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Photography · head to head

Aftershoot vs Photopea

Aftershoot logo

Aftershoot

Photography

AI culling, editing and retouching for photographers, priced flat rate per month rather than per image

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Photopea logo

Photopea

Design

Free online photo editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Photopea has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aftershoot unlimited pricing only pays off at volume, so a photographer shooting a few hundred images a month may pay more per image than they would on a metered competitor.; Photopea performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files
  • They diverge on capability: Aftershoot covers AI culling, Photopea covers Photo editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aftershoot and Photopea actually diverge.

Attributes where Aftershoot and Photopea differ
AttributeAftershootPhotopea
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer module per month, unlimited imagesUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOSWeb
CategoryPhotographyDesign
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aftershoot

  • AI culling
  • AI editing presets
  • AI retouching
  • Unlimited processing
  • Lightroom integration
  • Duplicate and burst detection

Only in Photopea

  • Photo editing
  • PSD compatibility
  • Layer support
  • Selection tools
  • Filters and effects
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • Adobe fonts

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aftershoot

  • A wedding photographer culling several thousand images per shoot who wants a flat monthly cost regardless of volumenot Photopea
  • A studio wanting AI editing presets matched to its house style applied automatically before manual reviewnot Photopea
  • A high-volume event photographer for whom per-image pricing from competitors would cost more than a flat monthly feenot Photopea
  • A photographer who wants culling, editing and retouching in one bundled subscription rather than three separate toolsnot Photopea

Photopea

  • Quick photo editsnot Aftershoot
  • PSD file editingnot Aftershoot
  • Web designnot Aftershoot
  • Social media graphicsnot Aftershoot

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aftershoot

  • Unlimited pricing only pays off at volume, so a photographer shooting a few hundred images a month may pay more per image than they would on a metered competitor.
  • AI culling still requires a manual review pass for accuracy on close calls, so it reduces but does not eliminate the time spent selecting images.
  • AI editing presets need training on a photographer own edited catalogue to match their style, which takes an upfront time investment before results are usable.
  • It works as a Lightroom plugin, so studios that do not use Lightroom Classic as their catalogue tool face a workflow change to adopt it.
  • Pricing is billed monthly per module with an annual commitment for the lower rate, so cancelling mid-year loses the discount already paid for.

Photopea

  • Performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files
  • Risk of losing work due to browser crashes or save failures
  • Aggressive advertising that can slow down the entire computer
  • No local installation option, always requires browser access
  • Basic file organization and version tracking compared to professional tools

Pricing, plan by plan

Aftershoot

On request
  • Select (culling)$10/month
    • Unlimited AI culling
    • Billed annually
    • Lightroom integration
  • Edit$30/month
    • Unlimited AI editing
    • Custom style profiles
  • Retouch$20/month
    • Unlimited AI retouching
    • Skin and blemish correction
  • Complete (Select plus Edit plus Retouch)$45/month
    • All three modules bundled
    • About 25 percent cheaper than buying separately

Photopea

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Photopea review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Aftershoot if

  • You need ai culling.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want ai editing presets.
Aftershoot review

Choose Photopea if

  • You need photo editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want psd compatibility.
Photopea review

Questions people ask

Is Aftershoot or Photopea better?
Neither clearly leads. Aftershoot starts at On request and Photopea at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aftershoot or Photopea?
Photopea has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Aftershoot and Free for Photopea.
Does Aftershoot or Photopea run on more platforms?
Aftershoot runs on Windows, macOS. Photopea runs on Web.
Can I use Photopea for free?
Yes. Photopea has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aftershoot starts at On request.
What is Aftershoot best used for?
Aftershoot is most often used for a wedding photographer culling several thousand images per shoot who wants a flat monthly cost regardless of volume, a studio wanting ai editing presets matched to its house style applied automatically before manual review, a high-volume event photographer for whom per-image pricing from competitors would cost more than a flat monthly fee, a photographer who wants culling, editing and retouching in one bundled subscription rather than three separate tools. Of those, a wedding photographer culling several thousand images per shoot who wants a flat monthly cost regardless of volume and a studio wanting ai editing presets matched to its house style applied automatically before manual review are not what Photopea is typically brought in for.
What can Aftershoot do that Photopea cannot?
Aftershoot covers AI culling, AI editing presets, AI retouching, Unlimited processing. Photopea covers Photo editing, PSD compatibility, Layer support, Selection tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aftershoot: Is Aftershoot priced per image?

No, every tier processes an unlimited number of images for a flat monthly fee; this is the main difference from Imagen AI and Narrative Select.

Photopea: Is Photopea free to use?

Yes, Photopea is completely free and supported by ads displayed within the browser. No subscription or payment is required to use the full feature set.

Source
Aftershoot: Do I need Lightroom to use Aftershoot?

Yes, it operates as a plugin inside an existing Lightroom Classic catalogue.

Photopea: Does Photopea support Photoshop PSD files?

Yes, Photopea fully supports Photoshop PSD files including layers, masks, text, and effects. It can read and export files back to PSD, PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG, or GIF format.

Source
Aftershoot: Can I buy just the culling module?

Yes, Select, Edit and Retouch are sold separately or as the Complete bundle.

Photopea: What platforms does Photopea run on?

Photopea is a web-based editor accessible through any modern browser including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. It can be added to desktop as a shortcut or Chrome extension.

Source
Photopea: Does Photopea upload my files to servers?

No. Photopea processes images entirely within your browser and does not upload files to external servers, keeping your work private and secure.

Source
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