AP
Affinity Photo4.4/5vsGi
GIMP4.2/5Affinity Photo vs GIMP (March 2026)
| APAffinity Photo | GiGIMP | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Free Tier | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Best For | Professional photographers seeking Adobe alternatives, Digital artists and illustrators | Graphic designers creating icons and UI elements, Photographers performing retouching and restoration work |
Quick Verdict
Affinity Photo edges ahead with a 4.4/5 rating versus GIMP's 4.2/5, offering stronger value for most teams.
Quick Overview
AP
Affinity Photo
Professional photo editing and digital painting software that provides a powerful alternative to subscription-based tool...
- Best for: Professional photographers seeking Adobe alternatives, Digital artists and illustrators
- Starting price: Free
- Category: Photo Editing Software
- Founded: 2015
- Pricing model: freemium
Gi
GIMP
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free, open-source cross-platform image editor that provides sophisticated too...
- Best for: Graphic designers creating icons and UI elements, Photographers performing retouching and restoration work
- Starting price: Free
- Category: Photo Editing Software
- Founded: 1995
- Pricing model: freemium
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Affinity Photo | GIMP |
|---|---|---|
| RAW Development | ✓ | ✗ |
| Non-destructive Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| HDR Merge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Focus Stacking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Digital Painting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Batch Processing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Smart Selections | ✓ | ✗ |
| GPU Acceleration | ✓ | ✗ |
| 360° Image Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| PSD Support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Photo retouching and restoration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Non-destructive filters (NDE) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Non-raster layers | ✗ | ✓ |
| SVG import with improved rendering | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi-language scripting support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plugin and script extensibility | ✗ | ✓ |
| Color operations and adjustments | ✗ | ✓ |
| Layer and mask manipulation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Creative compositing tools | ✗ | ✓ |
| Icon and UI mockup creation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cross-platform compatibility | ✗ | ✓ |
| Batch processing | ✗ | ✓ |
Pricing Comparison
Prices last verified: March 16, 2026
Affinity Photo
Free
Starting price
freemium · 2 plans
FreePopular
FreePremium (Historical)
$70/yrPros & Cons
Affinity Photo
Pros
- Now completely free with full professional features
- Excellent alternative to expensive subscription software
- Fast performance with GPU acceleration
- Supports wide range of file formats including PSD
Cons
- Limited smart object support compared to Photoshop
- Learning curve when switching from other photo editors
- Some advanced features may be less intuitive
- Smaller community and fewer tutorials than mainstream alternatives
GIMP
Pros
- Completely free and open-source with no licensing costs
- Highly extensible through plugins and multi-language scripting
- Cross-platform compatibility across all major operating systems
- Professional-grade tools for photo manipulation and graphic design
Cons
- Steep learning curve compared to commercial alternatives
- Limited AI and machine learning features
- Slower performance on complex projects with many layers
- Less intuitive UI for beginners
Which Is Best for You?
AP
Choose Affinity Photo if:
- Professional photographers seeking Adobe alternatives
- Digital artists and illustrators
- Hobbyist photographers wanting advanced tools
- Budget-conscious creatives needing professional features
- You want to start with a free plan
- Higher user rating matters to you (4.4 vs 4.2)
Gi
Choose GIMP if:
- Graphic designers creating icons and UI elements
- Photographers performing retouching and restoration work
- Digital artists and illustrators creating original artwork
- Open-source advocates seeking free alternatives to commercial software
- You want to start with a free plan
Our Verdict
🏆
APAffinity Photo — WinnerGiGIMP — Runner-up
After thorough analysis, Affinity Photo takes the lead in this comparison with a higher rating of 4.4/5 versus GIMP's 4.2/5.
Affinity Photo is best for Professional photographers seeking Adobe alternatives and Digital artists and illustrators. Now completely free with full professional features.
GIMP remains a strong alternative, especially for Graphic designers creating icons and UI elements and Photographers performing retouching and restoration work. Completely free and open-source with no licensing costs.
Pricing-wise, Affinity Photo is the more affordable starting option. Evaluate free trials of both before committing.
Explore More
Affinity Photo Alternatives
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Category Resources
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Frequently Asked Questions
Affinity Photo edges ahead with a 4.4/5 rating versus GIMP's 4.2/5, offering stronger value for most teams.
Affinity Photo starts at Free/yr (free tier available), while GIMP starts at Free/yr (free tier available).
Yes. Most users can migrate data between the two. Check both platforms for import/export tools before switching.
Affinity Photo integrates with Canva, Affinity Designer, Affinity Publisher, Various file formats (PSD, AI, PDF, SVG, TIFF). GIMP integrates with Python scripting, Perl scripting, Scheme scripting, G'MIC filters. Both offer solid third-party connectivity, though the best choice depends on your existing tech stack.
Both tools are designed for ease of use. Affinity Photo is best for Professional photographers seeking Adobe alternatives and Digital artists and illustrators, while GIMP excels for Graphic designers creating icons and UI elements and Photographers performing retouching and restoration work. Consider trying both free trials to judge which interface suits your workflow.
Affinity Photo has a 4.4/5 rating from 2,500 reviews, while GIMP scores 4.2/5 from 8,500 reviews. Higher review counts generally indicate a more established support ecosystem.
For small businesses, Affinity Photo may be more budget-friendly starting at Free. However, GIMP (Free) could offer better value depending on the features you need most.
For enterprise use, consider which offers more advanced plans. Affinity Photo has 2 plans while GIMP has 1 plans. Evaluate each tool's enterprise features, security compliance, and team management capabilities before committing.
Check each tool's website for the latest mobile app availability. Both Affinity Photo and GIMP offer web-based access, and many modern SaaS tools provide companion mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Choose Affinity Photo if you prioritize now completely free with full professional features and want to start free. Choose GIMP if you value completely free and open-source with no licensing costs and want a free tier.