GIMP

Name: GIMP
Brand: GIMP
Rating: 3.7 (1575 reviews)

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Professional image editing, free and open-source

Free, no paid tier

Free Image Editing Graphic Design

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3.7 (1,575 across the web)

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Reviews on SourceForge G2 Trustpilot

1,575 reviews tracked 2 press mentions

The Bottom Line

Updated Jul 20, 2026

Price: Free, no paid tier. Compare plans

Key facts

GIMP is a free and open-source image editor that rivals Photoshop in capabilities
It provides photo retouching, image composition, and graphic design tools
Completely free and open-source

Pros

Completely free
Open source
Cross-platform

Cons

Dated interface
Learning curve

What is GIMP?

Editorial review

GIMP is a free, open-source image editor that rivals Photoshop's capabilities. Advanced photo retouching, composition, and image authoring. Extensible through plugins and scripting. Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Active community develops new features and tutorials. Professional image editing without the subscription cost.

Available on: Linux, macOS, Windows

Louis Corneloup Updated Jul 20, 2026 · how we evaluate Source gimp.org ↗

Ratings Across the Web

3.7 (1,575 reviews)

GIMP holds an aggregate rating of 3.7 out of 5 from 1,575 reviews across SourceForge, G2 and Trustpilot, last checked September 17, 2026.

SourceForge 12 reviews

4.8/5

G2 1,484 reviews

4.3/5

Trustpilot 79 reviews

1.9/5

What people say

“I love the ability to adjust a picture or render's value and colors with Curves.” via SourceForge

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Image editing
Photo manipulation
Plugins
Scripts
Open source
Cross-platform

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Oct 5, 2026

GIMP plans and prices, checked October 2026
Plan	Price	Details
Free	$0	100% free and open source GPLv3 license Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows) +2 more Show less Full feature access Community supported

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Is GIMP worth the price?

Great value

GIMP's pricing is exceptionally generous, as it is entirely free.

There are no paid tiers, offering full functionality at $0. This makes it an incredibly fair and accessible option for anyone needing image editing software.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

No cloud storage integration

Full GIMP pricing: every plan, hidden costs and alternatives

Reviews

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3.7/5

Across 1,575 verified user reviews on G2, Trustpilot, SourceForge

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Best GIMP Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

Adobe Photoshop Paid

The industry-standard image editing and graphic design software for creative professionals.

3.0

Affinity Photo Paid

Pro photo editing without the subscription

4.6

Photopea Freemium

Powerful Photoshop-like image editor, no installation needed

4.5

Krita Free

Free digital painting and illustration software

4.3

Paint.NET Freemium

Powerful yet simple image and photo editing software for Windows PCs.

4.7

See all image editing tools →

Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

GIMP vs Adobe Photoshop Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins GIMP vs Affinity Photo Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins GIMP vs Photopea Head-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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GIMP FAQ

How does GIMP compare to Adobe Photoshop for image editing?

GIMP offers professional image editing capabilities for photo retouching, composition, and image authoring, similar to Adobe Photoshop, but it is completely free and open-source. Unlike Photoshop, GIMP does not require a subscription cost. However, GIMP is noted for having a somewhat dated interface and a learning curve.

Which teams would benefit most from using GIMP?

Teams that require advanced photo retouching, image composition, and graphic design capabilities without incurring subscription fees would find GIMP beneficial. Its cross-platform availability also makes it suitable for diverse technical environments. The open-source nature and extensibility through plugins and scripting support custom workflows.

What kind of image editing tasks can GIMP handle?

GIMP is designed for advanced photo retouching, allowing users to enhance and correct images with precision. It also supports complex image composition, where multiple elements are combined into a single image. Furthermore, GIMP provides tools for general image authoring, covering a broad range of graphic design needs.

Does GIMP include a free tier?

GIMP is entirely free to use, offering all its professional image editing features without any cost. There is no paid plan required to access its functionalities. This makes it a cost-effective solution for advanced image manipulation.

What are the main trade-offs when choosing GIMP for graphic design?

The primary trade-offs when using GIMP are its dated interface and a notable learning curve for new users. While it offers powerful features, users may need time to adapt to its specific workflow and design. Despite these, it provides professional capabilities without a subscription cost.

Can GIMP be extended with additional functionalities?

Yes, GIMP is highly extensible through plugins and scripting, allowing users to add new features and automate tasks. This flexibility enables customization to suit specific workflows and advanced requirements. An active community contributes to developing new features and providing tutorials for these extensions.

Source: gimp.org

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