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Microsoft Paint vs GIMP: catalog facts
Microsoft Paint	GIMP
Free Free from the Microsoft Store.	Free Free software under the GNU GPL; there is no paid edition and no subscription.
Windows	Windows, macOS, Linux
Free and familiar to Windows users Quick to open for small edits	Full layer, mask, selection and path editing for photo retouching and composites Runs on Linux, macOS and Windows from one project
Windows only Limited tools compared with full image editors	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
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026

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