I found it quite useful to ask ChatGPT to compare these products. Very good neutral explanations I thought. It seems that almost all of theses boil down to “are you annoyed enough by Adobe’s subscription model to switch?”.
I’m no through-and-through AI hater (I use AI in certain situations where it is helpful), but I feel like this is not going to be an area where an AI is going to give much insight that’s reflective of reality.
It’ll likely moreso compare feature-sets for each, which will make GIMP look far better than it probably should to Photoshop. GIMP is robust and has plenty of features. It is in its user experience, UI, and the quality of each feature where it fares much worse.
Mind you, this is coming from someone who likes GIMP, grew up using it, and feels more at home with it than Photoshop. It’s just all-around not as good.
This was the result for “Gimp vs. Photoshop” (from ChatGPT 3.5):
"The choice between GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and Adobe Photoshop depends on several factors, including your needs, experience, budget, and the specific features you require. Here’s a comparison based on different aspects:
Cost
GIMP: Free and open-source. It’s available for free, making it an excellent choice for those on a tight budget or for casual users.
Photoshop: Requires a subscription. Adobe Photoshop is part of Adobe Creative Cloud, with a monthly or annual subscription fee.
Features
GIMP: Offers a wide range of features suitable for most basic to intermediate photo editing tasks. It includes tools for painting, retouching, and enhancing images.
Photoshop: Industry-standard tool with an extensive set of features. It includes advanced capabilities like 3D design, detailed photo manipulation, extensive plugin support, and superior RAW image processing.
User Interface
GIMP: The interface can be less intuitive and feels less polished compared to Photoshop. It may take some time for new users to become proficient.
Photoshop: Highly polished and user-friendly interface. It’s widely used in professional environments, so there are numerous tutorials and resources available.
Performance
GIMP: Generally performs well, but can be slower with large files or complex tasks compared to Photoshop.
Photoshop: Known for its performance, especially with large files and complex editing tasks. It’s optimized for professional use.
Compatibility and Integration
GIMP: Supports various file formats, but may have compatibility issues with Adobe-specific formats and features. Less integration with other professional tools.
Photoshop: Excellent compatibility with other Adobe products and industry-standard file formats. Seamlessly integrates with tools like Adobe Illustrator, Lightroom, and After Effects.
Customization and Extensibility
GIMP: Highly customizable with a range of plugins and scripts available. Being open-source, it allows for extensive modifications.
Photoshop: Extensive plugin ecosystem with many professional-grade plugins available. However, these can add to the overall cost.
Community and Support
GIMP: Active community support with forums and documentation. Being open-source, updates and bug fixes can vary in frequency.
Photoshop: Professional support available through Adobe. Extensive tutorials, forums, and official documentation are readily accessible.
Learning Curve
GIMP: Steeper learning curve due to its interface and less polished user experience.
Photoshop: More intuitive for new users, with a wealth of learning resources available, making it easier to pick up.
Use Cases
GIMP: Suitable for hobbyists, students, and those who need basic to intermediate photo editing tools.
Photoshop: Preferred by professionals in photography, graphic design, and digital art due to its extensive features and integration with other Adobe products.
Summary
Choose GIMP if: You need a powerful, free tool for basic to intermediate photo editing, and budget constraints are a significant factor.
Choose Photoshop if: You require advanced features, industry-standard compatibility, and integration with other professional tools, and are willing to invest in a subscription.
In conclusion, both GIMP and Photoshop have their strengths and can be the better choice depending on your specific needs and circumstances."
To be fair, this is a better comparison than I expected. There’s some good info here but it’s combined with the typical non-commital AI answer of “idrk both are good.”
It says GIMP is for basic to intermediate photo editing. I think this downplays the power of GIMP. If you’re proficient enough with GIMP, you can definitely do advanced editing (esp. with plugins). It also is written to imply that Photoshop is for the pros and people who need to do advanced things, which would probably mislead people new to editing and needing only “basic to intermediate photo editing” towards GIMP when Photoshop is suited well for them too and probably easier to learn. It doesn’t even mention options that
would be better for newbies like Adobe Elements.
For another example of what I mean when I say AI is probably not a great source for info like this, I asked GPT-3.5-Turbo “Which is better, MS Word 2003 or MS Word 2021?” It gave some decent info on the features that 2021 has that 2003 doesn’t, but then concludes:
“Ultimately, the choice between the two versions depends on your specific requirements. If you need advanced features and collaboration tools, Word 2021 is the way to go.”
Another BS non-answer that a layman will read as “Word 2003 is best for me because I don’t need ‘advanced features and collaboration tools.’” Of course Word 2021 is better.
Why would you ask chatgpt to make some garbage up to tell you which is likely not even correct instead of getting information from someone who has actually tried it and wrote about it.
I found it quite useful to ask ChatGPT to compare these products. Very good neutral explanations I thought. It seems that almost all of theses boil down to “are you annoyed enough by Adobe’s subscription model to switch?”.
I’m no through-and-through AI hater (I use AI in certain situations where it is helpful), but I feel like this is not going to be an area where an AI is going to give much insight that’s reflective of reality.
It’ll likely moreso compare feature-sets for each, which will make GIMP look far better than it probably should to Photoshop. GIMP is robust and has plenty of features. It is in its user experience, UI, and the quality of each feature where it fares much worse.
Mind you, this is coming from someone who likes GIMP, grew up using it, and feels more at home with it than Photoshop. It’s just all-around not as good.
This was the result for “Gimp vs. Photoshop” (from ChatGPT 3.5):
"The choice between GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and Adobe Photoshop depends on several factors, including your needs, experience, budget, and the specific features you require. Here’s a comparison based on different aspects:
Cost GIMP: Free and open-source. It’s available for free, making it an excellent choice for those on a tight budget or for casual users. Photoshop: Requires a subscription. Adobe Photoshop is part of Adobe Creative Cloud, with a monthly or annual subscription fee.
Features GIMP: Offers a wide range of features suitable for most basic to intermediate photo editing tasks. It includes tools for painting, retouching, and enhancing images. Photoshop: Industry-standard tool with an extensive set of features. It includes advanced capabilities like 3D design, detailed photo manipulation, extensive plugin support, and superior RAW image processing.
User Interface GIMP: The interface can be less intuitive and feels less polished compared to Photoshop. It may take some time for new users to become proficient. Photoshop: Highly polished and user-friendly interface. It’s widely used in professional environments, so there are numerous tutorials and resources available.
Performance GIMP: Generally performs well, but can be slower with large files or complex tasks compared to Photoshop. Photoshop: Known for its performance, especially with large files and complex editing tasks. It’s optimized for professional use.
Compatibility and Integration GIMP: Supports various file formats, but may have compatibility issues with Adobe-specific formats and features. Less integration with other professional tools. Photoshop: Excellent compatibility with other Adobe products and industry-standard file formats. Seamlessly integrates with tools like Adobe Illustrator, Lightroom, and After Effects.
Customization and Extensibility GIMP: Highly customizable with a range of plugins and scripts available. Being open-source, it allows for extensive modifications. Photoshop: Extensive plugin ecosystem with many professional-grade plugins available. However, these can add to the overall cost.
Community and Support GIMP: Active community support with forums and documentation. Being open-source, updates and bug fixes can vary in frequency. Photoshop: Professional support available through Adobe. Extensive tutorials, forums, and official documentation are readily accessible.
Learning Curve GIMP: Steeper learning curve due to its interface and less polished user experience. Photoshop: More intuitive for new users, with a wealth of learning resources available, making it easier to pick up.
Use Cases GIMP: Suitable for hobbyists, students, and those who need basic to intermediate photo editing tools. Photoshop: Preferred by professionals in photography, graphic design, and digital art due to its extensive features and integration with other Adobe products.
Summary Choose GIMP if: You need a powerful, free tool for basic to intermediate photo editing, and budget constraints are a significant factor. Choose Photoshop if: You require advanced features, industry-standard compatibility, and integration with other professional tools, and are willing to invest in a subscription.
In conclusion, both GIMP and Photoshop have their strengths and can be the better choice depending on your specific needs and circumstances."
To be fair, this is a better comparison than I expected. There’s some good info here but it’s combined with the typical non-commital AI answer of “idrk both are good.”
It says GIMP is for basic to intermediate photo editing. I think this downplays the power of GIMP. If you’re proficient enough with GIMP, you can definitely do advanced editing (esp. with plugins). It also is written to imply that Photoshop is for the pros and people who need to do advanced things, which would probably mislead people new to editing and needing only “basic to intermediate photo editing” towards GIMP when Photoshop is suited well for them too and probably easier to learn. It doesn’t even mention options that would be better for newbies like Adobe Elements.
For another example of what I mean when I say AI is probably not a great source for info like this, I asked GPT-3.5-Turbo “Which is better, MS Word 2003 or MS Word 2021?” It gave some decent info on the features that 2021 has that 2003 doesn’t, but then concludes:
Another BS non-answer that a layman will read as “Word 2003 is best for me because I don’t need ‘advanced features and collaboration tools.’” Of course Word 2021 is better.
Why would you ask chatgpt to make some garbage up to tell you which is likely not even correct instead of getting information from someone who has actually tried it and wrote about it.