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Photography · head to head

Adobe Photoshop vs GIMP

Adobe Photoshop logo

Adobe Photoshop

Photography

The world's best imaging and graphic design software

From
$19.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GIMP logo

GIMP

Print & Publishing

Free and open-source image editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GIMP has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Adobe Photoshop subscription-only model with ever-increasing costs, no perpetual license option; GIMP gPLv3 licence requires derivative works to be open-source and freely distributed
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe Photoshop covers Advanced photo editing, GIMP covers Photo editing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe Photoshop and GIMP actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe Photoshop and GIMP differ
AttributeAdobe PhotoshopGIMP
Starting price$19.99/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Web, AndroidGNU/Linux, macOS, Windows
CategoryPhotographyPrint & Publishing
Founded19821995

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe Photoshop

  • Advanced photo editing
  • Layer-based editing
  • Selection tools
  • 3D design
  • Typography tools
  • Batch processing
  • Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Lightroom

Only in GIMP

  • Photo editing
  • Image processing
  • Batch editing
  • Filters
  • Layer support
  • Script-fu automation
  • ImageMagick
  • Ghostscript

Both cover

  • Color correction
  • Digital painting
  • Desktop deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe Photoshop

  • Photo editingnot GIMP
  • Digital art creationnot GIMP
  • Graphic designnot GIMP
  • Web designnot GIMP
  • Print designnot GIMP
  • Social media graphicsnot GIMP

GIMP

  • Photo editing and retouching with professional colour managementnot Adobe Photoshop
  • Digital art creation with power and flexibility for image transformationnot Adobe Photoshop
  • Icon and UI element design for application developmentnot Adobe Photoshop
  • Batch image processing through Python, C, C++, and Scheme scriptingnot Adobe Photoshop

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe Photoshop

  • Subscription-only model with ever-increasing costs, no perpetual license option
  • High hardware requirements for smooth performance with large graphics
  • Limited mobile optimization compared to desktop version
  • Limited 3D modeling and rendering tools for professionals
  • AI text generation inside images remains inconsistent and unpredictable
  • No progress monitoring bars for rendering operations

GIMP

  • GPLv3 licence requires derivative works to be open-source and freely distributed
  • Community-driven development with no commercial support tier
  • No native CMYK support for professional print workflows
  • Ecosystem depends on community plugins and scripts for advanced features

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe Photoshop

$19.99/month
  • Photography Plan$19.99/month
    • Photoshop desktop for macOS and Windows
    • Lightroom desktop and cloud
    • 1TB cloud storage
  • Photoshop Single App$22.99/month
    • Photoshop desktop for macOS and Windows
    • Photoshop for iPad
    • Photoshop web (limited features)
  • Creative Cloud Pro$69.99/month
    • All Creative Cloud apps including Photoshop
    • Unlimited standard AI features with Firefly Pro
    • 4,000 AI credits monthly

GIMP

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the GIMP review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe Photoshop if

  • You need advanced photo editing.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Web, Android.
  • You also want layer-based editing.
Adobe Photoshop review

Choose GIMP if

  • You need photo editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want image processing.
GIMP review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe Photoshop or GIMP better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe Photoshop starts at $19.99/month and GIMP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe Photoshop or GIMP?
GIMP has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $19.99/month for Adobe Photoshop and Free for GIMP.
Does Adobe Photoshop or GIMP run on more platforms?
Adobe Photoshop runs on Windows, macOS, iPad, iPhone, Web, Android. GIMP runs on GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use GIMP for free?
Yes. GIMP has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe Photoshop starts at $19.99/month.
What is Adobe Photoshop best used for?
Adobe Photoshop is most often used for photo editing, digital art creation, graphic design, web design. Of those, photo editing and digital art creation are not what GIMP is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe Photoshop do that GIMP cannot?
Adobe Photoshop covers Advanced photo editing, Layer-based editing, Selection tools, 3D design. GIMP covers Photo editing, Image processing, Batch editing, Filters. Both handle Color correction, Digital painting, Desktop deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Adobe Photoshop: What does a Photoshop subscription include?

A single-app Photoshop subscription ($22.99/month) includes the desktop app for macOS and Windows, Photoshop for iPad, limited web features, 100GB cloud storage, and 25 AI credits monthly. The Photography Plan ($19.99/month) adds Lightroom and increases AI credits to 1,000 monthly.

Source
Adobe Photoshop: Is there a free trial for Photoshop?

Yes, Adobe offers a 7-day free trial for individuals and 14 days for Teams. The trial requires credit card verification, includes 100GB cloud storage, and full access to all features. The subscription auto-renews at $20.99/month unless cancelled 24 hours before trial ends.

Source
Adobe Photoshop: What AI features does Photoshop 2026 include?

Photoshop 2026 features Generative Fill with reference image support (for control over lighting and color), Generative Upscale (enlarges images to 8MP while preserving detail), a conversational AI assistant in beta, Harmonize for auto light and color matching, and integration with Gemini 2.5 Flash and FLUX.1 AI models.

Source
Adobe Photoshop: What platforms does Photoshop run on?

Photoshop is available on Windows 10/11, macOS 13+, iPad (iOS 17+), iPhone (iOS 17+), and web browsers. Android version entered beta in June 2025.

Source
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