Pixelmator Pro vs Photomator

[Dinesh Babu]

I recently bought Pixelmator Pro and I am quite happy with it. Easy to use and not cumbersome like Photoshop ( I tried their trial and gave up). Too much for an amateur like me.

Mainly I bought Pixelmator Pro as it gives me a one time purchase option, as I don't use it that often (only when I need to edit once a while).

I do miss an iOS version though and it seems I have to buy that separately ( I somehow thought it might be included). Photomator seems to be on all devices but with Subscription.

Is it worth to buy Photomator Lifetime with Pixelmator as well ?

I was an old Aperture user who lost it all and didn't move anywhere I tried Lightroom and Photoshop recently, though I loved Lightroom, Photoshop is overkill and Subscription price is just too much for my level of usage (Hobby user).

It will be great to hear some suggestions from here, if any of you sail in the same boat as me.

[Martin Chalifoux]

On iOS they have on older Pixeelmator app. On Mac they have Pixelmator Pro which is newer technology. They are not the same app. On the other hand Photomator have the same app on both Mac and Mobile. That is why if you buy Photomator you get support on all platforms. With the Pixelmator (Pro) apps, it is one app on Mac and on on mobile, that you buy separately. The Pixelmator app on iPad is very cheap however. I think they consider making Pixelmator Pro work on iPad much like they have done with Photomator but that is just me speculating a bit.

[Lysander]

I recently bought Pixelmator Pro and I am quite happy with it. Easy to use and not cumbersome like Photoshop ( I tried their trial and gave up). Too much for an amateur like me.


Is it worth to buy Photomator Lifetime with Pixelmator as well ?

It will be great to hear some suggestions from here, if any of you sail in the same boat as me.

I did. The way I look at the two apps is Photomator is like Adobe Lightroom and Pixelmator Pro more like Photoshop. As the team improves workflow integration and support for macOS file system in Photomator the combination of the two apps make a very complete work environment.

[stevediaz]

I totally understand where you're coming from! I also prefer a one-time purchase model and Pixelmator Pro has been a great fit for my occasional editing needs. The iOS version being a separate purchase can be a bit of a downside, but if you find yourself needing mobile editing frequently, it might be worth it.

Regarding the Photomator Lifetime subscription, it really depends on your usage and needs. If you're satisfied with Pixelmator Pro and it covers your editing requirements, the additional purchase might not be necessary. It's always good to evaluate how much you'll use the features offered by Photomator and if it justifies the cost.Thanks for sharing this


Thank you

[Dinesh Babu]

Thank you Steve! I actually ended up finding another great One Time Purchase software for my needs. RAW Power by Gentleman Coders that fills the gap of pre processing the RAW files for Lens Correction, Aberrations and Fringing. From there I go to Pixelmator and clean up, mask etc. Great combo overall ! RAW Power becomes my Lightroom and Pixelmator becomes my Photoshop.

For mobile editing, I discovered Snapseed by Google (didn't know it has so may features). Good enough for my usage.

I would recommend this combo for any Hobby, Amateur, occasional users.

[Lysander]

Thank you Steve! I actually ended up finding another great One Time Purchase software for my needs. RAW Power by Gentleman Coders that fills the gap of pre processing the RAW files for Lens Correction, Aberrations and Fringing. From there I go to Pixelmator and clean up, mask etc. Great combo overall ! RAW Power becomes my Lightroom and Pixelmator becomes my Photoshop.

I look at it differently:

1. Raw Power is like Adobe Camera Raw or basic Lightroom controls - NOW Gentlemen Coders has Nitro which is a direct competitor to Photomator.

2. Photomator includes much of Raw Power plus Lightroom's additional/Advanced features including layers for AI masking for Sky, Background etc. Also it can edit HDR files if you need that.

3. Pixelmator Pro is like Photoshop with layers, layer masks, path tools etc.

Here is Pixelmator's comparison between Pixelmator Pro and Photomator: https://www.pixelmator.com/compare/



This page (Somewhat dated) shows a comparison between Raw Power and Photomator: https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https% ... db74f1fa38

I have all these apps and do more and more with Photomator. I look fowrad to the roadmap features including access to macOS files system.

I also use DxO PhotoLab 7 Elite for my Fujifilm raw processing and Luminar Neo.

Apple has named Photomator the "Mac App of the Year": https://petapixel.com/2023/11/30/photom ... big-trend/

[Dinesh Babu]

Hi, Thanks for sharing the comparison. I think it confirms my choice RAW Power has additional RAW Engine support which I need (Apple RAW is not picking up Canon R50 and Kit lens). RAW specific processing, aberration and Fringing and also Lens correction. Photomator doesn't have any of these features. Will be great if they have these features then I would switch to a modern interface with great working foundation.

[Lysander]

Hi, Thanks for sharing the comparison. I think it confirms my choice RAW Power has additional RAW Engine support which I need (Apple RAW is not picking up Canon R50 and Kit lens). RAW specific processing, aberration and Fringing and also Lens correction. Photomator doesn't have any of these features. Will be great if they have these features then I would switch to a modern interface with great working foundation.

Yes, there are many choices and as mentioned I bought all the apps so that was my solution.

Keep your eye on the Roadmap page for future enhancements to Photomator. It is under continuing development:
ROADMAP: https://www.pixelmator.com/photomator/roadmap/

[davidmacvicar]

I am still a little bit confused by these two apps. I get the comparison of Lightroom vs. Photoshop, but even in Photos I can 'open in Pixelmator Pro" and do my various repair edits, etc. I can even open the Photos browser in Pixelmator Pro.

[Lysander]

I am still a little bit confused by these two apps. I get the comparison of Lightroom vs. Photoshop, but even in Photos I can 'open in Pixelmator Pro" and do my various repair edits, etc. I can even open the Photos browser in Pixelmator Pro.

Do you have Pixelmator Pro checked in Photos Extensions?
This allows you to edit in PMP:

[Albertas]

Hello there!

It seems that there are a few threads like this left over and there's still a bit of confusion left, so I thought I'd jump in and try to clear it up as best as I could.

Pixelmator Pro is more geared towards heavy image manipulation, design creation and graphics work. It has a comprehensive set of tools suitable for users who find themselves needing features beyond photo editing like vector editing, making designs compatible for printing, layer-based editing and much more.

It's also worth pointing out that Pixelmator Pro is a macOS only app which integrates beautifully with the system, so it's compatible with system features like Shortcuts and AppleScript for automating workflows.

Pixelmator Pro is only available as a one-time purchase, so while that may be seen as a benefit for some, it also offers less room for pricing preferences.

Photomator on the other hand, caters more towards photography workflows and working with large batches of photos at once. Focus is placed on quick but powerful adjustments, photography enhancements, powerful AI-based tools as well as effortless photo-by-photo editing. Basically, it has every tool to make each shot you take look its’ absolute best.

Photomator is available on both macOS and iOS (visionOS too!), and even though you’ll feel right at home regardless of the version you use, they’re both quite different on a technical level. This is why they don’t share version numbers and some features are macOS only, like Frames or the Clone tool. The end goal is to create a seamless experience, so we’re working on bringing over the features to iOS as well. Both the macOS and iOS versions also make use of system features like Shortcuts, so the option for that is also present here.

Having that in mind, Photomator benefits workflows which involve working on multiple devices with functionality like syncing edits using iCloud Photos, syncing your LUT libraries between devices and more.

Though on the same note, both of the apps can be used in tandem for some great results, like starting editing on an iOS device with Photomator and making very fine adjustments later in Pixelmator Pro, all while retaining the editing information exactly as you left it.

Photomator also offers options for monthly, yearly and lifetime licenses so it’s a bit more flexible in that regard.

To round this off, Pixelmator Pro is better suited for users needing extensive editing capabilities across various types of graphic work, while Photomator offers a streamlined experience for those focused primarily on photo enhancements and adjustments with the benefit of being able to work between devices with ease.

I hope I was able to make it a bit clearer!