This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them

Period

–Visits

–Page views

–Clicks to vendors

–Time on page

–Reading now

Clicks to vendors, by tool

Top countries

Devices

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

PaintFE

Free#37 of 158 in Photo Editing Software

PaintFE: A flexible free editor with RAW, layers, automation, and local AI tools. Ranked #37 of 158 in Photo Editing Software by our editors (5.6/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free flexible editing and automation.

5.6/10Editor score

Visit PaintFE

PaintFE5.6 Visit PaintFE

At a glance

Editor score
5.6 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Free flexible editing and automation
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Platform
Multi-platform
Facts checked
22 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Supports RAW formats, layered PFE projects, masks, and blend modes
- Local AI background removal with compatible ONNX models
- Batch CLI workflows and Rhai scripting support repeatable edits
Where it doesn't
- Browser edition is beta and has native-only feature limitations
- AI background removal requires desktop setup and compatible local models
- No cloud sync for cross-device project access

Our verdict on PaintFE

PaintFE is a free, MIT-licensed photo and raster editor for Windows, macOS, Linux, and the browser. It suits photographers, designers, and technical users who want local editing without an account, subscription, telemetry, or required internet connection. The feature set covers photo correction, selections, retouching, filters, layers, text, shapes, animation export, and GIF/APNG workflows. Its native PFE project format keeps layered work editable, while camera RAW import includes CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG, ORF, RW2, and RAF files.

For automation, PaintFE goes beyond a conventional desktop editor. The headless CLI supports batch processing, and Rhai scripting enables repeatable image operations. That combination makes it a practical fit for recurring transformations, asset preparation, and workflows that benefit from command-line control. Local AI background removal is also available through compatible ONNX Runtime and user-supplied models, keeping processing on the desktop rather than depending on a hosted service. Buyers should note that this AI workflow requires additional desktop setup.

PaintFE’s breadth is a strength for users who want editing, retouching, RAW handling, compositing, scripting, and animation export in one open-source application. It also supports tools such as clone stamp, content-aware fill, liquify, mesh warp, curves, exposure, sharpening, and noise reduction. The browser edition is documented as beta and has some native-only feature limitations, while cloud sync is not part of the product’s workflow. Choose PaintFE for flexible local editing and automation across major desktop platforms; choose another editor if browser-first parity or synchronized cloud projects is central to your work.

Your product? Our editors can test PaintFE in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

PaintFE pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on paintfe.com

All 1 PaintFE plans and prices →

PaintFE fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Platform	Multi-platform
RAW photo support	Yes
Layer editing	Yes
Masking tools	Yes
Batch editing	Yes
Cloud sync	No
AI retouching	Yes
Deployment	Desktop, Cloud
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Free plan (source)
Website	paintfe.com
Facts checked	22 Sep 2026

Alternatives to PaintFE

See all PaintFE alternatives →

Used PaintFE? Be the first to review it

The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used PaintFE for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.

Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears

Reviews come only from verified accounts. Sign in or create an account first — your e-mail is never shown.

Title

Your review

0 characters · at least 80, up to 3,000

Pros (optional · one per line)

Cons (optional · one per line)

Your name (shown with your review)

Role (optional)

Company (optional)

How long have you used it?

I've used PaintFE myself and this is my honest opinion — nobody paid or asked me to write it.

Posted from your verified account. Reviews appear after an editor reads them, usually within two working days.

Featured on iTechGuides

PaintFE is listed in our Photo Editing Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/paintfe/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/paintfe.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update