Make App Store Screenshots Without Photoshop
Compare Photoshop, Figma, Canva, screenshot generators, and a local browser composer for indie app launches.
You do not need Photoshop to ship store screenshots. You do need a repeatable way to add context, hit official sizes, and export a upload-ready package.
This article compares common approaches and points to a local browser workflow built for developers who already have real app captures.
Option comparison
| Approach | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Photoshop | Full art-direction control, agency workflows | Manual size variants; easy to miss a required slot |
| Figma | Collaborative design systems | Still manual export per device; cloud storage of assets |
| Canva | Quick marketing templates | Generic templates; less App Store / Play policy tooling |
| Online screenshot generators | Fast device mockups | Often subscription-based; uploads leave your machine |
| DevCove Composer | Raw captures → store layouts locally | Deterministic templates, not a full design suite |
None of these replace reading platform rules. Start with the assets guide if you are unsure which files you need.
A practical no-Photoshop path
- Capture real screens on device or simulator.
- Open the Screenshot Composer and upload up to six captures.
- Pick App Store or Google Play, choose one export size, and apply a template with headline + background.
- Review policy hints (text ratio, alpha, promotional wording on Google Play).
- Export PNG or JPEG for the active size; repeat for other presets or switch to Market Image Resizer if artwork is already flat.
For capture-to-marketing steps, see Create App Store Screenshots from Phone Captures.
When you still might use Figma or Photoshop
- Brand campaigns that need custom illustration beyond templates.
- Games with heavy key-art requirements across many locales.
- Teams that already maintain a Figma library tied to marketing ops.
Even then, export masters once and use the resizer for preset-accurate crops before upload.
Privacy and iteration speed
Browser-local tools keep captures on your machine during iteration—useful for unreleased features. DevCove does not require an account for the composer workflow and stores only small UI preferences, not image blobs.
Next steps
- Compare Apple vs Google rules: platform comparison
- Check screenshot copy policies: text & marketing rules