Updated March 2026 · Independent Analysis
GIMPvsAffinity Designer
GIMP is free; Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/mo. Affinity Designer is rated higher at 4.5/5 vs GIMP's 4.3/5.
GIMPvs Affinity Designer
★ 4.3/5-0.2 vs Affinity Designer
Only in GIMP
- ✦ Photo Editing
- ✦ Layer Support
- ✦ Masks & Channels
✓ Free plan10M+ downloads users · est. 1996
Try GIMP Free →
Affinity Designervs GIMP
★ 4.5/5+0.2 vs GIMP
Only in Affinity Designer
- ✦ Vector Design
- ✦ Raster & Vector Hybrid
- ✦ PSD/AI Import
From $69.99/mo10M+ users · est. 2014
Try Affinity Designer Free →Ratings Breakdown
GIMP
4.3/5 avg
G2 Score4.3/5
Capterra Score4.4/5
G2 Rating4.3/5
Affinity Designer
4.5/5 avg
G2 Score4.5/5
Capterra Score4.7/5
G2 Rating4.5/5
Quick Stats
Feature Comparison
GIMP uniquely offers Photo Editing, Layer Support, Masks & Channels. Affinity Designer uniquely offers Vector Design, Raster & Vector Hybrid, PSD/AI Import. Both share 0 features.
Feature
GIMP
Affinity Designer
Photo Editing
✓
✗
Layer Support
✓
✗
Masks & Channels
✓
✗
Advanced Color Tools
✓
✗
Customizable Interface
✓
✗
Filters & Effects
✓
✗
Scripting (Python/Script-Fu)
✓
✗
Plugin Support
✓
✗
PSD Support
✓
✗
Brushes & Gradients
✓
✗
Path Tool
✓
✗
Clone & Heal
✓
✗
Batch Processing
✓
✗
Cross-platform
✓
✗
Export Formats
✓
✗
Vector Design
✗
✓
Raster & Vector Hybrid
✗
✓
PSD/AI Import
✗
✓
Pen & Node Tools
✗
✓
Typography
✗
✓
Color Management
✗
✓
Non-destructive Effects
✗
✓
Artboards
✗
✓
Symbols
✗
✓
Grids & Guides
✗
✓
Export Personas
✗
✓
iPad Version
✗
✓
GPU Accelerated
✗
✓
Pixel-perfect Zoom
✗
✓
Master Pages
✗
✓
Vector Shapes Library
✗
✓
Advanced Layer Management
✗
✓
Shape Building Tools
✗
✓
Gradient Map Editor
✗
✓
Texture Brushes
✗
✓
Customizable Keyboard Shortcuts
✗
✓
Live Shapes
✗
✓
Align and Distribute
✗
✓
Snapping Controls
✗
✓
Shape Boolean Operations
✗
✓
Vector Crop Tool
✗
✓
History Panel
✗
✓
Total Features
15
27
Quick Verdict
Independent analysis based on features, pricing, and user ratings
Choose GIMP if you need:
- ✓ Photo Editing
- ✓ Layer Support
- ✓ Masks & Channels
- ✓ Advanced Color Tools
- ✓ Customizable Interface
Choose Affinity Designer if you need:
- ✓ Vector Design
- ✓ Raster & Vector Hybrid
- ✓ PSD/AI Import
- ✓ Pen & Node Tools
- ✓ Typography
Pricing Comparison
GIMP is free; Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/mo.
GIMP Plans
Free tier available
Free
Free- • Full featured
- • Cross-platform
- • Open source
Affinity Designer Plans
Paid plans only
Affinity Designer V2
$69.99/one-time- • Desktop app
- • No subscription
Affinity V2 Universal
$169.99/one-time- • Designer + Photo + Publisher
- • All platforms
Canva SubscriptionBest Value
$14.99/mo- • Full Affinity suite via Canva Teams
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