Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Pixelmator VS Adobe Photoshop Elements

Compare Pixelmator VS Adobe Photoshop Elements and see what are their differences

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Pixelmator logo Pixelmator

Pixelmator is an image-editing application for Mac and iPad.

Adobe Photoshop Elements logo Adobe Photoshop Elements

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2018 software helps you enhance your photos, create collages, quickly organize, and share across all social channels. Learn more.
  • Pixelmator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21
  • Adobe Photoshop Elements Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-16

Pixelmator features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Pixelmator Pro is designed with a clean and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible even for beginners while still being powerful enough for professionals.
  • Integration with macOS
    The software is built exclusively for macOS, allowing seamless integration with other Apple applications and services like iCloud, Photos, and AppleScript.
  • Affordability
    Pixelmator Pro is a one-time purchase, making it more affordable in the long run compared to subscription-based software like Adobe Photoshop.
  • Performance Optimization
    It takes advantage of the latest macOS technologies such as Metal, Core Image, and OpenGL, ensuring smoother performance and faster processing times.
  • AI-Powered Tools
    Pixelmator Pro includes a variety of AI-driven tools like ML Super Resolution, which enhances image quality using machine learning algorithms.

Possible disadvantages of Pixelmator

  • macOS Exclusivity
    Pixelmator Pro is only available for macOS, which limits its accessibility to users who are on Windows or other operating systems.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, the software has a variety of advanced features that can require a learning curve to fully understand and utilize.
  • Limited Third-Party Integration
    Compared to industry-standard software like Adobe Photoshop, Pixelmator Pro has fewer integrations with third-party plugins and services.
  • No Vector Drawing Tools
    The software lacks comprehensive vector drawing tools, which can be a drawback for users who need robust vector graphic capabilities.
  • Feature Gaps
    While Pixelmator Pro covers a wide range of functionalities, it still lacks some advanced features and functionalities offered by competitors such as Adobe Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop Elements features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Adobe Photoshop Elements offers a simplified and intuitive interface that is easier for beginners to use compared to the full version of Photoshop.
  • Guided Edits
    The software provides guided edits that walk users through the steps of creating specific effects, making it easier to achieve professional-looking results without advanced knowledge.
  • Organizational Tools
    Photoshop Elements includes robust photo organization tools, allowing users to tag, categorize, and find photos efficiently using smart tags and face recognition.
  • One-Time Purchase
    Unlike Adobe Photoshop CC, which requires a subscription, Photoshop Elements is available as a one-time purchase, making it more affordable in the long run.
  • Auto Creations
    The software automatically generates photo and video collages, slideshows, and other creative projects using its built-in AI technology, saving users time and effort.
  • Performance
    Photoshop Elements is designed to be less resource-intensive, running smoothly on both older and newer hardware configurations.

Possible disadvantages of Adobe Photoshop Elements

  • Limited Advanced Features
    Photoshop Elements lacks some of the advanced features available in the full version of Photoshop, making it less suitable for professional graphic designers and photographers.
  • Fewer Plugins and Extensions
    The software supports fewer third-party plugins and extensions, limiting customization and expansion options compared to Adobe Photoshop.
  • Less Frequent Updates
    Photoshop Elements receives fewer updates than Photoshop CC, meaning it may lack some of the latest features and improvements offered by Adobe's Creative Cloud applications.
  • Limited Video Editing
    While Photoshop Elements includes basic video editing capabilities, it is not as powerful as dedicated video editing software, which may be a drawback for users looking to do advanced video work.
  • No Cloud Integration
    Photoshop Elements does not offer the same level of cloud integration and storage options as Adobe Creative Cloud, which can be a downside for users who rely on cloud-based workflows.
  • Learning Curve
    Though more user-friendly than full Photoshop, Photoshop Elements still has a learning curve for complete beginners, requiring some time and effort to master its features.

Analysis of Pixelmator

Overall verdict

  • Pixelmator is a strong choice for those seeking a versatile and affordable image editing tool. Its seamless integration with Apple hardware and software ecosystems enhances its functionality for Mac users.

Why this product is good

  • Pixelmator is highly regarded for its user-friendly interface, extensive toolset, and integration with macOS features. It provides a robust set of photo editing tools, enabling tasks like retouching, painting, and graphic design. It is particularly praised for its speed and efficiency, making it a great choice for users wanting a powerful but accessible editing software.

Recommended for

  • Casual users who want powerful editing tools without a steep learning curve.
  • Mac users looking for software that's optimized for Apple hardware and OS.
  • Graphic designers and artists who need a tool for creative work that offers both vector and raster graphics editing features.
  • Small business owners who need an efficient tool for basic to advanced photo editing and graphic design tasks.

Pixelmator videos

Pixelmator Photo 2019 for iPad - Full Guide & Review!

More videos:

  • Review - Pixelmator Photo Review
  • Review - Pixelmator Pro Review

Adobe Photoshop Elements videos

Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 Review

More videos:

  • Review - New Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 Review - New Release Features plus Should You Upgrade

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Pixelmator and Adobe Photoshop Elements)
Image Editing
85 85%
15% 15
Graphic Design Software
87 87%
13% 13
Digital Drawing And Painting
Design Tools
100 100%
0% 0

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Pixelmator and Adobe Photoshop Elements

Pixelmator Reviews

10 Best Photopea Software Alternatives in 2024 (Free & Paid)
Pixelmator Pro is one of the best Photopea alternatives for macOS that lets businesses change, improve, and tailor pictures using tools, colors, and workspaces. It comes with pre-made shapes like circles, speech bubbles, lines, and stars that designers can use to finish their work. It supports non-destructive editing, meaning you can make changes without altering the...
Best Photo Editing Software for Mac: 5 Pro Alternatives to Adobe
Leveraging Apple Tech: Pixelmator Pro is built from the ground up for macOS. It deeply integrates with core technologies like Metal (for graphics acceleration), Core ML (for machine learning), improving performance and responsiveness.
Affinity Alternative
Pixelmator Pro, like Photolemur, boasts machine learning to make photo editing quick and easy. In addition, it contains many advanced editing tools as well as a fresh workflow that’s bound to attract many users.
Source: skylum.com
We tested 4 photo editing alternatives to Photoshop
Next up was Pixelmator, a slick OSX app with a pleasingly unslick $29.99 price point. To test Pixelmator we gave Max a copy of the Stone Roses’ eponymously titled 1989 album ‘The Stone Roses‘. With it’s distinctive cover art by Roses’ guitarist John Squire, ‘The Stone Roses’ should pose a worthy challenge to Pixelmator.
Source: diginate.com
12 Best Free Photoshop Alternatives You Should Try
Pixelmator is a macOS only photo editing tool that brings with it a ton of Photoshop like features and tools, and it also supports some of the latest features that Apple has brought to macOS such as editing and exporting images stored in the High Efficiency Image File format. There are the usual features like support for layers and blending modes, a plethora of tools to use...
Source: beebom.com

Adobe Photoshop Elements Reviews

We have no reviews of Adobe Photoshop Elements yet.
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Pixelmator and Adobe Photoshop Elements, you can also consider the following products

Adobe Photoshop - Adobe Photoshop is a webtop application for editing images and photos online.

Photoscape - high quality photo editing software, that enables you to fix and enhance photos.

GIMP - GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool.

ACDSee - ACDSee is an image viewer that uses very little system resources, and it has a small, sleek size that won't take up much space on your system.

Affinity Photo - Affinity is the imaging and design suite for creative professionals exclusively for Mac.

JPEGView - JPEGView is a small and fast viewer/editor for JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF and TIFF images.