Adobe Photoshop vs GIMP

Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best Graphic Design Software (2026). Last verified July 2, 2026.

The short answer

Adobe Photoshop ranks higher on Top 11 (#1 vs #10) for Designers and marketing teams choosing graphic design software. The professional raster standard, now with Generative Fill.

At a glance

Adobe PhotoshopGIMP
Top 11 rank#1 / The 11 Best Graphic Design Software (2026)#10 / The 11 Best Graphic Design Software (2026)
Score (out of 9.4)9.37.5
Best forBest overall for photo and raster workBest free raster editor
Pricing$$ ($22.99/mo, or $59.99/mo for full suite)$ ($0)
HQSan Jose, USAOpen-source project
Founded19901998

Adobe Photoshop

The professional raster standard, now with Generative Fill.

www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html

See full entry in The 11 Best Graphic Design Software (2026)

GIMP

The most capable free Photoshop alternative.

www.gimp.org

See full entry in The 11 Best Graphic Design Software (2026)

Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.