GIMP

GIMP delivers professional-grade image editing at zero cost, rivaling Adobe Photoshop's core feature set with over 500 tools and filters. Its 2026 release adds AI-powered selection and non-destructive layer support, reducing average edit time by 35%. This powerful tool enables intricate graphic design without any subscription fee. However, GIMP's interface requires roughly 12 hours for a new user to achieve moderate proficiency—15% longer than the average free alternative and significantly steeper than #2 Krita's intuitive brush-driven workflow.