Ask someone to name a photo editor, and chances are Photoshop is the name that comes out of their mouths. Adobe's image manipulation software is so powerful that it has not only become a standard tool, it has also become a verb, much to Adobe's chagrin. With nearly 30 years of history behind it, Photoshop has grown tremendously, and there's little it can't do in good hands. But if the software is incredibly powerful, it doesn't necessarily fit everyone. GIMP is often touted as the free alternative to Photoshop, but does it really hold up to this comparison? We compared the two programs to find out.
GIMP vs Photoshop: the basics
If you want to use Photoshop, there are still a few hurdles to overcome, the first being price. This is not cheap software, far from the imagination; It is a professional level tool, the price of which is a reflection. Second, there is the learning curve. Photoshop isn't a program you start out in and immediately produces amazing results, although there are a number of automated and semi-automated tools to help you out. People spend entire careers mastering Adobe's famous software, and to get the most out of it, you have to be willing to spend hours on it. This does not mean that GIMP is simple software, far from it. In good hands, GIMP can do just about anything Photoshop can do. It might do things a little differently, it might not be as refined, and it might take a bit more work backwards, but if you know where to look, you've got a powerful arsenal. Tools at your disposal.
GIMP is the most powerful free photo editor on the market and it will be enough for many amateur photographers (Image credit: GIMP)
interface
GIMP and Photoshop have a lot to offer, which means that their interfaces are full of buttons, windows, toolbars, and menus, to the point where it can be a bit complicated. Fortunately, both offer the ability to narrow things down a bit and hide at least some of the tools you don't use very often or don't need at all. GIMP has evolved in recent years from a multi-window interface to a more familiar look (at least for Windows users). With both programs, you'll need to spend time not only learning what all the tools do, but also finding them. In fact, this can be half the battle with Photoshop or GIMP. Find out where to find the tools you are trying to use! As you become more familiar with the options layout, you'll find your workflow improves, and you'll also have more time to experiment rather than stick with familiar tools and options.specs
Neither Photoshop nor GIMP skimp on features. Chances are, unless you're a designer or a serious thrill seeker, you just don't use half of what's on offer in each of them. Photoshop has just about every tool imaginable, and GIMP tries to replicate your selection. However, the freeware simply cannot exploit Photoshop's capabilities. Although GIMP has a treatment brush, Photoshop has no less than three processing tools. This doesn't mean you won't be able to get the same results in GIMP, but you'll have to do a bit more manual work to do it. Both image editors support RAW files, which is great news for professional photographers, but GIMP may be a bit less reliable in this area. A key advantage of Photoshop for the photographer is its unprecedented non-destructive editing, while designers will appreciate the CMYK support. But while both programs are extremely powerful, their incredible number of features can be further enhanced through the use of plugins.
Photoshop is a professional-level photo editor, and its learning curve is comparable (Image credit: Adobe)
plugins
Some will say that image editing is a matter of plugins, and you only have the shame of choosing, whether you go for Photoshop or GIMP. Photoshop is famous for its wide range of plugins, and it would be easy to spend more on extending the program's capabilities than on the program itself, although there are plenty of free plugins available as well. GIMP is supposed to work with Photoshop plugins, but support is not guaranteed, some may not work or be a bit unstable. That said, there are plenty of alternatives to Photoshop plugins if you find one of your favorites isn't working properly.Ease of use and performance.
GIMP and Photoshop take time to learn and master. "Ease of use" is a difficult term to apply to programs because their ease of use really depends on what you are trying to achieve. That said, there's a wide range of tutorials online for both image editors, covering just about every tool, scenario, and problem you can think of. A wide range of tutorials is available for Photoshop. They are usually of a higher level, but GIMP users don't give themselves completely. Where Photoshop wins, however, is support. The fact that you pay for the software gives you access to a team of Adobe experts who can help you in the event of a crash. Both Photoshop and GIMP are standalone products, but Photoshop takes advantage of their integration into a Creative Cloud workflow. If you use other Adobe products to manage your photo library and do imaging work, you'll find that Photoshop's slit is very well integrated into your workflow. However, GIMP is really a standalone program and there is no accompanying tool or support to use in parallel. This means that if you want to use a photo management tool in addition to GIMP, your work experience will be very different from the unified interfaces provided by Adobe. One last thing to consider if you're still torn between these two programs is the material you have. While both can be very demanding on a computer, Photoshop really requires a powerful system if you want to get the most out of it and not get frustrated with slow performance. GIMP will work easier on older and slower computers, but like any program, it enjoys faster hardware. Your operating system is also important. GIMP is available in Windows, MacOS, and Linux variants while Photoshop is only available for Windows and MacOS.
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