Which is better, Xara Designer Pro or GIMP?

Xara Designer Pro edges out GIMP based on user ratings across 18 reviews. That said, the best pick depends on your workflow — GIMP may be a stronger fit for specific team sizes or use cases. Review the full comparison to decide.

What are the main differences between Xara Designer Pro and GIMP?

Key differences between Xara Designer Pro and GIMP include pricing (Xara Designer Pro starts at $8.65 vs GIMP at undisclosed); free trial availability (Xara Designer Pro offers one, GIMP does not). Use the Spotsaas comparison table to evaluate each dimension before deciding.

Do both Xara Designer Pro and GIMP offer a Free trial?

Xara Designer Pro offers Free Trial, but GIMP does not.

Who are the typical users of Xara Designer Pro?

Xara Designer Pro is designed for Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business, Small Business.

Who are the typical users of GIMP?

GIMP is designed for Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business, Small Business.

What is the starting price of Xara Designer Pro and GIMP?

The starting price of Xara Designer Pro is $8.65/Month. Pricing for GIMP is unavailable.

What are the best alternatives to Xara Designer Pro?

Some top alternatives to Xara Designer Pro include Looka, Affinity Photo, Canva, CorelDraw, Affinity Designer.

What are the best alternatives to GIMP?

Some top alternatives to GIMP include Looka, Photopea, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic, Canva.

Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP vs Looka Comparison

Last updated: May 19, 2026

Xara Designer Pro

4.2(18 reviews)

Starting at $8.65 /Month

Free Trial
Freelancers / Consultants
Medium Business

Xara Designer Pro is complete graphics software for both new and existing designers. Effectively managing projects and delivering a professional standard format is easy thanks to its extensive feature set, including web…

View Pricing Read Reviews

GIMP

4.0(4,592 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Freelancers / Consultants
Medium Business

GIMP is a cross-platform image manipulation program designed to fit users needs. Get started with GIMP by working on individual projects or participate in one of the many online user communities for aid with any problems…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Looka

4.1(11,322 reviews)

Starting at $4.99 /Month

Individuals
Medium Business

The looka design suite comprises a full software environment for every stage of a designer's work. The suite enables designers to create and share a seamless style in every image. With looka, any image can have a consist…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Xara Designer Pro leads on user satisfaction with a 4.2-star rating across 18 reviews.

SpotSaaS Analysis

Xara Designer ProGIMPLooka

The core difference between Xara Designer Pro and GIMP is that Xara is a paid software focused on comprehensive design capabilities, while GIMP is a free, open-source tool ideal for users needing powerful raster image manipulation. Xara Designer Pro is best suited for businesses looking for a professional design solution, whereas GIMP is ideal for freelancers, small businesses, and educators seeking a cost-effective graphic design option.

- Comprehensive design capabilities - Paid software - Suitable for professional use - Ideal for businesses - Price: $8.65 - Not listed company sizes

- Free and open-source - Powerful raster image manipulation - Suitable for freelancers and small businesses - Flexible graphic design software - Company sizes: 1-50 employees, 51-500 employees - Cost-effective solution

Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP vs Looka — at a glance

Feature	Xara Designer Pro	GIMP	Looka
Rating	4.2 / 5	4.0 / 5	4.1 / 5
Reviews	18	4,592	11,322
Starting price	$8.65 /Month	Contact for pricing	$4.99 /Month
Free trial	Yes	No	No
Free version	No	No	No
Best for	Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business, Small Business	Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business, Small Business	Individuals, Medium Business, Small Business
Category	Graphic Design Software	Graphic Design Software	Graphic Design Software
Platforms	SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows	Mobile - Android, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac	SaaS/Web/Cloud
API	—	Available	—
Support modes	Online	Online	Online
Certifications	—	—	GDPR
Data residency	US	—	US

Key differences between Xara Designer Pro and GIMP

Pricing: Xara Designer Pro starts at $8.65 /Month. GIMP pricing is not publicly listed.
Free trial: Xara Designer Pro offers a free trial; GIMP does not.
User satisfaction: Xara Designer Pro scores higher with a 4.2-star average.
Deployment: Xara Designer Pro supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows; GIMP supports Mobile - Android, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac.

Compare Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP vs Looka — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Which tool fits your team best

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Graphic Design Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Biggest differences

Features

Pricing

Buying details

Security

Buyer feedback

Integrations

Product tour

Other options

	Xara Designer Pro (33) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	GIMP (890) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Xara Designer Pro

Best for

Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business, Small Business

GIMP

Best free, open-source tool for powerful raster image manipulation.

Choose if

You need a cost-effective solution with comprehensive digital art tools.
You are a freelancer, small business, or educator seeking flexible graphic design software.
You value strong community support and frequent feature updates.

Consider alternatives if

You require an intuitive, industry-standard interface with minimal learning curve.
You depend on extensive plugin marketplaces and third-party integrations.

Looka

Best for quick, easy logo and brand identity design for small teams.

Choose if

You need fast, simple logo creation with minimal learning curve.
You want consistent brand styling across multiple images effortlessly.
You value responsive, personalized customer support for design issues.

Consider alternatives if

Your team requires advanced design features and deep customization.
You represent a large enterprise needing complex design workflows.

Xara Designer Pro typically suits Freelancers / Consultants and Medium Business. GIMP tends to fit Freelancers / Consultants and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description	Xara Designer Pro is complete graphics software for both new and existing designers. Effectively managing projects and delivering a professional standard format is easy thanks to its ... Read More about Xara Designer Pro	GIMP is a cross-platform image manipulation program designed to fit users needs. Get started with GIMP by working on individual projects or participate in one of the many online user ... Read More about GIMP	The looka design suite comprises a full software environment for every stage of a designer's work. The suite enables designers to create and share a seamless style in every image. With ... Read More about Looka
Entry Level Pricing	Starts from $8.65 , Billed Yearly	Not Available	Starts from $4.99
Free Trial Availability	Get Free Trial	No free trial	No free trial
Spotsaas Score What's this? ↗	8.0/10	8.8/10	9.1/10
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	4.2 (18)	4 (4592)	4.1 (11322)
Best Company Size	—	1-50 employees51-500 employees	1-50 employees51-200 employees
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help	Visit website

Software Demo

Demo		GIMP has not given any software demo yet If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us

Need a second opinion?

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

Share your priorities, budget, and team needs, and we’ll help you narrow the options and understand the tradeoffs before you talk to vendors.

How do Xara Designer Pro, GIMP and Looka Compare on Features?

Total Features	4 Features	4 Features	6 Features
Unique Features	No unique features	No unique features	No unique features
	Get Quote	Get Quote	Visit website

Compare Xara Designer Pro, GIMP and Looka on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option
Starting From	$8.65 , Billed Yearly	Not Available	$4.99
Pricing Plans	Free (Individual) Get Started $0/mo 1 user, lifetime access Professional templates Show more + Pro (Individual) Get Started $12.95/mo 1 user, billed annually $18.95/mo1 user, billed monthly Full power of Xara Cloud: Show more + Pro plus (Individual) Get Started $16.95/mo 1 user, billed annually $22.95/mo 1 user, billed monthly Designer Pro+ Show more + Browse all pricing plans	Not Available	Not Available
Pricing Page		Pricing information not available
	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported	Individuals Small Business Medium Business Freelancers Large Enterprises	Individuals Small Business Medium Business Freelancers Large Enterprises	Individuals Small Business Medium Business Freelancers Large Enterprises
Platforms Supported	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Installed - Mac Installed - Windows Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Installed - Mac Installed - Windows Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Installed - Mac Installed - Windows Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)
Modes of support	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online
API Support	Not Available	Available	Not Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing	Visit Website

Security & Compliance

Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

HIPAA	✗ No	—
GDPR	—	—
Data Residency	🇺🇸 US	—

Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	4.2 (based on 18 reviews)	4 (based on 4592 reviews)	4.1 (based on 11322 reviews)
Rating Distribution	11 21 1 0 0	535 265 50 18 22	816 44 7 10 29
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is positive across 33 reviews, with strong overall satisfaction. What buyers like Comprehensive feature set Professional standard output Easy project management Common complaints Higher learning curve Cost may be prohibitive Limited community support	Buyer sentiment Users generally appreciate GIMP's powerful features and free access but note a challenging learning curve and interface complexity. What buyers like Feature richness Cost-effectiveness Continuous improvements Common complaints Steep learning curve Non-intuitive interface	Buyer sentiment Users generally appreciate Looka for its ease of use and outstanding customer support, though some note limitations in advanced features and occasional technical issues. What buyers like Customer support responsiveness Ease of use Diverse design options Common complaints Limited advanced customization Technical hiccups
Pros and Cons	Extensive feature set for diverse design needs. Professional output quality for client work. Effective project management tools streamline workflow. Higher cost may not suit all budgets. Learning curve can be steep for new users.	Wide variety of tools for comprehensive digital art creation Free and open-source, accessible for budget-conscious users Powerful raster image manipulation with regular feature updates Steep learning curve for users new to the interface Non-intuitive interface requiring menu navigation	Excellent and responsive customer support with quick issue resolution Easy-to-use platform enabling seamless and fast logo creation Diverse design options allowing for consistent brand styling Limited advanced functionalities and customization beyond logo creation Occasional technical issues such as SSL challenges
Positive Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
	Read reviews	Read reviews	Read reviews

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots	6 Screenshots	No screenshots available.
Videos	1 Videos	No videos available.

Alternatives

Alternatives	Looka 4.1 Affinity Photo 4.7 Canva 4.1	Looka 4.1 Photopea 3.1 Adobe Photoshop 4.7	Canva 4.1 Wizlogo 4.5 Designmaker 4.7

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Xara Designer Pro or GIMP?: Xara Designer Pro edges out the other on user ratings (4.2 vs 4.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Xara Designer Pro and GIMP offer a free trial?: Xara Designer Pro offers a free trial. GIMP does not.
What is the starting price of Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP?: Xara Designer Pro starts at $8.65 /Month. GIMP starts at Contact for pricing.
What are the top alternatives to Xara Designer Pro?: Top alternatives to Xara Designer Pro include Looka, Affinity Photo, Canva, CorelDraw, Affinity Designer.
What are the top alternatives to GIMP?: Top alternatives to GIMP include Looka, Photopea, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic, Canva.

Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP vs Looka Comparison

Xara Designer Pro

GIMP

Looka

Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP vs Looka — at a glance

Key differences between Xara Designer Pro and GIMP

Compare Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP vs Looka — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Xara Designer Pro

GIMP

Biggest differences

Description

Entry Level Pricing

Free Trial Availability

Spotsaas Score

User Ratings

Best Company Size

Software Demo

Demo

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

How do Xara Designer Pro, GIMP and Looka Compare on Features?

Compare Xara Designer Pro, GIMP and Looka on pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Security & Compliance

Xara Designer Pro vs GIMP User Reviews & Rating Comparison

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Alternatives

Related Blogs and Articles for Graphic Design Software

Frequently asked questions