Pixelmator for Mac

CNET Editors' review

If you're looking for a full-featured image editor at a relatively low price, Pixelmator fills the bill nicely. Sporting a smooth Mac-friendly interface, Pixelmator offers a layout much like Adobe Photoshop with separate toolbars offering standard selector and paint brush type tools, a color-picker, a layer manager, and a brush picker with large array of options, from "follow direction" to multiple jitter settings. Pixelmator also has support for Adobe Photoshop brushes.

Also like Photoshop, Pixelmator comes with all the image manipulation tools you might need for adjusting color, saturation, brightness and contrast, and many more. If you want to add effects to your images, you can pick from several different common filters like distortion, blur, sharpen, halftone, and stylize, along with more esoteric filters like clouds and noise. Essentially, Pixelmator gives you a lot of the same tools, effects, filters, and capabilities (like save for Web and trim) that you would find in Photoshop, though you won't find many of Photoshop's more advanced tools.

Perhaps the biggest difference most users with above average image editing needs will notice is Pixelmator's price ($59). It's important to note the demo version watermarks all your images, but once you see the amount of features this app has, you probably won't mind paying for all that functionality.

Pixelmator - Create, edit, and enhance images on your Mac - Download Video Previews:

Publisher's Description

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All User Reviews

Results 1-10 of 23

  • 3.0 stars

    "It's OK... for a cheap product"

    September 2, 2012  |   By BettyBlueEyes

    Version: Pixelmator 2.1

    Pros

    Inexpensive, and sort of easy to figure out. It's good for snapshots. Some of the special effects are nice.

    Cons

    It crashes a lot. I like the apps I used on my PC a lot better, especially ACDSee. Unfortunately, ACDSee doesn't have a good Mac version. So I'm looking for something comparable. The tools are lousy in Pixelmator, especially "heal," "burn," and "dodge," which are essential! The text boxes don't have a professional look.

    Summary

    I got what I paid for. But I'm still looking. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and go with PhotoShop.

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (0) (0)

  • 1.0 stars

    "Thought it was fine until..."

    June 18, 2012  |   By Mister-Jeff

    Version: Pixelmator 2.0.5

    Pros

    Cheapish, Simplish.

    Cons

    I was quite enjoying this little app until it simply disappeared a valuable image.

    No warning, no nothing - there one moment, gone the next.

    I used Pixelmator for the first time in a couple of months this morning - and the same thing happened, luckily with an easily-replaceable image.

    Summary

    Random image-loss is unforgivable, particularly with Lion, which purports to autosave as you go along - a trait I loathe btw, along with the incomprehensible decision to ditch 'save as' and pursuit of eye candy in place of functionality.

    I cannot tell whether this is a bug or not - neither does Pixelmator, apparently.

    All Pixelmator-users beware - use ONLY with dupe images.

    Reply to this review

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  • 5.0 stars

    "Well, I am impressed"

    March 2, 2012  |   By RonRonRich

    Version: Pixelmator 2.0.2

    Pros

    Great functionality for a low price

    Cons

    Nothing to me said

    Summary

    I don't like Photoshop as it's rather complicated. Pixelmator gives me everything I need for the photo editing without any unnecessary and complicated features

    Reply to this review

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  • 4.0 stars

    "User-frindly photo editor"

    March 1, 2012  |   By PopinsMary

    Version: Pixelmator 2.0.2

    Pros

    I'm glad that is the price is cheaper

    Cons

    nothing negative for me

    Summary

    I'm not a great proffecional in photo design -that's why i have enough benefits of this tool. It is not a Photoshop, really - but it's a good alternative version!

    Reply to this review

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  • 4.0 stars

    "Good Alternative to Photoshop"

    December 19, 2011  |   By straittalker77

    Version: Pixelmator 2.0.1

    Pros

    Much less expensive than photoshop. Sufficient photo-editing software. Has most of the basic features. Fast and clean UI.

    Cons

    Crashes from time to time. Wish it could do vector art.

    Summary

    Pixelmator may not have everything that PhotoshopCS5 has, but it's still a great editing application, nonetheless. It has most of the essential features like layers, masks, paths, filter effects, etc. It's fast, simple, and has a clean user interface that is easy to navigate. It works best for small projects, but you may have a tougher time when it comes to large projects. Overall it's a pretty good alternative to Photoshop.

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  • 3.0 stars

    "Too much Lion eye candy"

    October 29, 2011  |   By beatrixwillius

    Version: Pixelmator 2.0

    Pros

    Trial-Version

    Cons

    Am I the only one who can't read the grey on black text? Tiny, tiny icons. The animations are annoying. At first glance I wasn't able to edit png files with a mask.

    Summary

    Could be a good app, but there is too much eye candy. But it's good that they kept their trial version. Otherwise I would have asked for a refund.

    Reply to this review

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  • 2.0 stars

    "Rubbish without a bin."

    October 23, 2011  |   By Tbanger9

    Version: Pixelmator 1.6.7

    Pros

    Does photo editing

    Cons

    Hard to navigate, badly laid out, tricky, have to watch videos and tutorials to figure out how to do basic things.

    Summary

    I have a Windows product that is 10 times easier to use and has more flexibility like photo stitching which I would consider a basic editing function. I haven't even found it on Pixelmator because I couldn't be bothered trying to find out what they call it or how they achieve it, if in fact it can be done with this software. For a Mac product it is a total let down. Imagine a Windows product out gunning a Mac one?..... If I could get a refund I would, and look for something else. But typically of these software companies making millions, it's just all too hard. I'd say this is total crap but you can do most things on it. It's just hard to use.... I use ArcSoft Photo 2000 which does everything easier. Adding txt, stamps, cropping, stitching.... is all so much easier. Pixelmator is rubbish.

    Reply to this review Read reply (1)

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  • 3.0 stars

    "Photoshop Elements still THE VERY BEST!"

    February 8, 2011  |   By zee10

    Version: Pixelmator 1.6.5

    Pros

    I tried it, and all others, and to tell the truth, nothing comes close to the power and ease of use of PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS. Period.

    Cons

    Photoshop Elements 9 costing only 20 dollars more, is much better option and a much better tool, easy, powerful and user-friendly

    Summary

    I don't understand WHY on the list of "popular editing software", there is no Photoshop Elements...???!!!

    It seems to me, the list is not accurate at all.

    And another thing: Pixelmator price of $60 is not much less than of a more superior Photoshop Elements, which is $80.
    Why would anybody go for Pixelmator, if for $20 more you can get a much better PSE9 ????

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (5) (1)

  • 4.0 stars

    "It's not Photoshop but a great alternative"

    January 30, 2011  |   By mrmagenta

    Version: Pixelmator 1.6.4

    Pros

    Fast, great price

    Cons

    Only for Snow Leopard

    Summary

    A great alternative for Photoshop but for new users. If you are an experienced Photoshop user this is not for you. You must keep paying the sky limit price of the Adobe products. But for a new user who wants to experiment with layers and photo retouching is Top product.

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (3) (0)

  • 4.0 stars

    "Great product"

    January 21, 2011  |   By jschmigel

    Version: Pixelmator 1.6.4

    Pros

    Pixelmator has always been a fun app, but now it is even more intuitive and fun to work with.

    Cons

    Haven't found any negatives yet.

    Reply to this review

    Was this review helpful? (0) (3)

Results 1-10 of 23

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Pixelmator for Mac