GIMP vs Adobe Elements Organizer

GIMP8.5Visit AEAdobe Elements Organizer7.9Visit

Higher score GIMP #3 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 6 features Visit GIMP

vs

AE Adobe Elements Organizer #8 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac 7.9/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 6 features Visit Adobe

• GIMP fits best

  Users who want a free, open-source editor

• Adobe Elements Organizer fits best

  Users organizing photo and video libraries

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	GIMP 8.5/10 Visit ↗	AEAdobe Elements Organizer 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.5	7.9
Ranking	#3 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac	#8 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac
Best for	Users who want a free, open-source editor	Users organizing photo and video libraries
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	—
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	7 days
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS
Support	Docs	Docs, Community
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market	Solo, Small business
Features GIMP 0/6 · Adobe Elements Organizer 0/6
Layer support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
RAW processing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
PSD compatibility	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Non-destructive editing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Plugin support	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
iPad version	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Maximum color depth	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Layers, masks, selections and filters support detailed image composition. Scripting and command-line operations enable batch processing. Plug-ins extend its capabilities across Windows, macOS and Linux.	Search by people, places, events, subjects, and visual similarity Face recognition helps group and organize people Catalog photos and videos, including RAW files, into albums and folders
Cons	It does not natively process camera RAW files. It is a desktop editor rather than a web-based tool. Support channels listed are documentation.	Focused on cataloging rather than image editing The paid license is a three-year term, not a monthly subscription The free trial lasts 7 days and applies to Photoshop Elements
Our verdict	GIMP is a free, open-source desktop image editor for photographers, designers, illustrators and others creating or editing raster images. Available for macOS, Windows and Linux, it covers retouching, restoration, compositing and graphic… Read the review →	Adobe Elements Organizer is a desktop cataloging tool for people who want to sort and locate photo and video libraries on macOS or Windows. It is included with Photoshop Elements, which Adobe positions for people seeking guided photo… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• GIMP — where it wins

  • Layers, masks, selections and filters support detailed image composition.
  • Scripting and command-line operations enable batch processing.
  • Plug-ins extend its capabilities across Windows, macOS and Linux.

  Where it doesn't

  • It does not natively process camera RAW files.
  • It is a desktop editor rather than a web-based tool.
  • Support channels listed are documentation.

• Adobe Elements Organizer — where it wins

  • Search by people, places, events, subjects, and visual similarity
  • Face recognition helps group and organize people
  • Catalog photos and videos, including RAW files, into albums and folders

  Where it doesn't

  • Focused on cataloging rather than image editing
  • The paid license is a three-year term, not a monthly subscription
  • The free trial lasts 7 days and applies to Photoshop Elements

• GIMP8.5/10 · Free plan

  A capable free desktop editor for layered work, retouching and scripted batch processing.

  Visit GIMPFull verdict →
• AEAdobe Elements Organizer7.9/10 · 7-day trial

  A Mac media catalog for finding and organizing photos and videos, not a Photoshop substitute.

  Visit AdobeFull verdict →