Capture One vs GIMP

Capture One9.0Visit GIMP8.7Visit

Higher score Capture One #3 in Photo Editing Software 9.0/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 6 of 6 features Visit Capture One

vs

GIMP #5 in Photo Editing Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 6 features Visit GIMP

• Capture One fits best

  Professional RAW and tethered workflows

• GIMP fits best

  Free layered editing and extensibility

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Side by side

Feature	Capture One 9.0/10 Visit ↗	GIMP 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.7
Ranking	#3 in Photo Editing Software	#5 in Photo Editing Software
Best for	Professional RAW and tethered workflows	Free layered editing and extensibility
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	7 days	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile, Cloud	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, iOS	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Tickets, Docs	Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Capture One 6/6 · GIMP 3/6
RAW photo support	✓ (best)	—
Layer editing	✓	✓
Masking tools	✓	✓
Batch editing	✓	✓
Cloud sync	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
AI retouching	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Platform	Multi-platform	Multi-platform
Our review
Pros	Deep RAW conversion, layers, masks, and AI retouching Tethered capture with camera control for supported cameras Catalogs, Sessions, batch editing, and cloud synchronization	Free and open-source across Windows, macOS, and Linux Layers, masks, high-bit-depth processing, and broad format support Extensible through plug-ins, scripting, and command-line batch processing
Cons	No free plan Desktop Pro and Studio pricing is not shown here Mobile editing is available on iPhone and iPad	RAW workflows require darktable or RawTherapee plug-ins Desktop-focused rather than a cloud-based editing workflow Volunteer-community maintenance may not suit buyers seeking a commercial vendor
Our verdict	Capture One is photo editing software for professional photographers, studios, and image creators who need RAW processing, tethered capture, organized photo libraries, and non-destructive editing. Its desktop software runs on macOS and… Read the review →	GIMP is a free, open-source desktop application for creating, editing, retouching, and composing images. It is aimed at photographers, artists, designers, and other image creators who need layered editing without a paid license. Its core… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Capture One — where it wins

  • Deep RAW conversion, layers, masks, and AI retouching
  • Tethered capture with camera control for supported cameras
  • Catalogs, Sessions, batch editing, and cloud synchronization

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan
  • Desktop Pro and Studio pricing is not shown here
  • Mobile editing is available on iPhone and iPad

• GIMP — where it wins

  • Free and open-source across Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Layers, masks, high-bit-depth processing, and broad format support
  • Extensible through plug-ins, scripting, and command-line batch processing

  Where it doesn't

  • RAW workflows require darktable or RawTherapee plug-ins
  • Desktop-focused rather than a cloud-based editing workflow
  • Volunteer-community maintenance may not suit buyers seeking a commercial vendor

• Capture One9.0/10 · 7-day trial

  A deep choice for professional RAW and tethered workflows, without a free plan.

  Visit Capture OneFull verdict →
• GIMP8.7/10 · Free plan

  A capable free editor for layered work, masking, scripting, and plug-in-based RAW workflows.

  Visit GIMPFull verdict →