What are the best image editing software tools for Mac?

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Aug 29, 2022

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Pixelmator vs Affinity Photo vs GIMP

vs Photoshop vs Pixelmator Pro vs Acorn vs Krita vs MyPaint vs Pinta vs MediBang Paint Pro vs Picktorial vs Seashore vs Ulead Photo Express vs Pixlr vs MacPhun Luminar vs Aperture vs PixTeller vs WidsMob Retoucher vs 321Soft Fotogo vs 321Soft Fotogo

Specs

Platforms

OSX

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

OSX, iPad, Windows

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Windows 10/8/7; Linux; MacOS

Tethered capture

License

GPLv3+

Non-Distructive Editing

No, Feature in development with GEGL

Layer effects

No, Feature in development with GEGL

Color profiles supported

sRGB only, Other color profiles in develpemnt with GEGL and babl

Adjustment layers

No, Feature in development with GEGL

Smart objects

No, Feature in development with GEGL

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Windows, Linux, Mac, Android

Tethered capture

License

Open source

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

C++, Qt

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Windows, Linux, Mac

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Mac OS

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Yes

Local Adjustments

Yes

Non-destructive

Yes

Blending Modes

Yes

Fuji Lens Correction

Yes

Catalog Free

Yes

Raw Development

Yes

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Windows, Mac

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Widnows and Mac OS X

Platforms

Tethered capture

License

Non-Distructive Editing

Layer effects

Color profiles supported

Adjustment layers

Smart objects

Technology

DCP Profile Support

Local Adjustments

Non-destructive

Blending Modes

Fuji Lens Correction

Catalog Free

Raw Development

OS

Pros + Cons

Pro
Beautiful, easy to use UI

Pixelmator's interface is pleasant to look at, easy to use and specifically optimized for OS X users, making it very intuitive for long-time Mac users.

Comment

Not only does Piexelmator provide easy to use tools that you should expect in any image editor, it also has rare tools such as layer styles, liquify tools and OS X optimized, fast image manipulation engine among others.

Comment

Pro
Supports layer styles

Layer styles allow non-destructively applying effects to a layer.

Comment

Pro
Multiple-display support

Pixelmator can be used across any number of monitors.

Comment

Pro
Powerful effects

Dozens of visual effects available, easily discovered from the visual Effects Browser, broken into categories. Effects have interactive dialogs and live preview.

Comment

Pro
Loads quickly

Gives you common image editing capabilities almost instantly.

Comment

Pro
Great performance

Pixelmator's image engine is specifically optimized for use with Macs, providing one the best performance results available on OS X.

Comment

Pro
Inexpensive

Pixelmator costs just $30 on the App Store. Additionally, it often comes bundled with other software that you might also find useful bringing the price down.

Comment

Pro
Companion application Affinity Designer works amazing

Affinity Desiginer is a direct competitor to Illustrator (a vector graphic program as opposed to Photoshop a raster or bitmap program). The transition between working on a project in Affinity Photo and working on the same in Affinity Designer feels as trivial as changing a workspace mode, layers are kept consistent, it feels unbelievably flexible and easy to push and combine vector and bitmap graphics (or use the tools from the respective suites) together this way.

Comment

Pro
Compatible with Photoshop PSD files

Affinity Photo can import and export .psd files.

Comment

Pro
Lifetime updates

Pay once, get updates forever.

Comment

Pro
Interface will be familiar to those coming from Photoshop

The interface, especially the Photo persona, is laid out in way that's very similar to Photoshop - a panel for icons for tools on the left, a panel for information and settings on the right.

Comment

Pro
Runs faster than Photoshop's old code

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Comment

Pro
Supports layer styles

Layer styles allow non-destructively applying effects to a layer.

Comment

Pro
RAW file editing

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Comment

Pro
HDR image editing

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Comment

Pro
Decent functionality, 100% comparable with Photoshop

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Comment

Pro
Powerful effects

Dozens of visual effects available. All run extremely fast with live previews

Comment

Pro
Great performance

Uses the GPU extensively for fast speed on any platform.

Comment

Con
Limited selection of plugins

Plugin support was only recently added to AP and not many plugins have been created for the program so far.

Comment

Con
Can not import gimp or krita files

Free alternatives like gimp (and krita) are sort of "go to" apps i can allways install and use for simple image editing or graphics on any computer. I find affinitys support for photoshop is great, but having support also for opening and editing gimp and krita would make the versatility and use of this program absolutely superb.

Comment

Con
Only available on Mac (not cross platform)

Also, the paid version is only available through the Apple store. A trail version can be downloaded and installed however.

Comment

Con
No Preview for Export Function

When exporting graphics for the web there is no chance to get a preview. The only thing you can do is export multiple formats and compressions and compare the results afterwards. People have been asking for this basic feature for four years now, but the developers have other priorities.

Comment

Con
Unintuitive interface

GIMP doesn't embrace OS X application design, thus Mac users might have a hard time wrapping their heads around GIMP's interface.

Comment

Pro
Free, open source and cross-platform

GIMP is completely free and open source, meaning you can use GIMP and all of its features without spending a penny. This makes it an excellent case for artists or designers who may not have the budget to spend over 700 USD on Photoshop. It is also available for free on Windows, Mac OS and Linux. It's licensed under GPL with source code available here.

Comment

Con
Less features than other programs

Being a free program, it shouldn't be surprising that it has limited features. For those needing more advanced features for something more professional, GIMP just isn't for you.

Comment

Con
Lacks adjustment layers

Adjustment layers offer a non-destructive way of combining different photo manipulations. Without adjustment layers the only way to see changes is by irreversibly editing the image. They are promised in future updates.

Comment

Pro
Powerful

GIMP is the most feature rich free image editing tool. It has most image manipulation and workflow tools that you would expect from an image editing software and what it lacks it makes up with plugins.

Comment

Pro
Content-aware tools with a plugin

There's a content-aware fill plugin available for GIMP.

Comment

Pro
Modular & single-window interface options

By default GIMP splits out each window, but you can check to use the one screen mode in options if you prefer.

Comment

Pro
Lightweight

Compared to to other photo editing software, GIMP is very light weight. In addition it isn't very resource-intensive, meaning you can put it on a flash drive and have it with you to load up on just about any computer.

Comment

Pro
Beginner-friendly

Gimp has less features than programs like Photoshop, but for a beginner, or someone not needing complicated options, Gimp is the perfect choice. It allows you to quickly do basic photo manipulation so you can easily get the product you need without having to worry about complicated features getting in the way.

Comment

Pro
Full channel support

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Comment

Con
Poor performance

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Comment

Pro
Industry standard

Photoshop is used by professionals everywhere. It is taught in classes, used by artists and is even used by medical professionals. If you've seen a magazine ad featuring a model, you've probably seen the effects of Photoshop. You won't be alone when using Photoshop. The internet is full of tutorials and videos on how to use Photoshop. This fact, coupled with the trove of plugins available for Photoshop means you can use it it to make the professional looking or artistic images you need.

Comment

Con
Expensive

For a high-quality product, the price is high enough to match. With the new Adobe model, all Creative Suite Products are subscription based only. This means that for the complete "Creative Cloud" you are required to buy a year subscription for about 600 USD. In order to use just a single product, its a $20 monthly subscription. The cheapest option would be Photoshop Elements 12 which is a single time payment of less than 100 USD depending on where you look.

Comment

Con
Only available as a subscription

Used to be a one time purchase. Now a monthly lease.

Comment

Pro
Fully featured

Photoshop is the most fully featured image editing software available today allowing you to perform highly advanced image manipulation. On top of that it offers features beyond the realm of typical image editing software tools such as support for video editing, 3d elements and 3d printing among others.

Comment

Pro
Content-aware tools

Photoshop includes content-aware tools such as content-aware fill that can fill in a select area based on what surrounds it.

Comment

Pro
Reasonable UI

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Comment

Pro
Creative Cloud Photography subscription includes Lightroom

Lightroom is another image editing software from Adobe that's specifically designed for photo editing and managing of large quantities of digital images.

Comment

Pro
A cheaper version called Photoshop Elements is available

A stripped down version of Photoshop, called Photoshop Elements can be bought as a standalone application for $100.

Comment

Pro
Mobile companion apps available

There's a free mobile app available for iOS, Android & Windows Phone.

Comment

Pro
Lots of tutorials

There's a huge number of both free and paid tutorials available online. Websites like Lynda.com offer premium high-quality, in-depth tutorials, but there are plenty of free alternatives to be found on YouTube, blogs and specialized sites on the Internet.

Comment

Pro
Support for vector shapes

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Comment

Pro
Non-destructive blur

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Comment

Pro
great feature set

I enjoy the feature set and I don't really miss anything in every day use

Comment

Pro
Supports vector shapes

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Comment

Pro
Easy to use UI

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Comment

Pro
Powerful

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Comment

Con
Performance is not up to par with commercial solutions

If you paint with complex brushes and apply image effects to more complex projects, the performance is a bit worse than in other applications.

Comment

Con
Mostly for painting

Although it can modify images (making them tilable for example) very well in some ways, it is geared more towards painting and art.

Comment

Pro
Free and open-source

Krita is completely free and open source, which means you wont have to spend any money on it and can even review or use the code if so inclined.

Comment

Pro
Easy to use layout

All the most used and useful tools are easy to find in Krita's UI and are often just one click away. They are not hidden behind menus or dropdowns.

Comment

Pro
Amazing support for displaying brushes

Krita's preset brushes are one of the default dockers. Each brush has a preview on mouseover that shows a detailed view of the type of brush involved. All the brushes also have useful and descriptive names such as "HP Pencil" or "Textured Fuzzy".

Comment

Con
Documentation is lacking

Krita's official documentation is incomplete in some areas, especially for new features that are constantly added. But this is compensated with it's great design and usability which makes it easier to understand how things work.

Comment