When comparing PhotoFiltre Studio X vs Paint.NET, the Slant community recommends Paint.NET for most people. In the question“What is the best photo editing software?” Paint.NET is ranked 12th while PhotoFiltre Studio X is ranked 24th. The most important reason people chose Paint.NET is:
Unlike most photo editing software, Paint.NET is simple to learn and easy to use. This means less time is spent learning the in's and out's of Paint.NET and more time on photo editing. For those who only edit photos sporadically and don't have time to invest in learning complicated tools for editing, Paint.Net will suit your needs.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Easy to use
The layout is intuitive allowing you to find and use tools without having to spend a lot of time learning the ins and outs of the program.
Pro Portable version available
A portable version can be held on an external drive such as a usb stick and run from it so you can use it on any Windows machine without needing to install it.
Pro Reasonable selection of brushes
PhotoFiltre has round, square and oblique line brushes of different sizes and allows custom shapes to be used as brushes. Gradient colors as well as effects such as 3D, pastels, charcoal can be used with brushes.
Pro Allows quick access to predefined folders
A toolbar at the top of the interface allows quick access to predefined folders that allow quick access to selections, masks, patterns.
Pro Add-ons
Pro Plugins
Pro Lightweight
Portable version available
Pro Easy to learn and use
Unlike most photo editing software, Paint.NET is simple to learn and easy to use. This means less time is spent learning the in's and out's of Paint.NET and more time on photo editing. For those who only edit photos sporadically and don't have time to invest in learning complicated tools for editing, Paint.Net will suit your needs.
Pro Free software
There is no charge for this software; but donations are welcomed.
Pro Lightweight
Paint.net provides a streamlined but effective core tool set. Support for advanced and niche features is provided through modular plugins, allowing the user to install only what's needed.
Pro Actively developed
The project is active and being continually expanded and refined.
Pro Active and friendly community
The forums are filled with tutorials, as well as people who are friendly and eager to help.
Pro Plugins allow extra functionality
Plugins can be made by anyone in the community, and are offered for download on the forum. They extend the capabilities of Paint.NET to cover most tasks.
Pro HiDPI support
Paint.NET supports fully HiDPI displays, with no scaling problems.
Cons
Con Basic
The program is limited to basic functionality such as filters, masks and brushes. Advanced capabilities like in-depth color grading, asset management, tethered shooting are not available.
Con Windows only
OSX and Linux versions are not planned.
Con Documentation is only available in French
English documentation is not available.
Con Interface can be overwhelming
The amount of icons on display at any given time can take some getting acquainted with.
Con Only available on Windows
Paint.NET is only available on Windows.
Con No project-based interface
You can only edit a single image at a time in Paint.NET. For example, in other tools you can open 5 or a 100 images at the same time, and stack those windows in all directions.
Furthermore, when you are editing in Paint.NET you can only "view" a single image at a time, even though you can have multiple images open. This limits your zooming ability, as the image will go fullscreen quite quickly, and hide parts of it behind the floating toolbars which can not be embedded anywhere on the screen.