In creative photo video audio software, GIMP is an open-source editor for photo retouching, graphic design, and image enhancement. But when you see two GIMP packages side by side-one on CD, one on USB-it's easy to wonder which one to pick. The decision is really about installation medium and edition. The 2024 DVD edition carries a lower listed price; the GIMP 3 (2026 Edition) Pro on USB is priced higher. Here's how they compare.
Quick verdict
If you want a no-subscription photo editor at a lower listed price and your PC can install from a CD, the GIMP 2024 Photo Editing Software DVD is the straightforward choice. If you prefer a USB flash drive installation and want the GIMP 3 (2026 Edition) Pro package, the higher-priced flash drive option is the better match. Both are designed for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Comparison at a glance
| Product | Format | Listed Price | Price Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIMP 2024 Photo Editing Software (DVD) | CD | USD 9.66 | |
| GIMP 3 (2026 Edition) Pro (USB) | Flash Drive | USD 15.99 |
Where each product wins
Choose the GIMP 2024 Photo Editing Software DVD if you want the lower listed price and don't mind a CD-based install. It covers photo editing, graphic design, and image enhancement, and its description highlights layers, masks, and RAW processing.
Choose the GIMP 3 (2026 Edition) Pro if you prefer a USB flash drive install and want the GIMP 3 (2026 Edition) name. It also includes graphic design and photo editing tools, and it lists a 1 GHz minimum processor speed that the DVD listing doesn't include.
Product notes
GIMP 2024 Photo Editing Software (DVD)
This package is the GIMP 2024 edition on CD, available at the lower of the two listed prices. The product description points to photo editing, graphic design, image enhancement, layers, masks, RAW processing, and GPU-accelerated performance. It also notes that the software installs from disc and doesn't require an internet connection after setup. That makes it a straightforward choice if you already have a CD or DVD drive on a Windows 10/11 machine. The main limitation is the physical format: installing from this disc requires an optical drive, and the listing notes that only the disc is included-no box.
GIMP 3 (2026 Edition) Pro (USB)
This is the GIMP 3 (2026 Edition) Pro on a flash drive, priced higher than the DVD edition. The description emphasizes that it's a powerful alternative to costly photo editing suites, with tools for exposure correction, portrait retouching, and original artwork. It also calls out photographers, artists, marketers, and students as the intended audience. The USB format is the key advantage: you don't need a disc drive, just a USB port. The limitation is the higher listed price, and the attributes state that only the USB drive is included, without a box. Both editions share an English-language, lifetime license, so those points don't differentiate them.
Final choice by use case
For a user who wants to keep the upfront cost down and installs from a CD drive, the GIMP 2024 Photo Editing Software DVD at $9.66 is the practical pick. For a user who prefers the portability of a USB flash drive and wants the GIMP 3 (2026 Edition) Pro, the $15.99 package is the better fit. In both cases, you're getting a no-subscription, lifetime-licensed Windows photo editor.
