Compared with GIMP
- Open source
Design tools · Alternatives
Best GIMP alternatives in India (2026)
GIMP is a design tools product from GIMP Team, Global, priced at Free with a free plan. We compared 20 alternatives on published price, free plan, platforms and made-in-India support: 16 have a free plan, 1 are built in India.
Quick answer
The closest alternatives to GIMP are Darktable (Free), Icons8 (Free plan), Noun Project (Free plan), Adobe Photoshop (₹1,700/mo) and Erase.bg (Free plan). Darktable is the top-ranked option with a free plan. Published prices in this list start at ₹800/month.
Why businesses look for a GIMP alternative
Indian support and GST
GIMP is built in Open source. 1 alternatives are made in India, where GST, TDS and UPI are usually handled natively and support runs on IST.
GIMP alternatives compared
Ranked by how closely each product matches GIMP's category, pricing model, platforms and business size, then by rating. Prices exclude GST.
| # | Software | Starting price | Free plan | Platforms | Made in India | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | GIMP (current) | Free | Yes | Web | No | 4.7/5 | — |
| 1 |  Darktable | Free | Yes | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 2 |  Icons8 | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 3 |  Noun Project | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 4 |  Adobe Photoshop | ₹1,700/mo | No | Web | No | 4.5/5 | vs GIMP |
| 5 |  Erase.bg | Free plan | Yes | Web | Yes | 4.4/5 | |
| 6 |  BeFunky | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 7 |  Affinity Photo | ₹6,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 8 |  Fotor | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 9 |  Remove.bg | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 10 |  Photoroom | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 11 |  Pixlr | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 12 |  Photopea | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 13 |  Kapwing | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.2/5 | |
| 14 |  VSCO | Free plan | Yes | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 15 |  Unsplash | Free | Yes | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 16 |  Pexels | Free | Yes | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 17 |  Inkscape | Free | Yes | Web | No | 4.7/5 | vs GIMP |
| 18 |  Krita | Free | Yes | Web | No | 4.7/5 | vs GIMP |
| 19 |  Capture One | ₹1,800/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 20 |  Lightroom | ₹800/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 |
Top 10 GIMP alternatives in detail
Free plan
Free plan available
Free plan
Free plan available
₹1,700/mo
Free trial
Compared with GIMP
- No free plan, unlike GIMP
Free plan
Free plan available
Compared with GIMP
- Built in India (Mumbai)
Free plan
Free plan available
₹6,000/mo
Free trial
Compared with GIMP
- No free plan, unlike GIMP
Free plan
Free plan available
Free plan
Free plan available
GIMP alternatives by what you need
Lowest published price
Free GIMP alternatives
Indian alternatives to GIMP
How to choose a GIMP alternative
- Match the tool to the user: Canva for marketers, Figma for product teams, Adobe for professional creatives.
- Check brand-kit and template governance for teams.
- AI features are now standard — compare quality, not presence.
GIMP alternatives — FAQs
What is the best alternative to GIMP in 2026?+
The closest matches to GIMP on App Advisor are Darktable (Free), Icons8 (Free plan), Noun Project (Free plan). They are ranked by how closely their category, pricing model, platforms and target business size match GIMP, then by rating. The best choice depends on your team size and budget.
Is there a free alternative to GIMP?+
Yes. 16 of the 20 alternatives listed have a free plan or are free: Darktable (Free), Icons8 (Free plan), Noun Project (Free plan). Free plans usually cap users, records or transactions, so check the limits against your monthly volume.
What is the cheapest alternative to GIMP?+
Among alternatives that publish a price, Lightroom starts lowest at ₹800/mo. Darktable also has a free plan. Prices are read from each vendor's website and exclude GST.
Is there an Indian alternative to GIMP?+
Yes. 1 alternatives are built in India, including Erase.bg (Free plan). Indian products usually handle GST, TDS and UPI natively and bill in rupees.
GIMP vs Darktable: which is better?+
Darktable is the closest match to GIMP in our catalogue. Key differences: Open source. Compare them side by side before you book a demo.
How were these GIMP alternatives chosen?+
Every product listed sits in design tools or a category GIMP also covers, and GIMP Team's own products are excluded. Prices, free plans and platforms come from each vendor's official website. App Advisor does not sell any of this software.
Free shortlist
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Related alternatives
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