Free alternative to Photoshop Generative Fill
Home › Guides · Last checked 2026-10-23 · Facts verified from each project's docs unless marked tested
The closest free alternative to Photoshop's Generative Fill is Krita AI Diffusion, a free GPL-3.0 plugin for the free, open-source krita.org image editor. Select an area, type a prompt and it fills, expands or removes content using open models such as Flux 2 and Stable Diffusion XL, all on your own computer. The catch: the installation guide asks for an NVIDIA RTX 2060 or better (or Apple Silicon, Intel Arc 8GB or an AMD ROCm card), models take 10GB at minimum and often 50GB+, and CPU-only runs are very slow.
| Photoshop Generative Fill | Krita + AI Diffusion plugin | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Photoshop membership or free trial; uses generative credits (Adobe generative credits overview) | Free (optional paid cloud service) |
| Runs where | Adobe's Firefly cloud | Your GPU, via a ComfyUI backend the plugin installs |
| Models | Adobe Firefly, plus partner models per Adobe's FAQ | Flux 2, Z-Image, Stable Diffusion 1.5 and XL, Illustrious or your own |
| Limits | Monthly credit allocation | Your hardware and disk space |
| License | Commercial subscription | Krita GPL; plugin GPL-3.0 |
| Catch | Ongoing cost; not available in China, per Adobe | Needs a strong GPU and 10GB+ for models |
Set it up in 5 steps
- Install Krita 5.2 or newer from krita.org. On Windows, the guide recommends the krita.org download over the Windows Store or Steam versions, and on Linux the AppImage over Flatpak.
- Download the plugin ZIP from the plugin releases.
- In Krita, go to Tools ▸ Scripts ▸ Import Python Plugin from File, pick the ZIP, enable it and restart Krita.
- Create a document, then turn on Settings ▸ Dockers ▸ AI Image Generation.
- Click Configure, choose Local Managed Server, pick the backend for your GPU (CUDA, ROCm or XPU) and a workload, then install. Expect a large download.
Generative fill the Krita way
Make a selection over the area you want to change, describe what should be there and generate. The README lists selections as the way to fill, expand and add or remove objects, and the History panel lets you preview results and browse earlier generations.
The catches
- GPU: without a supported graphics card it's very slow or fails on memory.
- Disk: 10GB minimum for models, 50GB+ is common with optional packages.
- Learning curve: Krita isn't Photoshop, so expect to relearn some shortcuts.
- Support: the plugin's issues go to its GitHub and Discord, not official Krita channels.
When Photoshop is still worth paying for
If you already work in Photoshop every day, need Adobe's Firefly models or don't have a capable GPU, the membership keeps everything in one familiar app. Krita AI Diffusion wins when you want unlimited local generations with no credits and are happy to set up a free editor.
Sources: Krita AI Diffusion README and GitHub license (GPL-3.0), plugin releases (v1.53.0, August 22, 2026), plugin installation guide, krita.org, Adobe Generative Fill page and FAQ, Adobe generative credits overview (all checked 2026-10-23). We have no affiliate link with either. See all free image tools or read free Cleanup.pictures alternative.
FAQ
Is Photoshop's Generative Fill free?
No. Adobe's FAQ (checked 2026-10-23) says you get Generative Fill and a set number of generative credits with a Photoshop membership or a free trial. Adobe's credits overview says plans include a monthly credit allocation and you buy more by upgrading a Firefly plan or adding a credit plan. Adobe's plans page loads prices dynamically, so we don't quote a figure.
Is Krita AI Diffusion really free?
Yes. The plugin is GPL-3.0 on GitHub, and krita.org says Krita itself is licensed under the GNU GPL and is free and open source forever. The plugin also offers an optional paid online service if you don't have a GPU; running it locally costs nothing.
What can it do?
The README lists inpainting (use selections for generative fill, expand and adding or removing objects), live painting, upscaling to 4k and 8k, text-instruction edit models, ControlNet, reference images through IP-Adapter and per-region prompts.
What hardware do I need?
The installation guide lists an NVIDIA RTX 2060 or better, Apple Silicon (M1 to M5), Intel Arc with 8GB or more, or an AMD card with ROCm. CPU works but is very slow. The README recommends at least 6GB of VRAM on NVIDIA.
Which Krita version do I need?
Krita 5.2.0 or newer with the 1.x plugin. The guide says Krita 6.x users need the 2.x plugin, which it lists as coming soon. Krita 5.3.4 and 6.0.4 were released September 15, 2026.
Can I use the results commercially?
Krita and the plugin are open source, but each AI model has its own license. Check the license of the model you download before using images commercially.