gThumb vs Loupe

GgThumb8.5Visit Loupe8.2Visit

Higher score G gThumb #6 in Photo Viewer Software 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 5 features Visit gThumb

vs

Loupe #8 in Photo Viewer Software 8.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 5 features Visit Loupe

• gThumb fits best

  Linux users wanting an organizer and editor

• Loupe fits best

  Linux users wanting a simple modern viewer

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Side by side

Feature	GgThumb 8.5/10 Visit ↗	Loupe 8.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.5	8.2
Ranking	#6 in Photo Viewer Software	#8 in Photo Viewer Software
Best for	Linux users wanting an organizer and editor	Linux users wanting a simple modern viewer
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Self-hosted, Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Linux	Linux
Support	Community	Docs, Community
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features gThumb 3/5 · Loupe 2/5
RAW image support	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Side-by-side compare	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Contact sheets	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Color management	✓	✓
Metadata viewer	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	Linux	linux
Our review
Pros	Supports common formats plus RAW, HEIF, AVIF, SVG, and JPEG XL Combines metadata editing, file management, catalogs, and search Free, open-source desktop software with camera import and slideshows	Free and open-source with file chooser, file manager, and drag-and-drop workflows Shows image properties and embedded EXIF metadata Includes crop, rotate, flip, zoom, trash, copy, and send actions
Cons	Available for Linux distributions rather than multiple desktop platforms Editing tools focus on basic adjustments such as crop, rotation, and color controls Designed for GNOME workflows, which may not suit every desktop environment	Available on Linux rather than across multiple desktop platforms Basic editing tools do not replace a full image editor Format support can vary by system, with RAW support not established as standard
Our verdict	gThumb is a desktop photo viewer, browser, editor, and organizer for Linux, with a focus on GNOME environments. It covers a wide range of image formats, including PNG, JPEG, WebP, SVG, JPEG XL, HEIF, AVIF, TIFF, GIF, and RAW. That makes it… Read the review →	Loupe, also presented as GNOME Image Viewer, is a desktop application for opening, browsing, and viewing images on Linux. It suits users who want a simple viewer that can open files from a chooser, file manager, or drag-and-drop action,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• gThumb — where it wins

  • Supports common formats plus RAW, HEIF, AVIF, SVG, and JPEG XL
  • Combines metadata editing, file management, catalogs, and search
  • Free, open-source desktop software with camera import and slideshows

  Where it doesn't

  • Available for Linux distributions rather than multiple desktop platforms
  • Editing tools focus on basic adjustments such as crop, rotation, and color controls
  • Designed for GNOME workflows, which may not suit every desktop environment

• Loupe — where it wins

  • Free and open-source with file chooser, file manager, and drag-and-drop workflows
  • Shows image properties and embedded EXIF metadata
  • Includes crop, rotate, flip, zoom, trash, copy, and send actions

  Where it doesn't

  • Available on Linux rather than across multiple desktop platforms
  • Basic editing tools do not replace a full image editor
  • Format support can vary by system, with RAW support not established as standard

• GgThumb8.5/10 · Free plan

  A broad Linux photo viewer with RAW support, metadata tools, catalogs, and conversion.

  Visit gThumbFull verdict →
• Loupe8.2/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source Linux viewer for straightforward browsing, metadata, and basic image edits.

  Visit LoupeFull verdict →