ArtCraft Guide

ArtCraft: 16 free open-source apps that cover the Adobe suite

ArtCraft is a set of native, open-source creative apps written in Rust, distributed free. This guide maps each app to the Adobe tool it replaces and tells you what the current builds can and cannot do.

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The short version

ArtCraft publishes sixteen separate desktop apps, not one bundle. Four are marked early alpha, which means they install and run but change quickly. The other twelve are in development.

They run on macOS, Windows and Linux — most also in a browser — and the editing apps have no subscription, no account and no credit system. The paid plans on the ArtCraft site fund a different product, the AI Studio.

In one sentence: it is the first free suite that covers the whole Adobe shape rather than one app, and it is still early enough that you should test everything on copies.

What is free, and what is not

The sixteen Craft Apps are free and open source. That includes PhotoCraft, FilmCraft, PdfCraft and the rest.

ArtCraft Studio, the AI image and video product, is credit-based and paid. The subscription funds generation compute, not access to the editors.

The full breakdown, including what the tiers include, is on the ArtCraft pricing page.

Which app replaces what

AppReplacesJobStatus
PhotoCraftPhotoshopImage editorEarly alpha
VectorCraftIllustratorVector illustrationIn development
FilmCraftPremiere ProVideo editorIn development
LightCraftLightroomPhoto library and raw developerIn development
PdfCraftAcrobatPDF workbenchEarly alpha
EffectCraftAfter EffectsMotion graphics and VFXIn development
DesignCraftInDesignPage layout and publishingIn development
FigCraftFigmaInterface designEarly alpha
TextureCraftSubstance Painter3D texture paintingIn development
MaterialCraftSubstance DesignerProcedural materialsIn development
WordCraftWordWord processingIn development
SoundCraftAuditionDigital audio workstationIn development
DeckCraftPowerPointPresentationsIn development
CADCraftAutoCADCAD and draftingIn development
GridCraftExcelSpreadsheetsIn development
Craft Anything—Software explorationEarly alpha

Where to start

If you edit photos, start with PhotoCraft and run the 20-minute test on your own layered files before trusting it.

If you work with documents, PdfCraft is one of the further-along apps and the jobs it covers are narrow enough to verify quickly.

If you design interfaces, read the FigCraft page first: for design tools the collaboration model matters more than the canvas.

If you only want the overview, the honest comparison is on the free Adobe alternatives page.

Should you switch now?

For paid work, keep your current tools and test ArtCraft on a copy of a file. Early alpha software can lose work, and that risk does not change because the software is free.

For occasional work on your own files, the trade is easier: the cost of trying is an afternoon, and the cost of staying is a subscription.

The rule that survives contact with reality is simple: switch one job at a time, after that job has passed a test on your own files.

About this site

This is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with ArtCraft or Adobe.

Every page separates what the official site states from what we could verify, and tells you what to test yourself rather than promising features. Alpha builds change, so check the official pages before you rely on any detail.

Questions

Is ArtCraft free?

The sixteen Craft Apps are free and open source. The paid plans fund the separate AI Studio product.

How many apps does ArtCraft have?

Sixteen at the time of writing.

Which app should I try first?

PhotoCraft for image editing, PdfCraft for PDF work, FigCraft for interface design. All three are early alpha.

Is ArtCraft a full Adobe replacement?

Not yet. It covers the same jobs, but most apps are still in development.

Does it work on Linux?

Yes. macOS, Windows and Linux installers are listed, and the project publishes Linux repositories.

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What ArtCraft is

Comparisons and alternatives

Individual apps

Download and setup

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