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I made a list of alternatives to Adobe software which some people here found helpful: https://untested.sonnet.io/Alternatives+to+Adobe https://untested.sonnet.i

I made a list of alternatives to Adobe software which some people here found helpful: https://untested.sonnet.io/Alternatives+to+Adobe https://untested.sonnet.io/Alternatives+to+Adobe

SoftTalker 2y ago
My perception is that Adobe stuff is kind of like Oracle. Overweight, expensive, free/open alternatives do just as well in most cases but if you really need to fully exploit the feature set, and really need a big company support agreement, there is no substitute. Also if you are a creative business, most anyone you would want to hire will know Adobe tools. Very few will be familiar with gimp, inkscape, or command-line utilities.
- djhn 2y ago
  Twenty years worth of muscle memory and user presets is one hell of a moat even for replaceable software, but for example After Effects, Photoshop and InDesign have no credible alternatives.
  - misswaterfairy 2y ago
    There are some: - After Effects: Natron (https://natrongithub.github.io/ https://natrongithub.github.io/) and Blender (https://www.blender.org/ https://www.blender.org/) - Photoshop: Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher (https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/ https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/)
    - djhn 2y ago
      Thanks for the tips! I will definitely check out Natron
  - rpastuszak 2y ago
    FWIW I switched to Affinity from PS after having used PS for 20+ years (since 5.5 I think?). Honestly, it was super easy. Most of the use I had for PS is now split between: Procreate (drawing, illustration, game assets), Figma/Penpot (wireframes, quick mockups, UI sketches etc...), Affinity (image processing, quick photo edits, batch processing, anything that doesn't fall into the categories mentioned earlier).
    - djhn 2y ago
      I used Sketch (and now increasingly Figma) for drawing rectangularish shapes and mockups, but for creating anything artistic Illustrator’s appeal is in the hundreds of effects you can create in seconds with combinations of advanced rotation/duplication/path-following/distortion/blur.
      - rpastuszak 2y ago
        Have you tried Affinity Designer? I've used Illustrator for 10 (or maybe even 15?) years, for anything from illustration to UX design (before Figma, after Fireworks was sunsetted).
        djhn 2y ago
        I haven’t, but all of your advocacy might make me try it now. If you happen to have some YouTube videos, playlists or tutorials you would recommend to get going feel free to share :)
avtar 2y ago
You may want to edit your list to remove Figma since the Adobe acquisition is no longer happening :) And perhaps a combination of https://cavalry.scenegroup.co https://cavalry.scenegroup.co and https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/fusion https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/fusion could be After Effects alternatives. I haven't made the switch yet due to the number of AE plugins I own, but perhaps this most recent Adobe gaffe will do it for me.
- rpastuszak 2y ago
  Good catch, I was meaning to update it for some time. I didn't know about Fusion, but it looks neat. > I haven't made the switch yet due to the number of AE plugins I own, but perhaps this most recent Adobe gaffe will do it for me. Honestly, just give it a go. I was surprised how easy it was for me (with PS, AI etc).
  - rpastuszak 2y ago
    Ah, and mainly / especially w. Lightroom → Capture One

I made a list of alternatives to Adobe software which some people here found helpful: https://untested.sonnet.io/Alternatives+to+Adobe https://untested.sonnet.io/Alternatives+to+Adobe

SoftTalker 2y ago

My perception is that Adobe stuff is kind of like Oracle. Overweight, expensive, free/open alternatives do just as well in most cases but if you really need to fully exploit the feature set, and really need a big company support agreement, there is no substitute. Also if you are a creative business, most anyone you would want to hire will know Adobe tools. Very few will be familiar with gimp, inkscape, or command-line utilities.

djhn 2y ago
Twenty years worth of muscle memory and user presets is one hell of a moat even for replaceable software, but for example After Effects, Photoshop and InDesign have no credible alternatives.
- misswaterfairy 2y ago
  There are some: - After Effects: Natron (https://natrongithub.github.io/ https://natrongithub.github.io/) and Blender (https://www.blender.org/ https://www.blender.org/) - Photoshop: Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher (https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/ https://affinity.serif.com/en-gb/)
  - djhn 2y ago
    Thanks for the tips! I will definitely check out Natron
- rpastuszak 2y ago
  FWIW I switched to Affinity from PS after having used PS for 20+ years (since 5.5 I think?). Honestly, it was super easy. Most of the use I had for PS is now split between: Procreate (drawing, illustration, game assets), Figma/Penpot (wireframes, quick mockups, UI sketches etc...), Affinity (image processing, quick photo edits, batch processing, anything that doesn't fall into the categories mentioned earlier).
  - djhn 2y ago
    I used Sketch (and now increasingly Figma) for drawing rectangularish shapes and mockups, but for creating anything artistic Illustrator’s appeal is in the hundreds of effects you can create in seconds with combinations of advanced rotation/duplication/path-following/distortion/blur.
    - rpastuszak 2y ago
      Have you tried Affinity Designer? I've used Illustrator for 10 (or maybe even 15?) years, for anything from illustration to UX design (before Figma, after Fireworks was sunsetted).
      - djhn 2y ago
        I haven’t, but all of your advocacy might make me try it now. If you happen to have some YouTube videos, playlists or tutorials you would recommend to get going feel free to share :)

avtar 2y ago

You may want to edit your list to remove Figma since the Adobe acquisition is no longer happening :) And perhaps a combination of https://cavalry.scenegroup.co https://cavalry.scenegroup.co and https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/fusion https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/fusion could be After Effects alternatives. I haven't made the switch yet due to the number of AE plugins I own, but perhaps this most recent Adobe gaffe will do it for me.

rpastuszak 2y ago
Good catch, I was meaning to update it for some time. I didn't know about Fusion, but it looks neat. > I haven't made the switch yet due to the number of AE plugins I own, but perhaps this most recent Adobe gaffe will do it for me. Honestly, just give it a go. I was surprised how easy it was for me (with PS, AI etc).
- rpastuszak 2y ago
  Ah, and mainly / especially w. Lightroom → Capture One