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A Photoshop alternative for drawing on Windows
If you use Photoshop mainly to draw and paint, and you would rather not pay a monthly subscription, Limner is a native Windows alternative that even opens your PSDs and imports your .abr brushes.
| Limner | Adobe Photoshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | Buy once, no subscription | Subscription only |
| Built for | Drawing and painting | Photo editing and everything |
| Platform | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| PSD | Opens and exports layered PSD | Native |
| Photoshop .abr brushes | Imports | Native |
| Vector, animation, comics in one | Yes | Partial, no multi-page comics |
| Generative AI | None | Firefly built in |
Drawing first, not photo editing
Photoshop is a broad photo and image editor that many artists also paint in. Limner is built specifically for drawing, painting, inking, and comics. That focus keeps it lighter and quicker to learn if art, not retouching, is what you do.
It speaks your files
- Opens layered PSD, with each Photoshop layer becoming a Limner layer (up to 8192 by 8192 pixels).
- Exports layered PSD, plus PNG, JPEG, and SVG.
- Imports Photoshop
.abrbrush files as new tips.
So you can move work in and out, and keep using brushes you already have.
Buy once instead of subscribing
Photoshop is sold as a Creative Cloud subscription. Limner is free during the beta, and Limner Plus will be a one-time purchase. You own it.
What Limner adds
- Editable vector line art next to raster painting, in one document.
- Frame-by-frame animation with onion skin, and multi-page comics.
- Native 4K timelapse recording, saved in the file.
- Pen pressure and tilt through Windows Ink, with inking correction.
An honest comparison
Photoshop is far deeper for photo editing, retouching, compositing, and studio pipelines, and it is an industry standard for good reason. Limner does not replace that. For artists who mainly draw and paint on Windows and want a one-time purchase, Limner covers the core and opens your existing files.
Common questions
Can Limner open PSD files?
Yes. File, Import PSD opens a Photoshop .psd as a new document, with each PSD layer becoming a Limner layer, up to 8192 by 8192 pixels. Limner also exports layered PSD.
Can I use my Photoshop brushes?
Yes. Limner imports Photoshop .abr brush files as new brush tips.
Is there a subscription?
No. Limner is free during the beta, and Limner Plus will be a one-time purchase.
Is Limner a full Photoshop replacement?
No. Photoshop is far deeper for photo editing and retouching. Limner is focused on drawing, painting, inking, and comics.