Behind the name ArtCraft is an ambitious project: rebuilding, app by app, the creative software designers use every day, as free, open-source versions. The project is led by Brandon Thomas who, according to the specialist press, says he wrote these apps with the help of AI. The project's own page is getartcraft.com.

The apps in the suite

  • PhotoCraft: image editing, modelled on Photoshop (early alpha).
  • VectorCraft: vector illustration, modelled on Illustrator (in development).
  • FilmCraft: video editing, modelled on Premiere.
  • LightCraft: photo library and RAW developer, modelled on Lightroom.
  • PdfCraft: reading, combining and securing PDFs, modelled on Acrobat (early alpha).
  • EffectCraft: motion graphics and effects, modelled on After Effects.
  • DesignCraft: page layout, modelled on InDesign.
  • And five more apps outside the creative field: word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, audio and technical drawing.

All are announced for macOS, Windows and Linux, and almost all as browser versions.

What appeals to a designer

  • The price: free. In a trade where subscriptions weigh on every month, an alternative with no licence changes the equation, especially for a freelancer or a student.
  • An interface you already know. The tools, panels and shortcuts are the ones you've used for years. There is almost nothing to relearn.
  • Working locally. Your files stay on your computer, with no detour through a cloud.
  • Fluidity. Written as native code, the apps feel responsive.

The reservations to keep in mind

  • How far along they are. Only two apps are in early alpha, the others are in development. The project itself acknowledges that PhotoCraft is not yet a replacement for Photoshop in daily professional use.
  • Bugs. Published hands-on reports mention unpredictable behaviour and slowdowns in the current versions.
  • Compatibility. Plug-ins and complex files don't necessarily behave as they do in the original software.
  • Longevity. A recent project, led by a small team, still has to prove it will be kept up and maintained.
  • Fake sites. Other websites use the ArtCraft name without being the official site: only download from getartcraft.com or the project's GitHub repository.

What is it good for today?

As it stands, these apps are well suited to discovering, practising, stop-gap fixes or personal projects. For a client deliverable, I recommend keeping your usual software and using ArtCraft alongside it, checking every export, especially a logo's file formats.

For the two apps that bear directly on logos and images, see my dedicated articles: VectorCraft, the free alternative to Illustrator and PhotoCraft, the free alternative to Photoshop.

Frequently asked questions about ArtCraft

Is ArtCraft really free?
Yes. The apps are announced as free and open source, under permissive licences. The project plans to fund itself through optional paid access to its image model, not through the apps themselves.

Can ArtCraft replace Photoshop or Illustrator?
Not yet for daily professional use. The apps are in alpha or in development. They are useful for testing, learning or stop-gap fixes, but it's better to keep your usual software for client deliverables.

Where can I download ArtCraft safely?
Only from the official site, getartcraft.com, or the project's GitHub repository. Other sites use the same name without being official.

My take as a designer

What strikes me isn't only that it's free, it's the fidelity to habits built over years of practice. Being able to open an app and find your tools, your panels and your reflexes, without a subscription, is a real change. It remains to be seen whether the project will last.

A free tool is only worth something if it's reliable: test it with nothing at stake before trusting it with a client project.

To sum up

ArtCraft brings together twelve free, open-source apps that reproduce the interface of Adobe's software.

They appeal through being free, fluid and familiar, but are still in alpha or in development.

Test them alongside your usual software, without trusting them straight away with a client deliverable.