Softwr

Photography · head to head

Affinity Photo vs GIMP

Affinity Photo logo

Affinity Photo

Photography

Professional photo editing software

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
GIMP logo

GIMP

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: Affinity Photo version 2.0 required a full repurchase after seven years, breaking the perpetual license promise made to earlier users; GIMP gPLv3 licence requires derivative works to be open-source and freely distributed
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Photo covers RAW processing, GIMP covers Digital painting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Photo and GIMP actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Photo and GIMP differ
AttributeAffinity PhotoGIMP
Starting price$69.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timeopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iPadGNU/Linux, macOS, Windows
CategoryPhotographyPublishing
Founded19871995

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 Affinity Photo

  • RAW processing
  • Non-destructive editing
  • AI enhancement
  • Retouching tools
  • Batch processing
  • Vector support
  • HDR tools
  • Affinity Designer

Only in GIMP

  • Digital painting
  • Image processing
  • Batch editing
  • Filters
  • Color correction
  • Layer support
  • Script-fu automation
  • ImageMagick

Both cover

  • Photo editing
  • Desktop deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Multiple languages available language support

What people use each for

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

Affinity Photo

  • Photo editingnot GIMP
  • RAW processingnot GIMP
  • Retouchingnot GIMP
  • Digital photographynot GIMP

GIMP

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

Where each one falls short

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

Affinity Photo

  • Version 2.0 required a full repurchase after seven years, breaking the perpetual license promise made to earlier users
  • Affinity Photo was discontinued in October 2025 and replaced by freemium Affinity application
  • No subscription model means no cloud storage or automatic backups like Photoshop Creative Cloud

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

Affinity Photo

$69.99/one-time
  • Standard$69.99/one-time
    • Full version
    • All features
    • Lifetime updates

GIMP

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the GIMP review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Affinity Photo if

  • You need raw processing.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iPad.
  • You also want non-destructive editing.
Affinity Photo review

Choose GIMP if

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

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Photo or GIMP better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time and GIMP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Photo or GIMP?
GIMP has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $69.99/one-time for Affinity Photo and Free for GIMP.
Does Affinity Photo or GIMP run on more platforms?
Affinity Photo runs on macOS, Windows, iPad. 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. Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time.
What is Affinity Photo best used for?
Affinity Photo is most often used for photo editing, raw processing, retouching, digital photography. Of those, photo editing and raw processing are not what GIMP is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Photo do that GIMP cannot?
Affinity Photo covers RAW processing, Non-destructive editing, AI enhancement, Retouching tools. GIMP covers Digital painting, Image processing, Batch editing, Filters. Both handle Photo editing, Desktop deployment, Windows support, Macos support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Affinity Photo: Does Affinity Photo include RAW editing?

Yes, Affinity Photo includes non-destructive RAW photo editing and development capabilities for photographers working with RAW image formats.

Source
GIMP: How much does GIMP cost?

GIMP is completely free to use and distribute. The software is released under the GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3), an open-source license that guarantees freedom to use, modify, and distribute.

Source
GIMP: Can I modify and distribute GIMP?

Yes, GIMP's source code is available for modification and redistribution according to the terms of the GPLv3 license.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Affinity Photo

More on GIMP

Keep looking

Other head to heads