I will be developing a course for Photo Editors that are free to use. Which one would you pick?


If you search for photo editors online, you will discover that there are dozens of them.  Including the word "free" does little to thin the list as many of these offer a trial period after which a payment is necessary.  Sometimes it is a single payment, but often it is expected that you will have to pay monthly.

The three pixel editors I have included above are totally free, although two of them allow you to pay a subscription to unlock even more features and benefits.  Of the three, only GIMP is totally free, and has been available since 1996.  It has, of course, been updated, and is current as of 2024.  It works on PCs and Mac computers, but not on iOS or Android devices.

Of the three, GIMP probably has the most Photoshop-like interface and has quite a learning curve to it.  Since it is open-source (anyone can add to the programming), it will undoubtedly evolve over time, as it has since it was first released.

Pixlr is an online editor, which means that you only have very limited access to it if you are not connected to the internet.  You can buy the full version for $4.80 (CAD) per month.  Pixlr works on any platform that has internet access.  Pixlr is good for photo editing and manipulation whereas its competitor, Canva, is more suited to creating a document from scratch.  

I have used Adobe products since the release of Adobe Elements 1 and Photoshop 2.0 more than 20 years ago.  I currently have a license for Photoshop CC and Lightroom, both of which I use for my photo editing.  They are very expensive, however, and my goal is to put together a course on a free photo editing utility.

Adobe Express is a stand-alone free photo editor that works on Windows and Macintosh computers and on iOS and Android to boot.  It does not need to be online to work.  It is easy to use, according to the reviews I have read, although I have not used it yet myself.  I imagine it has similarities to Lightroom.

The premium version gives more access to downloadable fonts and images and has more tools in its palettes.  The premium edition costs $10 per month or $100 per year.

Links to check on these yourself.  I used tech Radar for the review sites

Pixlr                         GIMP                           Adobe Express                

Let me know if you prefer one over another and why.  Thanks.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com

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