Photopea — Trust Report & Verified Download

Name: Photopea
Rating: 4.5 (112 reviews)

Trust Report

Independently checked by Altapp where possible; developer-reported data is labeled as such. Last full review: Jul 17, 2026.

Verified Source

Photopea ships as a web app from a single official domain, so there is no installer to checksum — trust rests on the domain and the developer's public track record.

Served exclusively from photopea.com over HTTPS — no binaries, so no code signing, notarization or checksums apply
Developer identity is public: Ivan Kutskir (Prague), sole maintainer since the 2013 launch
Source code is proprietary; the official GitHub repository is an issue tracker only, not the source
Official blog documents each release (latest major: 5.6, April 2024), giving a verifiable version history

Data & Permissions

The app runs inside the browser sandbox with no OS-level permissions, and official documentation commits to local-only file processing.

No installation and no OS permissions — limited to the standard browser sandbox
Official docs state files are processed on your device and never uploaded unless you choose to save online
Free tier displays third-party ads, the main external exposure; Premium ($5/mo) removes them
No mobile or desktop package exists, so no Exodus Privacy tracker report is applicable; accounts are optional

Known Risks

No public vulnerability entries were found for Photopea, but the closed, single-maintainer model limits independent verification.

No Photopea-specific CVE entries found in public vulnerability databases at review time
No published independent security audit; local-processing claims cannot be fully verified against closed source
Single-developer project: development is active and consistent, but continuity depends on one person
Optional AI features (e.g. background removal) call third-party APIs and send the selected image data out

Verification reflects the version listed above. Practices may change between releases. How we verify ›

Our verdict: the most capable install-free Photoshop alternative on the web — files stay on your device, though the code itself remains closed to independent review.

Photopea is an advanced image editor that runs entirely in the browser, built and maintained since 2013 by a single developer, Ivan Kutskir, in Prague. It mirrors the Photoshop workflow closely — layers, masks, smart objects, blend modes — and opens PSD, AI, Sketch, XD and RAW files natively, which makes it a practical drop-in for occasional professional work without installing anything.

Despite living at a URL, Photopea processes your images locally: the official documentation states that files are never uploaded to a server unless you explicitly choose to. The free tier is supported by ads, and a $5-per-month Premium subscription removes them while doubling history states. The trade-off for all this convenience is a proprietary, closed-source codebase with no published independent audit.

Alternatives to Photopea

See all 2 ›

GIMP

Free open-source image editor

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Choose GIMP if

You want a fully open-source desktop editor whose code can be independently audited and that works offline by default

VerifiedFree

Krita

Professional digital painting, free forever

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Choose Krita if

You want a free, open-source native app focused on digital painting and illustration rather than photo retouching

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Frequently asked questions

Is Photopea free?

Yes — the pricing listed at our last review is “Free · Premium $5/mo”.

Is Photopea safe to use?

Altapp's independent Trust Report (last full review Jul 17, 2026) shows 6/9 checks passed, covering source verification, data & permissions, and known risks. Verification reflects the version listed on this page.

Which platforms does Photopea run on?

Any modern browser · Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge.

What are the best Photopea alternatives?

GIMP, Krita — each with its own verified Trust Report on Altapp. See the full list ›

Information

Developer: Ivan Kutskir
Size
Category: Creative
Compatibility: Any modern browser · Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
Languages: English +41 more
License: Proprietary
Country: Czech Republic
Latest Version: 5.6 · April 2024

Official Website Privacy Policy