What is the main difference between GIMP and Krita?

GIMP and Krita are both design & prototyping tools but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: GIMP or Krita?

The choice between GIMP and Krita depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from GIMP to Krita?

Migration between GIMP and Krita is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

Logto – Modern auth infrastructure for developers.

Learn More

Learn more

GIMP vs Krita

Learn how GIMP and Krita differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these design & prototyping tools is best for you.

GIMP

Free, open-source image editor with professional tools for photo manipulation, digital art creation, and graphic design. Cross-platform support.

Visit GIMP Read more

Stars
6,218
Forks
876
Last commit
11 hours ago
Repository age
14 years

Activity score

90/100

View Repository

Krita

Free and open source painting program built by artists for artists. Features professional brushes, layers, animation tools, and drawing assistants for all skill levels.

Visit Krita Read more

Stars
9,903
Forks
803
Last commit
20 hours ago
Repository age
11 years
License
GPL-3.0

Activity score

91/100

View Repository

Detailed Comparison

Both GIMP and Krita have their unique strengths and serve similar purposes effectively. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Krita wins

Community & Popularity

Krita leads in popularity with 9,903 stars vs 6,218 stars for GIMP. The 59% higher star count indicates stronger community adoption. In terms of developer contributions, GIMP has 876 forks, indicating moderate developer engagement.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with GIMP last updated 11 hours ago and Krita 20 hours ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, Bash, Python, C, Objective-C, C++, Perl. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: GIMP uses CSS, Lua while Krita leverages Java, Swift, MATLAB.

GIMP wins

Project Maturity

GIMP has been in development longer, starting 14 years ago, compared to Krita which began 11 years ago. This 3.4-year head start suggests GIMP may have more mature features and established processes.

Krita wins

Licensing

Krita is licensed under GPL-3.0, while GIMP's license terms are not publicly specified.

Comparable

Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Design & Prototyping.