GIMP review

GIMP, the GNU Image Manipulation Program, is the long-standing free alternative to Photoshop for raster work. The project describes it as a program for photo retouching, image composition and image authoring, and it runs on GNU/Linux, macOS and Windows. It is free software under the GNU General Public License, so there is no account, trial or subscription, and the community keeps shipping updates: version 3.2.8 was released on November 2, 2026. Customization options and third-party plugins let you extend it. For graphic designers it handles banners, photo cleanup and composites well enough, but it is not a vector or layout tool, so logos and multi-page documents belong in Inkscape, Affinity or a paid suite. People moving from Photoshop will need time to adjust to a different interface, and there are no built-in generative AI tools. For a free PC setup, GIMP with Inkscape covers most needs.

Who it is for

Designers who need free photo editing and compositing on Windows, macOS or Linux.

Price

Free and open source under the GNU General Public License.

GIMP is a cross-platform image editor available for GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows and more operating systems.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Photo retouching, image composition and image authoring
• High quality photo manipulation tools
• Customization options and third-party plugins
• Regular releases, with GIMP 3.2.8 out in November 2026
• Source code you can change and redistribute

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Free with no account or subscription
• Strength: Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
• Strength: Extensible with plugins
• Weakness: Not a vector or layout tool
• Weakness: Interface differs from Photoshop, which slows switchers
• Weakness: No built-in generative AI or cloud collaboration

Key facts

• Price: Free
• License: GNU General Public License
• Platforms: Windows, macOS and Linux
• Latest release: GIMP 3.2.8, November 2, 2026

Where it ranks

GIMP is No. 9 in our Best Graphic Design Software verdict.