Making the work
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7 tools that solve a similar problem. Compare what each costs and what it covers.
Photo, vector and layout, free for individuals
Affinity is also free for individuals and adds vector drawing and page layout to the photo editor, three tools in one download rather than GIMP's photo-only focus.
Free painting software built for drawing tablets
Krita is also free and built specifically for drawing tablets, the pick when the work is painting from scratch rather than retouching or compositing existing photos.
A raw developer that costs nothing
darktable is also free and focused on developing raw camera files, narrower than GIMP but the sharper tool when raw processing is the actual job.
RAW editing and tethering for professionals
Capture One charges $18 a month with no free tier, aimed at professionals who need tethered shooting, a paid step up from GIMP for a studio workflow.
Photo editing and collages in a browser
BeFunky runs in a browser with no install, free tier plus paid plans from $6.99 a month, the pick for quick collages and touch-ups rather than GIMP's full desktop toolkit.
Works with YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, LinkedIn, Pinterest
Free vector drawing that writes plain SVG
Inkscape is also free and handles vector drawing GIMP does not, the pick for logos and icons that need to scale rather than pixel-based editing.
Rescue footage and stills that fell short
Topaz Labs at $12 rescues stills and footage that fell short on noise or focus, a repair tool rather than a general editor.
