GIMP, or the GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a free and open-source image editor available across multiple platforms. This article will delve into its features, user reviews, and alternative options to consider when using GIMP.
What is GIMP?
GIMP, or the GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a free and open-source image editor available across multiple platforms. It is designed for graphic designers, photographers, illustrators, and scientists.
GIMP offers high-quality photo manipulation tools for retouching, restoring, and creating composites. It also supports original artwork creation and the production of graphic design elements. Additionally, GIMP is known for its extensibility through integration with various programming languages and numerous community-created scripts and plugins.
What to Consider When Selecting a GIMP Alternative?
Ease of Use: When considering alternatives to GIMP, it's crucial to look for software that offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface. Tools like Designbold and BeFunky emphasize ease of use, making them accessible even for beginners.
Advanced Features: For users who need more than basic editing, advanced features such as AI-powered tools, real-time collaboration, and vector graphic editing are essential. Vectr stands out with its AI capabilities and professional-grade tools.
Customization Options: The ability to customize templates and designs to fit specific needs is vital. Platforms like Desygner offer extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor their projects precisely.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Ensure the alternative software is compatible with various operating systems and devices. This flexibility allows users to work seamlessly across different platforms, as seen with tools like Fotor and Vectr.
Support and Resources: Access to comprehensive support and learning resources can significantly enhance the user experience. Platforms like Marq provide extensive tutorials, guides, and customer support to help users get the most out of the software.
Best Alternatives to GIMP
1. Piktochart
Piktochart is a tool designed to transform complex ideas into captivating visuals such as infographics, reports, and presentations. It leverages AI to help users create professional-quality designs quickly and easily, without requiring any design experience. Try Piktochart For Free!
Pros of Using Piktochart
AI Design Generator: Instantly create professional visuals from any idea or prompt.
Document to Visual Conversion: Effortlessly convert documents into engaging data visualizations.
Text-to-Image: Generate custom AI images from text descriptions.
Charts and Graphs: Create and customize various types of charts and graphs.
Collaboration Tools: Share, review, and align on designs with team members seamlessly.
Who should use Piktochart?
Piktochart targets businesses, educators, and individuals who need to create professional visuals quickly and easily. It's ideal for those who want to maintain brand consistency and collaborate effectively.
Pricing
Free: $0 (Free forever)
Pro: $29 per member/month (billed monthly) or $14 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
Business: $49 per member/month (billed monthly) or $24 per member/month (billed annually, save 52%)
Enterprise: Custom Pricing (Contact for details)
Campus: Custom Pricing (Minimum 3000 seats, contact for details)
Reviews
Piktochart has an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users appreciate its ease of use and the professional quality of the visuals it produces. Check out more of our reviews here!
2. Easil
Easil is a design tool that empowers teams to create brand-compliant digital and print marketing materials with drag-and-drop ease. It offers a wide range of pre-designed graphic templates and tools to ensure brand consistency.
Pros of Using Easil
Ease of Use: Drag-and-drop interface makes it simple for users to create designs.
Brand Consistency: Features like flexible locking permissions and design approval workflows help maintain brand integrity.
Variety of Templates: Thousands of professionally designed, editable graphic and video templates are available.
Cons of Using Easil
Learning Curve: While the tool is user-friendly, new users might need some time to explore all features and functionalities.
Limited Free Plan: The free plan might have limited features compared to the paid plans, which could restrict some advanced functionalities.
Pricing
Enterprise: Custom pricing (Contact Easil for details)
Reviews
Easil has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars. Users have mixed feelings about the user interface and customer support. Check out more Easil reviews here.
3. Fotor
Fotor is an online photo editor that offers a comprehensive suite of tools for enhancing and editing photos effortlessly. It provides both basic and advanced photo editing features, including brightness and contrast adjustments, retouching, batch editing, and AI-powered tools like photo enhancers, background removers, and object removers. Fotor is designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible for both amateurs and professionals. It is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, and offers a free plan with the option to upgrade to Fotor Pro for more advanced features.
Pros of Using Fotor
User-Friendly Interface: Easy to navigate and use, suitable for both beginners and professionals.
Comprehensive Toolset: Offers a wide range of photo editing tools, from basic adjustments to advanced features.
AI-Powered Tools: Includes AI photo enhancer, background remover, object remover, and more, simplifying complex editing tasks.
Cross-Platform Availability: Accessible on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices.
Cons of Using Fotor
Limited Advanced Features in Free Plan: Some advanced features are only available in the Fotor Pro version.
Learning Curve for Advanced Tools: While user-friendly, some advanced tools may still require a learning curve for new users.
Pricing
Fotor's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
Fotor has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Users have mixed feelings about the user interface and customer support. Check out more Fotor reviews here.
4. DesignBold
DesignBold is a digital agency that aims to democratize design by making it accessible to everyone, regardless of their skill level or background. They offer a variety of services including a graphics marketplace, a graphic design platform, a website builder platform, and a design and digital agency service.
Pros of Using DesignBold
User-Friendly Interface: DesignBold provides an easy-to-use interface that allows users to create stunning visuals for various projects.
Vast Library of Resources: The platform offers a wide range of templates, graphics, and fonts to choose from.
Comprehensive Services: From graphic design tools to website building and digital agency services, DesignBold covers a broad spectrum of design needs.
Cons of Using DesignBold
Potential Overlap in Offerings: With multiple services and products, users might find some overlap or redundancy in the tools and resources provided.
Learning Curve: Despite being user-friendly, new users might still face a learning curve when navigating the various features and tools.
Pricing
DesignBold's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
DesignBold has an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Users have mixed feelings about the drag-and-drop functionality and the cost compared to alternatives. Check out more DesignBold reviews here.
5. PicMonkey
PicMonkey is a photo editing and design tool that allows users to create eye-catching images for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as for ads and logos. It offers a wide range of templates for various design needs, including flyers, presentations, logos, and invitations.
Pros of Using PicMonkey
Wide Range of Templates: Offers stunning templates for logos, banners, thumbnails, and more.
Advanced Photo Editing Tools: Includes features like Touch Up, Color Changer, and background remover.
Extensive Library: Provides access to 9,000+ graphics and textures, 100s of fonts, and thousands of templates.
Cons of Using PicMonkey
Browser Compatibility: Some features may not be supported by all browsers.
Trial Limitation: Full access to features may require a subscription.
Pricing
Business Plan: $228.00 USD annually per user or $23.00 monthly.
Reviews
PicMonkey has an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users have mixed feelings about the user interface and customer support. Check out more PicMonkey reviews here.
6. Vectr
Vectr is an AI-powered vector graphics editor that allows users to create and edit vector images online. It offers tools for background removal, converting images to vectors, real-time collaboration, and cross-platform synchronization.
Pros of Using Vectr
No Quality-Loss: Ensures high-quality prints and display with scalable vector graphics.
Real-Time Collaboration: Allows users to share their design workspace live and collaborate instantly with integrated chat features.
Cross-Platform Sync: Keeps designs synchronized across all devices in real-time.
Generative AI Tools: Automates complex tasks like image to vector conversions, leaving more time for creativity.
Cons of Using Vectr
Premium Account Required for Some Features: Sharing vector graphics with others or downloading them requires a premium account.
Browser Compatibility: Works best on Chrome; other browsers may have issues.
Pricing
Vectr's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
Vectr has an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users generally find Vectr to be an excellent tool for beginners and basic editing. Check out more Vectr reviews here.
7. Lucidpress
Lucidpress is a web-based design and publishing tool that allows users to create and collaborate on various types of visual content such as brochures, flyers, newsletters, presentations, and more. It offers a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, making it accessible to users with varying design skills. Lucidpress enables teams to turn any design into a branded template, ensuring brand consistency and reducing the need for repetitive design requests.
Pros of Using Lucidpress
Brand Consistency: Guarantees brand consistency by locking critical elements like logos, fonts, and colors.
Content Creation Speed: Speeds up content creation, allowing for faster delivery to the audience.
Creative Request Reduction: Reduces creative requests, freeing up time for strategic work.
Template Library: Provides a library of over 10,000 templates for various types of content.
Cons of Using Lucidpress
Learning Curve: The need for users to learn a new platform, which might have a learning curve.
Internet Dependence: Dependence on internet connectivity as it is a web-based tool.
Pricing
Lucidpress's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
Lucidpress has an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Users generally find it to be an effective tool for creating visually appealing projects. Check out more Lucidpress reviews here.
8. BeFunky
BeFunky is an all-in-one online creative platform that provides tools for photo editing, graphic design, and collage making. It aims to simplify the creative process with features like photo effects, customizable design templates, and batch processing.
Pros of Using BeFunky
Ease of Use: The platform is designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible for users with varying levels of experience.
All-in-One Solution: BeFunky offers a comprehensive suite of tools for photo editing, collage making, and graphic design.
Variety of Features: It includes a wide range of features such as artsy filters, batch editing, background remover, and customizable design templates.
Cons of Using BeFunky
Limited Advanced Features: While BeFunky is user-friendly, it may lack some advanced features that professional designers might require.
Subscription for Full Access: Some of the more powerful features are locked behind a subscription service (BeFunky Plus).
Pricing
Annual Plan: $6.99 per month, billed annually at $83.88.
Monthly Plan: $14.99 per month.
Reviews
BeFunky has an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars. Users generally find it effective for basic photo editing and collage creation. Check out more BeFunky reviews here.
9. RelayThat
RelayThat is a design automation app that helps marketing teams, agencies, and managers create consistent, high-performing images across various channels. It automates the process of converting brand guidelines into on-brand digital marketing materials, display ads, and social media content.
Pros of Using RelayThat
Brand Management: Easily manage and switch between multiple workspaces and campaigns with a single click.
Headline Generator: Quickly overcome writer's block with automatically generated copy using wildcard keywords.
One Click Resize: Resize and remix layouts to fit any advertising or social media channel without additional tweaking.
Cons of Using RelayThat
Lack of Flexibility: Users have reported issues with the lack of flexibility in design options.
Subscription Issues: Some users have experienced difficulties in canceling subscriptions.
Pricing
RelayThat 's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
RelayThat has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention issues with flexibility and subscription management. Check out more RelayThat reviews here.
10. Desygner
Desygner is an all-in-one business growth and marketing solution that provides tools for creating and managing marketing materials. It offers features like design tools, PDF editing, a vast stock image library, AI-powered text and image generation, social media scheduling, and team collaboration. Desygner aims to replace costly designers and agencies, making it easier for businesses to create professional marketing content efficiently and affordably.
Pros of Using Desygner
Cost-Effective: Saves money by eliminating the need for expensive designers and stock images.
User-Friendly: Designed for users with no design or marketing expertise.
Comprehensive Features: Includes design tools, PDF editing, stock images, AI text and image generation, and social media scheduling.
Collaboration: Allows team collaboration with controlled access and role assignments.
Cons of Using Desygner
Upcoming Features: Some features like the AI Image Creator are not yet available.
Learning Curve: Despite being user-friendly, new users might need time to explore and utilize all features effectively.
Pricing
Desygner's pricing is not public. Contact their support for more info.
Reviews
Desygner has an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Users generally mention the high cost of the subscription and a learning curve for new users. Check out more Desygner reviews here.
Which One Should You Go With?
While each of these tools offers unique features and benefits, Piktochart stands out for its ability to transform complex ideas into captivating visuals effortlessly. Whether you're a business, educator, or individual, Piktochart's AI-powered design capabilities and user-friendly interface make it an excellent choice for creating professional-quality visuals quickly. If you're exploring alternatives, give Piktochart a try and see how it can elevate your visual content.
Piktochart Team
