PaintShop Pro Review: Gift for the Photo Enthusiast -- Without the Subscription Trap

What We Like

1. AI-Powered Photo Enhancement

PaintShop Pro 2026 includes a suite of AI tools that genuinely improve photos with one click: AI Background Replacement removes and replaces backgrounds automatically, AI Upsampling increases image resolution without quality loss, AI Denoise removes grain from low-light photos, and AI Style Transfer applies artistic styles. These tools save hours of manual editing and make professional results accessible to beginners.

2. One-Time Purchase (No Subscription)

This is PaintShop Pro's biggest selling point as a gift. Photoshop costs $22.99/month ($275/year) forever. PaintShop Pro costs $79.99 once. The recipient owns it permanently -- no recurring charges, no feature lockouts, no anxiety about canceling. Over 3 years, PaintShop Pro saves $745 compared to Photoshop. That's the kind of gift math that matters.

3. RAW Editing and Camera Support

PaintShop Pro supports RAW files from virtually every camera brand -- Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, and more. The built-in Camera RAW Lab provides non-destructive editing with exposure, white balance, noise reduction, and lens correction. For photography enthusiasts who shoot in RAW, this is essential functionality.

4. Affordable Yet Capable

At $79.99, PaintShop Pro includes layers, masks, selection tools, clone/heal brushes, HDR processing, panorama stitching, batch processing, and graphic design tools. It's not a stripped-down "lite" editor -- it's genuinely capable software that handles most photo editing and design tasks competently. The Ultimate edition adds premium plugins worth over $200 separately.

What to Consider

1. Windows Only

Like VideoStudio, PaintShop Pro is Windows-exclusive. Mac users need alternatives -- Affinity Photo ($69.99 one-time) is the closest Mac equivalent. Always verify the recipient's OS before purchasing.

2. Smaller Plugin Ecosystem Than Photoshop

Photoshop's plugin ecosystem is massive -- thousands of third-party extensions, brushes, and integrations. PaintShop Pro supports some Photoshop-compatible plugins (.8bf format), but the selection is much smaller. Professional photographers who rely on specific Photoshop plugins may find PaintShop Pro limiting.

3. Learning Resources Are Less Abundant

YouTube and the internet are saturated with Photoshop tutorials. PaintShop Pro tutorials exist but are far fewer. The recipient may have to work harder to find learning resources for specific techniques. Corel's own tutorials are good but not as comprehensive as Adobe's learning community.

Who It's Best For

How to Gift PaintShop Pro

1. Click our link below to visit Corel's PaintShop Pro page.
2. Choose your edition. PaintShop Pro ($59.99) covers core editing; Ultimate ($79.99) adds premium plugins and bonus creative software. We recommend Ultimate for the best gift value.
3. Purchase the license. You'll receive a serial number via email instantly.
4. Share the code with the recipient. They download from paintshoppro.com and activate with the serial number.

Pricing Breakdown

PaintShop Pro is available in two editions -- both one-time purchases:

PaintShop Pro vs. Photoshop: 3-Year Cost

Alternatives

If PaintShop Pro doesn't feel quite right, consider:

• Affinity Photo -- $69.99 one-time (Mac, Windows, iPad). Closest competitor with cross-platform support. Slightly more polished interface.
• Adobe Photoshop -- $22.99/month. Unmatched plugin ecosystem and learning resources. But subscription-only.
• GIMP -- Free and open-source. Capable but less polished interface. No AI tools. Best for budget-conscious recipients.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PaintShop Pro as good as Photoshop?

For most users, yes. PaintShop Pro handles photo editing, retouching, layers, masks, RAW processing, and graphic design competently. Professional retouchers and designers who depend on specific Photoshop plugins or advanced features like Content-Aware Fill may find PaintShop Pro lacking. But for 90% of photo editing tasks, PaintShop Pro is equally capable.

Does PaintShop Pro work on Mac?

No. PaintShop Pro is Windows-only. Mac users should look at Affinity Photo ($69.99), Pixelmator Pro ($49.99), or Adobe Photoshop ($22.99/month).

Can PaintShop Pro open Photoshop files?

Yes. PaintShop Pro can open and edit .PSD files with layers preserved. This makes it easy to collaborate with Photoshop users or migrate from Photoshop. Some advanced Photoshop features (like smart objects) may not be fully supported.

What cameras does PaintShop Pro support for RAW editing?

PaintShop Pro supports RAW files from all major camera brands: Canon (.CR2, .CR3), Nikon (.NEF), Sony (.ARW), Fuji (.RAF), Olympus (.ORF), Panasonic (.RW2), and more. New camera support is added regularly through updates.

What's included in the Ultimate edition?

The Ultimate edition includes everything in PaintShop Pro plus premium plugins (Highlight Reel, Sea-to-Sky workspace, Brush Pack, Corel AfterShot for RAW management, and more). The included plugins are worth over $200 if purchased separately, making Ultimate the clear value winner at $79.99.

Final Verdict

PaintShop Pro Ultimate is the anti-subscription gift for photo lovers. It delivers professional photo editing capabilities -- AI enhancement, RAW support, layers, retouching, graphic design -- for a single $79.99 payment. No monthly bills, no annual renewals, no "your trial has expired" frustration.

The Windows-only limitation and smaller plugin ecosystem are real drawbacks. But for the photography enthusiast who wants powerful tools without Adobe's pricing model, PaintShop Pro is the answer. It's a gift that says "I support your photography" without committing the recipient to ongoing payments. Over 3 years, you're saving them $747 compared to Photoshop -- and that's a gift that keeps giving.