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GIMP vs Acorn: catalog facts
GIMP	Acorn
Free Free software under the GNU GPL; there is no paid edition and no subscription.	Paid One-time purchase with no subscription, after a 14-day free trial.
Windows, macOS, Linux	macOS
Full layer, mask, selection and path editing for photo retouching and composites Runs on Linux, macOS and Windows from one project	No subscription, paid once AI subject selection and Live Text tool built in
The interface follows its own conventions, so Photoshop habits do not transfer cleanly CMYK support for print work is still limited compared with commercial editors	macOS only Requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: GPL-3.0-or-later	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.