Paint.NET: when to install it, and when not to
Paint.NET is a free Windows image editor with layers, a clean interface and a healthy plugin library. It sits between the bare Windows Paint and the heft…
The short version
Paint.NET: The sweet spot between Paint and GIMP: layers, selections, effects, and an interface you understand in ten minutes. This is what most people actually want. Windows only.
| Licence / price | Free · Closed source |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows |
| Category | Graphics & Design — 7 programs |
| Official download | https://www.getpaint.net/download.html ↗ |
What it is for
Paint.NET is a free Windows image editor with layers, a clean interface and a healthy plugin library. It sits between the bare Windows Paint and the heft of GIMP, which is exactly where most photo tweaks actually live.
When to pick something else
Windows-only, and it is not a substitute for GIMP or Photoshop on heavy compositing or raw editing. Its plugin ecosystem is good but smaller than GIMP's, so exotic formats may need another tool.
How it compares in Graphics & Design
These are the alternatives we would consider for the same job. The notes are the same ones used on the main list, so there is no separate ranking hiding on this page.
| Program | Licence / price | Platforms | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIMP Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | The closest thing to a free Photoshop: layers, masks, curves, batch processing, plugin ecosystem. The interface takes a week to stop annoying you. Worth it if you edit photos regularly. |
| Krita Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Built for drawing and painting rather than photo editing: brush engines that feel like real media, onion skinning, animation timeline. The best free option for a drawing tablet. |
| Inkscape Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Vector editing for logos, icons and print-ready SVG. If you need to draw shapes that stay sharp at any size, this replaces Illustrator for most real-world jobs. |
| Blender Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | A complete 3D pipeline and a serious video editor in one download, funded by donations rather than licences. Enormous. Assume a month before you are productive in it. |
| IrfanView Publisher's site ↗ | Free for personal use | Windows | Opens a 50 megapixel photo before other viewers have finished launching. Also batch-resizes, converts and rotates entire folders. Not free for commercial use, which catches people out. |
| XnView MP Publisher's site ↗ | Free for personal use | Windows, macOS, Linux | A photo browser and converter that reads over 500 formats, with tagging and a real database behind it. Use this instead of IrfanView if you also work on a Mac. |
Practical notes
- Install a few plugins for the formats you meet most.
- Use layers even for small edits; they are reversible.
- The history window is your friend for stepping back.
Questions people ask
Is Paint.NET free?
Free for personal use on Windows; it is closed source despite the open-source feel.
Is it better than GIMP?
Easier to learn; GIMP wins on power and cross-platform support.
Does it handle RAW photos?
Not natively; convert them first or use a dedicated raw tool.
Where it appears in our guides
See the full Graphics & Design explainer for the other 6 programs in this category.
How to read this page. How to read this page. Platform, licence and publisher details come from our directory data. Where an independent review, audit or survey is mentioned, it is summarised in our own words with the source named and linked; our /sources page sets out that policy. The recommendation, the trade-offs and every 'skip it if' line are our editorial judgement. We do not run benchmarks, publish measured performance figures or host installers, and every download link goes to the publisher's own site. If a detail is out of date, our About page explains how to tell us.