Open Source GIMP Alternatives for Linux

There are many alternatives to GIMP for Linux if you are looking for a replacement. The best open source Linux alternative is Krita. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to GIMP and many of them are open source and available for Linux so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source Linux alternatives to GIMP are PhotoCraft, darktable, PhotoSplice and RawTherapee.

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Most GIMP alternatives are Image Editors, but you can also narrow the list to Photo Editors or Digital Painting Tools. Other popular filters are iPad, Linux, iPhone, Android and Mac. You can also filter for EU-based alternatives if you prefer software from the European Union.
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Alternatives
GIMP alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. Krita icon
     1512 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.

    170 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
    • NL flagNetherlands
    • European Union flagEU
    Krita screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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    17
  2. PhotoCraft icon
     53 likes

    Layers, masks, adjustment layers, layer styles, type, vectors and brushes in a native app written entirely in Rust. Open source, offline, and yours.

    14 PhotoCraft alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Fedora
    • Debian
    • AppImage
    • Flatpak
    Good alternative?
     
  3. darktable icon
     374 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.

    91 darktable alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  4. PhotoSplice icon
     39 likes

    Offline raster and vector editor with PSD/PSB support, layer groups, clipping and layer masks, layer styles, smart objects and smart filters. It includes drawing, retouching and path tools, advanced text layout, action playback, scripts, sidebar plugins, and file dialogs.

    47 PhotoSplice alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    Good alternative?
     
  5. RawTherapee icon
     246 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.

    77 RawTherapee alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    Good alternative?
     
  6. MyPaint icon
     397 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.

    145 MyPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
    Good alternative?
     
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    2
  7. PixiEditor icon
     32 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.

    50 PixiEditor alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Steam
    • Flatpak
    Good alternative?
     
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    1
  8. PhotoGIMP icon
     34 likes

    Open-source patch modifies the layout, shortcuts, and workspace of the image editor to resemble Adobe's design, providing custom splash screens, icon, and menus for ease of use, while retaining original features and supporting Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms.

    22 PhotoGIMP alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
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    1
  9. miniPaint icon
     34 likes

    miniPaint is free online image editor using HTML5. Edit, adjust your images, add effects online in your browser without installing anything. You can use the Electron based version of the editor if you like.

    45 miniPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Good alternative?
     
  10. LazPaint icon
     46 likes

    Raster & vector graphic editor with many tools and filters, written in Lazarus. Portable, 32bit & 64bit versions, ORA format & 16384x16384 image support. In app 3D import & rendering.

    57 LazPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Good alternative?
     
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    3
  11. Pixelitor icon
     30 likes

    Open source image editor with non-destructive editing, 110+ filters, adjustment and text layers, support for smart objects and adjustment layers, cross-platform compatibility, and layer-based editing for flexible image composition.

    124 Pixelitor alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Good alternative?
     
  12. AzPainter icon
     22 likes

    AzPainter is a full color painting program for Linux. It's a lightweight tool with tablet pressure support, and provides basic functions such as selection, layers, filters. you can use it for painting, image editing, or pixel art making.

    39 AzPainter alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • AppImage
    Good alternative?
     
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    1
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