Picasa, Google’s free photo organiser and editor, was discontinued in 2016 and replaced by Google Photos.
Since then, photographers have been searching for a Picasa alternative to meet their needs.
Basic photo editing functions, such as colour enhancement, red-eye reduction, and cropping, are available in most free image software.
Picasa, on the other hand, included functionality like facial recognition, geotagging, quick image browsing, text overlays, slide shows, printing, and image sharing that are more commonly seen in premium photo editing software.
Despite Picasa being freeware, you may find that here in 2021, it’s better to invest a little in a more powerful paid alternative.
10 Best Picasa Alternatives in 2021
1. Luminar 4
- Pros:
Extensive editing features Groundbreaking AI use More accessible than Lightroom Sky replacement - Cons:
Large image collections are unsuitable for management.
There are no options for keywording or metadata.
In 2021, Luminar 4 is one of the most powerful, fully-featured pieces of editing software available, giving one-click editing options as well as the ability to go deep into an image to create a unique aesthetic.
Luminar 4 is designed for retouching individual images and gives you a lot of control.
While you may become fairly technical with your adjustments by using masking and layers, Luminar 4 is best recognised for its AI implementation.
Luminar can also replace a sky, remove an undesired area of an image, smooth the skin, and improve the eyes in a portrait with just a few clicks.
Luminar 4 is not well adapted to organising a huge number of files because of its emphasis on editing, and it lacks capabilities like facial recognition, keywords, and collections.
However, when it comes to editing your photos, it’s undoubtedly one of the greatest options, so it’s one of the worthy Picasa alternatives in that regard. You can read our full review of Luminar 4 here, or you can download it right now by clicking the button above.
2. Adobe Lightroom
Pros:
- Professional photographers use it a lot.
- Features that are both powerful and extensive
- It works on a variety of devices.
- Using presets, you can edit quickly.
Cons:
- The subscription model might be costly.
- At first, a powerful photo management system may appear to be difficult to use.
- Lightroom is a strong piece of software that has matured alongside digital cameras. Adobe has been the industry standard for image editing for decades.
“Professional photographers all across the world prefer Lightroom and with good reason.
Adobe Lightroom may not have the AI features of Luminar 4 (yet), but it does have a robust set of tools for image manipulation.”
Basic edits may be made fast and easily, and you can then use local adjustments and colour grading tools to make more intricate alterations.
Presets enable you to make quick alterations and synchronise changes across several photos.
There’s a standalone version (“Classic”) for Windows and macOS machines, as well as a “CC” version for mobile devices that allows you to synchronise your work while preserving your archive in the cloud.
Keywords, advanced filtering, and sorting are all included in Lightroom’s file management tools. If you have the funds, Lightroom is one of the best Google Picasa alternatives since it allows you to examine a large database of photographs with relative simplicity.
3. Google Photos
Pros:
- For the time being, the pros are free.
- It’s compatible with other Google apps.
- A search feature that is really powerfulCons:
- It is simple to use
- The web interface is a bit clumsy (better via the smartphone app)
Editing options are limited. - Many people hoped that Google Photos would be a good replacement for Picasa after it was discontinued, and it certainly comes close.
Google Photos is a web-based application that functions a little differently than Google Photos, which is installed on your computer.
Google Photos allows you to automatically save and sync your photos – for free if you opt to make a slight resolution compromise, though this is set to change in the summer of 2021.
Because all of your images are kept in Google’s cloud platform, Google Photos can perform complex searches, not just using keywords and other data recorded in your images, but also using Google’s artificial intelligence to figure out what’s in your photos.
This makes keywording and labelling individual photographs a thing of the past by allowing you to search for an object contained inside the image itself.
Although photo editing with Google Photos is restricted, you can rapidly add filters and adjust brightness and contrast, all of which is reversible, even if you return to the photo later.
While it isn’t one of the top three Picasa alternatives on this list, it’s hard to argue with so many free image searching capabilities. It’s also the most cost-effective solution to arrange digital images if you’re on a tight budget.
4. Darktable
Pros
- Free software
- Raw editing
- Image catalogue management
- A solid alternative to Lightroom
Cons
- Can be unstable and unintuitive
- New cameras might not yet be supported
Darktable is a free piece of software that combines file management and advanced raw editing in a single package that can be installed on Windows, Mac, or Linux devices.
Darktable is an excellent piece of free, open-source software.
Darktable lacks some of the refinement and more complex capabilities of Lightroom or Luminar, but its ability to process a wide range of raw files and employ professional-quality colour schemes makes it ideal for budget photographers.
Darktable can also be used as a file manager (albeit it isn’t quite as sophisticated as Lightroom or Picasa).
The layout of the picture editing tools and panels, as well as the interface, might be perplexing. As a result, getting to grips with Darktable can be a steep learning curve.
However, it’s a terrific choice for individuals on a budget who want to avoid paying for software, and the photo management capabilities it provides make it a strong contender as one of the finest Google Picasa alternatives.
5. Adobe Photoshop Elements
Pros:
- Combining file management with image editing
- Face recognition and other AI features are included in the smart file organisation.
- Graphics, memes, and animations are all possible.
Cons: - Different options for altering images based on expertise level
- Expensive
- Advanced photo editing tools aren’t available.
- Adobe Photoshop Elements was created with beginner photographers in mind, providing a powerful tool for picture manipulation that isn’t far off from the full version of Photoshop.
- It also has a good file management system, which is useful for keeping track of all your photos.
When it comes to photo editing, Adobe Photoshop Elements is a simpler version of its larger, far more expensive brother, ideal for individuals who don’t want to be overwhelmed by layers and brushes or superfluous intricacy.
Photoshop Elements may be a better choice than the professional version because it has useful features like smart tagging and facial recognition for organising your image collection. Elements also have the ability to search by area and even events.
Photoshop Elements is one of the greatest Picasa alternatives if you can pay the one-time charge.
6. Zoner Photo Studio X
Pros
- Image editing software that can be used in a variety of ways
- Galleries and cloud storage.
- For photo administration, a capable file management system is required.
- Subscriptions are inexpensive.
Cons:
- It’s possible that newer cameras won’t be supported.
- Other software is not as stable or speedy as this one.
- Zoner Photo Studio isn’t one of the more well-known photo editing software packages, but it’s a solid choice for photographers and a viable alternative to Picasa due to its extensive feature set and affordable pricing.
Zoner Photo Studio, on the other hand, makes it simple to organise and batch export photographs, with the possibility to automate some parts to make the process even faster.
When it comes to altering images, there are a lot of options, but the speed and stability of the photo editing features aren’t up to level with competing software.
It’s a good alternative to Lightroom if you don’t mind the somewhat slower performance, and it’s one of the finest solutions for the price if you don’t require the powerful editing features available in Photoshop.
In addition, new features are added on a regular basis.
Overall, if you’re looking for Picasa alternatives, Zoner is a good option.
While the UI is simple and intuitive, the file management system is lacking in features, as it lacks the AI and smart search capabilities of many of its competitors.
7. Microsoft Photos
- Free
- User friendly
- Also a video editor
- Uses AI to identify faces and objects
- Only works on Microsoft-based machines
- Limited photo editing features
Microsoft Photos is straightforward, user-friendly software designed for Windows machines (it comes pre-installed!) and devices, as well as HoloLens and Xbox One.
It’s great for organising and browsing your images, as well as doing some basic photo and video editing.
It can be set up to synchronise with a Microsoft OneDrive account so that your photographs are backed up to the cloud, and it has a user-friendly interface that makes managing your library a breeze.
Microsoft Photos will recognise faces and objects thanks to artificial intelligence, making it easier to search through your photos. The software will generate slideshows based on locations and dates, as well as what it considers to be your greatest photographs.
Cropping, applying filters, removing redeye, adding text, and other basic photo editing functions are available.
While Microsoft Photos will meet the demands of most casual users, it lacks more advanced features such as panorama stitching and intelligent object removal.
However, as a basic Picasa substitute, it performs admirably, especially given that it is entirely free.
8. Apple Photos
- Free
- Easy to use
- Facial recognition
- Can edit raw files
- MacOS and iOS only
- No automated sharing options to non-Apple platforms
Apple Photos is pre-installed on MacOS Macs, and its style is inspired by Apple’s sleek interface.
If you’re already familiar with the environment, the Apple Photos UI will feel even more natural.
Importing photographs and videos are simple, and your media may be synced with Apple’s iCloud to back up your assets automatically.
Apple Photos can also be used to arrange photos. Keywords, geotags, ratings, and favourites are used to manage images, and Apple Photos can search intelligently by recognising people and things in your photos.
Cropping, rotating, removing blemishes, and applying basic adjustments like contrast, shadows, and black point, as well as employing Apple Photos’ smart Auto Enhance tool, are all possible.
Apple Photos will process raw files from common camera brands, but advanced capabilities such as stitching and content-aware object removal are not accessible.
If you take Live Photos with an Apple iPhone, you may edit them in a variety of ways, including video.
If you already own a Mac computer, Apple Photos is the most appealing of all the Google Picasa alternatives on this list. It’s powerful and simple to use, and it gets better with each MacOS release.
9. ACDSee
- Various versions available according to your needs
- Options to process raw files and edit photos using layers
- Powerful editing tools
- Facial recognition and geotagging
- Complex interface
- No version for mobile devices
ACDSee is available in a variety of versions, depending on your operating system and whether you want to organise your collection, edit your photographs, or do both.
ACDSee Photo Studio Professional 2021 for Windows allows you to process raw files, while ACDSee Ultimate allows you to do multilayer adjustments to your photographs.
Photo Studio for Mac 7 is available for Mac users, however, it lacks a few capabilities such as facial recognition.
ACDSee is a formidable competitor to Lightroom, however, some users believe the interface to be more difficult to use and the user experience to be less pleasant.
ACDSee Ultimate, the best among Picasa alternatives, will organise your catalogue, allowing you to easily categorise, rate, and search through your files.
Advanced editing features, including focus stacking and HDR generation, are also accessible, and unlike Lightroom, you may add text and rudimentary graphics to your photographs.
10. Phototheca
- Low cost, single purchase
- Simple and effective
- Facial recognition
- Import from different sources and devices
- Photo editing is quite basic
- PC only
Phototheca is a Windows application that allows users to organise a big library of photographs (perhaps hundreds of thousands) without slowing down their computers.
Phototheca allows you to quickly and easily import photographs and movies from a variety of sources and devices, such as a memory card or a home network.
You may organise your digital media by events, date, and keywords, or create albums by dragging photographs and videos into them. Alternatively, you can use Phototheca’s facial recognition service.
You may also use Smart Albums, which allow you to set Phototheca particular rules and have it automatically gather all of the matching photographs.
Although the editing possibilities are limited, Phototheca is an excellent and economical among Picasa alternatives for Windows users who have a large archive of photographs to organise.
