[Home](https://www.selecthub.com/) \> [Photo Editing Software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/photo-editing-software/) \> [Photoshop](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/photoshop/) \> Photoshop vs ACDSee Photo Studio # Photoshop vs ACDSee Photo Studio Last Updated: May 18th, 2026 Our analysts compared [Photoshop](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/photoshop/) vs [ACDSee Photo Studio](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/acdsee-photo-studio/) based on data from our 400+ point analysis of [Photo Editing Software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/photo-editing-software/), user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our [free software selection platform](https://www.selecthub.com/about/start-free-selection-project-site/?category=Photo Editing Software&cta=photo-editing-software). [Overview](#product-overview) [Pricing](#product-pricing) [Our Review](#product-analyst-summary) [User Ratings](#user-sentiment-section) [Features](#product-benefits-features) [Analyst Ratings](#analyst-rating-section) [Comparison Charts](#product-comparison-charts) [Screenshots](#product-screenshots) Remove Add to Compare [![Photoshop Software Tool](https://cdn.selecthub.com/products/b75f4cd91723baa6327b03ddf0b8ebf6-785178a3511d251cecce7698cc99aa28/resources/normal/logo.png?1736783391)](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/photoshop/) [ ![Product Awards](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/awards_badge.svg) ](#awards-section) Remove Add to Compare [![ACDSee Photo Studio Software Tool](https://cdn.selecthub.com/products/29524de15c2dd7ad71bcec153fcb3717-445759da491748ebfd99ce80e084e687/resources/normal/logo.png?1725474282)](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/acdsee-photo-studio/) [Get Free Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Photo+Editing+Software&product%5Fname=Photoshop&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Fb75f4cd91723baa6327b03ddf0b8ebf6-785178a3511d251cecce7698cc99aa28%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1736783391) [Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Photo+Editing+Software&product%5Fname=Photoshop&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Fb75f4cd91723baa6327b03ddf0b8ebf6-785178a3511d251cecce7698cc99aa28%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1736783391) [Request Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Photo+Editing+Software&product%5Fname=Photoshop&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Fb75f4cd91723baa6327b03ddf0b8ebf6-785178a3511d251cecce7698cc99aa28%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1736783391&price=1) [Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Photo+Editing+Software&product%5Fname=Photoshop&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Fb75f4cd91723baa6327b03ddf0b8ebf6-785178a3511d251cecce7698cc99aa28%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1736783391&price=1) [Get Free Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Photo+Editing+Software&product%5Fname=ACDSee%2BPhoto%2BStudio&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F29524de15c2dd7ad71bcec153fcb3717-445759da491748ebfd99ce80e084e687%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1725474282) [Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Photo+Editing+Software&product%5Fname=ACDSee%2BPhoto%2BStudio&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F29524de15c2dd7ad71bcec153fcb3717-445759da491748ebfd99ce80e084e687%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1725474282) [Request Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Photo+Editing+Software&product%5Fname=ACDSee%2BPhoto%2BStudio&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F29524de15c2dd7ad71bcec153fcb3717-445759da491748ebfd99ce80e084e687%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1725474282&price=2) [Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Photo+Editing+Software&product%5Fname=ACDSee%2BPhoto%2BStudio&product%5Flogo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2F29524de15c2dd7ad71bcec153fcb3717-445759da491748ebfd99ce80e084e687%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1725474282&price=2) ### Products Insights Overall Rating Comparison [ Analyst Rating 80 Detailed Analysis ](#analyst-rating-section) [ User Sentiment ![Excellent User Sentiment](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/scores/excellent.svg) (18920 Reviews) ](#user-sentiment-section) [ Analyst Rating 70 Detailed Analysis ](#analyst-rating-section) [ User Sentiment ![Great User Sentiment](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/scores/great.svg) (337 Reviews) ](#user-sentiment-section) Price Starts From $9.99 Monthly [ Free Trial is available →](https://pmo.selecthub.com/free-trial/?product%5Fname=Photoshop&category=Photo Editing Software&product%5Flogo=https://d3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net/products/b75f4cd91723baa6327b03ddf0b8ebf6-785178a3511d251cecce7698cc99aa28/resources/normal/logo.png?1736783391) $49.95 One-Time [ Free Trial is available →](https://pmo.selecthub.com/free-trial/?product%5Fname=ACDSee Photo Studio&category=Photo Editing Software&product%5Flogo=https://d3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net/products/29524de15c2dd7ad71bcec153fcb3717-445759da491748ebfd99ce80e084e687/resources/normal/logo.png?1725474282) Pros What we like about Photoshop and ACDSee Photo Studio: * Widely recognized as the industry standard across creative fields, making collaboration easier * AI tools like Generative Fill and Neural Filters handle complex edits with less manual effort * Layer-based system supports precise, non-destructive compositing and masking * Integrates tightly with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps for a connected workflow * One-time purchase means no recurring subscription fees to manage * Built-in digital asset management handles large photo libraries without a separate app * AI face edit tools speed up portrait retouching workflows * RAW support covers files from more than 500 camera models Cons What we dislike about Photoshop and ACDSee Photo Studio: * Subscription model adds up over time, which can strain tighter budgets * Steep learning curve means new users need considerable time before becoming productive * Native RAW editing requires the Adobe Camera RAW plugin rather than working out of the box * Selection tools are clunky and less precise, making detailed edits harder than they should be * AI keywording is often inaccurate, reducing its usefulness for organizing large libraries * Lacks the depth of advanced editing and compositing features that professional work demands ### Our Review **Bottom line:** Photoshop is the stronger pick if you need professional-grade editing and work within the Adobe ecosystem. ACDSee Photo Studio makes more sense if you want a budget-friendly, all-in-one tool for photo management and everyday editing without a subscription. Photoshop's layer-based editing system is one of its biggest strengths. It lets you stack adjustments, masks, and composites without touching the original image, and tools like Content-Aware Fill and the Pen Tool give you a level of precision that's hard to match. ACDSee takes a different approach — it combines editing with a full digital asset management system, so you can catalog, tag, and search large photo libraries without leaving the app. Both products include AI-powered features, but they work differently. Photoshop's Generative Fill and Neural Filters are built for creative manipulation — removing objects, transforming portraits, generating backgrounds. ACDSee's AI tools focus more on organization and retouching, like face recognition for tagging and AI face edit for targeted portrait adjustments. Users do note that ACDSee's AI keywording misidentifies content often enough to limit how much you can rely on it. On pricing, Photoshop starts at $9.99 per month. ACDSee Photo Studio starts at $49.95 as a one-time purchase. If you're comparing long-term costs, ACDSee's perpetual license will be cheaper over time, though Photoshop's subscription includes regular updates and full Creative Cloud access. Photoshop does have a real learning curve — it takes time to get comfortable with the interface and master the toolset. ACDSee is more approachable for everyday photographers, but users report that its selection tools are less precise, which becomes a problem when you need detailed edits. If you're a professional who needs the full toolkit and already works with Adobe apps, Photoshop is the clear choice. If you're a hobbyist or photographer who wants capable editing plus solid asset management at a one-time cost, ACDSee is worth considering — just know it won't match Photoshop's depth for complex creative work. ### Analyst Rating Summary Overall Scores Based on the research and analysis by SelectHub's team of research analysts, Photoshop has an analyst rating of 80\. By comparison ACDSee Photo Studio has an analyst rating of 70\. 80 70 Features Comparison **Advanced Editing Tools** Enables precise control over image manipulation, allowing users to enhance color, adjust lighting, and apply creative effects to achieve desired visual outcomes. 96 82 **Basic Editing Tools** Provides essential tools for common image adjustments, such as cropping, resizing, and color correction, allowing users to quickly improve image quality and composition. 100 98 **Collaboration** Enables teams to work together on image projects, share feedback, and track changes, improving efficiency and communication. 75 39 [Show More](#) [Show More](https://pmo.selecthub.com/customize-data/?category=Photo Editing Software) Strengths The best features of Photoshop and ACDSee Photo Studio as judged by user reviews and analyst validation. Basic Editing Tools Security Advanced Editing Tools Platform Capabilities User Interface and Experience Basic Editing Tools User Interface and Experience Platform Capabilities ### Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements [Customize This Data](#) [Customize This Data](https://pmo.selecthub.com/customize-data/?category=Photo Editing Software) How Photoshop and ACDSee Photo Studio compare against the top 5 functional requirements as defined by SelectHub project data. Photoshop ACDSee Photo Studio \+ Add Product [\+ Add Product](https://pmo.selecthub.com/customize-data/?category=Photo Editing Software) Advanced Editing Tools Basic Editing Tools Collaboration Platform Capabilities User Interface AndExperience 96 100 75 91 91 82 98 39 87 90 0 25 50 75 100 Implementation Level of Effort Estimation **Tier 1:** Fully/moderately supported out-of-the-box allowing for quick and easy deployment. [Read more](#) **Tier 2:** Supported with workarounds or add-ons that may require additional costs. **Tier 3:** Requires partner integrations or custom development that is often at an additional cost. **Advanced Editing Tools** Enables precise control over image manipulation, allowing users to enhance color, adjust lighting, and apply creative effects to achieve desired visual outcomes. 92% 8% 0% 85% 0% 15% **Basic Editing Tools** Provides essential tools for common image adjustments, such as cropping, resizing, and color correction, allowing users to quickly improve image quality and composition. 100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% **Collaboration** Enables teams to work together on image projects, share feedback, and track changes, improving efficiency and communication. 75% 0% 25% 25% 25% 50% **Platform Capabilities** Offers flexible deployment options, scalable architecture, and robust integrations, enabling organizations to customize and optimize their photo editing workflows. 75% 25% 0% 83% 8% 9% **User Interface And Experience** Provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface, allowing users to easily navigate tools, adjust settings, and apply effects, enhancing the overall photo editing experience. 100% 0% 0% 80% 20% 0% **Customize This Data For Your Unique Needs** and compare feature capabilities head-to-head [CUSTOMIZE NOW](#) [CUSTOMIZE NOW](https://pmo.selecthub.com/customize-data/?category=Photo Editing Software) ### Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements [Customize This Data](#) [Customize This Data](https://pmo.selecthub.com/customize-data/?category=Photo Editing Software) Implementation Level of Effort Estimation **Tier 1:** Fully/moderately supported out-of-the-box allowing for quick and easy deployment. [Read more](#) **Tier 2:** Supported with workarounds or add-ons that may require additional costs. **Tier 3:** Requires partner integrations or custom development that is often at an additional cost. **Integrations** Connects the photo editing software with other design and productivity tools, streamlining workflows and improving overall creative efficiency. 60% 40% 0% 60% 0% 40% **Security** Safeguards sensitive image data and user information, protecting intellectual property and ensuring data privacy. 100% 0% 0% 80% 0% 20% **Requirements Summary** Of typical requirements, 77.4% are fully supported out of the box by Photoshop including Basic Editing Tools, Advanced Editing Tools and Security. ACDSee Photo Studio supports 56.6% and excels at Basic Editing Tools, Advanced Editing Tools and Platform Capabilities. Photoshop has an analyst rating of 80 and a user sentiment rating of 'excellent' based on 18920 reviews, while ACDSee Photo Studio has an analyst rating of 70 and a user sentiment rating of 'great' based on 337 reviews. ### User Sentiment Summary Photoshop has a user sentiment rating of 92 based on 18920 reviews. ACDSee Photo Studio has a user sentiment rating of 88 based on 337 reviews. ![Excellent User Sentiment](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/scores/excellent.svg) 18920 reviews ![Great User Sentiment](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/scores/great.svg) 337 reviews Synopsis Evaluating all review platforms, our market analysts have compiled the following user sentiment data. 92% of users recommend this product Photoshop has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 18920 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites. 88% of users recommend this product ACDSee Photo Studio has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 337 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites. User Review Scores **FinancesOnline** **4.5** (19) n/a **G2.com, Inc** **4.6** (13154) **4.4** (276) **Capterra Inc** **4.8** (2381) **4.5** (61) **Gartner, Inc** **4.5** (122) n/a **TrustRadius** **4.6** (3244) n/a ### Awards SelectHub awards earned by these products based on a comprehensive analysis by our research analysts. SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Photoshop and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Photo Editing Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Basic Editing Tools and Security. Photoshop stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite. ![Analysts' Pick Award]() ![User Favorite Award]() Show more ![Basic Editing Tools Award]() ![Security Award]() No awards. ### Product Assistance Training Resources Documentation In Person Live Online Videos Webinars Documentation In Person Live Online Videos Webinars Support Email Phone Chat FAQ Forum Knowledge Base 24/7 Live Support Email Phone Chat FAQ Forum Knowledge Base 24/7 Live Support ### Product Basics Company Size i Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Platforms Supported Windows Mac Linux Android Chromebook Windows Mac Linux Android Chromebook Deployment Supported Cloud On-Premise Mobile Cloud On-Premise Mobile Comparison of Top Alternatives [ Photoshop Alternatives](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop/alternatives/) [ ACDSee Photo Studio Alternatives](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/acdsee-photo-studio/alternatives/) ### Screenshots ![Screenshots]() ![Screenshots]() ### Key Features * **Layer-based editing** – Lets you stack adjustments, masks, and composited elements so every change stays non-destructive and fully reversible. * **AI-powered tools** – Generative Fill and Neural Filters handle complex edits like object removal and portrait transformation with less manual work than traditional methods. * **Selection precision** – Magic Wand, Lasso, Quick Selection, and the Pen Tool give you fine-grained control over exactly which pixels you're editing. * **Content-Aware Fill** – Analyzes surrounding pixels to fill in removed areas naturally, making it straightforward to clean up distracting elements. * **Adobe ecosystem integration** – Works directly with Illustrator, InDesign, and other Creative Cloud apps, keeping assets and libraries consistent across projects. * **Layer-based editing** – Supports non-destructive edits through layers, letting you build complex compositions without altering the original file. * **AI face editing** – Targets adjustments to specific facial features for portrait retouching, reducing the manual selection work typically involved in face edits. * **Digital asset management** – Built-in cataloging with keyword tagging, facial recognition, and metadata tools lets you organize and search large photo libraries from within the app. * **RAW image processing** – Handles RAW files from more than 500 camera models, giving photographers direct access to full-quality source data during editing. * **Specialty output tools** – Focus stacking and panorama stitching let you combine multiple exposures or frames into a single image with greater depth of field or wider coverage. ### Top Alternatives in Photo Editing Software [ ACDSee Photo Studio ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/acdsee-photo-studio/) [ Affinity Photo ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/affinity-photo/) [ Capture One Pro ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/capture-one-pro/) [ DxO PhotoLab ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/dxo-photolab/) [ Fotor ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/fotor/) [ GIMP ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/gimp/) [ Lightroom ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/lightroom/) [ Luminar Neo ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/luminar-neo/) [ Movavi Photo Editor ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/movavi-photo-editor/) [ ON1 Photo RAW ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/on1-photo-raw/) [ PaintShop Pro ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/paintshop-pro/) [ PhotoDirector 365 ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/photodirector-365/) [ Photoroom ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/photoroom/) [ Pixlr ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/pixlr/) [ Polarr ](https://www.selecthub.com/p/photo-editing-software/polarr/) ### Head-to-Head Comparison ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![Affinity Photo Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS Affinity Photo](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-affinity-photo/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![DxO PhotoLab Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS DxO PhotoLab](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-dxo-photolab/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![Fotor Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS Fotor](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-fotor/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![GIMP Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS GIMP](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-gimp/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![Lightroom Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS Lightroom](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-lightroom/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![Luminar Neo Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS Luminar Neo](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-luminar-neo/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![ON1 Photo RAW Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS ON1 Photo RAW](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-on1-photo-raw/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![PaintShop Pro Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS PaintShop Pro](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-paintshop-pro/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![Photoroom Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS Photoroom](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-photoroom/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![Pixlr Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS Pixlr](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-pixlr/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![Polarr Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS Polarr](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-polarr/) ![Photoshop Software Tool]() ![Ribbet Software Tool]() [Photoshop VS Ribbet](https://www.selecthub.com/photo-editing-software/photoshop-vs-ribbet/) **About SelectHub (and our data)** We’re the employee-owned Austin-based startup democratizing software data so you can make your decisions in an influence-free zone. Our market data is crowdsourced from our user-base of 100,000+ companies. WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more... ![SelectHub Products Reporting and Analytics]() [ Build Your Requirements](https://pmo.selecthub.com/software-requirements/?category=Photo%20Editing%20Software&campaign%5Fname=Photo%20Editing%20Requirements) ![SelectHub Products Cost and Pricing Guide]() [ Get Your Free Comparison Report](https://pmo.selecthub.com/request-custom-scorecard/?category=Photo%20Editing%20Software) **Tier 1:** Fully/moderately supported out-of-the-box allowing for quick and easy deployment. Fully or moderately supported out-of-the-box with industry-leading capabilities and is immediately available after installation without needing any add-ons, integrations, or custom development. **Tier 2:** Supported with workarounds or add-ons that may require additional costs. Not directly available in the software, but can be accomplished using other built-in features, workarounds, or add-ons/products from the vendor with or without any additional cost. **Tier 3:** Requires partner integrations or custom development that is often at an additional cost. Requires additional integrations, plugins, marketplace applications from a third-party vendor, or custom development using the APIs, libraries, extensions, and development framework supported by the software, with or without any additional cost. 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