# PaintShop Pro Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is PaintShop Pro the right Photo Editing solution for you? Explore 50 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/233262/PaintShop-Pro/reviews --- PaintShop Pro 4.5 (50) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of PaintShop Pro Ease of use 4.6 Customer Service 4.2 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews BM BRANDI M Teacher and ProfessorEducation Management, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “The program helps me with editing my pictures and creating flyers for my business.“ April 10, 2025 KP Kevin P Sales DirectorBuilding Materials, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “They're not doing anything wrong really, it's just a pet peeve of mine. “ July 27, 2024 KP Kevin P Sales DirectorBuilding Materials, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “PaintShop Pro has always been pretty intuitive and something you can get going with pretty quickly. If I'm ever unsure how to accomplish something in the program, without fail I always find a video within the top few results of a Google search that explains exactly what I need. Plus, I kinda like not following the crowd.“ July 27, 2024 Ngala Emmanuel S Web designerGraphic Design, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “It's weird as I've never seen Photoshop behave this way even several other heavy tools that I have been using.“ September 19, 2023 KP Kevin P Sales DirectorBuilding Materials, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “I know this because my best friend from childhood has worked at Lucas Arts for a long time and works along side the creator of Photoshop, who still works there.“ July 27, 2024 WS William S writer, graphics designerPublishing, Self-employedUsed the software for: I used a free trial. “Shorlty after ordering, I decided my age would make it difficult for me to learn new tricks---decided to cancel order....“ August 18, 2023 KP Kevin P Sales DirectorBuilding Materials, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “I've been a consistent user of PaintShop Pro for more than a decade and it has all the functionality I need plus much more.“ July 27, 2024 EC Erwin C DesignerArchitecture & Planning, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “the automated effects does not work so well for me and new AI features need a lot of manual manipulation .“ July 18, 2022 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 50 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Aleksandar D. CEO Media Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Corels view for solving all photographers problems" March 26, 2022 5.0 I like to work with PSP presets, borders, effects.... In few clicks you can get very interesting design solutions. But, keep in mind, everybody who has PSP can do to. One module in PSP is best module on the World: Batch process and Batch rename. With so many options and customizations it is "time saving star". Pros PSP is good and mature piece of software. Numerous filters, options, plug-ins, templates are made for PSP through decades of its development and uses. It even has image library management tool integrated in software. If your image workflow is in RGB color space, this software is good and versatile solution. Cons ... but if you need anything except "exportToTiffCMYK" option in CMYK - prepress - color space you will be faced with problem. If somebody send to you CMYK image, your image edition job be color imprecise. And, PSP can be sometime sooo slow. Alternatives considered [ACDSee Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/126560/ACDSee-Pro/) Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro ACDSee Pro is good, maybe in some scopes better more professional program for photographers, but if you are not photography professional, but photography enthusiast, Corel PaintShop Pro is better option. Review Source TD Tom D. Owner and Lead Photographer Photography Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Paintshop Pro - great for beginners!" April 3, 2025 4.0 I enjoyed using Paintshop Pro as an amateur and hobbyist. Pros Paintshop Pro was one of the first digital photo management software products I came across over 20 years ago. Cons As I became more proficient with photography and image editing, I found Paintshop Pro to lack many features. Alternatives considered [ACDSee Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/126560/ACDSee-Pro/) Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro I did not choose Paintshop Pro over any other product. I chose ACDSee Pro over Paintshop Pro. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Software developer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Painfully out of date, and full of spam" November 5, 2023 2.0 I've been using PaintShop Pro since v7... and despite the annual updates (and God-awful pops nagging you - as a paid user - to pay to update the software many times each year) I \*still\* use that original, buggy, v7 of the software.... as it's fast. It loads quickly. It does 90% of what I want to do. And.... did I mention it loads quickly ? Right now, I have v7, Pro X9 and Pro 2023 installed on my laptop... but I STILL have to nip out to pixlr.com to do basic things to my images, like "free transform" (eg easily dragging the 4 corners of an image onto a 3D-DVD box) Each release, it gets slower, more buggy, more expensive, and still don't do the basics. Pros The early versions were good, and let you do what you want to do. Pro 2023 has some nice new features, but they seem to have fired everyone in their User-Friendliness Department. The fact that it's 2023, and I've still using Paint Stop Pro v7 (even though I have paid for upgrades many, many times) should be an embarrassment to them. Cons Spam. Spam-spam-spam. When you've paid for a product, you don't expect an endless number of popup windows to appear, nagging you to upgrade (even when you've clicked their own checkbox, asking you not to nag you again). Spam-spam-spam. Review Source KP Kevin P. Sales Director Building Materials Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "My Bro PaintShop Pro" July 27, 2024 5.0 Overall I have been very happy with PaintShop Pro, enough so that I have stayed with it for more than a decade and have no plans to change. Pros I've been a consistent user of PaintShop Pro for more than a decade and it has all the functionality I need plus much more. It was also easier for me to learn and get started with than Photoshop was. I believe PaintShop Pro is often overlooked and underrated living in the shadow of Photoshop which is a great program. But, what it's built for far exceeds the needs of over 99% of people. I know this because my best friend from childhood has worked at Lucas Arts for a long time and works along side the creator of Photoshop, who still works there. It was a program he created for Lucas Arts initially to accomplish tasks that no other program in existence at the time could do. Again, it's a brilliant program, but those that actually NEED all it's functionality I'm sure only make up a small fraction of 1% of all people that want learn and do photo editing. PaintShop Pro has always been pretty intuitive and something you can get going with pretty quickly. If I'm ever unsure how to accomplish something in the program, without fail I always find a video within the top few results of a Google search that explains exactly what I need. Plus, I kinda like not following the crowd. Cons My only complaint is the program will show ads for itself and try to coax you to buy the latest version at a discount. It's not a big complaint, and I may be able to shut it off somehow. But being asked for money every time I open a program kinda rubs me the wrong way. They're not doing anything wrong really, it's just a pet peeve of mine. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Photoshop is not a program that you just sit down and start using. It's a program that can take several years to become highly proficient with. It was overkill. Review Source NS Nikki S. Founder Photography Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A great purchase " August 14, 2022 4.0 PaintShop Pro is something I value and utilize on a regular basis. The one time purchase relieved so much stress, I had been paying for a very pricy set of subscriptions. I love editing my photos with PaintShop Pro and I've always been impressed with how they turn out. I did not spend a lot of time learning how to use it, it was straightforward and simple but still very capable. I think it's a great investment that will be an asset for anyone in a creative industry. Pros PaintShop Pro (PSP) is available as a one time purchase that eliminates monthly subscription costs. That alone makes it worth looking at. Owned by a well known and well established company. It's complex enough for professionals yet simple enough for beginners. No major bugs or quirks, it is updated and built upon regularly. With PSP you have the ability to edit raster or vector image formats and create layers. Edit photos and videos and create animated GIFs. Also create multiple workspaces and customize each one. Cons PSP is only compatible with Windows so far. It's missing detailed typography, something I love and want to have. Its also missing 3D modeling however I don't use that feature as often. PSP can hold its own when compared to more expensive software, but it would be great if PSP had every single feature that the others provide. Alternatives considered [Affinity Photo](https://www.capterra.com/p/228748/Affinity-Photo/) Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro PaintShop Pros demo was very similar to the products I was used to. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/)[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)[Adobe Creative Cloud](https://www.capterra.com/p/48969/Adobe-Creative-Cloud/) PaintShop Pro was substantially cheaper and would take strain off of my finances without sacrificing quality Review Source GK GK K. MD Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Easy to use design program that doesn't break the bank!" January 23, 2024 5.0 I've been using it for over 10 years and I love it. Pros Love the ability to create vector graphics, edit images, and create new files to specific resolutions of dimensions. Cons Can start to get a bit slow when files have more than a few layers. I'd also like more preset shapes available as standard. Alternatives considered [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro Cheaper and seemed to offer all the features I was looking for. Review Source CM Craig M. CEO Retail Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Mixed feelings" November 16, 2023 4.0 Pros It does everything I need but so does my photoshop CS2. The price is amazing and it works well just difficult to learn a new program. Cons Because I was so used to Photoshop CS2 it was a harder learning curve for me. I had to forget what Adobe did and learn the new software. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Honestly cost and subscription fees just got too high Review Source MB Mauro B. Head of IT Apparel & Fashion Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Paintshop Pro Is a Great Value with Great Features" March 10, 2022 5.0 Pros PaintShop Pro has a terrific feature set but at a very affordable price. I like how easy it is to use and fairly intuitive. Cons Not too much that I did not like about PaintShop Pro, but I may not be as much of a power user as others. Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Price is the key as I did not require the power of Photoshop and did not want to pay the price for it either. Review Source BM BRANDI M. Teacher and Professor Education Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "One of the best editing apps there is! " April 10, 2025 5.0 I am still using it going on 2 years! The program helps me with editing my pictures and creating flyers for my business. Pros I love all the editing features of this app! Cons Nothing honestly. I would maybe change the interface setup that’s about it. Review Source Ngala Emmanuel S. Web designer Graphic Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "It's best for quick image editing" September 19, 2023 4.0 Overall, it's a good choice to consider for making basic image editing. It's simple to use (as ABC) and is also very affordable. I use it most often for effects & filters to quickly enhance my images. Pros It's one of the simplest tools made by Corel. There are days when I don't want to supercharge my brain either by inducing it to hard work ( trying to figure out something) and most of these days I would jump over to Paintshop Pro whenever I feel like editing an image either for social media posting or just for fun.PaintShop Pro is easy to use and even though I don't see the difference between the lite and Pro versions - However Paintshop is easy to use. making changes to images is quite simple and there are great filters that can be applied to images to make them have a certain feeling.- It offers layers that allow me to work on elements separately and this enables me to easily revert to an original element in case I'm not satisfied with the changes made.- There are quite a few amazing effects to enhance image quality- It also supports image capture from pro cameras. Cons The reason why I prefer Adobe Photoshop to PaintShop Pro is because Photoshop is versatile. Meaning that I can perform any kind of editing (basic, standard, or advanced) using only one tool. This saves a lot of stress you know.PaintShop would generally begin to lag whenever my C-drive space is below 5GB. It's weird as I've never seen Photoshop behave this way even several other heavy tools that I have been using. Review Source DAR Dennis Alexander R. Sporte Técnico Construction Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "PaintShop Pro, Programa de Edicion y diseño de Imagenes" May 31, 2022 5.0 Pros Lo mas resaltante de PaintShop Pro que puedo decir son lo siguiente. lo facil al momento de ejecutar el inicio del programa (carga rapido), su precio en relación con otros programas de diseño grafico, lo util de sus herramientas y su facil y entendible interface. Cons Al inicio pense que iba ser algo frustrante para mi, ya que imaginaba que era un software como Adobe Photosop, pero con un poco de práctica y mucha paciencia todo salio bien, PaintShop Pro es un programa muy util; asi es que no le hallo NINGUN PUNTO EN CONTRA Switched from [ACDSee Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/126560/ACDSee-Pro/) ACDSee Pro no cumplia con lo que normalmente trabajamos en cuanto a imagenes Review Source José Eduardo A. Consultor Técnico/Software Computer Hardware Used the software for: 2+ years ### "PaintShop Pro, la mejor alternativa a Photoshop" November 27, 2021 5.0 Ha sido el mejor software de edición, incluso superando a mi criterio al Colecciones profesionales, incluso desde antes de pertenecer a Corel, siempre se ha mantenido en esa línea de trabajo sencillo, pero eficaz y profesional. Pros Que a pesar de tener funciones "complejas" tiene una interface que facilita dicho uso para cualquier nivel de experiencia en edición de imágenes, incluye herramientas de procesamientos por lotes, que son muy eficaces para la realización de procesos repetitivos. Cons A pesar de ser un software relativamente muy intuitivo, se hace imperante más contenido de aprendizaje para usuarios avanzados provenientes de otras alternativas; es decir que para una implementación es increíblemente bueno, pero para una migración a pesar de ser bueno, se podría complementar para ser excelente. Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro Por ser la alternativa de mayor envergadura técnica que se encuentra al mismo nivel o superior de las otras alternativas comerciales, incluso en costos/beneficios siempre es la solución más sencilla y minimalista, pero de igual calidad de resultados para la empresa/educativa/personal Review Source jP jacopo P. Webmaster Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Un editor fotografico longevo e completo ma poco attuale" May 25, 2023 4.0 Ho usato Paint Shop Pro per diversi anni dove non aveva molti rivali, dopo una pausa di 4-5 anni in cui ho provato altri software più professionali, ho notato che non è cambiato molto in realtà ed ora risulta goffo in alcune funzionalità. Più difficile da usare con file RAW rispetto ad altri programmi analoghi, rimane comunque un software storico e di qualità. Pros Software longevo, valido ed affidabile. Interfaccia utente intuitiva, molti strumenti a disposizione, prezzo accessibile. Cons Negli anni non si è aggiornato abbastanza per rimanere del tutto al passo con i tempi, risulta goffo in alcune funzioni. Non dispone di un buon supporto per file RAW. Alternatives considered [Affinity Photo](https://www.capterra.com/p/228748/Affinity-Photo/) Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro Inizialmente per questione di notorietà. Review Source MR Maria R. Maestro Design Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Producto Intuitivo para Celulares" March 8, 2023 5.0 Pros Las funciones que más me han gustado son las de dibujo, pintura y capas que son las que utilizo junto con mi teléfono. Así mismo las funciones de pintado son sencillas de encontrar en las ventanas de acceso. Las capas deben usarse de forma ordenada y son visibles al usuario. Cons Me gustaría que hubiesen pinceles para descargar para el usuario nuevo o tutoriales en video. Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro Lo tengo para utilizar en mi teléfono principalmente. Review Source AD Achille D. CEO Computer Software Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A good starting choice... for Windows" June 2, 2022 5.0 We started using PaintShop Pro some years ago when was published by JASC Software: it was a different planet than MS Paint or Corel Draw/Photo. It was simple to use and fully featured. But requirements change by time: so after some time by Corel acquisition, we had to migrate to a more consistent solution, friendly, fast and, primarily, working on MacOS. Pros Vector drawing and photo editing software together, with a lot of effects and smart tools as Corel good tradition. There are a lot of resources, extensive help and tutorials. Cons The user interface is simple, perhaps too simple, often inconsistent. Some task works slowly and requires a lot of hardware resources. No macOS version Review Source KR Kristin R. Sr. Graphics Specialist Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "PaintShop Pro" April 7, 2022 5.0 Pros I used PSP back in the 90s/early 2000s but I prefer Adobe over it. It is a good alternative if you have to use it but I think Adobe still corners the market on the graphic designer programs to beat. Cons No cloud storage or MAC version. Makes it where you need Photoshop if you use a MAC. Review Source MaD Marie ange D. Responsable marketing Consumer Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Paintshop " November 27, 2023 5.0 Bon logiciel de retouche et permet un transfert facile Pros L utilisation est très agréable au niveau de l environnement Cons Version anglaise et pas en version française Review Source CT Christina T. Creative designer Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Painting with Paint shop Pro" March 30, 2025 5.0 Overall for me this is a great product. Pros I like that Paint shop has a variety of tools. Cons So far I have no complaints for this product. Review Source RL Rebecca L. Merchandiser Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "I've been using this for years and won't stop!" September 22, 2022 4.0 I have used PaintShop Pro from its beginning. A few times I tried other popular, and more expensive, programs and found they were not easily navigated and the tools were too complex to figure out how to use. I have effortlessly acclimated to each new update of PaintShop Pro. I don't plan on ever switching from PaintShop Pro - I swear by it! Pros I have tried other programs but nothing compares to PaintShop Pro for being the most user friendly for editing my photos and creating digital art. It is easy to navigate and figure out how everything works. The features I use most frequently, (and love!) are the clone tool, eraser tool, text tool, straighten tool, crop tool, dropper tool, magic wand, smart photo fix, effects browser, and all the layer tools. I listed all of these because they are integral to what I do an a daily basis. Each one was easy to figure out and perform up to my expectations or beyond. Photos from my camera are easily manipulated. Creating a new image with layers and colors is also done with ease. The only tool it is missing that could speed up my processes is a one-step background eraser. Cons The biggest and the only problem I have had is the program crashes every now and then. I have been unable to detect why. It is not very often so I can live with it. Also, and most importantly, after it crashes and you restart the program anything you were working on is saved & it prompts you to reopen those files. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Senior Front-End Developer - Web Designer & UI Developer Internet Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Un eccellente software per il photo editing avanzato" December 23, 2022 4.0 Abbiamo usato PaintShop Pro in azienda e siamo rimasti sorpresi dal grado di eccellenza del programma nel creare, modificare e esportare immagini o elaborazioni grafiche. Continuiamo a preferirgli Adobe Photoshop ma PainShop Pro non è lontano da quel livello e quindi lo consigliamo caldamente a tutti gli utenti che si avvicinano al fotoritocco. PaintShop Pro è inoltre un programma estremamente economico. Pros PaintShop Pro è un eccellente software per il photo editing avanzato con molti strumenti utili per creare, modificare, ritoccare le immagini e per la progettazione grafica di livello professionale. Il software supporta l'utente nell'importazione o esportazione di file in una grande varietà di formati e offre, grazie alle funzioni AI, di risparmiare notevoli quantità di tempo. Cons L'abbiamo testato in azienda e siamo rimasti sorpresi dalla bontà di questo software. Abbiamo riscontrato alcuni piccoli problemi solo nell'importazione di foto particolarmente pesanti che sicuramente verranno risolti nelle prossime versioni. Alternatives considered [Affinity Photo](https://www.capterra.com/p/228748/Affinity-Photo/)[Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/)[PhotoDirector](https://www.capterra.com/p/234592/PhotoDirector-365/) Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro Abbiamo usato PaintShop Pro in azienda ed è veramente un software eccezionale ma continuiamo a preferirgli Adobe Photoshop . Review Source GP Giuseppe P. Manager Management Consulting Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Soluzione valida per editing fotografico, semplice e abbastanza funzionale " June 7, 2023 4.0 Un buon programma essenziale di fotoritocco usato per qualche anno, c'è da dire che nel corso degli anni non ha avuto grandi aggiornamenti e miglioramenti, il che lo rende sicuramente poco attuale tra la concorrenza e occasionalmente lento in alcune attività. Pros Utilizzo semplice per funzioni standard, ricchezza di strumenti essenziali, buon supporto di formati immagine, costo ridotto. Cons Poco aggiornato e migliorato negli anni, l'esperienza di utilizzo in generale risulta poco attuale. Alternatives considered [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Reason for choosing PaintShop Pro Inizialmente per il costo inferiore Switched from [Gemstone Photo Editor](https://www.capterra.com/p/233771/ACDSee-Photo-Editor/) Necessità di funzionalità alternative Review Source Rainbow G. Author Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Using Paintshop Pro for more than 5 years" January 13, 2022 4.0 Overall, I do recommend Paintshop Pro because it's the best affordable photo enhancer and it has nice special effects features. Pros Compared to Gimp or pretty much any free program, Paintshop Pro tops them 100% It's 60 to 70% intuitive, the other 30% is all very precise function, thing that pros would use more than me. I'm an intermediate user. It's great for enhancing pictures, but I use it a lot to modify illustrations. For the price, it is the best. Cons I wish we could draw more easily with Paintshop Pro. There are no powerful correcting functions to smooth out lines, take away the shaky lines. Review Source Armando I. Network Manager Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 2+ years ### " Solid and easy-to-use image editing tool." December 3, 2021 5.0 With PSP I was able to edit family photos without problem, repair red eyes in old photos. Improve photos out of focus slightly. Make logo designs and frames for web pages. It is very complete and easy to use. Pros I am a PSP user since its launch. I keep using after corel bought it. What I like the most is the design of tools, it maintains a set of simple buttons that with a few clicks you can use it, if necessary you can customize it. Smart photo retouching is amazing. Cons What I never really liked is the little variety of effects in the tools, for example 3D tubes and letter fonts. Review Source WS William S. writer, graphics designer Publishing Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Difficult to cancel order" August 18, 2023 3.0 see above. atrocious service. Pros Love the old 2020 version, but decided to update. I will likely not even try to use the new version due to reasons below. Cons Shorlty after ordering, I decided my age would make it difficult for me to learn new tricks---decided to cancel order.... ha.... calls to far eastern lands... poor english... they said they would send me a number to get refund..... did this 3 times.... long waits on phone.. I did not receive number. So, I researched corel. It was a Canadian company.. bought out by KKR reportedly for over $1B. That accounts for their overseas workers...and their audacious mass marketing...Now, I can NOT get rid of constant Corel AD pop-ups on my screen. Do not subject yourself to such treatment. even after I bought the product. Yep, big companies send work over seas--I try to support USA companies... and my northern neighbor. Review Source Ena A. Sales Manager Import and Export Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "It's very good, but there are better..." September 1, 2022 4.0 Well, I used it for a long time and it always worked, but once I tried another program I didn't go back. Pros It's very easy both to install and to use, it has very useful tools and you find it fun to edit something, you do it with pleasure. The only time I needed help, customer service solved the problem very quickly. Cons Although it has many tools, in the same way it lacks many, which means that it cannot compete directly with other programs, since there are others with many more customizable options. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Photo Editing](https://www.capterra.com/photo-editing-software/)