Photopea is the closest thing to Photoshop that runs in a browser tab. It opens PSD files — including layered ones — and keeps the layer structure, masks and smart objects intact, which is the part most free editors get wrong.
Image: 500px-Photopea_logo.svg.png — unknown author, see file page, via Wikimedia Commons.
The detail that matters most if you handle client files: Photopea processes everything locally, on your own CPU and GPU. The company states that files never leave your device, which is a meaningful difference from browser editors that upload your work to a server.
What it covers
- Layers, masks and blending modes in a Photoshop-style panel layout
- PSD / XD / Sketch / Illustrator files opened directly, not converted
- Filters, adjustments and vector tools, plus text with layer effects
- Export to PSD, PNG, JPG, SVG and PDF
What to know before you switch
It is funded by ads, and you will notice them. The free tier is capable but the interface is busier than a paid editor, and some professional workflows — complex smart-object pipelines, plugin ecosystems, certain colour-management features — are thinner or missing.
As of September 2026, Photopea remains free to use in the browser; check the official site for the current terms of any ad-free or premium option before you commit a production workflow to it.
Who it fits
Anyone who needs to edit a PSD occasionally without paying a subscription, students on borrowed laptops, and teams that would rather not upload client artwork to a third-party server.