Picstea: a GIMP alternative in your browser
GIMP is a powerful, free, open-source image editor you install on your computer. Picstea is a free editor that runs in your browser instead, with Photoshop-style layers, menus and shortcuts — useful when you can't or don't want to install software.
Open the editor — free, no sign-up
What both do
- Free layer-based photo editing: layers, masks, blend modes, selections and filters.
- Retouching tools such as clone and healing brushes.
- Opening and exporting PSD, PNG, JPEG and WebP files, with your files kept on your device.
- Filters you can change after applying them (smart filters in Picstea, non-destructive filters in GIMP 3).
How they differ
| Picstea | GIMP | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Any current browser | Desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux |
| Installing | Nothing to install | Download and install |
| Price | Free, no account | Free, open source |
| Workflow | Photoshop-style menus, panels and shortcuts | GIMP's own interface and shortcuts |
| Adjustment layers | Yes (Levels, Curves and 13 more) | Non-destructive filters on layers |
| Own project format | .picstea | .xcf |
| Plugins and scripting | Recorded actions only | Plugins and scripts (Python, Scheme, C) |
Facts about GIMP checked in October 2026 on its official website. Products change; check there for the latest.
Why people choose Picstea
- Nothing to install. Open a tab and edit — on a work laptop, a school Chromebook or someone else's computer. It also works offline once installed as an app.
- Feels like Photoshop. Menus, panels, adjustment layers, layer styles and shortcuts follow Photoshop, so tutorials and habits carry over.
- Private by design. Like GIMP, your images stay on your device: Picstea has no server that receives them.
Where GIMP is the better choice
- Very large images and print work with colour management and CMYK export options.
- Extending the editor with plugins and scripts, and batch work with scripting.
- Fully open-source software you can inspect and modify.
- Advanced tools Picstea doesn't have yet, such as warp transforms and paths panels.
Want to try the browser route? Start with the getting started guide.
Other comparisons
How-to guides
- Blur a photo background
- Make a background transparent
- Add text to a photo
- Make a photo black and white
- Sharpen an image
- Liquify a photo
Related tools
- Online photo editor
- PSD editor
- PNG editor
- JPEG editor
- WebP editor
- Image resizer
- Image compressor
- Photo filters
- Image converter
Questions
- Is Picstea better than GIMP?
- It depends on the job. Picstea needs no installation and works like Photoshop, so it's quick to pick up in any browser. GIMP is a mature desktop program with more advanced features, plugins and scripting.
- Are both free?
- Yes. GIMP is free and open-source software; Picstea is free to use in the browser with no account.
- Can I open my GIMP files in Picstea?
- Not GIMP's own .xcf files. Export from GIMP as PSD to keep the layers, or as PNG, and open that in Picstea.
- Does Picstea work on a Chromebook?
- Yes. It runs in any current browser, including on Chromebooks and computers where you can't install software.