Compare Photoshop and Pixlr: Which is the better photo editing option?

Photoshop and Pixlr are the two leading photo editing software today. But, is Photoshop or Pixlr more suitable for you? Let’s compare together!

To answer this question, let’s continue reading the article Compare Photoshop and Pixlr based on factors such as price, AI tools, features,… and find a photo editor that is more optimized but still easy to use.

Compare Photoshop and Pixlr: Which is the better photo editing option?

Price and platform

Users can access Pixlr for free, but ads will appear. The tool primarily runs in the browser, has an offline option, and also has desktop and mobile apps. The desktop application is just a copy of the browser version, it is not necessary to download it, unless the user needs to work offline. The free version of Pixlr has limited saves and AI usage.

Using Photoshop is a bit more complicated. Although Photoshop is available on Windows, Mac, iPad, Android tablets, iPhone, and even browser versions, everyone cannot access all versions on every platform at their disposal.

The only free way to use Photoshop is with a 7-day trial or with the free version of the iPhone app. Everyone needs a Photoshop subscription to access the desktop, web, or iPad app. Some packages allow use on all platforms, some are limited to use only on computers or phones and the web.

Features

Pixlr provides a basic and popular set of image editing tools. With a few selection tools, it also has background removal and photo cropping features.

Among the editing tools, Pixlr has restoration brushes, clone stamps, blurs, distortions, brushes, brushes, and text insertion tools. Although some tools are similar to Photoshop, the usage and results are often not as powerful as Photoshop.

In the computer version of Photoshop, users will find a rich and always updated set of photo editing tools. The main toolbar is similar to Pixlr but has more variations, with many selection tools, including AI area selection, text tool with Adobe font browser for in-depth font selection. Besides, there are other tools such as brushes, brushes, restore, copy areas, draw shapes and more.

AI tools

Pixlr has the ability to create AI images, along with a library of images created by many different users or images created by yourself. Users can use previously created images in new designs or enter photo descriptions themselves.

Besides the general image creator, there are other AI tools in Pixlr including AI face swap, colorize, expand, background, sticker, background removal, object removal, super sharpen, and noise removal. Pixlr is similar to Canva in terms of editing features and AI tools.

Photoshop’s AI tools are seamlessly integrated into a variety of platforms that can access Photoshop. Not all AI features are available on each platform, with at least one feature specific to each type of platform.

In short:

Photoshop is the right choice if you need an in-depth, professional-grade set of tools to perform complex design and image processing tasks. Pixlr is worth considering when you need a tool that’s accessible, browser-based, and easy to learn — especially when budget is important.

Photoshop’s strength lies in its versatility. This software handles everything from detailed photo editing to photo compositing, vector design, and working with 3D graphics. Features like Content-Aware Fill, Smart Objects, and Camera RAW provide the detailed control that professional photographers and designers rely on. Additionally, it’s tightly connected to the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem, a big advantage if you’re using Illustrator or InDesign.

Pixlr Editor goes in a different direction. The tool runs directly in the browser — no installation required — and has an interface designed for users to get used to quickly. If you need to create social media content or edit quickly and don’t want to spend a lot of time learning how to use it, Pixlr Editor will help you get the job done quickly. Its AI tools, including Generative Fill and Remove Background, deliver impressive results that far exceed expectations for a low-cost product.