# Open-source alternatives to Adobe Creative Cloud

> Open-source alternatives to Adobe Creative Cloud that run locally, allow commercial use and need no paid API include PhotoCraft (photo editing (Photoshop); MIT OR Apache-2.0), Graphite (vector design (Illustrator); MIT OR Apache-2.0), LightCraft (raw photo editing and library (Lightroom); MIT OR Apache-2.0) and FilmCraft (video editing (Premiere Pro); MIT OR Apache-2.0). None of the 13 projects we track covers all 7 Adobe Creative Cloud jobs, so most people combine two or more.

Adobe Creative Cloud: Paid subscription suite of Adobe desktop apps for photo, vector, raw photo, video, motion graphics, page layout and PDF work. Pricing: See pricing page (checked 2026-10-15). Facts checked 2026-10-16.

## Projects

| Project | Jobs | Runs locally | Commercial use | Paid services | Hardware |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Stirling PDF](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/stirling-pdf) | pdf-editing, certificate-signatures | Yes; self-hosted server (Docker or JAR) or desktop client | MIT core is fine; proprietary parts (incl. engine and desktop client) need a paid licence for production use | Free plan for up to 5 users on a self-hosted server; Team, Enterprise and Stirling Cloud are paid | Not documented in the README |
| [PhotoCraft](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/photocraft) | photo-editing | Yes, native desktop app (also a self-hostable web build) | Yes, MIT or Apache-2.0; forks must drop the ArtCraft brand assets | None required | Not documented |
| [darktable](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/darktable) | raw-photo-editing | Yes, desktop app | Yes, under GPL-3.0 copyleft conditions | None required | 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended); GPU optional but strongly recommended |
| [Graphite](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/graphite) | vector-design | Web app that works offline (installable as a PWA); desktop apps at release-candidate stage | Yes, MIT or Apache-2.0 | None required | Not documented |
| [PdfCraft](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/pdfcraft) | pdf-editing | Yes, native desktop app (also a web build) | Yes, MIT or Apache-2.0; forks must drop the ArtCraft brand assets | None required | Not documented |
| [FilmCraft](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/filmcraft) | video-editing | Yes, native desktop app (also a web build) | Yes, MIT or Apache-2.0; forks must drop the ArtCraft brand assets | None required | Not documented; hardware decoding on macOS and Windows, NVIDIA needed for hardware H.265 export |
| [LightCraft](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/lightcraft) | raw-photo-editing | Yes, native desktop app (also a web build) | Yes, MIT or Apache-2.0; forks must drop the ArtCraft brand assets | None required | Not documented; GPU (wgpu) pipeline with CPU fallback |
| [VectorCraft](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/vectorcraft) | vector-design | Yes, native desktop app (also a web build) | Yes, MIT or Apache-2.0; forks must drop the ArtCraft brand assets | None required | Not documented |
| [EffectCraft](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/effectcraft) | motion-graphics | Yes, native desktop app (also a web build) | Yes for the MIT or Apache-2.0 code; optional model downloads not checked | None required | Not documented |
| [GIMP](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/gimp) | photo-editing | Yes, desktop app | Yes, under GPL copyleft conditions; your own artwork is unrestricted | None required | Not documented |
| [Kdenlive](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/kdenlive) | video-editing | Yes, desktop app | Yes, under GPL-3.0 copyleft conditions | None required | Not documented |
| [DesignCraft](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/designcraft) | page-layout | Yes, native desktop app (also a web build) | Yes, MIT or Apache-2.0; forks must drop the ArtCraft brand assets | None required | Not documented |
| [Scribus](https://repoquarry.dev/projects/scribus) | page-layout | Yes, desktop app | Yes, under GPL copyleft conditions | None required | Not documented |

## Common questions

### Is there a free, open-source alternative to Adobe Creative Cloud?

Yes. darktable, Stirling PDF, PhotoCraft, Graphite and EffectCraft are free to download and run on your own computer without paid API keys. Each covers only part of what Adobe Creative Cloud does, so check which job you need.

### Can I do photo editing (Photoshop) locally without an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription?

Yes, with PhotoCraft (MIT OR Apache-2.0) and GIMP (GPL-3.0-or-later). Check the hardware notes and licence conditions on each page before you start.

### Can I do vector design (Illustrator) locally without an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription?

Yes, with Graphite (MIT OR Apache-2.0) and VectorCraft (MIT OR Apache-2.0). Check the hardware notes and licence conditions on each page before you start.

### Which Adobe Creative Cloud alternatives can I use commercially?

Confirmed: DesignCraft, EffectCraft, FilmCraft, Graphite, LightCraft, PdfCraft, PhotoCraft and VectorCraft. With conditions: darktable, GIMP, Kdenlive, Scribus and Stirling PDF. This is not legal advice; read each licence.

### Does any open-source project replace all of Adobe Creative Cloud?

Not as of 2026-10-16. Photo editing (Photoshop), vector design (Illustrator), raw photo editing and library (Lightroom), video editing (Premiere Pro), motion graphics and compositing (After Effects), page layout (InDesign) and PDF editing (Acrobat) are covered by different projects.

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Source: RepoQuarry (https://repoquarry.dev/alternatives/adobe-creative-cloud). Data licence: CC BY 4.0. Quotes are from project documentation and belong to their authors.