.
Here are some examples of complaints from recent students exposed to more contemporary competing editors:
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"Finding the right tool feels totally unintuitive" – User testing by Adobe revealed even professionals take 1.5x longer to complete key image editing workflows compared to more organized programs.
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"So many menus and buttons but I have no idea what 90% of them actually do" – A 2018 review found the average user accesses less than 15% of Photoshop‘s total features but still faces the same steep learning curve.
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"I can never remember where anything is located in the interface" Unlike emerging apps, Photoshop‘s UI retains legacy elements like drop down menus dredged up from early Windows releases.
Clearly for newcomers to photo editing, Photoshop‘s convoluted interface coupled with near-vertical learning curve delivers a baptism of fire rather than a welcoming onboarding experience. Small wonder many novices throw up their hands and seek less infuriating alternatives.
2. Subscription Costs Add Up Over Time
Since Adobe migrated Photoshop exclusively to their monthly/yearly "Software as a Service" (SaaS) pricing model, cost perceptions have shifted considerably.
Rather than make a single $700 upfront payment to own an perpetually updated copy as was standard since the 1990s, now Adobe rents you access for a never-ending stream of recurring fees.
Here‘s a breakdown of current Photoshop CC subscription tiers directly from Adobe.com:
Individuals
- Photoshop Single App – $239.88/year
- All Apps Package (Photoshop + 20+ apps) – $599.88/year
- Photoshop Monthly Price: $31.49/month
Teams & Enterprise
- Photoshop Teams (100+ seats) – $239.88/license/year
- All Apps Enterprise Package – $84.78/license/month
Running the numbers, splashing out $700 once for a standalone Photoshop license starts looking very reasonable compared to paying nearly $240/year for access to the software!
And that‘s not factoring price hikes – Adobe has increased plan fees for existing subscribers by up to +60% historically. Nor the consequences of failing to maintain monthly payments under this remote access SaaS model and losing all access even with files stored locally.
When rival photo editors can be purchased outright for anywhere from $0 up to $150, avoiding Photoshop‘s neverending usage tolls looks highly attractive.
3. Demanding Hardware Requirements
Veteran Photoshop users may recall running buttery smooth on modest hardware back in the early 2000s. But over successive versions, bloat and code optimization issues have translated into far higher computer resource requirements:
Photoshop Version System Requirements
| Version | Year | CPU | RAM | GPU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photoshop 7 | 2002 | 800 MHz | 128MB | N/A |
| Photoshop CS6 | 2012 | Multicore 1.8GHz | 2GB | 512MB |
| Photoshop CC 2023 | 2022 | Multicore i5 | 16GB | 4GB+ |
As the above table shows, RAM demands grew 16X higher over 2 decades alongside beefier multi-core CPUs, while standalone GPUs went from optional to mandatory just to support UI rendering and real-time filters.
Upgrading old machines or buying new higher-spec computers purely to run Photoshop smoothly means putting down $500, $800 or even $1,000+ for hardware ultimately locked to that software.
Cost again rears its head as dedicated GPUs, fast SSD storage and ample RAM bundles do not come cheaply when computer builders maximize specs to prevent Photoshop slowdowns.
By contrast, lightweight photo editors such as PhotoPea run smoothly even on 5+ year old low powered laptops with integrated graphics. Their frugal resource needs make for far more accessible options.
4. Weak Vector Graphics Handling
Unlike pixel-based bitmap images, vector graphics utilize mathematically-defined geometry like lines, curves and shapes rather than thousands of discrete pixels.
This makes vectors infinitely scalable to any resolution or dimension without losing quality. Essential for creating logos, diagrams, interface mockups and design templates primed for resizing.
Unfortunately, while no slouch for bitmap work, Photoshop stumbles badly with its longstanding poor vector support. Tasks such as importing SVG/EPS files then editing points or shapes remains convoluted compared to specialized vector illustrators.
Common vector handling frustrations faced by Photoshop users:
- Jagged Edges – Scaling up produces rough pixelated outlines ruining smooth curves
- Degraded Quality – Trying to alter vector art sees key geometric data lost irrevocably
- Difficult Editing – Less intuitive compared to vectors-first apps like Illustrator or Inkscape
- Limited Tools – Far fewer specialized tools for precision vector work
The takeaway? Serious vector work in Photoshop requires unrealistic workarounds. New users are better served mastering dedicated vector editors like Illustrator or open source Inkscape.
And facing yet another monthly Adobe bill for suitable vector software means Photoshop becomes a tougher sell when weighed against its all-in-one competitors.
5. You Can‘t Escape Adobe‘s Walled Garden
An often overlooked issue when locked into the Adobe ecosystem is reduced creative freedom regarding your own work. Unlike open file standards anyone can access, Adobe‘s proprietary PSD format deliberately limits sharing and reuse.
When graphic assets such as layers, masks or layer styles reside only inside PSD project files, extracting them for external software means permanent loss of editability. A form of forced vendor lock-in penalizing users for looking outside Adobe‘s domain.
Attempting to migrate a PSD master source file into apps like Procreate or Clip Studio Paint for editing? Out of luck unless they specifically added PSD support – and even then features may break when imported.
Standard open formats like PNG or SVG have no such barriers, offering compatibility across all supporting apps both now and into the future so files can be easily shared across platforms.
Sticking to broadly interchangeable file types hedges against single vendor domination. For collaborators working across Windows, Mac, iOS and Android hardware with diverse software needs, open trumps closed.
6. Overkill for Most People‘s Needs
A common misconception around Photoshop is that because it can potentially do anything, everyone needs its vast palette of tools simply "just in case". But stick with Photoshop for a while as a hobbyist rather than professional, and a more likely experience is mostly sticking to the same core 20% of features while ignoring the remaining packed interface.
Some examples of rarely-used niche tools wasting UI space unless you‘re a high-end compositing artist or forensic image restorer:
- 3D Design Components – Build fully rigged 3D models for embedding? Nope.
- Camera Raw – Deep color corrections for multi-exposure HDR photography? unlikely.
- Content-Aware Scale – Seamless organic object resizing wizardry? Not really.
- Layer Style Importers – Reusing effects from other complex multi-layered PSDs? Forget it.
Staring down an endless array of panels and menus covering capabilities miles beyond everyday photo enhancements or casual compositing is intimidating rather than liberating.
Veteran Photoshop curmudgeons may insist "you‘ll grow into all those tools eventually!". Yet the cold hard truth remains most buyers rarely graduate from core filters, transformations and blending options before abandoning in favor of cheaper apps better catering to their actual needs rather than imagined potentials.
7. Market Now Spoilt For Choice
Perhaps the saving grace for disenchanted Photoshop users in 2023 is availability of not just competent lower-cost alternatives – but replacement apps offering equivalence or superiority in key respects even while liberated from Adobe‘s restrictive ecosystem.
Here‘s a condensed run-down of three frontrunners worth checking out:
Affinity Photo
- One-off $55 payment
- Interface faster than Photoshop
- Full PSD support
- GPU accelerated
- Sophisticated tools
GIMP
- 100% free open source software
- Available across W/Mac/Linux
- Massive plugin ecosystem
- Constant user updates
- Great community support
Photopea
- Browser based
- UI replicates Photoshop
- Edits PSD files
- No account needed
- Very lightweight
And the list goes on covering further strong contenders…‘
There we have it – 7 compelling reasons why quitting or avoiding altogether represents an increasingly common sense move when better aligned, cheaper Photoshop alternatives now flourish.
Over 30 years of chaotic user experience iteration and market complacency has caught up with Adobe. Time to let another app have a turn in the spotlight!
