GIMP vs. Photoshop: Which One Should You Use?

It’s not always easy to pick the right computer program for the task you want to complete. Take image manipulation—since the beginning of the digital age, it’s become easier and easier to take a photo and alter it in whatever fashion you wish. Want to add a second tail to your kitty? You can do that and more, no sweat. But which app should you pick for image editing? GIMP and Photoshop are both excellent choices, but you’ll need to decide which one works best for your project.

We’ve put together this article to help you decide which image editor to select. You’ll get to know the ins and outs of both applications, including cost, features, and support. Choosing which app will be your go-to for image editing can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Our guide gets you where you need to be and shows you the essential info so you can pick a winner and get on with your photo fun.

All About GIMP

GIMP is the lesser-known cowboy in this gunfight by a country mile. Developed for the GNU operating system, the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) allows users to create and manipulate digital images. GIMP is easy to use and easier to get, and it has a large and dedicated user base that is happy to help you discover what the application can do in the right hands.

GIMP offers basic features, including support for curves, layers, levels, cloning, channel mixing, healing, and much more. However, you won’t find many of the advanced features that come standard on Photoshop in the base version of GIMP and will likely need to spend a lot of time and energy tracking down additional installs and libraries. The price is right, though—GIMP is open source and free to use, which gives it a significant advantage over Photoshop.

Photoshop

If you’re at all familiar with digital media manipulation, you’ve heard of Photoshop at one time or another. Photoshop comes from Adobe, which has carved out a niche in digital media applications. The application has been around since the early home computers, and it’s continued to grow and spread. If you read websites or magazines, the odds are high that Photoshop touched the images you see at some point.

Photoshop has fantastic and elaborate features to go along with its basic image manipulation controls. With Photoshop, you can work with Pantone colors and use CMYK color profiles. You’re also not restricted in save file formats and can save to raw formats if you wish. With the features and advantages come costs, though: Photoshop is expensive and requires a subscription for access.

So, there you go. While both Photoshop and GIMP will allow you to work with images and alter them, each app has its strengths and weaknesses. If you’re looking for a free option and don’t need advanced features, GIMP will suit you just fine. If you need to squeeze as many features as you can out of your product, though, you might want to go for Photoshop. Either choice is a great one to get your career started right.