GIMP vs MyPaint

GIMP8.5Visit MMyPaint7.9Visit

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

vs

M MyPaint #7 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 6 features Visit MyPaint

• GIMP fits best

  Users who want a free, open-source editor

• MyPaint fits best

  Free digital painting with tablet brush controls

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Side by side

Feature	GIMP 8.5/10 Visit ↗	MMyPaint 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.5	7.9
Ranking	#3 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac	#7 in Photoshop Alternatives for Mac
Best for	Users who want a free, open-source editor	Free digital painting with tablet brush controls
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux, macOS, Windows
Features GIMP 0/6 · MyPaint 1/6
Layer support	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
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.	Customizable brushes include traditional-media presets and editable settings. Supports layers, layer groups, opacity, locking, duplication, and merging. Tablet pressure, symmetry, and stroke stabilization support expressive drawing.
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 focus is digital painting rather than general photo editing. Color management is basic. Its tools are geared toward drawing and painting workflows, not broad image work.
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 →	MyPaint is a free, open-source raster painting application for digital painters and sketch artists. It runs on macOS as well as Linux and Windows, and its feature set is aimed at creating artwork rather than handling a broad range of… 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.

• MyPaint — where it wins

  • Customizable brushes include traditional-media presets and editable settings.
  • Supports layers, layer groups, opacity, locking, duplication, and merging.
  • Tablet pressure, symmetry, and stroke stabilization support expressive drawing.

  Where it doesn't

  • Its focus is digital painting rather than general photo editing.
  • Color management is basic.
  • Its tools are geared toward drawing and painting workflows, not broad image work.

• GIMP8.5/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit GIMPFull verdict →
• MMyPaint7.9/10 · Free plan

  A capable free painting tool for Mac, but not a general-purpose Photoshop replacement.

  Visit MyPaintFull verdict →