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GIMP
Free, open-source raster image editor with layers, masks, and clone and heal tools, used as a no-cost Photoshop substitute.
Visit siteRanking created by SGM Creative · How we rank
GIMP is ranked 10 of 11 photo editors in 2026, with a score of 5.8/10 (tier Solid).
Vendor tagline: "The Free & Open Source Image Editor"
Score breakdown
| Skin retouching depth | 18/30 |
| Predictable cost | 15/25 |
| Fits a pro workflow | 0/20 |
| Try before you buy | 10/10 |
| Platforms | 10/10 |
| Kept up to date | 5/5 |
| Total | 5.8/10 |
Facts
- Vendor
- The GIMP Team
- Price model
- free
- Entry price
- Free
- Works in
- standalone, darktable, RawTherapee
- Platforms
- mac, windows
- Apple Silicon native
- Yes
- Latest update
- v3.2.6, released 2026-09-10 (source: https://www.gimp.org/news/2026/09/10/gimp-3-2-6-released/)
Reviews
- G2: 4.3 from 1484 reviews
Strengths
- Free and open source, with donations as the only payment option
- Heal tool blends cloned pixels into their surroundings to remove small flaws such as wrinkles
- Separate native installers for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and one Windows installer covering x86_64 and ARM64
Watch-outs
- Most RAW formats are not opened natively; GIMP passes them to an installed raw developer such as darktable or RawTherapee
- The GIMP team provides no package on Apple's App Store; listings there are from third parties
- macOS builds require macOS 11 or newer and the Windows installer requires Windows 10 version 1903 or newer
Data verified on 2026-10-30. Re-assessed every two weeks. No payment can change this score. Spotted a mistake? Send a correction.
Sources
- https://www.gimp.org/
- https://www.gimp.org/downloads/
- https://www.gimp.org/news/2026/09/10/gimp-3-2-6-released/
- https://docs.gimp.org/3.2/en/gimp-tool-heal.html
- https://docs.gimp.org/3.0/en/gimp-prefs-import-export.html
- https://www.g2.com/products/gimp/reviews
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