GIMP vs RawTherapee

GIMP: what it's good at

GIMP is a full-featured raster image editor covering photo retouching, compositing, masking, layers, channels and scriptable batch processing. For the majority of image editing tasks it is a capable Photoshop substitute at no cost.

• Layers, masks, channels and paths
• Extensive selection and retouching tools
• Scriptable batch processing
• Large third-party plugin ecosystem

RawTherapee: what it's good at

RawTherapee is a RAW image processor known for the quality of its demosaicing algorithms and the granularity of its controls. It appeals to photographers who want to extract maximum detail and control every parameter.

• Multiple high-quality demosaicing algorithms
• Advanced noise reduction and sharpening
• Non-destructive processing profiles
• Batch queue processing

Which should you choose?

Both are free, so the honest answer is that you can install either and decide for yourself — that is the advantage of free software over a paid trial.

Both run on Windows, macOS, Linux. Both are open source, so neither locks you in.

We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either. We have no way to verify a rating that would be honest at scale, and an invented one would be worse than none — so we give you the facts and let you decide.

Frequently asked questions

Is GIMP better than RawTherapee?

Neither is universally better. GIMP the best-known free alternative to Adobe Photoshop, while RawTherapee precision RAW converter with exceptional detail control. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.

Are both really free?

GIMP is open source and RawTherapee is open source. Both can be downloaded without paying.

Can I install both?

Yes. Since neither costs anything, installing both and comparing them on your own files is usually the fastest way to decide.