6 Best Online Photoshop Classes in 2024

If you’re thinking about becoming a graphic designer or have some sort of graphic design need, you’ve probably heard of Adobe Photoshop. After all, Photoshop is the industry standard.

Photoshop is ubiquitous, and not just in the design industry.

Even if you have never done anything graphic design-related, chances are you’ve still heard of Photoshop. The word “Photoshop” has become synonymous with graphic and photo editing. This Adobe product is so popular that we use its name as a verb and an adjective.

If someone suspects a picture of being altered, they might say it’s “Photoshopped.” And if someone wants to edit their pictures, they might say something like, “oh, I’ll just Photoshop it later.” 

It only makes sense that if you’re trying to learn graphic design, you might want to start by learning Photoshop first. And if you want to learn Photoshop fast, your best bet is to enroll in some Photoshop classes.

In this article, we’ll show you some of the best Photoshop courses available online. And if you decide that Photoshop is not for you, we also list a few alternatives you can try. Let’s get to it!

Featured Classes: Our Top Picks

Best Photoshop Classes to Improve Your Skills

• Best for Beginner Learners: (Skillshare) Adobe Photoshop CC - Essentials Training Course

• Best for Advanced Learners: (Skillshare) Adobe Photoshop CC - Advanced Training Course

• Best All-in-One Photoshop Course: (Udemy) Ultimate Adobe Photoshop Training: From Beginner to Pro

• Best Class in Bootcamp Format: (American Graphics Institute) Photoshop Bootcamp

• Best for Aspiring Graphic Designers: (Pluralsight) Photoshop for Creative Professionals
• Another Excellent A-Z Program: (CreativeLive) Adobe Photoshop CC: The Complete Guide

1. (Skillshare) Adobe Photoshop CC - Essentials Training Course - Best for Beginner Learners

• Price: One-month free trial, then $32 / month or $168 a year ($14 / month)
• Author: Daniel Scott
• Level: Beginner
• Certificate: No

Why We Chose This Course

We included this course on this list of the best Photoshop courses online because it’s one of the best Photoshop classes for beginners. Skillshare is well-known as a platform for creatives looking to upskill, and this course by Adobe Certified Trainer Daniel Scott is undoubtedly a great place to start.

Pros

• Course created by an Adobe Certified Trainer
• Excellent for learning the basics
• Skillshare is a known platform for creatives

Cons

• Skillshare follows a subscription model
• No certificate

Learn More About This Course

2. (Skillshare) Adobe Photoshop CC - Advanced Training Course - Best for Advanced Learners

• Price: One-month free trial, then $32 / month or $168 a year ($14 / month)
• Author: Daniel Scott
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced
• Certificate: No

Why We Chose This Course

As a continuation to the Essentials course, this Advanced Training course is another one of the best Photoshop classes online. It was also created by Daniel Scott, an Adobe Certified Trainer. Whether you finished the first course or not, you’ll find valuable content within.

Pros

• Course created by an Adobe Certified Trainer
• Perfect for intermediate users looking to learn more advanced concepts
• Skillshare is a known platform for creatives

Cons

• Skillshare follows a subscription model
• No certificate

Learn More About This Course

3. (Udemy) Ultimate Adobe Photoshop Training: From Beginner to Pro - Best All-in-One Photoshop Course

• Price: $149.99 full price, $17.99 when on sale

• Author: Cristian Doru Barin

• Level: Beginner+
• Certificate: Yes, for completion

Why We Chose This Course

Udemy has countless courses on various topics, including Photoshop. This Ultimate course takes you from zero to comfortable with the ins and outs of using Adobe Photoshop for design and photo editing. We chose to include this course because it’s highly rated, affordable (on sale), and walks you through everything you need to know to start your career in design.

Pros

• Udemy is an affordable and accessible platform
• Certificate of completion
• High-quality

Cons

• Udemy certificates are not as respected as those from other platforms

Learn More About This Course

4. (American Graphics Institute) Photoshop Bootcamp - Best Class in Bootcamp Format

• Price: $1,290
• Author: American Graphics Institute
• Level: Beginner
• Certificate: We were unable to find out whether this course provides a certificate, but it is part of some of AGI’s certification programs

Why We Chose This Course

Don’t let their basic website fool you — AGI (American Graphics Institute) offers some of the best training in design, UX, and more. This course is one of our top choices for the best Adobe Photoshop class in a bootcamp format. You can learn what you need within four days, though it’ll be a high-pressure environment.

It’s worth noting that AGI instructors are responsible for creating many of Adobe’s official training guides for Photoshop. AGI also offers Photoshop certification programs.

Pros

• Intensive, allows you to learn the basics and intermediate concepts of Photoshop in a few days
• AGI instructors have created some of the official books and training guides for Adobe

Cons

• Pricey
• Crammed into one week of learning

Learn More About This Course

5. (Pluralsight) Photoshop for Creative Professionals - Best for Aspiring Graphic Designers

• Price: More information here

• Standard: $29 monthly or $149 yearly

• Premium: $45 monthly or $224 yearly

• Free trials are available
• Author: Pluralsight and its team of highly qualified experts
• Level: Beginner++
• Certificate: Yes, for completion

Why We Chose This Course

This 39-hour course was created to help aspiring (and current) creative professionals learn all there is to know about Photoshop. The course will take you from the basics to the more advanced features of the tool while preparing you for your career in the field. It’s taught by highly-experienced and qualified faculty.

Pros

• Course created and curated by Pluralsight’s team of experts, including an Adobe-certified Photoshop expert
• Go from basics to advanced topics
• Pluralsight is a more affordable platform than others

Cons

• Subscription model

Learn More About This Course

6. (CreativeLive) Adobe Photoshop CC: The Complete Guide - Another Excellent A-Z Program

• Price: $99 full price, $49 on sale; free with a CreativeLive subscription which starts at $13 monthly
• Author: Ben Willmore
• Level: Beginner
• Certificate: No

Why We Chose This Course

This Photoshop guide from CreativeLive has something for everyone — whether you’re a beginner or someone who’s already quite comfortable with the graphics program. We included this course because it’s a high-quality program with nearly 150,000 past students (99% of whom recommend this class, at least according to CreativeLive). Although this claims to be a complete guide, this course is slightly geared toward photographers looking to learn Photoshop for their photography work.

Pros

• Start from the fundamentals
• Highly recommended by nearly 150,000 past students
• High quality

Cons

• No certificate
• Is somewhat geared toward photographers (not always a con)

Learn More About This Course

Online Photoshop Classes: Comparison at-a-Glance

Check Out a Few Photoshop Alternatives

Whether you’re working on a branding kit, a logo, a T-shirt, a poster, or a social media post, having a robust design tool can help simplify the process. But if, for any reason, you decide that Photoshop is not for you after all (we hate the subscription model, too), here are some alternatives you can consider:

• Affinity Photo- Affinity has been around for a few years now. They aren’t quite as big or as popular as Adobe, but they offer three tools that can go toe-to-toe with a few of Adobe’s own. Affinity Photo is their Photoshop equivalent. And you’re in luck — Affinity just released version 2 of their full suite! One of the best things about Affinity’s software is that they are all one-time purchases. No subscription necessary!

• GIMP - GIMP or Gnu Image Manipulation Program is a free and open-source image editor that can do many of the same things Photoshop can. It’s not very polished, so it does not look or feel as great as Photoshop, but you can’t beat the price of free!
• Canva - If you find yourself wanting a quick solution you can use on various platforms, Canva is an excellent option. They have a web tool, but you can also download the apps for your devices. Canva has a free option, but you’ll need to subscribe to the pro plan to get access to more features and exclusive assets.

How We Chose the Best Adobe Photoshop Courses

The courses on this list are not arranged in any particular order, so we don’t have a ranking methodology to share. However, we can share how we chose the best online Photoshop courses on this list.

Our aim is to make learning Photoshop online easier and more convenient for users like you. To achieve this goal, we first did some research to put together our initial list of courses which we then narrowed down by considering a variety of factors, such as price, value for money, quality, course provider, course duration, and more. We also spent hours researching each option by reading reviews, looking at course curricula, and trying any classes we could.

We also drew from our own decades-long experience with Adobe Photoshop going back all the way to version 6, which was released in 2000. We have used various versions of Photoshop since then and currently have the latest version, Adobe Photoshop CC 2024. All this to say, we believe we have the insight necessary to choose a few courses at our discretion.

Conclusion

Adobe Photoshop has been the golden graphic design industry standard for the past few decades — at least when it comes to raster design. There’s no doubt that it will continue to reign king for the foreseeable future, although there are now more challengers to the throne.

Because of how common and popular Photoshop is around the world, it’s a great idea for a designer like you to learn how Photoshop works, even if you intend to use other tools in your practice. One of the best and fastest ways to learn this powerful tool will always be by joining Photoshop classes.

We hope that you’ve found our recommendations helpful. If you believe we missed a course that should be on this list, let us know in the comments below!

Ready to supplement your design knowledge? Check out:

The Top Graphic Design Books Every Designer Should Read.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which course is best for Photoshop?

The best online Photoshop course depends on a few factors, such as your budget and skill level. You may also consider other factors like topics you wish to learn, the platform you prefer, and the like. In the end, only you can decide which course is the best, but we’ve done our best to provide a list of some of the top Adobe Photoshop classes today.

2. How long does it take to learn Photoshop?

It’s difficult to give an answer to this question because everyone learns at their own pace. Additionally, Photoshop has grown into an incredibly complex tool over its decades of existence — in fact, even graphic design experts who are “fluent” in Photoshop stand to learn something new every now and then. You may be able to pick up the fundamentals of this tool within a matter of weeks to a few months, but expect to continue learning over the years.

3. Are Photoshop classes worth it?

The structured learning process offered by Photoshop workshops and courses can make learning the design tool much easier overall. Courses walk you through important features one by one while also explaining how they work as well as when and why you may want to use them. In our opinion, if you want a fast and linear path to learning online, Photoshop classes are worth it.

4. How much do Photoshop courses cost?

If you’re interested in enrolling in some Photoshop courses online, price is naturally one of your foremost concerns. There’s no single answer, as prices can vary greatly — some courses are 100% free while others can cost over a thousand dollars. The price depends on a few factors, such as its format, the course provider, and whether you were able to secure a deal during a sale.