Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Photopea VS PaintCode

Compare Photopea VS PaintCode and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Photopea logo Photopea

Online photo editor, which can work with PSD, XCF and Sketch files (Photoshop, Gimp and Sketch App).

PaintCode logo PaintCode

PaintCode is a unique vector drawing app that generates Objective-C or Swift code in real time, acting as a bridge between developers and graphic designers.
  • Photopea Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21
  • PaintCode Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-03

Photopea features and specs

  • Accessibility
    Photopea is a web-based application, making it accessible from any device with an internet connection without the need for installation.
  • Cost
    It is free to use with an option for a premium subscription, making it an affordable alternative to expensive software like Adobe Photoshop.
  • Compatibility
    Supports a wide range of file formats, including PSD, XCF, Sketch, XD, and more, allowing for seamless workflow integration with other graphic design tools.
  • Feature Set
    Offers many advanced features and tools that are similar to those found in professional software, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced users.
  • User Interface
    Intuitive and similar to Adobe Photoshop, which can reduce the learning curve for users familiar with Photoshop.

Possible disadvantages of Photopea

  • Performance
    As a browser-based application, Photopea may suffer from slower performance compared to native applications, especially with large files or complex projects.
  • Offline Use
    Requires an internet connection to access, which can be a limitation for users who need to work offline.
  • Ad-Supported Free Version
    The free version is supported by ads, which can be distracting for some users. A premium subscription is required to remove ads.
  • Limited Plugins
    Unlike some desktop applications, Photopea has limited support for third-party plugins, which can limit customization and extendibility.
  • Resource Intensive
    Depending on the complexity of the tasks, Photopea can be resource-intensive, potentially causing issues on less powerful devices or browsers.

PaintCode features and specs

  • Code Generation
    PaintCode can generate code in Swift, Objective-C, Java, C#, or JavaScript, allowing developers to seamlessly integrate designs into their projects without manually converting graphics to code.
  • Resolution Independence
    Graphics created in PaintCode are resolution-independent, meaning they scale smoothly across devices with different screen sizes and pixel densities.
  • Real-Time Preview
    The live preview feature lets users see changes instantly, speeding up the design process and ensuring that the final output matches the designerโ€™s vision.
  • Collaboration With Design Tools
    PaintCode supports importing vector graphics from design tools like Sketch, preserving vector elements and making it easy to translate existing designs into code.
  • Reusable Components
    Users can create and manage reusable components, which helps in maintaining consistency across projects and reduces repetitive tasks.

Possible disadvantages of PaintCode

  • Learning Curve
    Despite being user-friendly, new users may face a learning curve understanding how to translate complex designs into code efficiently.
  • Limited to Vector Graphics
    PaintCode primarily focuses on vector graphics, which might not fully support all design requirements, especially those involving bitmap images.
  • Price Point
    The cost of purchasing PaintCode might be high for individual developers or those working on smaller projects with constrained budgets.
  • Native Platform Constraints
    Generated code is typically native to the platforms supported by PaintCode, potentially limiting cross-platform compatibility and requiring additional adjustments when targeting multiple environments.
  • Dependency on Updates
    Regular updates are crucial to ensure compatibility with the latest design tools and programming languages, which can be detrimental if updates are slow or infrequent.

Analysis of Photopea

Overall verdict

  • Photopea is generally considered a good option, particularly for users seeking a cost-effective and accessible image editing tool. While it may not have all the advanced features found in premium software like Adobe Photoshop, it offers a robust set of tools and capabilities that are suitable for a wide range of design needs. Overall, Photopea serves as an excellent alternative to more expensive graphics editors, especially for users who require a free and fully online solution.

Why this product is good

  • Photopea is widely praised for its versatility and accessibility. As a browser-based application, it eliminates the need for downloads and installations, making it easy to access from various devices with internet connectivity. It supports a wide range of file formats, including PSD, XCF, Sketch, XD, and CDR, which makes it an excellent tool for working with different types of graphic projects. Its interface is similar to Adobe Photoshop, which is advantageous for users familiar with that software, allowing for a more seamless transition. Additionally, Photopea provides many powerful editing tools, such as advanced layers, masks, and adjustments, which makes it suitable for both basic and complex graphic design tasks.

Recommended for

  • Graphic design beginners who want a free tool to start learning the basics of photo editing and design.
  • Professionals looking for a quick, online alternative to more resource-heavy software for minor tasks.
  • Users who need to work across various devices without the hassle of software installation.
  • People who need to open and edit multiple file formats without converting them first.
  • Educators or institutions seeking affordable software solutions for teaching design and photo editing.

Photopea videos

Photopea Free Photoshop Alternative

More videos:

  • Review - Photopea - Photoshop in the Browser?

PaintCode videos

No PaintCode videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Photopea and PaintCode)
Image Editing
100 100%
0% 0
Text Editors
0 0%
100% 100
Graphic Design Software
100 100%
0% 0
IDE
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Photopea and PaintCode

Photopea Reviews

10 Best Photopea Software Alternatives in 2024 (Free & Paid)
Photopea is a popular online photo editing tool that offers many of the features found in Adobe Photoshop but without the hefty price tag. Itโ€™s a great option for anyone looking for powerful editing capabilities without breaking the bank. However, Photopea isnโ€™t the only option available. Photopea is a powerful image editor with PSD, XD, XCF, Sketch, and CDR files. Graphic...
Our 6 Favorite Free Photoshop Alternatives (2022 Update)
At the same time, Pixlr also has some functionality that Photopea doesnโ€™t have, like Pixlr X, theyโ€™re even more cut down and simple to use image editor that you can, for example, use to quickly edit up a photo for Instagram.
A free Photoshop alternative: No, it's not GIMP
Photopea and Photoshop's similarity in options and effects is fascinating. I like to use Curves adjustments as well as gradient maps in my Photoshop workflow. Photopea allowed me to follow the exact same workflow with ease. The performance was just as quick as Photoshop. Computational photo editing features, such as spot removal and cloning, aren't as fast, but they're...

PaintCode Reviews

We have no reviews of PaintCode yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Photopea seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 309 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Photopea mentions (309)

  • Show HN: Turn Screenshots into Designs Instantly
    I can go to https://photopea.com and get an entire photoshop clone in my browser, but it would be nice to just use your tool for screenshots when I need. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • 11 real-life PWA examples you can learn from in 2025
    Last but certainly not least, I have to mention Photopea, which, in my humble opinion, is one of the greatest pieces of software ever built on the web. In a nutshell, itโ€™s a free Photoshop alternative, fully developed using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Gimp 3.0 โ€“ a milestone for open-source image editing
    I'm happy gIMP is still being worked on. That said, I'm a photoshop user and I find all my personal needs are covered by Photopea (https://photopea.com). It feels like it duplicates all of the photoshop features I regularly use including non-destructive editing, smart layers, and non-destructive layer blending options like stroke, outline, outer-shadow, inner-shadow, solid-color, that I use often. It's not open... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Why Apple Uses JPEG XL in the iPhone 16 and What It Means for Your Photos
    Serving images from CDNs is not the only use case for browser JXL support. Browsers can perform client side processing of images before upload. They even host fully featured image editors like https://photopea.com. And sometimes you do want to see an original image from your camera in your browser, like say on the web version of Google Photos. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • A Simple Performance Benchmark
    When the link was up, we were 100% sure the link was to "https://photopea.com". You can configure your computer, if you know how, to show you the link, if it doesn't already, when you hover over it with your mouse, or you click (or tap) and hold the link before you actually follow it. You should see how to do that with your computer and browser. Source: over 2 years ago
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PaintCode mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of PaintCode yet. Tracking of PaintCode recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Photopea and PaintCode, you can also consider the following products

Adobe Photoshop - Adobe Photoshop is a webtop application for editing images and photos online.

Xed - A text editor forked from Pluma and Gedit. Xed is the default text editor of Linux Mint.

GIMP - GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool.

Caret Editor - Caret Editor is an editing tool for Chrome OS that is used for editing texts or codes.

Krita - Krita is a professional FREE and open source painting program. It is made by artists that want to seaffordable art tools for everyone. Concept art. texture and matte painters, illustrations and comics.

LiquidNinja Metapad - LiquidNinja Metapad is a text editing tool for Windows that works like Microsoft Notepad.