One of the most popular image editors has a freebie that Adobe can't afford to match: ACDSee is now free for schools and students in an effort to compete with Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop is relatively expensive, which can be a significant barrier for schools with limited budgets who would like to offer it to students. ACDSee may not be as well-known as Adobe, but the company has just made its software infinitely more attractive to educational institutions.

The company announced that it will offer free access to its premium software suite to all primary and higher education establishments. The initiative includes ACDSee’s Photo Studio Ultimate, a comprehensive photo editing and management software that offers advanced editing tools, layer support and a robust organization system for photographers. We have listed it as one of the best Photoshop alternatives.

ACDSee’s new initiative also covers Photo Studio for Mac, Gemstone Photo Editor, Luxea Pro Video Editor and Video Converter Pro. The tools are versatile enough to meet a wide range of educational needs, whether it’s art, media studies, or general education, and their free price makes them even more attractive.

Free for all schools

ACDSee believes that by equipping classrooms with professional-grade software, schools will enable students to explore their creativity, develop problem-solving skills, and communicate visually in a compelling manner.

Anyone interested in participating in the program can visit ACDSee Educational Licensing for more information and to register. To qualify for this offer, users must be certified K-12 educators or accredited higher education faculty members and administrators currently engaged in teaching roles. Eligible organizations include government recognized and accredited K-12 schools, institutions of higher education, school districts and ministries of education.

Access remains valid as long as the person registering maintains their active eligibility. To keep track of this, ACDSee requires a re-verification every three years.