GIMP vs Krita

GIMP8.5Visit Krita7.9Visit

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

vs

Krita #6 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 6 features Visit Krita

• GIMP fits best

  Users who want a free, open-source editor

• Krita fits best

  Digital painters and animators on Mac

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 ↗	Krita 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.5	7.9
Ranking	#3 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac	#6 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac
Best for	Users who want a free, open-source editor	Digital painters and animators on Mac
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support	Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market	Solo, Small business
Features GIMP 0/6 · Krita 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.	Configurable brush engines, painting assistants and stabilizers Layers, masks, vector tools and reusable document templates Frame-by-frame animation with export to image sequences and video
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.	Its painting focus is less suited to broad photo-editing workflows Support channels are community resources and documentation Store editions on some platforms are paid, unlike the free download
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 →	For illustrators, comic artists, concept artists and texture painters, Krita is a free, open-source painting program with a desktop app for macOS as well as Windows and Linux. It also has Android builds. Its toolset is centered on making… 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.

• Krita — where it wins

  • Configurable brush engines, painting assistants and stabilizers
  • Layers, masks, vector tools and reusable document templates
  • Frame-by-frame animation with export to image sequences and video

  Where it doesn't

  • Its painting focus is less suited to broad photo-editing workflows
  • Support channels are community resources and documentation
  • Store editions on some platforms are paid, unlike the free download

• GIMP8.5/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit GIMPFull verdict →
• Krita7.9/10 · Free plan

  A free Mac painting and animation app with configurable brushes, layers and color tools.

  Visit KritaFull verdict →