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Photography · head to head

Google Photos vs Pixelmator Pro

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
Pixelmator Pro logo

Pixelmator Pro

Photography

Professional image editing for Mac

From
$49.99/one-time
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: 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.; Pixelmator Pro macOS only - no Windows, iPad, or mobile support
  • They diverge on capability: Google Photos covers Automatic backup, Pixelmator Pro covers ML-powered editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Google Photos and Pixelmator Pro differ
AttributeGoogle PhotosPixelmator Pro
Starting priceFree$49.99/one-time
Pricing modelFree tier plus paid storage add-onUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebmacOS
FoundedUnknown2007

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 Google Photos

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

Only in Pixelmator Pro

  • ML-powered editing
  • Non-destructive editing
  • RAW support
  • Layer styles
  • Color adjustments
  • Photos app
  • iCloud
  • Apple Silicon optimization

What people use each for

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

Google Photos

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

Pixelmator Pro

  • Photo editingnot Google Photos
  • Graphic designnot Google Photos
  • Digital artnot Google Photos
  • Image retouchingnot Google Photos

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Pixelmator Pro

  • macOS only - no Windows, iPad, or mobile support
  • Less comprehensive feature set compared to Photoshop
  • Smaller community and fewer third-party plugins than Photoshop
  • Less suitable for professional print workflows compared to industry standards

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Pixelmator Pro

$49.99/one-time

No published plan breakdown. See the Pixelmator Pro review.

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Pixelmator Pro if

  • You need ml-powered editing.
  • You work on macOS.
  • You also want non-destructive editing.
Pixelmator Pro review

Questions people ask

Is Google Photos or Pixelmator Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Photos starts at Free and Pixelmator Pro at $49.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Photos or Pixelmator Pro?
Google Photos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Photos and $49.99/one-time for Pixelmator Pro.
Does Google Photos or Pixelmator Pro run on more platforms?
Google Photos runs on iOS, Android, Web. Pixelmator Pro runs on macOS.
Can I use Google Photos for free?
Yes. Google Photos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pixelmator Pro starts at $49.99/one-time.
What is Google Photos best used for?
Google Photos is most often used for a household wanting automatic phone photo backup without plugging into a computer, someone who wants to search old photos by what is in them rather than by filename or folder, a family sharing a running album of a child or event across several phones, a person switching phones who wants photo history to follow them regardless of device brand. Of those, a household wanting automatic phone photo backup without plugging into a computer and someone who wants to search old photos by what is in them rather than by filename or folder are not what Pixelmator Pro is typically brought in for.
What can Google Photos do that Pixelmator Pro cannot?
Google Photos covers Automatic backup, Face grouping, Search, Shared albums. Pixelmator Pro covers ML-powered editing, Non-destructive editing, RAW support, Layer styles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Pixelmator Pro: Does Pixelmator Pro work offline?

Yes. Pixelmator Pro is a standalone macOS application that works entirely offline with no subscription or cloud connectivity required.

Source
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.

Pixelmator Pro: What is the price for Pixelmator Pro?

Pixelmator Pro costs $49.99 as a one-time purchase with perpetual license, not a subscription.

Source
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.

Pixelmator Pro: Does Pixelmator Pro support AI-powered editing?

Yes. Pixelmator Pro includes ML-powered features like automatic background removal, smart color adjustments, and ML-based auto-enhancement of photos.

Source
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