Paint.NET AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Photo Editors for Mac

Paint.NET is not available for Mac but there are plenty of alternatives that runs on macOS with similar functionality. The best Mac Photo Editor alternative is Pinta, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Paint.NET and many of them are Photo Editors available for Mac so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Mac Photo Editor alternatives to Paint.NET are GIMP, Adobe Photoshop, Pixelmator and Affinity.

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Paint.NET alternatives are mainly Photo Editors, but if you're looking for Image Editors or Raw Photo Editorss you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Linux, Android, Mac, iPad, Online, iPhone and Android Tablet. 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 Paint.NET.
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Alternatives list

  1. Pinta icon

    Pinta

     277 likes

    Pinta is a image editing, drawing and painting application with a simple yet powerful interface. Pinta has a wide range of drawing tools, including: freehand, rectangles, circles and lines. It also has over 35 effects to apply to your images, and also has the ability to create...

    99 Pinta alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Mono
    • Snapcraft
    Pinta 3.0
     
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    21
    Comments about Pinta as an Alternative to Paint.NET
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    12

    This functions in almost identical ways to Paint.NET, more so than any other program listed on here.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    6

    It gives you a good taste of Paint.NET, but it's so broken and painful to work with that it just isn't worth using; e.g. the text function doesn't work.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    harrisben
    Positive
    0

    Much more functionality and cleaner UI.

    3 of 21 comments
    Pinta icon
    Pinta icon
    • Pinta is Free and Open SourcePaint.NET is Free and Proprietary
    • Pinta is Privacy focusedPaint.NET is not according to our users
  2. GIMP icon

    GIMP

     4732 likes

    GIMP delivers powerful functionalities for photo retouching, image composition, and format conversion. As a versatile tool, it serves as both a simple paint program and a high-end retouching suite, and offers batch processing for mass image tasks in an accessible open-source platform.

    190 GIMP alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • Flatpak
    • AmigaOS
    yes
     
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    41
    Comments about GIMP as an Alternative to Paint.NET
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    1

    free, open-source, cross-platform

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    zlelmefs
    7

    The #1 perk of paint.net is how lightweight and fast it is, it's intended as a competitor to Paint. GIMP is the complete opposite- it's a big, slow monster designed to compete with photoshop.

    Guest
    Negative
    0

    It's slow and has a lot of stuff you have to learn while paint.net is easy to use and lightweight.

    3 of 41 comments
    GIMP icon
    GIMP icon
    • GIMP is Free and Open SourcePaint.NET is Free and Proprietary
    • GIMP is Customizable and Privacy focusedPaint.NET is not according to our users
  4. Adobe Photoshop icon

    Adobe Photoshop

     2421 likes

    Comprehensive raster graphics editor offering advanced photo and image editing features. Supports multiple layers, masks, alpha compositing, various color models, and has limited vector graphics, 3D, and video capabilities. Extensible via plug-ins.

    225 Adobe Photoshop alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Wine
    • ReactOS
    • Google Chrome
    Adobe Photoshop screenshot 1
     
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    9
    Comments about Adobe Photoshop as an Alternative to Paint.NET
    Top Positive Comment
    HaricharanSrinivasan
    4

    The absolute best in photo correction and manipulation. Slick interface. Fast. Loads of tools for mobile and Web design. Content-aware editing. Video editing. 3D design capability. Synced Libraries. Integrated stock library. Complementary mobile apps.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    34

    Very pricy advanced application compared to free paint.net

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    zlelmefs
    Negative
    0

    It's slow. It's not free. It's made by one of the worst software companies on the planet.

    3 of 9 comments
    Adobe Photoshop icon
    Adobe Photoshop icon
    • Adobe Photoshop is Paid and ProprietaryPaint.NET is Free and Proprietary
  5. Ad
  6. Pixelmator icon

    Pixelmator

     421 likes

    Image editing software for macOS and iOS, offering nondestructive, GPU-powered editing with machine learning features, RAW support, custom brushes, and seamless macOS integration for touch-ups, painting, and creative compositions.

    154 Pixelmator alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Pixelmator screenshot 1
     
    |
    2
    Comments about Pixelmator as an Alternative to Paint.NET
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    Fast, easy to use, not overloaded with useless features

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    oddityoverseer13
    Positive
    0

    It's cheap, and it has all the capabilities of Paint.NET (plus some), and it's even more user-friendly.

    Pixelmator icon
    Pixelmator icon
    • Pixelmator is Paid and ProprietaryPaint.NET is Free and Proprietary
    • Pixelmator is CustomizablePaint.NET is not according to our users
  7. Affinity icon

    Affinity

     55 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.

    68 Affinity alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Affinity screenshot 1
     
  8. Affinity Photo icon

    Affinity Photo

     552 likes

    Real-time image editing software supporting extensive colour spaces, unlimited layers, non-destructive edits, and a streamlined workspace for complex tasks on Windows, Mac, and iPad.

    101 Affinity Photo alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • iPad
    Affinity Photo screenshot 1
     
  10. Sly icon

    Sly

     51 likes

    Sly is a user-friendly, offline image editor requiring no expertise; adjust brightness, contrast, apply effects, and export in JPEG or PNG formats with control over metadata.

    36 Sly alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Online
    Sly screenshot 1
     
    |
    1
    Comments about Sly as an Alternative to Paint.NET
    Lunae
    Negative
    0

    Sly is too simplistic. It is merely a tool to crop and apply filters, and doesn't have any tools like area selection, cut copy paste, fill, brush/pencil, text, etc.

    Sly icon
    Sly icon
    • Sly is Free and Open SourcePaint.NET is Free and Proprietary
    • Sly is Privacy focusedPaint.NET is not according to our users
  11. LazPaint icon

    LazPaint

     45 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.

    43 LazPaint alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Main UI
     
    |
    6
    Comments about LazPaint as an Alternative to Paint.NET
    Top Positive Comment
    sourloti
    3

    Is able to open and edit .pdn files! Especially handy if you're on Linux and aren't able/don't want to use paint.net.

    beng tang
    Positive
    0

    LazPaint comes close to Paint.NET in terms of ease of use and features. Unlike GIMP, LazPaint has good resampling / resizing algorithms including Lanczos. Unlike Krita, it's selection tool does not select outside the image and it can print images. Amongst the Linux image editors I have tried, it is so far the best alternative to Paint.NET.

    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Lightweight and available in Debian 11

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 6 comments
    LazPaint icon
    LazPaint icon
    • LazPaint is Free and Open SourcePaint.NET is Free and Proprietary
  14. Adobe Elements icon

    Adobe Elements

     83 likes

    Comprehensive photo editing tool with AI-powered automation and easy step-by-step guidance. It includes unique creation tools, layer support, facial recognition, and organizes your photos seamlessly. Available as a one-time purchase, no subscription required, with cloud sync for flexibility.

    149 Adobe Elements alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    Adobe Elements screenshot 1
     
  15. Fotor icon

    Fotor

     61 likes

    Comprehensive online editor offering filters, frames, text, stickers, collage creation, graphic design, templates for social media, batch editing, photo retouching, mobile and desktop access, regular updates, and direct sharing to social channels.

    192 Fotor alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    Fotor screenshot 1
     
12 of 24 Paint.NET alternatives