photo editor · dotPDN LLC

Paint.NET

Free Windows image and photo editor with layers, effects and plugin support.

27/100

#9 of 9 photo editors
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

Paint.NET is a free download from the vendor; the Microsoft Store version is paid².
It needs Windows 11, Windows 10 version 21H2 or newer, or Windows Server 2022².
Version 5.1.12 was released on March 8th, 2026¹.
It supports layers, blend modes and unlimited undo, and plugins add effects and file types^1,4.
The licence bars modifying the software or making derivative works⁵.

Paint.NET suits Windows users who want a free editor with layers and effects^1,2,4. It reads common formats such as PNG, JPEG, HEIC, AVIF, WebP and TIFF³. The catch: it is Windows only, and the vendor's pages list no raw, PSD, mask, library or AI features^3,4.

Best for: Windows users who want a free editor for everyday photo work.

Where the points come from

Systems2 of 12

Editing tools0 of 34

AI tools0 of 13

Workflow0 of 11

Price and licence25 of 30

Systems 2 of 12 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Systems	WindowsDescribed as editing software for PCs that run Windows; the download page lists Windows 10 and 11^1,2.	2 / 12

Editing tools 0 of 34 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Camera raw editing	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page; the format list names no camera raw formats³.	0 / 10
Layers and masks	Not publishedLayers and blend modes are documented, but layer masks are not mentioned^3,4.	0 / 8
Non-destructive editing	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page; it describes undo history, not editable adjustments³.	0 / 6
Local adjustments	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page³.	0 / 5
Opens and saves PSD	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page; PDN is the native format, PSD is not listed³.	0 / 3
HDR and panorama merge	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page³.	0 / 2

AI tools 0 of 13 points

Rule	What is published	Points
AI subject and sky selection	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page³.	0 / 5
AI object removal	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page³.	0 / 5
AI noise reduction or upscaling	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page³.	0 / 3

Workflow 0 of 11 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Built-in photo library	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page³.	0 / 5
Batch editing and export	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page³.	0 / 4
Soft proofing	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page; it mentions colour management only³.	0 / 2

Price and licence 25 of 30 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Open source	NoThe licence says you may not modify the software or create derivative works⁵.	0 / 3
Free trial	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's download page²; the free download is not a trial.	0 / 2
Free version	YesThe vendor's download page lists a free download from the vendor².	8 / 8
No subscription needed	YesFree to use from the vendor; the Store version is a paid listing, not marked as a subscription².	5 / 5
Price per month	$0Free download from the vendor².	12 / 12

The rule behind each line: how we score photo editors.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Free download1 person	Free²	$0	From the vendor's site
Microsoft Store1 person	Paid; price not shown on the vendor's page^1,2	–	Store listing marked Paid; the vendor invites donations

The vendor's download page marks the Microsoft Store version Paid and gives no price; the free download is scored².

Strengths

The vendor's download is free².
Layers can be reordered and given layer transparency, with many blend modes⁴.
The undo history records every action and is limited only by disk space^3,4.
Third-party plugins add effects, adjustments and file formats⁴.

Limits

It runs only on Windows^1,2.
The format list names no camera raw or PSD support; more types come from plugins³.
The licence forbids modifying the software or creating derivative works⁵.
No layer masks, photo library, batch tools or AI tools are mentioned on the features or documentation pages^3,4.

What dotPDN LLC says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

Paint.NET says its rendering engine is multithreaded and that its features are optimized for current multicore CPUs, GPUs and NVMe SSDs^3,4.

Other photo editors

1
ON1 Photo RAWPhotographers who want raw development, layers and AI tools in one app
76/100
$7.50/moprice per month
2
Luminar NeoPhotographers who want AI tools and a licence with no monthly fee for the editor
71/100
$12.02/moprice per month
3
PhotopeaPeople who want a layered, Photoshop-style editor in a browser without paying
66/100
$4.66/moprice per month
4
ACDSee Photo Studio UltimateWindows users who want an editor and a photo library in one app
60/100
$15/moprice per month

All 9 photo editors

Sources

Paint.NET: Free Software for Digital Photo Editing, dotPDN. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Paint.NET download, dotPDN. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Paint.NET features, dotPDN. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Paint.NET documentation: Overview and Features, dotPDN. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Paint.NET license, dotPDN. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: paint.net · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with dotPDN LLC.