Free photo editors: which one for which job
Editing photos doesn't require a subscription. The free options are strong, but they're built for different jobs: retouching and compositing, developing raw files, quick edits in the browser, or painting. Pick by task, not by brand.
First: raw or JPEG?
Your camera, and many phones, can save two kinds of files:
- JPEG (or HEIC): already processed by the camera. Small, ready to share, but with less room to fix exposure and white balance.
- Raw: the unprocessed data from the sensor. Bigger files, but much more freedom to recover highlights, shadows and colour. You need a raw developer to turn them into a normal image.
If you shoot raw, you'll want one of the raw developers below. If you only shoot JPEG, a general editor is enough.
GIMP: the all-round image editor
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free and open-source image editor for Linux, macOS, Windows and more. It covers retouching, restoration, composites, graphic design elements and original artwork, and can be extended with third-party plugins. The 3.x series is the current generation.
Use it for: removing dust and distractions, combining images, textures, preparing print files and design work.
Photopea: editing in the browser
Photopea is an image editor that runs in your web browser. It has layers, masks, adjustment layers and smart objects, opens and saves PSD files, and can open common raw formats such as DNG, CR2, NEF and ARW. According to Photopea, files are processed on your own device and are not uploaded. There's nothing to install, which makes it handy on borrowed or low-powered computers.
Use it for: quick edits, opening PSD files, and working on a computer where you can't install software.
darktable: raw developer and photo library
darktable is an open-source photography workflow application and raw developer. It works like a virtual light table and darkroom: it manages your photos in a database, lets you browse them, and develops raw images non-destructively, so your original files are never changed. It is also one of the few free projects that supports tethered shooting.
Use it for: organising a large photo collection and developing raw files in batches.
RawTherapee: deep raw processing
RawTherapee is a free, cross-platform raw photo processor released under the GPLv3 license. It uses a non-destructive, 32-bit floating-point processing engine and supports raw files from a broad range of cameras. Its own site is honest that it rewards people who take time to learn it; the RawPedia documentation and forum help.
Use it for: squeezing maximum detail and quality from individual raw files.
Krita: painting and illustration
Krita is a free and open-source painting program made by artists. It isn't a photo editor in the first place, but it's excellent for digital painting, illustrations and hand-drawn elements you'll later add to designs.
Use it for: drawing, painting over photos, and textures made by hand.
Bonus: DaVinci Resolve's Photo page
The latest version of DaVinci Resolve adds a Photo page that brings its colour tools to still photos, including native raw files from Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony. If you already use Resolve for video, it's worth trying so your photos and videos can share one look.
Which one for what
| Task | Free pick | Also good |
|---|---|---|
| Retouch, composite, print prep | GIMP | Photopea |
| Quick edit on any computer | Photopea | GIMP |
| Develop many raw files | darktable | RawTherapee |
| Maximum detail from one raw | RawTherapee | darktable |
| Painting and hand-drawn elements | Krita | GIMP |
| Same colour look for photo and video | DaVinci Resolve | None |
A simple editing order
Whatever tool you use, editing in this order avoids undoing your own work:
- Crop and straighten. Fix horizons and remove what doesn't belong in the frame.
- Exposure and white balance. Get brightness and neutral colour right first.
- Contrast and tone. Shape highlights and shadows.
- Colour. Adjust saturation and specific colours; add a look last.
- Clean up. Remove dust spots and small distractions.
- Sharpen and export. Sharpen for the final size: lightly for screens, a bit more for print.
Keep originals untouched in their own folder and export edits separately. Your future self will thank you when you want to re-edit.
Photographing things you make? Read How to photograph your crafts and printables at home. Need fonts and graphics for the final design? See The Design Toolkit.