Software Alternatives & Startups

GIMP VS DownSample

Compare GIMP VS DownSample and see what are their differences

GIMP

GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool.

Rating
3.0 · 1 review
Pricing
Open source
DownSample

DownSample — shrink videos and audio without FFmpeg. GPU-accelerated via Windows Media Foundation, batch a whole folder, offline. Free for personal use.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Free
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, GIMP seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 59 times since March 2021.

social mentions
59 vs 0
Graphic Design Software popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 11

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

GIMP
DownSample
Website gimp.org tapatch.com
Pricing
Open source
Free
Platforms —
Windows
Listed in

About GIMP and DownSample

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

GIMP
DownSample

No description of GIMP yet.

DownSample shrinks videos and audio to save disk space — without FFmpeg and without uploading anything. It drives Windows Media Foundation — the OS's own licensed H.264 / AAC — and encodes on your GPU's hardware blocks (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel iGPU) via Direct3D 11. Drop in files or a whole folder,...

Read more about DownSample

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

GIMP 4 features
DownSample 6 features
  • Free and Open Source
    GIMP is completely free to use and open source, allowing users to download, modify, and distribute the software without any cost.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    GIMP is compatible with multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing flexibility for users on different platforms.
  • Extensive Plugin Support
    GIMP supports a wide range of plugins, which can be used to enhance functionality and customize the software to suit specific needs.
  • Powerful Editing Tools
    GIMP offers a comprehensive set of image editing tools for tasks such as photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring, suitable for both beginners and advanced users.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complex Interface
    The user interface can be overwhelming and not as intuitive as other commercial software, which can pose a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users experience performance issues, such as slow rendering times, especially when working with large files or applying multiple layers and effects.
  • Limited Professional Features
    Compared to industry-standard software like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP lacks some advanced features and tools that professionals might need for high-end work.
  • Inconsistent Updates
    Updates and new features can be inconsistent, as the development relies on a community of volunteers rather than a dedicated team.
  • GPU hardware encode
    Encodes on your GPU's dedicated video block via Windows Media Foundation + Direct3D 11 — NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel iGPU.
  • No FFmpeg, no upload
    Uses the H.264 / AAC codecs Windows already licenses — nothing bundled, nothing installed, nothing sent anywhere.
  • Resolution + aspect
    Downscale by height — 4K, 2K, 1080p, 720p, 480p, 360p, 240p, or custom — keeping aspect ratio or stretching to 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 21:9, or your own.
  • Quality + audio control
    High / Balanced / Small / Tiny quality presets and audio bitrate from Auto down to off — dial the size-versus-quality trade-off exactly.
  • Parallel batch queue
    Drop a whole folder (subfolders included) and shrink every file at once across all your CPU cores and GPUs.
  • Preview before committing
    Try your settings on one file first and see the result before running the whole batch.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

GIMP
DownSample

Overall verdict

  • GIMP is generally considered a good alternative to commercial image editing software, especially for those who are looking for a cost-effective solution. While it may not have all the advanced features or polished interface of some paid options, it is powerful enough for most editing tasks and keeps improving with regular updates.

Why this product is good

  • GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free and open-source image editor that offers a wide range of tools and features for photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring. It is highly customizable and supports various plugins, making it a flexible option for different design needs. Its active community provides extensive support and resources for users.

Recommended for

    GIMP is recommended for beginners, hobbyists, and professionals who need a robust image editor without a financial commitment. It's suitable for users who are comfortable with learning open-source software and those who need a tool for basic to mid-level image editing tasks.

No analysis of DownSample yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

GIMP 3 videos + Add
DownSample 1 video + Add

Gimp vs Photoshop - Photo Editing Software - COMPARISON 2018

More videos

  • - GIMP 2020 Preview and GIMP 2019 Recap
  • - 10 Reasons to Use GIMP in 2020 Over Photoshop

DownSample's Goal

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
GIMP
DownSample
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using GIMP and DownSample. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

GIMP 3.0 · 1 review
DownSample no reviews yet

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We have no reviews of DownSample yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

GIMP 59 mentions
DownSample 0 mentions
  • Yurt Calculator
    Image Creative Commons (CC) BY-SA-NC 2005-2017, developed, designed and written by René K. Müller Graphics & illustrations made with Inkscape, Tgif, Gimp, PovRay, GD.pm Web-Site powered by FreeBSD & Debian/Linux - 100% Open Source. Source: over 3 years ago
  • I just cannot understand why they did Paint so bad
    Paint.NET for a familiar paradigm with nicer features. Pinta for an old school, simple Paint experience. Krita for more advanced drawing. Gimp for editing/manipulating photos. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Had to make This after seeing all the post over and over again
    If you don't want to pay for photoshop, check out the Gnu Image Manipulation Program at http://gimp.org which is free. It has most of what you'd want photoshop for. Source: over 3 years ago

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Tracking DownSample since Oct 2026.

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When comparing GIMP and DownSample, you can also consider the following products.