The Best Free GIMP AlternativesTop Image Editors & Digital Painting Tools like GIMP

The best free alternative to GIMP is Krita, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to GIMP and loads of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to GIMP are Paint.NET, Affinity, Photopea and darktable.

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GIMP alternatives are mainly Image Editors, but if you're looking for Photo Editors or Digital Painting Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include iPad, Linux, iPad + Free, Android, Mac, Online and iPhone. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to GIMP.
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Alternatives list

  1. Krita icon
     1456 likes

    Free, open-source painting software designed by artists for artists. Offers customizable UI, 9 brush engines, color management, tablet support, non-destructive editing, and privacy features. Portable and available on major platforms, supporting seamless texture creation.

    145 Krita alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android Tablet
    • KDE Plasma
    • Epic Games Store
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Steam
    • AppImage
     
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    17
  2. Paint.NET icon
     1667 likes

    Free Windows image editor with support for layers, plugins, and special effects. Offers intuitive interface, works offline, ad-free, and portable, consuming fewer resources.

    167 Paint.NET alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • .NET Framework
     
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    10
  3. Affinity icon
     75 likes

    Unified design solution merging advanced photo, vector, and layout tools for seamless workflow, non-destructive editing, RAW support, batch processing, AI enhancements, GPU acceleration, file compatibility, cloud asset integration, and tailored workspace options.

    79 Affinity alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
     
  4. Photopea icon
     352 likes

    Browser-based image editing supports PSD, XCF, Sketch formats, advanced layers, vector tools, RAW photo support, and exports in 40+ formats. Fully client-side with AI background removal, content-aware tools, and privacy as files never leave your device.

    117 Photopea alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
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    1
  5. darktable icon
     358 likes

    Open source non-destructive RAW editor and virtual darkroom with zoomable lighttable, database-driven organization, HDR and EXR support, floating-point workflow, batch exporting, and advanced editing for photography and scientific imaging across platforms.

    72 darktable alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  6. MyPaint icon
     395 likes

    MyPaint is a fast, distraction-free, and easy painting tool for digital artists. It supports graphics tablets made by Wacom, and many similar devices.

    132 MyPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
     
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    2
  7. Pixlr icon
     368 likes

    Web-based editor with AI image generation, quick fixes, overlays, intricate lighting and texture adjustments, customizable templates, advanced filters, support for layers, high-res export, and ad-free premium features for accessible image and design editing.

    239 Pixlr alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
     
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    7
  8. RawTherapee icon
     237 likes

    Raw photo processing software with advanced control over demosaicing. Ideal for newcomers, semi-professionals, and professionals. Supports HDR DNGs, JPGs, and TIFFs, with in-house enhancements for some camera models. Open-source, lacks digital asset management.

    60 RawTherapee alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
     
  9. PixiEditor icon
     25 likes

    Create pixel-perfect sprites, raster paintings, and scalable vector graphics with a unified open-source editor featuring frame-by-frame animation, a node-based workflow, custom shaders, procedural art tools, anti-aliased brushes, and versatile export options.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Steam
    • Flatpak
     
  10. Photoscape icon
     262 likes

    PhotoScape is a fun and easy photo editing software that enables you to fix and enhance photos.

    194 Photoscape alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
     
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    2
  11. Snapseed icon
     91 likes

    Snapseed is a photo enhancement and sharing app with a powerful suite of imaging filters and tools for anyone, anywhere, to transform any image into an extraordinary photo.

    75 Snapseed alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
     
12 of 137 GIMP alternatives