Krita vs GIMP: Which Should You Use?

Krita official hero artwork showing the painting workspace used to identify the application — Krita project site hero (krita.org). Source · License: GPL-3.0-or-later.

GIMP 3.0 editing a gull-on-beach photograph with layers, tools, and histogram visible — GIMP. Source · License: CC-BY-SA-4.0.

Verdict. Choose GIMP if you need a long-standing general photo editor. Choose Krita if your job is digital painting, comics, or concept art. We have no sourced benchmark that one is "better."

Compare Krita and GIMP.

Dimension	Krita	GIMP	Source
License	GPL-3.0-or-later (krita.org, 2026-10-18)	GPL-3.0-or-later (seed listing)	Official license pages / seed
Price	free (open-source)	free (open-source)	Licenses above
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux (krita.org/download, 2026-10-18)	Windows, macOS, Linux (gimp.org/downloads, 2026-10-18)	Official download pages
Primary job (project positioning)	Digital painting studio (comics, illustration, concept, VFX)	General image manipulation	krita.org; GIMP seed description
Canonical code host	invent.kde.org/graphics/krita (GitHub KDE/krita is a mirror)	gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gimp (GitHub GNOME/gimp is a mirror)	Project READMEs
Community activity (sourced snapshot)	10,573 stars on the GitHub mirror, last push 2026-10-18	6,507 stars on the GitHub mirror (seed 2026-10-13)	GitHub KDE/krita (2026-10-18); GitHub GNOME/gimp seed
Painting vs photo tools	Not independently tested	Not independently tested	n/a

When to choose which

Digital painting, comics, concept art: Krita — That is Krita's own positioning. We did not test a production illustration.
General photo retouching today: GIMP — Maturity as a general editor is the sourced difference. We did not test a retouch job.
Trying a new Rust-native editor instead: PhotoCraft — Early alpha. See PhotoCraft vs GIMP and PhotoCraft vs Krita.

Read the entity pages for the full sourced tables: Krita and GIMP. Both are listed on Photoshop alternatives. Related: PhotoCraft vs GIMP (this site’s main editor comparison), PhotoCraft vs Krita, Krita vs Photoshop, GIMP vs Photoshop. Leaving Photoshop: Switch from Photoshop to GIMP.

Key differences

Krita positions itself as a digital painting studio (comics, illustration, concept, matte/texture, VFX). GIMP is the long-standing general image manipulation program. Star counts on GitHub mirrors are not quality. PhotoCraft remains early alpha if you are tracking a new Rust editor instead.

See also Canva alternatives (Krita is also listed there), Adobe Illustrator alternatives (Inkscape), and Image & Design.

FAQ

Is Krita better than GIMP?

We have no sourced benchmark that says so. They target different jobs (painting vs general editing).

Can I use both?

Yes. Both are GPL-family free software. That is not legal advice.

Where does PhotoCraft fit?

PhotoCraft is an early-alpha Rust editor on the Photoshop hub. It is not a Krita or GIMP replacement today.

Sources & verification

Last verified 2026-10-18 · Last updated 2026-10-18· Edited by forkalt editors · Editorial policy

License notes are not legal advice. Read the original LICENSE. Trademark & disclaimer.