Design · head to head
Photopea vs Recraft
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Photopea performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files; Recraft free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Photopea and Recraft actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).
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 Photopea
- Photo editing
- PSD compatibility
- Layer support
- Selection tools
- Filters and effects
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Adobe fonts
Only in Recraft
Nothing recorded that Photopea does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Photopea
- Quick photo editsnot Recraft
- PSD file editingnot Recraft
- Web designnot Recraft
- Social media graphicsnot Recraft
Recraft
- AI-powered image generation and design creationnot Photopea
- Commercial-licensed asset creation for businessesnot Photopea
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Recraft
- Free plan images are owned by Recraft and made publicly visible; commercial ownership rights only apply while subscribed to a paid plan
- Subscription credits reset every month and do not carry over, unlike separately purchased top-up credits which never expire
- Refunds are only considered within 30 days and only if fewer than 30 credits have been used
- Annual billing is required to get the 20% discount over paying monthly
Pricing, plan by plan
Photopea
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Photopea review.
Recraft
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Recraft review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Photopea if
- You need photo editing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want psd compatibility.
Questions people ask
- Is Photopea or Recraft better?
- Neither clearly leads. Photopea starts at Free and Recraft at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Photopea or Recraft?
- Photopea starts at Free and Recraft at Free.
- Does Photopea or Recraft run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Photopea for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Photopea best used for?
- Photopea is most often used for quick photo edits, psd file editing, web design, social media graphics. Of those, quick photo edits and psd file editing are not what Recraft is typically brought in for.
- What can Photopea do that Recraft cannot?
- Photopea covers Photo editing, PSD compatibility, Layer support, Selection tools.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceRecraft: Is Recraft free?
Recraft offers a free plan where images generated are publicly visible in the community gallery and not licensed for commercial use. Paid plans (Basic, Pro, Teams) unlock full ownership and commercial rights but specific prices are not published.
SourcePhotopea: 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.
SourceRecraft: How does Recraft's credit system work?
Recraft charges based on monthly credit allocation included with each plan. Additional top-up credits can be purchased separately and never expire, used automatically after monthly credits run out.
SourcePhotopea: 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.
SourcePhotopea: 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.
SourceRelated pages
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