Courtesy to Twitter user XdanielArt (date of publication: 8 June 2024)
For PDF “your browser” should be the default recommendation. Firefox allows to add text and images now. Gimp can also be used to edit PDF.
List of Alternatives to Adobe Programs
Submitted 2 weeks ago by Novocirab@feddit.org to technology@lemmy.world
https://feddit.org/pictrs/image/4df35bfc-dfd0-409b-9544-4c2e61bf298e.jpeg
Comments
oce@jlai.lu 2 weeks ago
Novocirab@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Browser is nice. On Linux though, Okular is superb.
TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I’m really disappointed not to see Okular there. It’s FOSS, and it’s very cozy and useful.
oce@jlai.lu 2 weeks ago
What does Okular do that Firefox doesn’t? I’ve used it on some distros because it was the default but I don’t know the advantage compared to using my existing browser.
kautau@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Yeah the PDF category is weird / lacking. LibreOffice Draw and Inkscape can both edit PDFs and are missing as well. Xodo looks like some mobile app only or SaaS product
veniasilente@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
Isn’t it dangerous now that PDFs can run javascript? (Who had that idiotic idea, anyway?)
stebo02@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
The main reason “your browser” isn’t enough for me is that it doesn’t allow you to add and edit bookmarks, which I use a lot to navigate large pdfs quickly.
Second is that it’s nice to keep your pdf tabs separated from your browser tabs, and a pdf reader can remember your tabs and exactly which page you were on etc.
So that’s why I’m using PDF-Xchange, I downloaded it for free idk why it says purchase.
ThunderWhiskers@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Xodo and Xchange are both feature rich, lightweight, and easy to use programs. Browser view is fine for a peek but quickly feels clunky.
FireWire400@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Another great alternative to Acrobat is Okular; it’s free, open source and runs on Linux, Windows and macOS.
It’s been my go-to PDF reader since switching to Linux since it already came pre-installed with Manjaro KDE.
yournamehere@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
i mean eveb masterpdf editor paid would help to not support adobe. this list should not be an image but a wiki. bitwig i also expected to see.
pupbiru@aussie.zone 2 weeks ago
Davinci Resolve has to be one of the most jam packed free software packages available… seriously, it absolutely trounces Premiere at evvvverything
the model of free for everything except if features you’d want for producing a professional movie, and financed by hardware sales - that you don’t need unless you’re a professional - is absolutely incredible for home users
r_deckard@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
It doesn’t trounce PPro, they’re about equal IME. I’ve used both and it’s the price that makes it beat PPro. And you get the full version for free when you buy a Blackmagic camera.
pupbiru@aussie.zone 2 weeks ago
personally, my reasoning for saying it trounces it is the integration of all the tools: no switching to after effects etc
but beyond that, ppro colour correction is just soooooo far behind
granted i haven’t really used it much, so i might not have “got” its workflow - it took a while for resolves to click - but it just seems so disjointed and clunky to do anything beyond cutting together a basic video
Jankatarch@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
What the actual fuck is adobe acrobat? A pdf viewer with subscription model payment? Firefox, the browser, can edit pdf files. It’s 2025.
BananaTrifleViolin@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Firefox can do basic annotating, adding text and adding pictures but it can’t make a new PDF from scratch.
You may be confusing Adobe Acrobat Reader with Adobe Acrobat? Full Acrobat is the proprietary tool to make a PDF file from scratch including some of the more complex functions.
PDF is an open standard and has been for a while, so there are now plenty of alternatives for most of the functions. LibreOffice Draw and Inkscape can do a lot of PDF creation functions but not all. Lots of “print to PDF” options to create basic PDF documents too.
However some of the more niche functions are not widely supported or well supported; and there isn’t really any opensource dedicated PDF maker that I’m aware of. Layout tools are abundant but I think it’s things like building forms and document signing that is less easily replicated. There is Master PDF - a fully functional PDF maker which is proprietary and available for Linux; it $80 for a perpetual license. I’m not aware of any other alternatives myself.
Thrashy@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
In AEC work we’ve moved almost exclusively to a competing PDF tool called Blubeam, which is proprietary but very worth the price, with tools for scaling, dimensioning, and producing material takeoffs from PDF drawings. Much of what you’d use Acrobat for in a more typical office environment are absent or limited, though.
Jyek@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Adobe acrobat is THE PDF editor. PDF is a proprietary format created and developed by Adobe. Any software that can edit PDFs is doing so in a format they do not have any control over. And there just aren’t any proper PDF editors that are feature complete. now if you’re an individual who needs to make a PDF in the privacy of your own home, by all means, use a cheap or free or FOSS application to do so. But if you need that PDF to be readable and useable and seamlessly compatible on other computers for other users for ever? Better pay the Adobe tax because there is a good chance, it won’t look the way you expect it to when someone opens it up in Adobe which their company definitely has.
BananaTrifleViolin@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I’m not sure this true - PDF is an open standard. The issue isn’t with layout and reproducibility - a good PDF maker and a good reader will give you an accurate representation of how it looks on all devices.
There isn’t a dedicated FOSS tool for make PDFs; Libre Office and Inkscape do a decent job. But they’re not dedicated PDF makers and the real problem is building fillable forms and signatures.
But there is a proprietary alternative called Master PDF that is a dedicated and supports all the PDF standard features I believe; one perpetual license is $80 compared to Adobe subscription based charging. I’m not aware of other options myself but they may exist.
tehn00bi@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
There are a few other PDF editors that are cheaper, but they don’t have the same features. PDF seems like something that has outlived its purpose. There has to be other document formats that provide a similar or better experience and prevents alteration.
yournamehere@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
not true. dont oay adobe so more pdfs will look like the user intended. dont fall adobe scams like weird functions that should be in a pdf anyways. pdfs created with masterpdfeditor look exactly as intended. so, again: no, adobe is a scam. always has been.
Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 2 weeks ago
Building off of this, the PDF standard supports all sorts of craziness. It can have embedded math and logic similar to excel files, to the point there’s templates available for banks which will automatically calculate entire loans (including weird ones like balloon mortgages and variable interest rate stuff) without leaving Adobe Reader, and the recent Doom PDF and Linux PDF projects exploit the fact that pdfs support embedded javascript.
There’s also an actual market for enterprise PDF templates like the banking ones I described with automatic calculations and whatnot. So some people literally make their living selling PDFs to businesses that businesses actually use
Bouzou@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I don’t know how it stacks up price-wise, but I’d argue Bluebeam is a far superior PDF editing program. It even covers some word processing, Illustrator, and some PowerPoint adjacent things.
That being said, I can’t see it as practical for the average consumer.
taladar@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
it won’t look the way you expect it to when someone opens it up in Adobe which their company definitely has.
That sounds like a problem between them and Adobe tbh
Smoogs@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
How does Sumatra fall into all of this? It’s an open source version
kandoh@reddthat.com 2 weeks ago
In Acrobat I can go into print preview and see what my file will print like using only black and a spot color ink, I can auto-convert RGB images to CMYK, and it has a pretty robust set of accessibility features so the visually impaired can read it.
It’s for professionals.
SaharaMaleikuhm@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Or if you have to use Adobe products, at least have the decency not to pay for them.
Baguette@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
Neat list, but imo photoshop is closer to being called a photomanipulation/image editor than photography. lightroom is the more dedicated photography software.
Also I wouldn’t call paint.net an alternative to photoshop. I love paint.net but its a relatively simple image editor and its functionally limited even with plugins.
Bouzou@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Yes, that was my first question: what about Photoshop as an image editor? What is a comparable replacement for that?
Excrubulent@slrpnk.net 2 weeks ago
GIMP has been the photoshop alternative for many years now. It stands for gnu image manipulation program, and it is an image editor. The category is named a bit weird but the program listed is the right one.
anarchiddy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
Just a small thing, but as of the latest release Inkscape has a functioning live-trace tool
It was one of the biggest things keeping me using illustrator but I used inkscape’s trace yesterday and it worked great
Tattorack@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I’ve never used vector programs. What is a “live tracer”?
anarchiddy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
It’s a tool that helps ‘trace’ a raster image into vector shapes and paths
it’s useful for creating vector artwork from raster images - sometimes a logo or icon is only available in a poor resolution raster image, and so having an easy way to convert it into vector saves a ton of time.
I used it yesterday to create an SVG file for CNC plotting of a company logo. It would have taken me a few hours to hand-trace it myself
makyo@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
How much time have you put into Inkscape now? I’m hankering for some reviews from people who are also refugees from the Adobe ecosystem.
anarchiddy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
I don’t use it regularly enough to weigh in comprehensibly - I use it mostly for processing svg drawings created in other programs for cnc plotting, or for compiling svg drawings onto standardized layouts for sending to a printer
My only complaint with inkscape is that it’s a bit slow with rendering complex shapes/canvases with many points, but otherwise it does everything I need from a vector program.
Rhusta@midwest.social 2 weeks ago
Does anybody have a similar list of alternatives but for the Autodesk Suite/Ecosystem? Some open source CAD and BIM programs, some FOSS modeling and rendering programs?
Jezza@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
I’ve spent the better half of six months trying to answer this question. (not continuously, just passively)
For some background, I used fusion 360 for a number of years, so I witnessed it turn to absolute shit, but that means parametric CADs are my cup of tea.
Here’s my thoughts.
FreeCAD: I tried this, but I’ll admit I gave up quickly.
It doesn’t feel like a complete solution. It feels like more and more tools have been tacked on without the realisation that people who haven’t been using it for years are going to have even less of an idea of where to start.
I do want to come back and give it another shot, as it hit 1.0 recently.Plasticity:
I was originally interested in it because if how easy it could be to model something. After having used it for a number of days, I agree that it’s relatively intuitive to get something going, but it lacks the precise feeling of a parametric CAD. Don’t get me wrong, you can be precise with it, but it feels something akin to a 3D paint and less like a CAD program.
I can imagine if you just want to do something small, it would be sufficient.OpenSCAD: I’ve been a programmer for 15+ years, and I expected to like this.
Sadly, if you lack a strong maths background, you’ll find this difficult to master.
I’ll be the first to admit my maths isn’t as great as it used to be.
The beauty of a parametric CAD is that I don’t need to know how to position everything exactly, I can just give it the constraints and it manages it for me.
With this, it felt like I kept on testing a value, measuring the resulting dimension that I was trying to go for, tweaking it again, rise and repeat.
Didn’t feel like I was programming, it felt like I was writing the 3D model itself with a DSL.
The lack of fillets and chamfers was also frustrating.And this brings me to my current recommendation:
SolveSpace:
I’ve been using it for about a month now, and I’ve been happy with it.
It didn’t take much to understand what it’s trying to do.
It’s completely parametric and I felt at home pretty quickly.
You can do fillets and chamfers easily, it just requires a bit of creative work.Let me know if you have any other questions.
I’d be happy to answer them.beastlykings@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on the 1.0 of freecad.
I don’t use CAD professionally, and even my hobby usage is less than it was, and it was only a dozen or two small projects.
I had never used freecad, always fusion 360. I’ve been away for awhile, and also switched to Linux in the meantime. I needed to make a simple object, and tried freecad 1.0, and I literally could not intuit how to begin. Not a single shape, I was so lost, it was very frustrating.
I tried onshape and got a bit further, but still don’t like the corporate nature of it.
I’m not trying to slam freecad, I really want it to work, and when I have more time to sit down and study it, I want to try again. But in the meantime I went back to fusion 360 in a VM, which was very sluggish, but at least I knew where everything was.
bluewing@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
If you are looking for FOSS CAD, then FreeCAD 1.0 is about the only game in town. SolveSpace is fine for fairly simple uses but lacks all the advanced toys one might like. Nor has it been updated in 3 years now. Siemans SolidEdge has a free community edition, but it’s Widows only. OnShape is is a popular alternative to Fusion, and is fully cloud based, but it is restricted like Fusion.
As an acolyte that wears the sackcloth and ashes of FreeCAD, there is a growing community of tutorials, (I highly recommend MangoJelly on youtube) for beginners to learn with. But the learning curve can be steep as you get past the basics. There is a FreeCAD community here, but it’s small and not very active. Sadly the best place for answers remains on reddit.
couch1potato@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
Shout out to pdfgear.
Does almost all the pdf file manipulation anyone needs and it’s free.
TangledHyphae@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
GIMP is unfortunately not a good competitor, the UX/UI is atrocious, and that’s after spending 25 years using it now… I switched to Krita for most things at this point. GIMP needs some sort of revamp.
skisnow@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
TangledHyphae@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I see two new features that look fantastic, but the rest of the UI seems likely unchanged. I’ll definitely give it a shot though.
InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
Seriously, gimp is barely usable for anything, they need to put the damn thing our of our misery.
And it spawned gtk, which is yet another monument to software masochism.
Will give krita a shot, this shouldn’t be that hard.
OmgItBurns@discuss.online 2 weeks ago
Dreamweaver is still used? I used it a bit back in the day when Macromedia was around and shortly after Adobe got a hold of it. How does it work with the modern web? Does it work well with modern programming languages or is it still just a WYSIWYG HTML editor?
russjr08@bitforged.space 2 weeks ago
I am surprised that its actually still a product they sell and seemingly update. Looking on their product page, wow it has git support - it can be yours for $22.99/month too!
(That will also require you to give your soul to them too, via a contract signed in blood)
floofloof@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
Adobe’s prices are outrageous.
ayyy@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Holy shit $23/mo and they won’t even host the website for you?
Trainguyrom@reddthat.com 2 weeks ago
I used it briefly in a class around 2015ish. It worked about as well as any Adobe software does, but honestly it was really difficult to use and quite frankly it probably would take just as long to learn the HTML and CSS skills necessary to make a decent website as it would to learn how to make one in Dreamweaver
kn0wmad1c@programming.dev 2 weeks ago
Just started using reaper, coming over from audition and it’s so similar I didn’t have to re-learn anything.
AstralPath@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
REAPER rules. I started on ProTools in 2010. Ditched it for Reaper in 2012 and never looked back. Best $60 I ever spent. I’ve gladly bought multiple licenses for my devices over the years.
jake@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
REAPER is absolutely one of the best pieces of software out there. I’ve been using it too since maybe 2009, though not so much in the last few years (not moved to an alternative, I’m just not doing so much audio these days).
I love the business model, the development cycle, etc. and even though it’s not open source it kinda has a similar community feeling. Every bit as feature-filled and capable as any of the industry standards.
peregrin5@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
The Affinity Suite is so worth it. Pay a single time and get all the apps on all major OSes.
restingboredface@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Also udemy has some fantastic courses to learn the whole suite, each can be purchased for lifetime access for $10-15 USD. The instructors I bought from are still actively updating their courses and I get all the new stuff, even though I bought when AD was still on v1.3.
If you’re looking to learn it’s a really affordable way to do it.
ohshit604@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
No open source Flash alternatives? Disappointing.
SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
I don’t know what those two letters mean. I wish they had written out the name. I’ve avoided buying Adobe stuff because it’s stupidly expensive, but I’m still aware that in some industries, some of these have been industry standards at one point or another. Being able to tell wtf their names are, or even what they do would be helpful.
double_quack@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
What’s the Audacity/Tenacity deal?
dirtySourdough@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Libre Office Draw is another Ai alternative
TheFeatureCreature@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
Affinity Photo is an excellent Photoshop alternative. I switched a while ago and have used it for all of my major projects since.
CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 2 weeks ago
I’m no layout expert, but I did do some desktop publishing about 15 years ago 10 min in Scribus had me tearing my hair out. Installed InDesign and, while it’s still not easy to catch up on the modern capabilities, it’s not there yet.
GIMP is just fine for casuals. It’s not close for professionals.
Truthfully I think that one major issue with open source programs that don’t have corporate involvement is that people who are great at code don’t always have the same skill in UI/UX. However, with support and a larger community, great things can happen. The barrier is getting that adoption level. If more people casually use the product and contribute financially or in code, it will help tremendously.
clot27@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
is the image not loading only for me?
barsoap@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
Countering Animator with Blender, that’s brutal. For at least some stuff Blender is also the better Illustrator.
Ulrich@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Kinda hilarious that anyone uses Premiere Pro when Resolve is better, and free (with very optional features locked behind 1-time paywall). David Manning had a revelation and made a video about this recently. As did PewDiePie.
Zarxrax@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
A newer alternative to After Effects: pikimov.com
It’s still got a ways to go, but it’s off to a good start.
Smoogs@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Ive been using Sumatra for pdfs. It’s open source too.
MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
I really like this layout, it’s easy to read
peteyestee@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Adobe… Fucks people hard.
Resonosity@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
Wish there was a good FOSS Acrobat/Blue beam alternative.
I use those tools for the majority of my work as an engineer.
ABetterTomorrow@lemm.ee 2 weeks ago
Affinity + BMD’s Davinci Resolve FTW. Best combo IMOO. I did the switch back in 2017 and never looked back. Worth the single low price and long term free upgrades. For acrobat replacement (basics only) Apple’s preview is flawless and Ubuntu 25.10 Pages looks promising. Looking for recommendations for Lightroom replacement. Apple’s pixelmator purchase looks promising but I don’t want subscription.
tux0r@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Honestly, GIMP is not a good alternative to Photoshop. I know, “it’s free” is enough for many people, but it … just isn’t.
anamethatisnt@sopuli.xyz 2 weeks ago
With GIMP 3.0 it’s a bit better at least, they’ve finally added non-destructive editing:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfaq-Cm1ZkA
Full changelog here:
www.gimp.org/release-notes/gimp-3.0.html
I’d dare say that unless you’ve already learnt Photoshop (and have to unlearn it) then Darktable+GIMP works fine for home photo editing.
If you’re used to Photoshop and your skills with it is what puts bread on the table… then I completely understand not switching tools.
LandedGentry@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
doxxx@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
As somebody who has been trying to decided which of the RAW photo editors to use, I can tell you that Darktable has a steep learning curve over Lightroom. The UI is incredibly dense and the names of sliders don’t make sense unless you’re an image science expert.
LandedGentry@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
tux0r@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
And UI usability.
Zink@programming.dev 2 weeks ago
I assume you are right. So then I ask myself, for my own occasional use, would a standalone version of Photoshop from 2015 cover my needs?
Yeah, I think it would!
I was always a much heavier user of Lightroom than Photoshop anyway. I still need to choose between the FOSS options there.
death@infosec.pub 2 weeks ago
The same with Lightroom sadly. The open source alternatives are either too buggy or have UX designed by very “opinionated” people, making them painful and frustrating to use. I currently want to get rid of Lightroom but can’t.
TheFonz@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Give Darktable a go. I switched from LR to DT a year ago and im never going back.
Retro_unlimited@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I use krita way more than gimp
tux0r@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Krita is also more of a Paint.NET than a Photoshop replacement.
Siegfried@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
It is an alternative if you are a casual user.
tux0r@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
No
shalafi@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
My go-to PS app:
www.photopea.com
All online, same controls, hell, same icons. I’m a little stunned that Adobe hasn’t sued them into oblivion.
You can pay to drop the ads, but I’m not really seeing much end user benefit otherwise. Not seeing ads ATM, maybe I blocked 'em.
Tonuka@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
I love love love GIMP!!!
But yeah it’s not a PS alternative. no way
SaharaMaleikuhm@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Always with the GIMP hate. You make a better free alternative then.
SereneSadie@lemmy.myserv.one 2 weeks ago
It’s not on the end user to make a UI that isn’t total ass.
CMonster@discuss.online 2 weeks ago
If all you care about is the price its great but the UI is trash.
lambalicious@lemmy.sdf.org 2 weeks ago
This meme from the late 90s is still going? It’s honestly an impressive record.
cygnus@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
The meme that GIMP is in any way comparable to PS? Yeah, I agree.