Corel Paintshop Pro Review

Corel PaintShop Pro, in a nutshell, is a powerful and budget-friendly alternative to more expensive photo editing software, offering a robust suite of tools for both novice and experienced users.

It stands out by providing an impressive array of features typically found in premium programs, from intricate layer editing and graphic design capabilities to AI-powered enhancements and a comprehensive collection of brushes and filters.

Feature / Product	Corel PaintShop Pro	Adobe Photoshop	Affinity Photo	GIMP	Luminar Neo	Capture One Pro	ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate
Pricing Model	One-time purchase	Subscription monthly/annual	One-time purchase	Free Open Source	One-time purchase / Subscription	Subscription / Perpetual License	One-time purchase
Target User	Enthusiasts, small business, budget-conscious pros	Professionals, graphic designers, artists	Professionals, advanced enthusiasts	Beginners, budget users, open-source advocates	Photographers AI focus	Professional photographers	Enthusiasts, semi-pros
Layer Support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes limited	Yes adjustment layers	Yes
AI Features	Yes e.g., AI Upsampling, AI Denoise	Yes e.g., Generative Fill, Neural Filters	Limited	No	Yes core focus	Limited	Yes e.g., Face Edit, Smart Erase
RAW Editing	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes advanced	Yes
Graphic Design Tools	Good	Excellent	Good	Basic	Limited	No	Good
Platform	Windows	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS, iPad	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS	Windows
Learning Curve	Moderate	Steep	Moderate	Moderate	Easy	Moderate to Steep	Moderate

Unpacking Corel PaintShop Pro’s Core Features: A Deep Dive

Corel PaintShop Pro isn’t just another photo editor.

It’s a comprehensive suite designed to cater to a broad spectrum of users, from hobbyists looking to touch up vacation photos to aspiring graphic designers creating compelling visuals.

Its strength lies in its versatility and the sheer breadth of tools it offers, often at a fraction of the cost of its premium competitors. Let’s really dig into what makes it tick.

The Power of Layers and Objects

Any serious image manipulation software relies heavily on layers, and PaintShop Pro is no exception. This feature is the bedrock of non-destructive editing, allowing you to build complex compositions without permanently altering your original image data.

• Adjustment Layers: Think of these as transparent overlays where you can apply color corrections, brightness adjustments, or contrast tweaks without directly affecting the pixels of your photo. This means you can always go back and fine-tune your adjustments or even remove them entirely, preserving your original image. It’s like having a digital darkroom where you can experiment freely.
• Vector Layers: This is where PaintShop Pro starts to bridge the gap between raster image editing and vector graphic design. Vector layers allow you to create scalable shapes, text, and lines that remain crisp and clear regardless of how much you resize them. This is crucial for logos, illustrations, and any design element that needs to maintain its quality across different print or web sizes.
• Selection and Masking Tools: Precision is key in editing, and PaintShop Pro delivers with a variety of selection tools – from the familiar Magic Wand and Lasso to the more advanced Smart Selection Brush. Coupled with robust masking capabilities, you can isolate specific areas of your image for targeted adjustments, composite multiple images seamlessly, or create intricate effects without affecting the surrounding pixels. For instance, you could easily swap out a sky in one photo with a dramatic sunset from another, thanks to effective masking.

AI-Powered Productivity Boosters

In an age where artificial intelligence is revolutionizing workflows, Corel PaintShop Pro has been steadily integrating AI features to streamline common editing tasks. This isn’t just about flashy gimmicks.

It’s about making complex processes more accessible and less time-consuming. Asus Proart Display Oled Pa32Dc Review

• AI Upsampling: Ever had a small image you desperately needed to use, but it pixelated horribly when enlarged? AI Upsampling attempts to solve this by intelligently adding pixels and detail to low-resolution images, making them suitable for larger prints or higher-resolution displays. It’s not magic, but it can be a lifesaver for older or smaller files.
• AI Denoise and Artifact Removal: Noise and compression artifacts are the bane of many digital photographers. PaintShop Pro’s AI Denoise intelligently analyzes image data to reduce visual noise while striving to preserve important detail, resulting in cleaner, smoother images. Similarly, AI Artifact Removal can help clean up those blocky, distracting elements that sometimes appear in heavily compressed JPEGs.
• AI Style Transfer: This fun feature allows you to apply the artistic style of famous paintings or different artistic movements to your own photos. While perhaps less “professional” than other AI tools, it offers a creative outlet for transforming ordinary images into unique digital art pieces with a single click.

Comprehensive Retouching and Restoration Tools

For photographers and enthusiasts, the ability to perfect portraits or revive old family photos is paramount.

PaintShop Pro offers a strong suite of tools for both.

• Skin Smoothing and Blemish Removal: Achieve natural-looking portraits with tools designed to smooth skin texture, reduce wrinkles, and effortlessly remove blemishes. These tools are often customizable, allowing you to control the intensity of the effect and maintain a realistic look rather than an over-processed, “plastic” appearance.
• Red-Eye Correction: A classic problem that still pops up, especially with flash photography. PaintShop Pro’s dedicated red-eye tool makes quick work of correcting this common issue, ensuring your subjects look their best.
• Fade Correction and Scratch Removal for restoration: For those delving into photo restoration, PaintShop Pro provides tools specifically designed to combat the ravages of time. Fade Correction can restore vibrancy to discolored old photographs, while the Scratch Removal tool helps digitally mend cracks and scratches, bringing cherished memories back to life.

User Experience and Workflow: Navigating PaintShop Pro

A powerful tool is only as good as its usability.

Corel PaintShop Pro has evolved over the years to offer a more streamlined and intuitive user experience, though it still presents a learning curve, especially for those new to image editing.

Workspaces and Customization

PaintShop Pro offers different workspaces tailored to various tasks, which can significantly improve your workflow.

• Welcome Tab: This is your starting point, offering quick access to recent files, tutorials, and templates. It’s designed to get you up and running quickly.
• Edit Tab: This is the heart of PaintShop Pro, where the vast majority of your image manipulation will happen. It provides access to all layers, tools, adjustments, and effects.
• Manage Tab: A dedicated module for organizing and browsing your photo library. It allows you to tag, rate, and categorize your images, making it easier to find specific shots later on.
• Adjust Tab: This simplified workspace focuses primarily on quick adjustments like brightness, contrast, color balance, and common fixes. It’s ideal for rapid enhancements without getting lost in advanced features.
• Customization: One of PaintShop Pro’s strengths is its flexibility. You can customize toolbars, palettes, and even create your own custom workspaces to place frequently used tools exactly where you need them. This can drastically speed up your editing process once you’ve found your rhythm. Think of it like setting up your ultimate digital workbench.

Performance and System Requirements

While PaintShop Pro isn’t as resource-intensive as some of its competitors, a capable system will always provide a smoother experience, especially when working with large files or complex layers.

• Recommended Specs: Corel generally recommends an Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen equivalent processor, at least 8GB of RAM 16GB or more for heavy use, and a solid-state drive SSD for faster loading times. A dedicated graphics card with 4GB VRAM is also highly beneficial for accelerating many effects and AI features.
• File Handling: PaintShop Pro supports a wide range of file formats, including RAW files from hundreds of camera models, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and GIF. It also has its own proprietary format .PSPIMAGE which preserves all layers and edits. While it handles large files reasonably well, complex multi-layered projects can still test the limits of less powerful systems.
• Responsiveness: For the most part, PaintShop Pro is responsive. However, applying certain intensive filters, complex AI effects, or working with very large RAW files can introduce slight delays, particularly on systems that barely meet the minimum requirements. Optimizing your system by ensuring adequate RAM and an SSD is a non-negotiable hack for a smoother ride.

Comparing PaintShop Pro to the Heavyweights: Value Proposition

When considering Corel PaintShop Pro, it’s impossible not to draw comparisons with the industry giants like Adobe Photoshop and its closest competitor, Affinity Photo.

This is where PaintShop Pro’s value proposition truly shines.

PaintShop Pro vs. Adobe Photoshop

This is the perennial debate.

Photoshop is the undisputed industry standard, but its subscription model and steep learning curve can be deterrents for many. Asrock X670E Taichi Review

• Pricing: This is where PaintShop Pro delivers a knockout punch. It’s a one-time purchase, meaning you own the software outright. Photoshop, on the other hand, operates on a subscription model Creative Cloud, which can add up significantly over time. For many, the long-term cost savings of PaintShop Pro are a major draw.
• Features: Photoshop arguably offers a broader and deeper set of tools, especially in advanced graphic design, 3D manipulation, and its extensive plugin ecosystem. However, for core photo editing, retouching, and even many graphic design tasks, PaintShop Pro covers a significant portion of what most users need. Unless you’re a professional working on cutting-edge visual effects or intricate 3D composites, PaintShop Pro often provides 80% of Photoshop’s utility at 20% of the cost.
• Learning Curve: Photoshop has a notoriously steep learning curve due to its sheer depth. PaintShop Pro, while still powerful, is generally considered more approachable for beginners. Its “Adjust” workspace, for example, simplifies common tasks, making it less intimidating.
• Industry Standard: If you need to collaborate with other professionals who exclusively use Photoshop files .PSD, then Photoshop’s dominance is undeniable. PaintShop Pro can open and save PSD files, but sometimes complex layer effects or smart objects might not translate perfectly.

PaintShop Pro vs. Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo emerged as a strong contender, often hailed as the “Photoshop killer” due to its one-time purchase model and professional-grade features.

• Pricing: Both are one-time purchases, making them excellent value propositions compared to subscription-based software. Affinity Photo often comes in slightly cheaper.
• User Interface: Affinity Photo boasts a more modern and sleek UI that many find more intuitive and visually appealing. PaintShop Pro’s interface, while functional, can sometimes feel a bit dated to some users.
• Performance: Affinity Photo is often praised for its snappy performance, even on complex projects, due to its well-optimized code. PaintShop Pro has improved significantly but can still feel slightly less fluid in certain demanding operations.
• Feature Set: Both offer robust layer support, RAW editing, and retouching tools. Affinity Photo is particularly strong in its non-destructive editing capabilities and its seamless integration with other Affinity products Designer, Publisher. PaintShop Pro counters with its greater emphasis on AI tools and a broader collection of creative content brushes, textures. It boils down to preference: a sleeker, arguably faster experience with Affinity, or a feature-rich, AI-assisted experience with PaintShop Pro.

Creative Tools and Content: Beyond Basic Editing

Corel PaintShop Pro doesn’t just stop at image correction.

It provides a playground for creativity, offering a wealth of tools and bundled content to help you transform your photos into works of art.

Brushes, Textures, and Gradients

These are the building blocks for adding flair and artistic touches to your images.

• Extensive Brush Library: PaintShop Pro comes packed with a diverse range of brushes – from basic painting and airbrushing tools to more specialized brushes for effects like fire, smoke, water, and even realistic hair. You can also create your own custom brushes or import third-party sets, making the possibilities virtually endless.
• Textures and Patterns: Overlaying textures can add depth, age, or a unique artistic feel to your photos. PaintShop Pro includes a generous collection of textures e.g., grunge, wood, fabric and patterns that can be blended with your images using various blending modes for subtle or dramatic effects.
• Gradients: Gradients allow for smooth transitions between colors or opacities, perfect for creating dynamic backgrounds, artistic overlays, or natural light effects. PaintShop Pro offers a wide array of preset gradients and the ability to design your own.

Effects and Filters Galore

This is where you can truly transform the mood and style of your images.

PaintShop Pro boasts an impressive array of built-in effects and filters, plus support for third-party plugins.

• Artistic Filters: Turn your photos into paintings, sketches, or abstract art with filters like Oil Paint, Watercolor, Pen & Ink, and more. These are great for adding a unique artistic touch or experimenting with different visual styles.
• Lens Corrections and Geometric Transformations: Correct common lens distortions barrel, pincushion, fix perspective issues, or creatively distort your images for artistic effect. This is crucial for architectural photography or for deliberately skewed compositions.
• Built-in Presets and One-Click Effects: For those seeking quick enhancements, PaintShop Pro offers numerous one-click presets for common photo styles e.g., vintage, high-contrast, black and white. While advanced users might prefer manual control, these are excellent for rapid prototyping or for beginners looking for instant results.
• Plugin Support: A significant advantage of PaintShop Pro is its compatibility with many Adobe Photoshop-compatible plugins. This means you can expand its functionality even further by incorporating specialized filters, effects, or workflow tools from third-party developers, giving you access to an even broader creative toolkit.

Learning Resources and Community Support

Even the most intuitive software requires some guidance.

Corel understands this and provides a decent ecosystem of learning resources for PaintShop Pro users.

In-Software Help and Tutorials

• Learning Center: This in-software panel offers contextual help and quick tutorials as you work, guiding you through specific tools and features. It’s especially useful for beginners who might feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options.
• Discovery Center: Integrated within the program, this section provides step-by-step tutorials for various editing tasks, from basic photo corrections to advanced compositing. It’s a handy reference right at your fingertips.

Online Resources and Community

• Corel Official Website: The Corel website hosts a wealth of tutorials, articles, and video guides specifically for PaintShop Pro. These resources are regularly updated with new features and techniques.
• YouTube Channels: Numerous independent content creators and official Corel channels offer video tutorials covering everything from beginner basics to advanced techniques. Searching for “PaintShop Pro tutorials” on YouTube will yield a rich harvest of instructional content.
• User Forums and Facebook Groups: Active communities exist where users can ask questions, share tips, showcase their work, and get help from experienced PaintShop Pro users. These peer-to-peer support networks can be invaluable for troubleshooting and learning new tricks. While not as vast as the Photoshop community, there’s a dedicated user base ready to help. Engaging with these communities can provide hacks and insights you won’t find in official documentation.

What PaintShop Pro Excels At and Where It Falls Short

Like any tool, PaintShop Pro has its sweet spots and its areas for improvement.

Understanding these can help you decide if it’s the right fit for your needs. Alienware Dual Mode Wireless Gaming Headset 720H Review

Strengths: Why PaintShop Pro Shines

• Value for Money: This is arguably its biggest selling point. A one-time purchase means no recurring subscriptions, offering significant long-term savings compared to Adobe’s Creative Cloud. For budget-conscious users or small businesses, this is a must.
• Feature-Rich: Despite its lower price, PaintShop Pro doesn’t skimp on features. It offers a comprehensive set of tools for photo editing, retouching, compositing, and even light graphic design. Many users find it provides 90% of the functionality they’d get from more expensive alternatives.
• AI Enhancements: The continuous integration of AI tools for tasks like upsampling, denoising, and artifact removal is a real boon for productivity and for enhancing image quality with less manual effort.
• Non-Destructive Editing: Robust layer support, adjustment layers, and masking capabilities ensure that your original images remain untouched, allowing for flexible and iterative editing.
• Ease of Entry for some: While powerful, its structured workspaces and integrated learning resources can make it more approachable for beginners than some of its more complex competitors.
• Active Development: Corel consistently updates PaintShop Pro, adding new features, improving performance, and refining the user experience. This means it’s not a stagnant product.

Weaknesses: Areas for Improvement

• User Interface Modernization: While functional, the UI can sometimes feel a bit dated compared to sleeker, more contemporary competitors like Affinity Photo. A visual overhaul could significantly improve the user experience for some.
• Performance on Older Systems: While improved, complex projects or very large files can still bog down less powerful computers. Users with minimal specs might experience slower processing times for certain effects.
• RAW Processing: While PaintShop Pro handles RAW files, its RAW converter isn’t as robust or feature-rich as dedicated RAW processors like those found in Capture One Pro or Adobe Lightroom. For professional photographers who demand the absolute best from their RAW files, this could be a limiting factor.
• Limited Mac Support: PaintShop Pro is a Windows-only application, which immediately excludes a significant portion of creative professionals who prefer macOS. This is a crucial limitation for cross-platform users.
• Community Size: While a dedicated community exists, it’s not as vast or well-resourced as the communities surrounding Photoshop, which means fewer third-party tutorials, plugins, or forums might be available.

Is Corel PaintShop Pro Right for You? The Verdict

So, after all this digging, who is Corel PaintShop Pro best suited for? And should you take the plunge?

Ideal Users for PaintShop Pro

• The Budget-Conscious Creator: If you’re looking for powerful photo editing software without the recurring subscription fees, PaintShop Pro is a stellar choice. You own it, plain and simple.
• Photo Enthusiasts and Hobbyists: For those who want to take their photos beyond basic smartphone edits, remove imperfections, create artistic effects, and dabble in compositing, PaintShop Pro offers more than enough horsepower.
• Small Business Owners: If you need to create marketing materials, product images, or social media graphics in-house, PaintShop Pro provides the necessary tools for effective visual communication without a hefty investment.
• Students and Educators: Its one-time purchase model and robust feature set make it an excellent learning tool for aspiring designers and photographers, offering a comprehensive experience without breaking the bank.
• Windows Users: This is a key differentiator. If you’re on a PC, PaintShop Pro is optimized for your system.

When to Consider Alternatives

• Professional Photographers RAW Workflow Focus: If your primary workflow revolves around meticulous RAW processing and color grading for high-volume shoots, dedicated RAW editors like Capture One Pro or even Adobe Lightroom might offer more specialized tools and efficiency.
• High-End Graphic Designers / UI/UX Designers: While PaintShop Pro has graphic design capabilities, if your work involves complex vector illustrations, intricate typography, or UI/UX mockups where absolute industry standard compatibility and bleeding-edge features are paramount, Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator or Affinity Designer/Photo might be better suited.
• Mac Users: This is a non-starter. PaintShop Pro is Windows-only. Mac users should look at Affinity Photo, Pixelmator Pro, or the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.
• Those Seeking the “Absolute Latest” AI Innovations: While PaintShop Pro is integrating AI, some of Adobe’s latest AI features e.g., Generative Fill in Photoshop are currently more advanced, though they come with the subscription cost.

Ultimately, Corel PaintShop Pro offers a compelling blend of affordability and powerful features.

It democratizes access to professional-grade photo editing, making it an excellent choice for a vast majority of users who want to enhance their images without being tied to a subscription.

If you’re a Windows user looking for a robust, versatile, and budget-friendly photo editor that handles everything from basic retouching to complex compositing and creative effects, PaintShop Pro should absolutely be on your shortlist.

It’s a tool that lets you get serious work done without the financial overhead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Corel PaintShop Pro used for?

Corel PaintShop Pro is primarily used for photo editing, image manipulation, and graphic design.

It offers tools for retouching photos, creating composites, applying artistic effects, designing web graphics, and restoring old images.

Is Corel PaintShop Pro a one-time purchase or subscription?

Corel PaintShop Pro is typically a one-time purchase, meaning you buy the software license outright and own it indefinitely.

This distinguishes it from subscription-based models like Adobe Creative Cloud.

Is PaintShop Pro as good as Photoshop?

“As good” depends on your needs. F Secure Safe Review

For core photo editing, retouching, and many graphic design tasks, PaintShop Pro offers comparable functionality to Photoshop for a one-time cost.

Photoshop, however, has a broader feature set, deeper integration across Adobe apps, and is the industry standard, especially for high-end graphic design and complex visual effects.

What are the main advantages of PaintShop Pro?

The main advantages include its one-time purchase pricing, a comprehensive suite of photo editing and graphic design tools, inclusion of AI-powered features, and a relatively user-friendly interface compared to some professional alternatives.

Does PaintShop Pro support RAW files?

Yes, Corel PaintShop Pro supports RAW files from hundreds of different camera models, allowing you to edit high-quality images directly from your camera.

Can PaintShop Pro open Photoshop files .PSD?

Yes, PaintShop Pro can open and edit Photoshop files .PSD, maintaining layers and many effects, which facilitates collaboration or transitioning from Photoshop.

Is PaintShop Pro good for beginners?

Yes, PaintShop Pro is considered relatively good for beginners, especially with its guided tours, in-software tutorials, and dedicated “Adjust” workspace that simplifies common tasks.

However, its full suite of tools can still present a learning curve.

What operating systems does PaintShop Pro run on?

Corel PaintShop Pro is exclusively a Windows-based application. It does not run natively on macOS or Linux.

Does PaintShop Pro have AI features?

Yes, recent versions of PaintShop Pro incorporate various AI-powered features, such as AI Upsampling for enlarging images, AI Denoise for reducing image noise, and AI Style Transfer for applying artistic styles.

Can I create graphic designs with PaintShop Pro?

Yes, PaintShop Pro includes robust tools for graphic design, including vector layers, text tools, shapes, and various effects, making it suitable for creating logos, web banners, and other visual assets. Canon Imageclass Mf264Dw Ii Review

How much does Corel PaintShop Pro cost?

The price of Corel PaintShop Pro can vary depending on the version and any ongoing promotions, but it typically ranges from $50 to $100 for a perpetual license.

Are there free alternatives to PaintShop Pro?

Yes, a popular free and open-source alternative to PaintShop Pro is GIMP GNU Image Manipulation Program, which offers a wide range of photo editing capabilities.

Does PaintShop Pro include a photo organizer?

Yes, PaintShop Pro includes a “Manage” workspace or tab that functions as a photo organizer, allowing you to browse, tag, rate, and categorize your images.

Can I retouch portraits in PaintShop Pro?

Yes, PaintShop Pro has dedicated tools for portrait retouching, including skin smoothing, blemish removal, red-eye correction, and tools for whitening teeth or eyes.

Is PaintShop Pro resource-intensive?

While significantly improved, complex projects with many layers or large RAW files can still be resource-intensive.

It performs best on systems with ample RAM 8GB+ recommended and an SSD.

Does PaintShop Pro support plugins?

Yes, Corel PaintShop Pro supports many Adobe Photoshop-compatible plugins, allowing users to extend its functionality with third-party filters and effects.

How often is PaintShop Pro updated?

Corel typically releases a new major version of PaintShop Pro annually, along with periodic smaller updates and patches throughout the year.

Can I create panoramas in PaintShop Pro?

Yes, PaintShop Pro includes features for stitching multiple photos together to create seamless panoramic images.

Does PaintShop Pro have content-aware fill?

PaintShop Pro features tools like “Object Remover” which utilize content-aware technology to seamlessly remove unwanted objects from images by intelligently filling the background. Bayonetta Origins Cereza And The Lost Demon Review

What is the difference between PaintShop Pro and CorelDRAW?

PaintShop Pro is primarily a raster image editor for photos and pixel-based graphics, while CorelDRAW is a vector graphics editor for scalable illustrations, logos, and layouts. They serve different but complementary purposes.

Can PaintShop Pro handle layers?

Yes, PaintShop Pro has comprehensive layer support, including raster layers, vector layers, and adjustment layers, which are fundamental for non-destructive editing and complex composites.

Is there a trial version of PaintShop Pro available?

Yes, Corel typically offers a free trial version of PaintShop Pro, allowing users to test out the software before purchasing.

Does PaintShop Pro offer perspective correction?

Yes, PaintShop Pro includes tools for perspective correction to fix distortion in architectural photos or to create specific visual effects.

Can I enhance old photos with PaintShop Pro?

Absolutely.

PaintShop Pro has tools specifically designed for photo restoration, such as fade correction, scratch removal, and noise reduction, to bring old photos back to life.

Is PaintShop Pro good for digital painting?

While primarily a photo editor, PaintShop Pro offers a wide range of brushes, blending modes, and layer capabilities that can be used for digital painting, though dedicated painting software might offer more specialized brushes and engines.

What is the “Adjust” workspace in PaintShop Pro?

The “Adjust” workspace in PaintShop Pro is a simplified interface designed for quick and easy photo corrections, focusing on common adjustments like brightness, contrast, color balance, and one-click fixes.

Does PaintShop Pro have a learning center?

Yes, PaintShop Pro includes an in-software Learning Center that provides contextual help and tutorials to guide users through its features.

Can I batch process images in PaintShop Pro?

Yes, PaintShop Pro supports batch processing, allowing you to apply the same edits, resize, or rename multiple images simultaneously, saving significant time. Acer Aspire 3 A315 24P Review

Does PaintShop Pro support 16-bit color?

Yes, PaintShop Pro supports 16-bit per channel color depth, which allows for a wider range of colors and smoother tonal transitions, especially important for professional photo editing and high-quality prints.

Is it worth upgrading to the latest version of PaintShop Pro every year?

Whether to upgrade annually depends on your needs.

Each new version brings performance improvements, new features especially AI tools, and expanded camera RAW support.

If the new features are crucial for your workflow or you need compatibility with newer camera models, an upgrade might be worthwhile. Otherwise, older versions remain fully functional.