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Comparison

Watermark.ws vs GIMP

Watermark up to 5,000 photos, videos, PDFs and Word documents in one batch, on any phone or computer, with nothing to install. GIMP is a free, open-source image editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, which batches only through scripts run in its batch mode.

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  • Up to 5,000 files per batch

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Feature Watermark.ws GIMP
Batches and speed
Maximum files per batch 5,000 files (Free: 1 at a time, no daily limit) Not stated; batch mode runs commands you write, Script-Fu by default, from the command line
Where files are processed Yes On our servers, so a big batch or a long video never slows down your device; originals never changed, finished files kept 24 hours Not stated; a desktop app you download and install
Files
Photo formats Yes JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, WebP, SVG, HEIC, PSD and 25 RAW formats (CR2, CR3, NEF, ARW, DNG and more) JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, WebP, HEIC, AVIF, JPEG XL, JPEG 2000, PSD and PSB, and more; RAW only through darktable, RawTherapee or ART, used as plug-ins
Video formats Yes MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM, WMV, FLV, 3GP, MPG and M4V Not stated; GIMP calls itself an image editor
Document formats Yes PDF, and Word: a DOCX comes back as a DOCX, with the watermark in the page header PDF import, password-protected files included, and multipage PDF export; Word documents not stated
Animated GIFs Yes Stay animated, watermark on every frame Each frame is a layer; animations export as GIF, WebP or MNG
Mixed batches Yes Photos, videos, PDFs and Word files in one batch Images only; video not stated
Limits
Maximum photo size 100 MB, on every plan Not stated
Maximum video size 2 GB, on every plan Not stated
Video length processed Full length up to 4 hours on Ultimate (Free and Premium: the first 30 seconds) Not stated
Document pages processed Every page (Free: the first page) Not stated; an imported PDF opens each page as a layer, and export can save each layer as a page
Storage 1,000 GB on Ultimate (Premium: 10 GB; Free: 1 GB) Not stated
Watermark
Fonts 600+ in 13 scripts, plus your own TTF or OTF (Free: 484) Every font installed on your computer, plus GIMP's own font folders
Signature logo Your name in one of 30 handwriting styles, with alternate letters and a tagline (Free: try it; downloading needs Premium) Not stated
Tiling and protect patterns 12 protect patterns that cover the whole photo (Free: 4) Not stated
Watermark the tool adds None, on any plan; your files carry only your own watermark Not stated
Effects on the watermark Stroke, shadow, background box, ©, ® and ™, tiling with your own spacing Text on a layer of its own, with opacity from 0 to 100, and outlines that stay editable
Editing
Photo editing in the same batch Crop to 12 social sizes, resize, straighten, perspective and color; 18 filters and 15 frames (Free: 4 filters and 7 frames) A full image editor with layers and non-destructive filters; across many files only through scripts in batch mode
Templates and workflows Save and load templates, with several steps as one (Free: save a template; loading it needs Premium) Scripts and plug-ins you write in Script-Fu, Python 3, C or another supported language
Output format JPG, PNG and GIF in their own format; HEIC and RAW as JPG; TIFF, PSD, WebP and SVG as PNG; PDF and DOCX stay as they are Saves projects as XCF; exports JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, WebP, HEIF/HEIC, AVIF, JPEG XL, JPEG 2000, MNG, PSD, PSB, PDF, SVG and DDS, among others
Platform
Devices Any phone or computer, nothing to install; installs from the browser on phones and computers Windows 10 1903 or newer (Windows 11 from the Microsoft Store), macOS 11 Big Sur or newer and Linux, also BSD and Solaris; a phone app not stated
Import from Yes Google Drive, Google Photos, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box and Facebook, on every plan Files on your computer, a network location or web address, and the clipboard; cloud services not stated
API and AI agents Yes REST API, command line, PHP SDK and an MCP connector; $1 free credit A plug-in API for C, Python 3, JavaScript, Lua, Vala and Script-Fu (Scheme), and a command-line batch mode; a web API and AI agents not stated
Price
Plans and prices Premium, for batches of up to 5,000 files: $9.99 a month or $48 a year. Ultimate, for full-length videos up to 4 hours: $19.99 a month or $96 a year (Free: free to use, with no watermark of ours) Free and open source, under the GNU General Public License

GIMP's features and prices as stated on its site on Nov 8, 2026.

The Verdict

Pick Watermark.ws for batches without scripts: a whole shoot, a product catalog or a folder of contracts in one batch, up to 5,000 files, from a phone as well as a computer, with nothing to install. Photos, videos, GIFs, PDFs and Word documents go in the same batch with the same watermark, RAW photos need no second app, and it can be called from code or from an AI assistant.

GIMP is free and open source, under the GNU General Public License: a full image editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, with layers, non-destructive filters and a plug-in API for C, Python 3, Script-Fu and other languages.

Watermark.ws is free to use and never puts its own watermark on your files, on any plan; Premium, $9.99 a month or $48 a year, is for batches of up to 5,000 files.

Where Watermark.ws goes further

Each point beside what GIMP's own site says.

Batch without writing scripts

Design the watermark once and apply it to up to 5,000 files on Premium, then move it on any single file where it covers something.

GIMP batches only through its command-line batch mode, which runs scripts you write, in Script-Fu by default.

Any phone or computer

The same editor and the same batches on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebooks, iPhones and Android phones, with nothing to install.

GIMP runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and its site names no phone app.

Videos and GIFs in the same batch

Videos up to 2 GB go in the same batch as your photos, full length on Ultimate and the first 30 seconds on Free and Premium, and animated GIFs keep every frame.

GIMP calls itself an image editor, and its site lists no video formats.

Word documents and PDFs

A DOCX stays a DOCX, with the watermark in the page header, and a PDF stays a PDF, watermarked on every page on paid plans.

GIMP imports a PDF into an image, and its site lists no Word documents.

RAW straight from the camera

Upload 25 RAW formats, from CR2 and NEF to ARW and DNG, plus HEIC from a phone. They come back as JPG with your watermark.

GIMP opens RAW only through darktable, RawTherapee or ART, used as plug-ins.

Protect patterns

12 patterns that cover the whole photo, from fine lines to guilloché, so a crop cannot remove your mark.

GIMP's site names no tiled watermark or protect patterns.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between Watermark.ws and GIMP?
Watermark.ws watermarks up to 5,000 photos, videos, PDFs and Word documents in one batch, on any phone or computer, with nothing to install. GIMP is a free, open-source image editor for Windows, macOS and Linux; its site names no watermark tool, and it handles many files only through scripts run in its batch mode.
Is Watermark.ws a good GIMP alternative?
Yes, for watermarking. Watermark.ws puts one watermark on up to 5,000 photos, videos, GIFs, PDFs and Word documents in one batch with no script to write, takes 25 RAW formats without a second app, and adds a signature logo maker, protect patterns and an API, with no watermark of its own on your files on any plan.
Which is cheaper, GIMP or Watermark.ws?
GIMP is free and open source, under the GNU General Public License. Watermark.ws is free to use too and never adds a watermark of its own. Premium, for batches of up to 5,000 files, costs $9.99 a month or $48 a year; Ultimate, for full-length videos up to 4 hours, $19.99 a month or $96 a year.
Does GIMP have a watermark tool?
Its site and manual name none. In GIMP a watermark is text from the Text tool, which goes on a layer of its own, with that layer's opacity set from 0 to 100. Watermark.ws is made for watermarks: text, logos, signature logos and 12 protect patterns, placed once and applied to the whole batch.
Can GIMP batch watermark photos?
GIMP's own batch mode runs commands from the command line, in Script-Fu by default, so a batch means writing a script. Watermark.ws takes up to 5,000 files per batch on Premium with no script to write.
Can GIMP watermark videos?
GIMP calls itself an image editor, and its site lists no video formats. Watermark.ws watermarks videos up to 2 GB in the same batch as your photos, full length up to 4 hours on Ultimate and the first 30 seconds on Free and Premium.
Can GIMP open RAW photos?
Only through darktable, RawTherapee or ART, used as GIMP plug-ins. Watermark.ws takes 25 RAW formats and HEIC directly and returns a watermarked JPG.
Are my files uploaded?
Watermark.ws uploads them and processes them on its servers; the originals are never changed and finished files are kept for 24 hours. GIMP is a desktop app you download and install.

Keep reading

Comparison Watermark.ws vs Photoshop Another image editor, compared. Guide Batch watermark photos A whole shoot in one batch. Feature Protect patterns 12 patterns that cover the whole photo. Pricing Plans and pricing What Free, Premium and Ultimate include. Comparison Watermark.ws vs Watermarkly Watermark.ws takes up to 5,000 files per batch, Word files, RAW and HEIC, GIFs, protect patterns and an API. Watermarkly's free plan adds its own logo. Comparison Watermark.ws vs Lightroom Watermark.ws watermarks up to 5,000 photos, videos, PDFs and Word files per batch on any device. Lightroom adds a watermark to photos as it exports them. Comparison Watermark.ws vs Canva Canva is a design tool whose Bulk Create on Pro makes 300 designs a run. Watermark.ws puts one watermark on up to 5,000 photos, videos, PDFs and Word files. Comparison Watermark.ws vs Visual Watermark Watermark.ws takes 5,000 files per batch on any phone or computer, with Word, RAW, HEIC, GIFs and an API. Visual Watermark is a Windows and Mac desktop app. Comparison Watermark.ws vs iWatermark Watermark.ws batches up to 5,000 photos, videos, PDFs and Word files on any device with one account. iWatermark sells a separate app for each platform.

One Batch, No Scripts

Watermark photos, videos, GIFs, PDFs and Word documents together, on any phone or computer. Nothing to install.

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