Comparison

darktable vs GIMP

On the evidence we track, darktable leads this comparison with a composite score of 52/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

darktable full profile →GIMP full profile →

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★darktable52

GIMP35

Attribute comparison across 2 tools
Attribute	darktableLeader	GIMP
Vioscale score	52 / 100medium · 60%	35 / 100high · 75%
Pricing
Free tierpricing.free_tier	✓	✓
Modelpricing.model	open_source	open_source
Price levelpricing.price_level	free	free
Transparentpricing.transparent	✓	✓
Integrations
Countintegrations.count	-	2
Security
Scorecardsecurity.scorecard	5.3	-
Vulnerabilitiessecurity.vulnerabilities	Count: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fdarktable-org%2Fdarktable&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0	-
Adoption
Dependent reposadoption.dependent_repos	0	-
Github starsadoption.github_stars	12,992	-
Activity
Commits last 30dactivity.commits_last_30d	100	-
Release
Cadence daysrelease.cadence_days	76	-
Historyrelease.history	20 items	-
License
Spdxlicense.spdx	GPL-3.0	-
Language
Primarylanguage.primary	C	-
Market
Availabilitymarket.availability	Available worldwide	-

Score

Vioscale score

darktable52 / 100medium · 60%

GIMP35 / 100high · 75%

Pricing

Free tier

darktable✓

GIMP✓

Model

darktableopen_source

GIMPopen_source

Price level

darktablefree

GIMPfree

Transparent

darktable✓

GIMP✓

Integrations

Count

darktable–

GIMP2

Security

Scorecard

darktable5.3

GIMP–

Vulnerabilities

darktableCount: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fdarktable-org%2Fdarktable&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0

GIMP–

Adoption

Dependent repos

darktable0

GIMP–

Github stars

darktable12,992

GIMP–

Activity

Commits last 30d

darktable100

GIMP–

Release

Cadence days

darktable76

GIMP–

History

darktable20 items

GIMP–

License

Spdx

darktableGPL-3.0

GIMP–

Language

Primary

darktableC

GIMP–

Market

Availability

darktableAvailable worldwide

GIMP–

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for design & creative software. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capability comparison for Design & Creative Software
Capability	darktable	GIMP
Discipline
Raster / photo editing	✓	✓
Vector illustration	✗	✗
DTP / page layout	✗	✗
Digital painting	✗	✓
Platform
Platform breadth	Linux, Windows (10+), macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD	GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows, and more operating systems
Output
CMYK / print production	✓	✗
Interoperability
PSD / AI import	-	-
Collaboration
Real-time collaboration / cloud	✗	-
AI
Generative AI features	✓	-
Extensibility
Plugin / template ecosystem	Lua API for scripting and extensibility	Python, Scheme, C, C++ with extensive community-developed plugins and scripts
Pricing
Pricing model	Open-source (free)	Open-source (free)
Free / open-source available	✓	✓

Discipline

Raster / photo editing

darktable✓

GIMP✓

Vector illustration

darktable✗

GIMP✗

DTP / page layout

darktable✗

GIMP✗

Digital painting

darktable✗

GIMP✓

Platform

Platform breadth

darktableLinux, Windows (10+), macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD

GIMPGNU/Linux, macOS, Windows, and more operating systems

Output

CMYK / print production

darktable✓

GIMP✗

Interoperability

PSD / AI import

darktable-

GIMP-

Collaboration

Real-time collaboration / cloud

darktable✗

GIMP-

Generative AI features

darktable✓

GIMP-

Extensibility

Plugin / template ecosystem

darktableLua API for scripting and extensibility

GIMPPython, Scheme, C, C++ with extensive community-developed plugins and scripts

Pricing

Pricing model

darktableOpen-source (free)

GIMPOpen-source (free)

Free / open-source available

darktable✓

GIMP✓

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

darktable

Leader

Darktable is a free, open-source photography application providing non-destructive raw image development and editing. It functions as a virtual darkroom and lighttable, managing photos in a database with professional color management, GPU acceleration, and optional AI-powered features.

Independently observed

GIMP

GIMP is a free, open-source cross-platform image editor available for GNU/Linux, macOS, Windows and other operating systems. It provides sophisticated tools for photo manipulation, artwork creation, graphic design, and desktop publishing workflows.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

darktable

Leader

Open sourceFree tier

Free, open-source

darktableFree
- Non-destructive raw image editing
- Virtual lighttable and darkroom interface
- Digital negative database management
- Professional color management for print output
- GPU-accelerated processing
- +3 more

as of 2026-08-16verify ↗

GIMP

Open sourceFree tier

as of 2026-08-13verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platform and deployment support comparison
Supports	darktable	GIMP
macOSPlatforms	✓	✓
WindowsPlatforms	✓	✓
LinuxPlatforms	✓	✓
CLIPlatforms	✗	✓
Self-hostedDeployment	✓	✓

Platforms

macOS

darktable✓

GIMP✓

Windows

darktable✓

GIMP✓

Linux

darktable✓

GIMP✓

CLI

darktable✗

GIMP✓

Deployment

Self-hosted

darktable✓

GIMP✓

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

darktable

Leader

Not documented yet.

GIMP

2 total

Scribus
Inkscape

Independently observed

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.