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Photography · head to head

Corel PaintShop Pro vs Google Photos

Corel PaintShop Pro logo

Corel PaintShop Pro

Photography

One-time purchase photo editor from Corel, positioned as a budget Photoshop alternative with no subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Photos logo

Google Photos

Photography

Google's photo backup and organisation app, now billed against shared Google account storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Photos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Corel PaintShop Pro corel has slowed its release cadence, so buyers researching a current edition often find the newest widely sold version is PaintShop Pro 2023, not a genuinely new annual release.; Google Photos unlimited free storage ended in June 2021, so an active phone photographer will hit the 15GB shared cap and be pushed into a paid Google One subscription within a year or two.
  • They diverge on capability: Corel PaintShop Pro covers Layer-based editing, Google Photos covers Automatic backup.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Corel PaintShop Pro and Google Photos actually diverge.

Attributes where Corel PaintShop Pro and Google Photos differ
AttributeCorel PaintShop ProGoogle Photos
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchase, paid upgradesFree tier plus paid storage add-on
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsiOS, Android, Web

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

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 Corel PaintShop Pro

  • Layer-based editing
  • RAW processing
  • AI selection tools
  • Batch processing scripts
  • HDR merge and photo restoration tools
  • Perpetual licensing with paid upgrades

Only in Google Photos

  • Automatic backup
  • Face grouping
  • Search
  • Shared albums
  • Magic Eraser and editing
  • Storage saver conversion

What people use each for

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

Corel PaintShop Pro

  • A Windows hobbyist who wants layer-based photo editing without paying an Adobe subscriptionnot Google Photos
  • A long-time PaintShop Pro user with existing scripts and workflows built around the productnot Google Photos
  • Someone restoring old family photos who wants the bundled restoration and HDR tools rather than assembling a plugin stacknot Google Photos
  • A budget-conscious small studio doing basic compositing that does not require Photoshop plugin compatibilitynot Google Photos

Google Photos

  • A household wanting automatic phone photo backup without plugging into a computernot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • Someone who wants to search old photos by what is in them rather than by filename or foldernot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • A family sharing a running album of a child or event across several phonesnot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • A person switching phones who wants photo history to follow them regardless of device brandnot Corel PaintShop Pro

Where each one falls short

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

Corel PaintShop Pro

  • Corel has slowed its release cadence, so buyers researching a current edition often find the newest widely sold version is PaintShop Pro 2023, not a genuinely new annual release.
  • It is Windows-only, ruling it out for Mac-based photographers entirely.
  • Its RAW processing and colour engine trail Lightroom, Capture One and DxO PhotoLab in independent quality comparisons, particularly on noise and dynamic range.
  • The plugin and brush ecosystem is much smaller than Photoshop, so third-party workflows built around Adobe filters do not transfer.
  • Paid upgrades to major new versions mean the true cost over several years can approach a Photoshop Elements-style total, eroding the one-time-purchase advantage.

Google Photos

  • Unlimited free storage ended in June 2021, so an active phone photographer will hit the 15GB shared cap and be pushed into a paid Google One subscription within a year or two.
  • The 15GB quota is shared with Gmail and Drive, so a full inbox can push someone into a storage warning that looks like a photos problem but is not.
  • Face grouping and search rely on Google scanning image content, which is a real privacy consideration for people uneasy with a US company indexing personal photos.
  • Pixel phones get extra editing features such as Magic Eraser variants that other Android and iOS users do not, so the experience is not equal across devices.
  • Downgrading storage or cancelling Google One after exceeding 15GB puts the account into a grace period and eventually restricts new uploads and can affect other Google services sharing the quota.

Pricing, plan by plan

Corel PaintShop Pro

On request
  • PaintShop Pro$79.99/one-time
    • Layer-based editing and RAW processing
    • Perpetual licence, no subscription
    • Paid upgrade for the next major version
  • PaintShop Pro Ultimate$99.99/one-time
    • Everything in the standard edition
    • Bundled AI and utility add-ons
    • Extra brush and effect packs

Google Photos

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 15GB shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos
    • Original quality uploads always counted
    • No storage cap on device, only on the account
  • Google One 100GB$1.99/month
    • 100GB shared storage
    • Extended by-family sharing with up to 5 others
  • Google One 2TB$9.99/month
    • 2TB shared storage
    • Additional Google One perks such as VPN in some regions

Which should you pick?

Choose Corel PaintShop Pro if

  • You need layer-based editing.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want raw processing.
Corel PaintShop Pro review

Choose Google Photos if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want face grouping.
Google Photos review

Questions people ask

Is Corel PaintShop Pro or Google Photos better?
Neither clearly leads. Corel PaintShop Pro starts at On request and Google Photos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Corel PaintShop Pro or Google Photos?
Google Photos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Corel PaintShop Pro and Free for Google Photos.
Does Corel PaintShop Pro or Google Photos run on more platforms?
Corel PaintShop Pro runs on Windows. Google Photos runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Google Photos for free?
Yes. Google Photos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Corel PaintShop Pro starts at On request.
What is Corel PaintShop Pro best used for?
Corel PaintShop Pro is most often used for a windows hobbyist who wants layer-based photo editing without paying an adobe subscription, a long-time paintshop pro user with existing scripts and workflows built around the product, someone restoring old family photos who wants the bundled restoration and hdr tools rather than assembling a plugin stack, a budget-conscious small studio doing basic compositing that does not require photoshop plugin compatibility. Of those, a windows hobbyist who wants layer-based photo editing without paying an adobe subscription and a long-time paintshop pro user with existing scripts and workflows built around the product are not what Google Photos is typically brought in for.
What can Corel PaintShop Pro do that Google Photos cannot?
Corel PaintShop Pro covers Layer-based editing, RAW processing, AI selection tools, Batch processing scripts. Google Photos covers Automatic backup, Face grouping, Search, Shared albums.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Corel PaintShop Pro: Is PaintShop Pro a subscription like Photoshop?

No, it is sold as a one-time purchase; major new versions are separate paid upgrades rather than a recurring subscription.

Google Photos: Is Google Photos still free?

The app is free to use but storage is not unlimited. All uploads count against the 15GB shared with Gmail and Drive, and more storage requires a paid Google One plan.

Corel PaintShop Pro: Does PaintShop Pro edit RAW files?

Yes, it imports and processes camera RAW files, though its RAW engine is less capable than dedicated tools like Lightroom or Capture One.

Google Photos: What happened to the old unlimited backup?

Google ended unlimited free storage for photos on 1 June 2021. Photos uploaded before that date in compressed quality are not retroactively counted.

Corel PaintShop Pro: Is there a Mac version?

No, PaintShop Pro is Windows-only.

Google Photos: Can I avoid Google One by using another cloud service instead?

Yes. Apple Photos with iCloud, Amazon Photos or a self-hosted option can substitute, though switching means re-uploading or exporting your existing library.

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