Software · head to head
Lulu vs GIMP
The short version
- Only GIMP has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Lulu production requires 3-5 business days before shipping, with the first printing day starting only after the order is placed; GIMP gPLv3 licence requires derivative works to be open-source and freely distributed
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Lulu and GIMP actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Lulu
Nothing recorded that GIMP does not also cover.
Only in GIMP
- Photo editing
- Digital painting
- Image processing
- Batch editing
- Filters
- Color correction
- Layer support
- Script-fu automation
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Lulu
No use cases recorded yet. See the Lulu review.
GIMP
- Photo editing and retouching with professional colour managementnot Lulu
- Digital art creation with power and flexibility for image transformationnot Lulu
- Icon and UI element design for application developmentnot Lulu
- Batch image processing through Python, C, C++, and Scheme scriptingnot Lulu
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Lulu
- Production requires 3-5 business days before shipping, with the first printing day starting only after the order is placed
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
Lulu
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Lulu review.
GIMP
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the GIMP review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Lulu if
Nothing in the data separates Lulu from GIMP on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose GIMP if
- You need photo editing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows.
- You also want digital painting.
Questions people ask
- Is Lulu or GIMP better?
- Neither clearly leads. Lulu starts at On request and GIMP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Lulu or GIMP?
- GIMP has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Lulu and Free for GIMP.
- Does Lulu or GIMP run on more platforms?
- Lulu runs on Web. 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. Lulu starts at On request.
- What can Lulu do that GIMP cannot?
- GIMP covers Photo editing, Digital painting, Image processing, Batch editing.