What the official sources describe

  • Windows, Apple-silicon Mac, Linux and browser entries
  • Focuses on editable PSD objects
  • Developer publishes a PSD test method and sample results

Before you choose

  • Editing is RGB/RGBA 8-bit; CMYK/Lab and 16/32-bit editing are not supported in the documented scope.
  • No GPU acceleration; some Smart Filters have limits.

A recent editor with explicit boundaries

Patchy is an MIT-licensed image editor by Seth A. Robinson. The official repository supplies Windows, Apple-silicon Mac, Linux and browser entries. Its README records version 1.07 on October 7, 2026. Use that repository to identify the current build and platform instructions.

The project emphasizes objects inside PSD files that can remain editable. The author publishes sample testing and a method, which is more useful than an unqualified compatibility slogan. Those are the author’s results; this site has not reproduced them and does not convert them into an independent score.

Color depth changes the decision

The documented editing pipeline is RGB/RGBA 8-bit. Importing a file in a different color space and converting it to RGB is different from editing natively in CMYK or Lab. The repository also lists limitations around 16/32-bit editing, GPU acceleration and some Smart Filters.

For a web graphic or a simple layered RGB document, these boundaries may be acceptable. For a print handoff, high-bit-depth photograph or smart-filter-heavy document, inspect the requirements before attempting a migration. A visually similar preview cannot establish that the output preserves the original color workflow.

Desktop, browser and plugin questions

Choose an official entry that fits your operating system, and test the same copy of a PSD in the build you intend to use. Do not assume the browser and desktop editions have identical limits or that a Photoshop plugin works merely because a plugin workflow is mentioned.

Record text editability, mask behavior and the saved file separately. If your requirement is a desktop editor with local selection models, compare Photon Studio. If you need a browser-first PSD workflow, compare Photopea. The right shortlist starts with the document, not a feature-count contest.

Need to verify your files?

Start with text, masks, effects and a save-and-reopen round trip. Record the exact build.

Use the PSD checklist ↗

Sources and scope

Public information checked 2026-10-10. Platform, pricing and capability statements come from the official sources below. This page does not publish independent test scores.