---
title: Adobe Lightroom vs GIMP
products:
- adobe-lightroom
- gimp
updated_at: '2024-07-30T11:42:43Z'
---

# Adobe Lightroom vs GIMP

Side-by-side comparison of Adobe Lightroom and GIMP.

## Quick comparison

| Attribute | Adobe Lightroom | GIMP |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Category | Photo Editing Software | Photo Editing Software |
| Rating | 4.5/5 (1798) | 4.3/5 (1437) |
| Starting price | from $9.99 per month | — |
| Free plan | No | No |
| API | Yes | No |
| AI features | Yes | No |
| Open source | No | Yes |

## Shared features

- Automatic Adjustments
- Background Removal
- Batch Processing
- Brush Tools
- Clone Stamp
- Color Correction
- Cropping
- Filters and Effects
- HDR Imaging
- Healing Tools
- Image Resizing
- Masking
- Metadata Editing
- Noise Reduction
- Photo Enhancement

## Unique strengths

**Adobe Lightroom:** Face Recognition, Lens Correction, Panorama Stitching

**GIMP:** Custom Brushes, Gradient Editor, Layer Management, Perspective Correction, Templates

## Adobe Lightroom


- **Category:** Photo Editing Software
- **Vendor:** Adobe
- **Website:** https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-lightroom.html
- **Rating:** 4.5/5 (1798 reviews)
- **Capabilities:** AI, API

Designed specifically for photo editing, Adobe Lighting is one of the most popular tools in the market used by professional photographers. Similar to photoshop, it’s considered a gold standard in editing, with a host of pre-sets available to help transform images in minutes. The platform is straightforward, and easy to use and makes it very easy to edit images using sliders, gradient, and brush adjustment tools. The platform is customizable and comes with numerous intelligence features such as facial detection that helps organize images easily.

**Pros:** - Convenient, customizable, and easy to use environment
- Blurring and fixing tools
- Pre-sets and filters available
- Camera and lens-based corrections
- Brush and gradient adjustments
- Facial detection for better organization

**Cons:** - Fewer options than Photoshop
- No layers and blending modes

**Pricing:**
- Lightroom: $9.99 per month
- Photography: $19.99 per month

**Reviewer segments:** Small Business 63.6%; Mid Market 22.1%; Enterprise 14.3%

**Deployment:** Cloud / SaaS / Web-Based, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows, Mobile Android, Mobile iPad, Mobile iPhone

**Support:** Email/Help Desk, Chat, Knowledge Base, 24/7 (Live rep), FAQs/Forum, Phone Support

**Training:** Documentation

**Integrations (7):** Adobe Bridge, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Corel PaintShop Pro, Imagify, Shift, Skylum Luminar Neo

**Vendor:** Adobe · San Jose, CA · founded 1982

## GIMP

> Open Source Image Editor

- **Category:** Photo Editing Software
- **Vendor:** The GIMP Development Team
- **Website:** https://www.gimp.org/
- **Rating:** 4.3/5 (1437 reviews)
- **Capabilities:** CLI, open source

The Gnu Image Manipulation Project, or GIMP, is a well-known alternative to Photoshop, given its affordability and similar features, including the ability to work with professional layers and fine-tune snap functionality. GIMP has a full photo editing interface available which you can customize to suit your needs. It features photo enhancement features that allow users to fix perspective distortion and explore filters. Digital retouching tools are also available, and users can save work in multiple file formats, including PNG, TIFF, and GIF.   Because the GIMP environment is powered by a community of developers, you can expect a lot of regular updates and new features as well.

**Pros:** - Regular updates: Because the GIMP environment is powered by a community of developers, you can expect a lot of regular updates and new features.
- Tons of flexibility: Aside from offering a range of file formats, GIMP also supports a host of platforms, including GNU, Linux, Microsoft, Mac, and more.
- Community: Community support is excellent, with plenty of brushes, texture packs, and extra features to download online.
- Free open-source software
- Excellent digital retouching and touch-up tools
- Great support for a range of plugins
- Hardware support for input devices
- Great community support

**Cons:** - The adjustment layers are difficult to work with at times, and can be quite buggy
- The interface isn’t well-suited to mac users.
- Learning curve for beginners

**Reviewer segments:** Small Business 68.0%; Mid Market 20.9%; Enterprise 11.1%

**Deployment:** Cloud / SaaS / Web-Based, Desktop Linux, Desktop Mac, Desktop Windows

**Training:** Documentation

**Integrations (7):** CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, Corel PaintShop Pro, iBoysoft NTFS for Mac, NetArt, Parallels Desktop For Mac, Stellar Photo Recovery, Vecteezy

**Vendor:** The GIMP Development Team · The GIMP project is developed by volunteers and does not have a physical headquarters. · founded 1995