A detailed comparison of GIMP and Krita to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
Free, open-source image editor for photo retouching and manipulation.
| Plan | GIMP | Krita |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ Completely free | ✓ Completely free |
| Lowest Paid | Free | Free |
| Enterprise | Free | Free |
| Feature | GIMP | Krita |
|---|---|---|
| Photo retouching | ✓ | — |
| Layer support | ✓ | — |
| Custom brushes | ✓ | — |
| Filters | ✓ | — |
| Scripting | ✓ | — |
| Plugin support | ✓ | — |
| File format support | ✓ | — |
| Color management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Batch processing | ✓ | — |
| Cross-platform | ✓ | — |
| Digital painting | — | ✓ |
| Brush engine | — | ✓ |
| Layer management | — | ✓ |
| Animation | — | ✓ |
| Vector tools | — | ✓ |
| HDR support | — | ✓ |
| Python scripting | — | ✓ |
| Tablet support | — | ✓ |
| PSD support | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rating | ⭐ 3.9 | ⭐ 4.2 |
Choose GIMP if: You need users wanting free professional image editing. GIMP excels with its completely free and open source.
Choose Krita if: You need digital artists and illustrators. Krita stands out with its free and open source and great for digital art.
Best free option: Both GIMP and Krita offer free tiers. GIMP offers "Completely free" while Krita offers "Completely free".
It depends on your needs. GIMP is better for users wanting free professional image editing, while Krita is better for digital artists and illustrators. Both are excellent tools rated 3.9 and 4.2 respectively.
GIMP starts at Free while Krita starts at Free. Both offer free tiers.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying Krita's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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