# GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra > With the help of Capterra, learn about GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Graphic Design products and more. Source: https://www.capterra.com/compare/168435-168960/Graphic-Design-Studio-vs-GIMP --- # GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on March 13, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[Users](#users)[Pros and Cons](#pros-cons)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) ## What is GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)? On-premise graphics manipulation platform that enables graphic designers, photographers and others to create design elements, icons, scripted images and more using various programming languages. ## What is GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) used for? [Graphic Design](https://www.capterra.com/graphic-design-software/) Overall rating Based on 3,492 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 89% Neutral 10% Negative 1% Pros & cons Customizable open-source platform Comprehensive image editing suite Frequent crashes and glitches Sluggish performance on large files Contact vendor for pricing Free trial not available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=https://www.gimp.org&name=GIMP \(GNU Image Manipulation Program\)) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) 4.4 (3,492) VS. [4.6 (1,228)](https://www.capterra.com/p/174232/adobe-express/reviews/) Starting Price Contact vendor Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 3.9 (3,492) Ease Of Use 4.5 (13,223) Value For Money 4.8 (2,490) Value For Money 4.4 (10,013) Customer Service 4.0 (1,752) Customer Service 4.4 (8,206) ## GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) alternatives [Canva](https://www.capterra.com/p/168956/Canva/) [4.7 (13,235)](https://www.capterra.com/p/168956/Canva/reviews/) Starting price $15.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/168956/Canva/) [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) [4.8 (2,433)](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/reviews/) Starting price $22.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Highest Rated [Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/) [4.8 (8,641)](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/reviews/) Starting price $22.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 98% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/) [Fotor](https://www.capterra.com/p/181589/Fotor/) [4.5 (1,092)](https://www.capterra.com/p/181589/Fotor/reviews/) Starting price $8.99 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 92% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/181589/Fotor/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/168960/GIMP/alternatives/) ## Who uses GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)? Based on Capterra reviews from the past 2 years ## Pros and Cons Customizable open-source platform 97% positive reviews out of 313 Most reviewers describe open source as highly adaptable, budget-friendly, and supported by frequent community-driven updates. Mohammed A Researcher, 501 - 1,000 employees. "Due to its open-source nature, it also allows for user-specific adaptations. Because it can run on Windows, Mac, and Linux, GIMP is more widely used." Frequent crashes and glitches 63% negative reviews out of 229 Most users report bugs and issues, such as program crashes, lost toolbars, and unreliable font or plugin support. Balamurugan S Graphic Designer, 11 - 50 employees. "Also, sometimes the software crashes, resulting loss of work." Comprehensive image editing suite 94% positive reviews out of 250 Most reviewers find image manipulation tools extensive, enabling both basic and advanced photo editing tasks easily. Wiktoria S Content media specialist, 1 employee. "One of the standout features of GIMP is its extensive range of tools and functionalities, offering a powerful suite for image manipulation and editing." Sluggish performance on large files 69% negative reviews out of 185 Most users report performance and speed issues, including slow startup, lag, and delays with big images or complex edits. Rono K Web Developer, 1 employee. "I do not like how slow GIMP gets when you have an old computer model, as I do." Free photoshop alternative for all 97% positive reviews out of 147 Most users comment alternative provides similar image editing capabilities as Photoshop, without costly licensing fees. Complex and confusing interface 66% negative reviews out of 143 Most reviewers indicate menu navigation is unintuitive, with hidden features and a steep learning curve for new users. Shaun G Manager, Managed IT, 201 - 500 employees. "It also doesn't scale the menu's well with resolution but can make the tool harder to use than it should be on higher res displays." ## Features Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically. Image Editing 4.6 (981) 67.58% of 981 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) offers a comprehensive set of editing tools, including filters, cropping, color correction, and brushes. Reviewers appreciate its versatility, Photoshop compatibility, and free access, though some mention a learning curve and occasional interface confusion. Pattern, Color & Art Storage 4.4 (768) 54.04% of 768 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important With this capability, you can access a wide range of color palettes, patterns, and brushes, plus options for saving and exporting in various formats. Users think the color picker, pattern creation, and storage are intuitive, though some miss built-in CMYK support. Design Management 4.2 (193) 53.89% of 193 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important This aspect helps you organize and manage designs using layers, tabs, and file management tools. Reviewers appreciate the layer system and ease of tracking projects, saying it supports both beginners and advanced users in keeping work organized. Search/Filter 4.1 (167) 38.92% of 167 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important You benefit from the search/filter tool to quickly locate commands, tools, or functions. Reviewers indicate it is especially useful for new users navigating menus, though some say it could be improved for finding imported assets like brushes. Design Templates It gives you the ability to use, modify, and save templates for faster project starts. Some reviewers find templates helpful for workflow and customization, but others note GIMP lacks as many built-in templates as competitors like Canva. CAD Tools 3.9 (520) 33.46% of 520 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Computer aided design to create precision drawings or technical illustrations GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) 7 features Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases Computer aided design to create precision drawings or technical illustrations This aspect helps you organize and manage designs using layers, tabs, and file management tools. Reviewers appreciate the layer system and ease of tracking projects, saying it supports both beginners and advanced users in keeping work organized. It gives you the ability to use, modify, and save templates for faster project starts. Some reviewers find templates helpful for workflow and customization, but others note GIMP lacks as many built-in templates as competitors like Canva. GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) offers a comprehensive set of editing tools, including filters, cropping, color correction, and brushes. Reviewers appreciate its versatility, Photoshop compatibility, and free access, though some mention a learning curve and occasional interface confusion. With this capability, you can access a wide range of color palettes, patterns, and brushes, plus options for saving and exporting in various formats. Users think the color picker, pattern creation, and storage are intuitive, though some miss built-in CMYK support. You benefit from the search/filter tool to quickly locate commands, tools, or functions. Reviewers indicate it is especially useful for new users navigating menus, though some say it could be improved for finding imported assets like brushes. Features 4.3 (3,492) 4.3 Based on 3,492 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.8 (2490) ### Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Free trial available Value for money 4.8 (2,490) 4.8 Based on 2,490 reviews ## Integrations [ Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/)[ Inkscape](https://www.capterra.com/p/178240/Inkscape/) ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.0 (1752) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.0 (1,752) 4.0 Based on 1,752 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.4 Based on 3,492 reviews Filter by rating 5(1875) 4(1239) 3(332) 2(37) 1(9) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent Hayden R. Graphic Design Computer Software ### "Brilliant free tool for early designers" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 March 19, 2026 I had a great experience with GIMP, as a free tool it made any design idea i had possible, and was easy to be able to use, allowing me to keep creating assets whilst in a fast paced environment. Pros GIMP was a great software to use in my early days of designing. It's broad range of tools and ease of use made it possible to create assets quickly and simply, as well as exporting them. Cons my main concern was the quality of this images when they were exported. When images were angled, they'd come out a little blurry and not as high resolution as i hoped. This made it challenging when the assets in question were texted base or included small details that i would have liked to be noticable. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JT Joe T. Head of Marketing Information Technology and Services ### "A fantastic bit of design software - highly recommend " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 March 10, 2026 Very good - any new marketer we hire I always tell them to download and use GIMP first. Its a fantastic bit of design software. Pros Its free to download and works a treat. Has lots of different options for design, and can be used for complexed tasks . Cons There really is nothing to complain about to be honest - if im being picky I would say the interface needs a nice refresh but thats it!. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. VV Vincent V. Designer Design ### "l’édition d’images très propre" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 March 8, 2026 Pros Il propose de nombreux outils utiles pour l’édition d’images et fonctionne bien pour les retouches, les recadrages et les ajustements rapides. La flexibilité du logiciel est un vrai plus. Cons L’interface peut sembler un peu moins intuitive au début, surtout pour les utilisateurs habitués à d’autres outils de design. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AU Anonymous User Consultant Public Relations and Communications ### "Great graphic design software" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 January 26, 2026 I'm not a graphic designer so I use it to edit my website photos. It does a great job. I'm happy with it. Pros GIMP is my favorite free graphic design program. It can handle all my photo editing needs without the heavy price tag so I see no sense in using something else. Cons Sometimes it's hard to update the program. A recent update caused computer system problems. I had to downgrade back to the version I was trying to update. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RR Rafia R. Graphic Designer - Visual Branding Information Technology and Services ### "basic image editing" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 January 16, 2026 GNU Image Manipulation Program is a useful open-source tool for basic image editing and quick visual adjustments. Pros It’s free and surprisingly powerful for photo retouching and simple design tasks. For small teams or occasional use, it can cover many essential needs. Cons The interface is not very intuitive, and the workflow can feel less polished. It’s not ideal for high-end branding or collaborative design projects. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RA Rama A. Freelance Graphic Designer Design ### "Best Saftware GIMP" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 December 2, 2025 I don’t use GIMP daily, but whenever I revisit it for specific tasks, it adjusts well and remains surprisingly flexible for a free tool. Pros It handles photo retouching, color correction, and quick image edits without any cost. For designers starting out or working on lightweight edits, it’s a solid alternative. I appreciate the transparency tools and how customizable the interface is. Cons The learning curve is steeper than expected, mainly because the interface isn’t as intuitive as paid solutions. Some tools also feel slower or less refined. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. KB Kate B. Photographer Photography ### "Cost-effective content creation for small studios." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 October 15, 2025 GIMP allowed White Pine Photography to create logos, photo editing, and branded content on a low budget, enhancing client work and studio advertising with robust editing capabilities. Pros Free, adaptive design and graphics creation abilities of GIMP and slim design, along with quick rendering of intuitive controls, all allow photographers to produce content and manipulate images without cost. Cons Others say customer support may be slower to answer and deal with payment-related features or extensions could require technical expertise not best suited for active freelance studios. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. DF Daniel F. Solutions Engineer Market Research ### "GIMP review from a developer" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 August 28, 2025 GIMP was a great software that allowed me to have a free option rather than paying for a program like Photoshop. I was able to create a project with many layers and resize the layers as needed. Pros I used GIMP as a free option instead of Photoshop and I was quite pleased. I was able to create an image project with many layers and resize the layers as needed. Cons It was a bit tricky to figure out how to be able to move the different layers as needed. I just had to play around with the software options to figure it out. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) GIMP was a free option at the time rather than paying for a program Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. US Uwe S. Administrator Civic & Social Organization ### "Sehr gute Alternative zu teurer Bildbearbeitungssoftware." 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 July 29, 2025 Ich finde, GIMP ist eine echte Alternative zum teuren Konkurrenzprodukt. Die Möglichkeiten der Bidlbearbeitung sind absolut umfangreich und professionell. Pros GIMP kommt als kostenlose Software für die Bildbearbeitung und kann fast alles , was auch Photoshop kann. Cons GIMP ist ähnlich komplex wie Photoshop. D.h., nicht alle Funktionen sind intuitiv und einfach zu finden. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Photoshop war mir auf Dauer einfach zu teuer. Alternatives considered [PaintShop Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/233262/PaintShop-Pro/) Reasons for choosing GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) Es hat mich am Ende einfach in der Funktionalität überzeugt. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. TA Taher A. Teaching Assistant Computer Software ### "Great free to use editing software!!!" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 2.0 2.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 June 24, 2025 Gimp is a great free to use open source application, that is available on all desktop operating systems and is a great tools for quick And simple photo editing and content creation. Photoshop is more in depth with a lot more variety of features but that is to be expected with the large subscription price. Pros Gimp is a good open source alternative to Photoshop, it has most of the traditional Photoshop features that users of Photoshop would be able to migrate to. It has good UI/UX and is user friendly. It might be difficult at the beginning for users who don't know the basic layout of photo editing software, but so is the case with Photoshop. Cons It is lacking new features, such a AI image fill and other AI features. There are ways of adding these through plugins, but finding the right plugins is difficult and quite difficult to implement for anaverga person without technical knowledge. Also the model would run natively on the machine, which means it's would require powerful hardware for efficient use, and also mean you would be unable to run it on laptop or mobile device. Here photoshop take a clear lead, with better cloud services. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. 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