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Photography · head to head

Corel PaintShop Pro vs RawTherapee

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
RawTherapee logo

RawTherapee

Photography

Open source raw developer with selectable demosaicing algorithms and floating point processing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only RawTherapee 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.; RawTherapee there is no catalogue, only a folder browser, so any library management, keywording or search has to happen in a separate application.
  • They diverge on capability: Corel PaintShop Pro covers Layer-based editing, RawTherapee covers Selectable demosaicing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Corel PaintShop Pro and RawTherapee differ
AttributeCorel PaintShop ProRawTherapee
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchase, paid upgradesOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsLinux, Windows, macOS

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 RawTherapee

  • Selectable demosaicing
  • Floating point pipeline
  • Local adjustments
  • Wavelet levels
  • Processing profiles
  • Colour management

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 RawTherapee
  • A long-time PaintShop Pro user with existing scripts and workflows built around the productnot RawTherapee
  • Someone restoring old family photos who wants the bundled restoration and HDR tools rather than assembling a plugin stacknot RawTherapee
  • A budget-conscious small studio doing basic compositing that does not require Photoshop plugin compatibilitynot RawTherapee

RawTherapee

  • Difficult raw files where the demosaicing algorithm visibly changes the result, such as fine fabric, foliage or architectural detailnot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • Archive and restoration work where a free tool with strict colour management is preferable to a subscriptionnot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • Photographers who want to understand and control each processing stage rather than accept a vendor renderingnot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • Producing a high quality sixteen bit TIFF to hand to GIMP or another editor for compositingnot 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.

RawTherapee

  • There is no catalogue, only a folder browser, so any library management, keywording or search has to happen in a separate application.
  • The default rendering is deliberately neutral and looks flat next to the camera JPEG, which means every user has to build their own processing profiles before the tool is pleasant to use.
  • Support for new camera models and for Fujifilm X-Trans sensors arrives later than in commercial converters because it depends on volunteer work and upstream library updates.
  • The interface presents several hundred controls across many tabs with little guidance about which ones interact, and the learning curve is measured in weeks rather than hours.
  • Batch export is slow compared with commercial converters and there is no GPU acceleration, so processing a large wedding shoot ties up the machine for a long time.

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

RawTherapee

Free
  • RawTherapeeFree
    • GPL licensed with no seat limit
    • All processing features included
    • Documentation and support through RawPedia and the community forum

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 RawTherapee if

  • You need selectable demosaicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want floating point pipeline.
RawTherapee review

Questions people ask

Is Corel PaintShop Pro or RawTherapee better?
Neither clearly leads. Corel PaintShop Pro starts at On request and RawTherapee at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Corel PaintShop Pro or RawTherapee?
RawTherapee has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Corel PaintShop Pro and Free for RawTherapee.
Does Corel PaintShop Pro or RawTherapee run on more platforms?
Corel PaintShop Pro runs on Windows. RawTherapee runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
Can I use RawTherapee for free?
Yes. RawTherapee 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 RawTherapee is typically brought in for.
What can Corel PaintShop Pro do that RawTherapee cannot?
Corel PaintShop Pro covers Layer-based editing, RAW processing, AI selection tools, Batch processing scripts. RawTherapee covers Selectable demosaicing, Floating point pipeline, Local adjustments, Wavelet levels.

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.

RawTherapee: Does RawTherapee support Fujifilm X-Trans files?

Yes, but support arrived later than in commercial converters and results on fine detail still trail Capture One and Adobe on some bodies.

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.

RawTherapee: Can it replace Lightroom entirely?

It replaces the develop side. It does not replace the catalogue, so you will need digiKam, darktable or something similar alongside it.

Corel PaintShop Pro: Is there a Mac version?

No, PaintShop Pro is Windows-only.

RawTherapee: Are my edits stored in the raw file?

No. Edits are written to sidecar profile files next to the raw, so originals are untouched and profiles can be copied between images.

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