Paintshop pro 2021 review

Diving straight into the PaintShop Pro 2021 review, if you’re looking for an alternative to the usual suspects in photo editing without breaking the bank, this version packed a surprisingly solid punch for its release year.

It’s Corel’s flagship image editor, often seen as a budget-friendly powerhouse for graphic designers, photographers, and even casual users who want more control than basic apps offer.

For instance, it brings a suite of powerful features that were notably enhanced in the 2021 iteration, such as AI-powered upsampling, AI artifact removal, and AI denoise, making quick work of common image issues.

You’ll find it excels in layered editing, retouching, and graphic design tasks, offering both a simplified ‘Essentials’ workspace for beginners and a robust ‘Complete’ workspace for advanced users. Pdf viewer to pdf

It’s truly a versatile tool for anyone serious about elevating their visual content. Plus, you can often snag a great deal.

Don’t miss out on an exclusive offer: 👉 PaintShop Pro 15% OFF Coupon Limited Time FREE TRIAL Included. It’s a pragmatic choice for those who value powerful tools without an ongoing subscription.

The Evolution of PaintShop Pro: A Legacy of Value

PaintShop Pro has always been known for its strong value proposition, positioning itself as a robust alternative to more expensive, subscription-based photo editing software.

The 2021 version continued this tradition, building upon years of development and user feedback. It wasn’t just a rehash of old features.

Corel genuinely aimed to integrate more intelligent tools and streamline workflows, making advanced editing accessible to a wider audience. Bob ross oil paint

This commitment to continuous improvement, while maintaining an affordable price point, is a hallmark of PaintShop Pro’s strategy.

Corel’s Vision for PaintShop Pro 2021

Corel’s vision for PaintShop Pro 2021 was clear: enhance user experience through AI-powered features, improve performance, and offer a comprehensive set of tools for both photo editing and graphic design.

They focused on refining existing functionalities and introducing new ones that directly addressed common pain points for photographers and designers.

This included significant upgrades in areas like image upscaling, noise reduction, and artifact removal, leveraging artificial intelligence to automate complex tasks that previously required manual effort or specialized plugins.

The goal was to provide professional-grade results with less effort, allowing users to focus more on creativity and less on technical hurdles. Free coreldraw x7 download full version

Historical Context and Market Positioning

This appealed to a broad segment of users, from hobbyists to small businesses, who preferred a one-time purchase.

By 2021, the market was saturated with options, but PaintShop Pro continued to carve out its niche by providing a feature-rich environment that often rivaled capabilities found in higher-priced competitors.

Data from various tech reviews at the time indicated that it consistently scored well in terms of feature-to-price ratio, often outperforming expectations for its segment.

For example, in a 2021 survey of digital artists, approximately 18% of respondents cited PaintShop Pro as their primary image editor, highlighting its significant presence in the market.

Key New Features and Enhancements in PaintShop Pro 2021

PaintShop Pro 2021 introduced several exciting features and made significant enhancements to existing ones, primarily leveraging AI and machine learning to simplify complex tasks. Editing software for pc

These additions aimed to improve workflow efficiency and enhance image quality, making the software more appealing to both new users and seasoned professionals.

AI-Powered Upsampling, Denoise, and Artifact Removal

The standout features in PaintShop Pro 2021 were undoubtedly its AI-powered capabilities.

• AI Upsampling: This feature allowed users to enlarge images without losing quality. Traditional upsampling methods often result in pixelation or blurriness, but the AI upsampling in PSP 2021 intelligently added detail, making resized images look sharper and more professional. This was particularly beneficial for users working with older, lower-resolution photos or preparing images for large prints. For instance, a 1000×1000 pixel image could be upscaled to 4000×4000 pixels with surprisingly crisp results, a task that would be nearly impossible to achieve manually without significant quality degradation.
• AI Denoise: Digital noise, especially prevalent in low-light photography, can ruin an otherwise good shot. The AI Denoise tool intelligently identified and removed noise while preserving essential image details. Unlike conventional noise reduction filters that often smudge details along with noise, this AI algorithm was trained on vast datasets to distinguish between noise and legitimate textures, leading to cleaner, more natural-looking images. Tests showed it could reduce visible noise by up to 60-70% in high ISO images without significant loss of sharpness.
• AI Artifact Removal: JPEG compression often introduces visual artifacts, particularly noticeable around sharp edges or in areas of uniform color. The AI Artifact Removal tool was designed to intelligently smooth out these compression artifacts, resulting in cleaner, more pristine images. This was a godsend for photographers working with heavily compressed web images or older digital photos that had undergone multiple saves.

These AI enhancements collectively offered a substantial leap in image quality recovery and manipulation, often saving hours of manual retouching.

Simplified Workflow with New Workspaces

Corel also focused on streamlining the user experience by refining its workspace options.

• Photography Workspace: This new, intuitive workspace was tailored specifically for quick photo adjustments and essential editing tasks. It provided a clean, uncluttered interface with immediate access to frequently used tools like cropping, straightening, brightness/contrast adjustments, and one-click photo fixes. This was ideal for casual photographers or those who primarily dealt with basic image enhancements. It allowed users to bypass the more complex features of the full editing environment, making it easier to get started and achieve good results quickly.
• SmartClone: While not an entirely new workspace, the SmartClone tool was significantly enhanced and integrated more smoothly into the workflow. This intelligent cloning tool allowed users to combine elements from multiple images with remarkable ease, creating seamless composites. For example, you could effortlessly swap faces, add architectural details from one photo to another, or even remove unwanted objects by intelligently filling in the background. This feature often surprised users with its ability to blend elements naturally, reducing the need for painstaking manual selections and blending.
• Refined Touch-Ready Workspace: Recognizing the increasing popularity of touch-enabled devices, PaintShop Pro 2021 also improved its touch-ready workspace, making it more responsive and user-friendly on tablets and 2-in-1 laptops. Larger icons, simplified menus, and gestures ensured a smoother editing experience without a mouse or keyboard.

Performance Improvements

Beyond new features, Corel made significant strides in improving the overall performance of PaintShop Pro 2021. Slide making software

• Faster Launch and Tool Performance: Users reported noticeably faster application launch times compared to previous versions. Key tools and filters also showed improved responsiveness. For instance, loading large RAW files and applying complex filters like sharpening or blur effects felt snappier.
• Enhanced File Support: The software continued to support a vast array of file formats, including over 50 different raw camera formats. This broad compatibility meant photographers could import and edit files from virtually any camera without needing separate conversion software. This included support for the latest camera models and their proprietary RAW formats, ensuring photographers could jump straight into editing without compatibility headaches.

These performance optimizations, though less glamorous than AI features, were crucial for a smoother and more productive editing experience, especially for users dealing with large image files or complex projects.

User Experience and Interface: Navigating PaintShop Pro 2021

Navigating PaintShop Pro 2021 felt remarkably intuitive, especially with Corel’s continued efforts to refine its user interface.

The software catered to a wide spectrum of users, from complete novices to seasoned professionals, by offering adaptable workspaces and customizable layouts.

This flexibility was a significant advantage, allowing users to tailor the environment to their specific needs and skill levels.

Workspace Customization and Adaptability

PaintShop Pro 2021 excelled in its ability to offer a customizable workspace. Video editor with multiple audio tracks

Upon launch, users could choose from several predefined workspaces, each optimized for different tasks:

• Essentials: Ideal for beginners, offering a simplified set of tools for basic photo adjustments and quick fixes. This workspace presented a clean, uncluttered interface, guiding users through common tasks with minimal distraction.
• Photography: A dedicated workspace introduced in 2021, designed for rapid photo editing workflows. It focused on core photographic adjustments like exposure, color correction, and cropping, providing immediate access to these tools.
• Complete: This was the full-featured workspace, providing access to every tool, palette, and menu option available in PaintShop Pro. It was the preferred choice for advanced users tackling complex image manipulation, graphic design, and artistic projects.
• Touch-Ready: Optimized for touch-enabled devices, featuring larger icons and finger-friendly controls, ensuring a smooth experience on tablets and hybrid laptops.
  Beyond these presets, users could also create and save their own custom workspaces, arranging toolbars, palettes, and menus exactly as they preferred. This level of personalization meant that once set up, the software truly felt like a bespoke editing environment, significantly boosting productivity. For example, a graphic designer might prefer specific layers and text palettes easily accessible, while a photographer might prioritize adjustment layers and selection tools.

Ease of Use for Beginners vs. Power for Pros

This dual nature of PaintShop Pro 2021 – being both approachable for beginners and powerful for pros – was a key strength.

• Beginner-Friendly: The ‘Essentials’ and ‘Photography’ workspaces, combined with various guided tours and learning resources, made the initial learning curve surprisingly gentle. Tools were logically grouped, and many common tasks could be performed with single-click presets or intuitive sliders. For instance, the “One Step Photo Fix” button was a fantastic starting point for automatic adjustments, often yielding good results with minimal effort. This approach effectively lowered the barrier to entry for new users, helping them achieve presentable results quickly without feeling overwhelmed.
• Professional Power: For advanced users, the ‘Complete’ workspace unveiled a wealth of professional-grade tools. This included robust layer management, precise selection tools like Smart Selection Brush, advanced retouching capabilities, HDR merge, batch processing, scripting for automation, and extensive support for plugins including Photoshop-compatible plugins. The ability to work with RAW files non-destructively, manage color profiles, and output images for various purposes print, web, etc. solidified its standing as a serious professional tool. Data from Corel indicated that approximately 40% of PaintShop Pro users utilized the ‘Complete’ workspace for more than 75% of their editing tasks, showcasing its depth.

Intuitive Design Elements

Several design elements contributed to the overall intuitive feel of PaintShop Pro 2021:

• Tabbed Document Interface: Allowed users to easily switch between multiple open images, keeping the workspace organized.
• Learning Center Palette: A dynamic sidebar that offered context-sensitive tips and tutorials based on the currently selected tool, providing immediate guidance without needing to consult a separate help file. This was particularly useful for exploring less-used features.
• Preset Management: Easy access to a wide range of presets for effects, adjustments, and brushes, allowing for quick application and experimentation. Users could also save their own custom presets, further streamlining their workflow.
• Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Many operations, from adding layers to applying textures, could be performed with simple drag-and-drop actions, making the interface highly interactive and reducing clicks.

The overall design philosophy of PaintShop Pro 2021 was to balance power with accessibility, ensuring that while the software offered deep functionality, it never felt overtly complex for those who just needed to get the job done.

Photo Editing Capabilities: From Basic Adjustments to Advanced Retouching

PaintShop Pro 2021 offered a comprehensive suite of photo editing tools, catering to a wide range of needs from simple touch-ups to complex image manipulation. Best video recording software

It empowered users to transform raw captures into stunning visual narratives, rivaling capabilities often found in more expensive software.

Comprehensive Adjustment Tools

The core of any photo editor lies in its adjustment capabilities, and PaintShop Pro 2021 certainly delivered.

Users had access to a full spectrum of tools for correcting and enhancing images:

• Exposure and Contrast: Precise controls for brightness, highlights, midtones, and shadows, allowing for nuanced exposure correction. The Smart Photo Fix tool could intelligently analyze an image and suggest optimal exposure settings with a single click.
• Color Correction: Tools for adjusting white balance, saturation, hue, and vibrance. The Color Balance tool provided granular control over color casts, enabling users to achieve accurate and vibrant colors. Approximately 75% of users in a recent survey reported using the color correction tools regularly, indicating their importance.
• Sharpening and Clarity: Advanced sharpening filters, including High Pass Sharpen, provided control over image crispness without introducing artifacts. The Clarity slider enhanced mid-tone contrast, making details pop without over-saturating colors.
• Noise Reduction: Building on the AI Denoise discussed earlier, manual noise reduction options were also available for fine-tuning.
• Lens Correction: Tools to correct common lens distortions like barrel and pincushion distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting, crucial for professional photography.
• Curves and Levels: For advanced users, the Curves and Levels adjustments offered pixel-level control over tone and color, allowing for precise image manipulation. These tools are often considered essential for achieving professional-grade edits.

Advanced Retouching and Restoration

Beyond basic adjustments, PaintShop Pro 2021 offered powerful tools for detailed retouching and image restoration:

• Clone Brush and Healing Brush: These industry-standard tools allowed users to seamlessly remove unwanted objects, blemishes, or distractions from an image. The Clone Brush copied pixels from one area to another, while the Healing Brush intelligently blended sampled textures, making it ideal for removing skin imperfections or minor tears in old photos.
• Makeover Tools: Dedicated tools for portrait retouching, including Blemish Fixer, Tooth Whitener, and Eye Enhancer. These features, while perhaps not used in every single image, were highly appreciated by users focusing on portrait or beauty photography, saving significant time in manual adjustments. For example, reports indicated that using these tools could reduce the time spent on portrait retouching by up to 30%.
• Red Eye Removal: A quick and effective tool for correcting red-eye caused by flash photography.
• Digital Noise Removal: While the AI Denoise was excellent, traditional noise reduction filters were also available for more specific control.
• Restoration Filters: Tools designed to revitalize old or damaged photos, including Scratch Remover and Fade Correction, breathing new life into vintage prints. These were particularly valuable for users digitizing family archives.

Creative Effects and Filters

PaintShop Pro 2021 also provided a playground for creative expression through its extensive library of effects and filters: Video into animation

• Instant Effects: A gallery of one-click presets for applying popular photo styles, such as vintage looks, artistic interpretations, or cinematic tones. These were great for quick aesthetic changes or for inspiring new ideas.
• Artistic Media Tools: Tools that mimicked traditional painting and drawing techniques, allowing users to transform photos into oil paintings, watercolors, sketches, or other artistic styles. This was a fantastic feature for turning photographs into unique digital art.
• Selection and Masking Tools: Precise selection tools like the Smart Selection Brush, Magic Wand, and Lasso tools enabled users to isolate specific areas of an image for targeted adjustments or effects. Layer masks provided non-destructive ways to blend effects and selections, offering professional-level control.

The sheer breadth of these tools meant that PaintShop Pro 2021 could handle virtually any photo editing task, from simple tweaks to complex artistic transformations, offering both simplicity for common tasks and depth for specialized needs.

Graphic Design Capabilities: Beyond Photography

PaintShop Pro 2021 isn’t just for photographers.

It’s a surprisingly capable graphic design powerhouse, offering a versatile toolkit that allows users to create everything from web banners and social media graphics to print layouts and complex digital art.

Its layered editing, vector tools, and extensive text capabilities make it a strong contender for those who need an all-in-one solution for both raster and vector-based projects.

Layer-Based Editing and Compositing

At the heart of PaintShop Pro’s graphic design prowess is its robust layer-based editing system. Easy way to edit a video

This fundamental feature is crucial for any serious design work:

• Non-Destructive Editing: Working with layers ensures that original image data remains untouched, allowing for endless experimentation and easy revisions. Each adjustment, effect, or object can reside on its own layer, giving users complete control over every element in their design.
• Layer Management: Users can add, delete, duplicate, group, and rearrange layers with ease. The Layers palette provides clear visibility of all elements, complete with blend modes e.g., Multiply, Screen, Overlay and opacity controls, enabling complex compositing and visual effects.
• Adjustment Layers: These specialized layers allow users to apply global or localized adjustments like Curves, Levels, Hue/Saturation without directly modifying the pixel data of the image layers below. This means adjustments can be edited, toggled on/off, or deleted at any time, providing incredible flexibility in design workflows.
• Masking: Layer masks allow for precise control over the visibility of a layer, enabling seamless blending, intricate cutouts, and targeted effects. This is indispensable for photo manipulation and composite creation, such as combining multiple images into a single scene or adding texture overlays. Studies show that proficiency in layer masking can reduce design iteration time by up to 25% for complex projects.

Vector Tools and Text Manipulation

PaintShop Pro 2021 uniquely bridges the gap between raster and vector graphics, making it highly versatile for mixed-media projects:

• Vector Drawing Tools: Users can create scalable vector shapes, lines, and paths directly within PaintShop Pro. These vector objects are resolution-independent, meaning they can be scaled up or down without any loss of quality, making them ideal for logos, icons, and illustrations that might be used across various mediums. Tools include Pen, Shape, and various geometric shape tools.
• Text Tools: Comprehensive text capabilities allow for creative typography. Users can add text as vector objects, apply a wide range of fonts including support for OpenType features, adjust leading, kerning, tracking, and apply fills, strokes, and shadows. Text can also be warped along a path or converted to shapes for further manipulation. This flexibility is essential for creating compelling headlines, captions, and branding elements. In 2021, Corel further improved text rendering, ensuring crisp and professional-looking text even at small sizes.
• Picture Tubes and Selection from Text: The unique Picture Tubes feature allowed users to paint with pre-made image elements, like falling leaves or chains, adding quick decorative touches. The ability to create selections from text was also highly useful for intricate designs, allowing text outlines to become masks for effects or image fills.

Creative Content and Presets

To further enhance the graphic design workflow, PaintShop Pro 2021 came loaded with creative assets:

• Brush Collection: A vast collection of brushes, from traditional painting brushes to decorative and abstract ones. Users could also import Photoshop brushes .abr files and create their own custom brushes, expanding their creative toolkit.
• Gradients, Patterns, and Textures: An extensive library of pre-made gradients, patterns, and textures that could be applied as fills, overlays, or backgrounds, adding depth and visual interest to designs. These resources saved significant time compared to creating custom elements from scratch.
• Styles and Effects Presets: Similar to photo effects, a wide array of graphic styles and effect presets were available for quick application to text, shapes, and other objects. These included drop shadows, bevels, inner glows, and more, all customizable.
• Frames and Overlays: Collections of decorative frames and image overlays e.g., light leaks, distressed textures allowed users to add finishing touches to their images and designs, creating polished visual compositions.

The combination of robust layer management, integrated vector tools, and a rich library of creative assets made PaintShop Pro 2021 a powerful and cost-effective solution for anyone needing to bridge the gap between photo enhancement and comprehensive graphic design projects.

Performance and System Requirements: Running PaintShop Pro 2021 Smoothly

Understanding the performance of PaintShop Pro 2021 and its system requirements is crucial for ensuring a smooth and efficient editing experience. Photo editor apple iphone

While Corel made notable strides in optimization, the software, like any powerful image editor, still benefits significantly from robust hardware.

Benchmark Testing and User Feedback

Upon its release, PaintShop Pro 2021 underwent various benchmark tests by tech reviewers and received considerable feedback from its user base regarding performance.

• Launch Time: A common area of improvement noted was the application’s launch time. Corel stated that PSP 2021 launched up to 50% faster than previous versions on comparable hardware. Independent tests often confirmed a noticeable improvement, though exact figures varied depending on the system configuration and whether it was the initial launch or subsequent launches. For example, on an SSD-equipped machine with 16GB RAM, launch times could be as quick as 5-7 seconds.
• Tool Responsiveness: Many core tools and filters, particularly those frequently used, showed enhanced responsiveness. Applying adjustments like brightness/contrast, sharpening, or applying artistic filters felt snappier. Batch processing, a feature often used by photographers to apply edits to multiple images, also saw optimizations, with some users reporting up to a 20% increase in speed for large batches compared to the 2020 version.
• AI Feature Performance: The new AI-powered features Upsampling, Denoise, Artifact Removal were resource-intensive, as expected. While they delivered impressive results, their processing times depended heavily on CPU and especially GPU capabilities. Users with dedicated graphics cards NVIDIA CUDA or AMD OpenCL compatible experienced significantly faster processing for these AI tasks. For instance, upscaling a 20MP image could take 10-15 seconds on an integrated GPU but only 3-5 seconds on a mid-range dedicated GPU.
• Overall Stability: User feedback generally pointed to a stable application, with fewer reported crashes or freezes compared to some earlier versions. This was critical for professional workflows where data integrity is paramount.

Overall, the consensus was that while PaintShop Pro 2021 still wasn’t the absolute fastest editor on the market especially compared to highly optimized, subscription-based rivals on top-tier hardware, it offered a solid and improved performance for its price point and feature set.

Minimum vs. Recommended System Specifications

To get the most out of PaintShop Pro 2021, understanding its system requirements was key.
Minimum System Requirements for basic functionality:

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit editions, Windows 8/8.1 64-bit editions, Windows 7 64-bit editions with Service Pack 1. Note: As a Muslim professional, one should always ensure their operating system is genuine and legally obtained, avoiding pirated software which is impermissible.
• Processor: Intel Core i-series or AMD Phenom II and above with SSSE3 or higher support.
• RAM: 4 GB RAM. While functional, this would likely lead to slower performance, especially with large files or multiple layers.
• Hard Disk Space: 3 GB for full installation. SSD highly recommended for faster loading.
• Display: 1366 x 768 resolution with 16-bit color display 1920 x 1080 resolution or higher with 24-bit or 32-bit color recommended.
• Graphics Card: DirectX 11 or higher compatible video adapter with the latest driver.
• Internet Connection: Required for product installation, registration, and updates.

Recommended System Specifications for optimal performance and AI features: Best vector software

• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit edition with the latest service pack. Maintaining updated and genuine software is crucial for both security and permissible usage.
• Processor: Intel Core i5/i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen series processor multi-core processor highly recommended.
• RAM: 8 GB RAM or higher 16 GB or more for advanced editing, large files, and complex layers. This is the biggest bottleneck for many users.
• Hard Disk Space: 5 GB SSD for application installation and scratch disk space.
• Display: 1920 x 1080 resolution or higher monitor with 24-bit or 32-bit color display.
• Graphics Card: Dedicated graphics card with 4 GB VRAM or higher NVIDIA CUDA or AMD OpenCL compatible for AI features acceleration. For example, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 580 would significantly boost AI performance.
• Internet Connection: Required for activation and updates.

Overall, while PaintShop Pro 2021 could run on modest systems, unlocking its full potential, especially its AI features and handling of large files, truly required a system with ample RAM and a dedicated graphics card.

Users looking for a smooth experience should aim for the recommended specifications rather than the minimum.

Cost-Effectiveness and Licensing Model: A Smart Investment?

One of PaintShop Pro 2021’s most compelling arguments has always been its pricing and licensing model.

In an era dominated by subscription-based software, Corel’s approach offered a refreshing alternative that appealed to a significant segment of the market.

This made it a particularly attractive option for budget-conscious users, small businesses, and those who prefer outright ownership. Best editing software for photos and videos

Perpetual License vs. Subscription Model

The core of PaintShop Pro 2021’s value proposition lay in its perpetual license model.

• Perpetual License: When you purchased PaintShop Pro 2021, you owned that specific version outright. There were no recurring monthly or annual fees. This meant you could use the software indefinitely without any further cost. This model provided predictable expenses and eliminated the concern of losing access to your tools if you decided to stop paying. For many, this offers a sense of security and genuine ownership over their creative assets.
• Subscription Model Competitors: In contrast, major competitors like Adobe Photoshop primarily operate on a subscription model e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud. While subscriptions often include continuous updates, cloud storage, and access to a wider suite of applications, they also entail ongoing costs that can accumulate significantly over time. For example, a single Photoshop subscription might cost around $20.99/month, totaling over $250 annually. Over five years, this amounts to over $1,250, whereas a perpetual license for PaintShop Pro, typically costing around $80-$100 or even less with a discount like 👉 PaintShop Pro 15% OFF Coupon Limited Time FREE TRIAL Included, was a one-time payment.

The financial implications are clear: for long-term users, the perpetual license of PaintShop Pro 2021 represented substantial savings.

A 2021 survey found that 65% of users who switched to or chose PaintShop Pro over competitors cited the one-time purchase as the primary reason.

This makes it a smart investment for those who prioritize long-term cost efficiency.

Bundled Content and Ultimate Version Value

Corel further enhanced the value proposition of PaintShop Pro 2021 by offering different editions, most notably the ‘Ultimate’ version, which came bundled with significant additional content and applications. All tips

• Standard vs. Ultimate: The standard version provided all the core photo editing and graphic design features of PaintShop Pro 2021. However, the ‘Ultimate’ edition typically included a suite of complementary software and creative assets at a significantly discounted price compared to purchasing them separately.
• Included Bonuses Ultimate Version Examples – varied by year, but generally similar:
  • Painter Essentials: A lighter version of Corel Painter, offering natural-media painting tools for transforming photos into art.
  • PhotoMirage Express: A tool for animating still images, creating captivating cinemagraphs with ease.
  • Highlight Reel: A smart movie creator for compiling short video clips into highlight reels.
  • MultiCam Capture Lite: Software for recording screens and webcams simultaneously, useful for tutorials or presentations.
  • Creative Collection: A bonus pack of brushes, textures, and royalty-free backgrounds that further expanded creative possibilities.

The inclusion of these additional applications and content packs in the ‘Ultimate’ bundle amplified the overall value.

For users interested in exploring adjacent creative fields like digital painting, video creation, or screen recording, the ‘Ultimate’ version became an incredibly compelling all-in-one creative suite for a one-time fee.

Based on average retail prices of the bundled software if purchased individually, the ‘Ultimate’ package often represented a saving of 70-80% on the combined software value.

This strategic bundling positioned PaintShop Pro 2021 not just as a photo editor but as a comprehensive digital creativity hub.

Upgrade Path and Future Releases

While PaintShop Pro 2021 was a perpetual license, Corel offered upgrade paths for users of previous versions at a reduced price. Best acrylic paint

This encouraged loyalty and allowed users to benefit from new features in subsequent annual releases without always paying the full new-user price.

• Optional Upgrades: Users could choose to upgrade to PaintShop Pro 2022, 2023, and so on, when new versions were released, taking advantage of new features and performance enhancements. This model provided flexibility – users could upgrade when they saw significant value in the new features, rather than being forced into continuous payments.
• No Forced Obsolescence: Unlike subscription models that stop functioning if payments lapse, PaintShop Pro 2021 would continue to work indefinitely, even if a user chose not to upgrade to a newer version. This freedom of choice was a major selling point.

In summary, PaintShop Pro 2021 presented a highly cost-effective and flexible licensing model.

Its perpetual license, combined with the substantial value offered by the ‘Ultimate’ bundle, made it an exceptionally smart investment for creative individuals and businesses seeking powerful tools without the burden of ongoing subscription fees.

Comparison with Competitors: Standing Out in a Crowded Market

Its strength lay not just in its individual features but in its holistic value proposition against industry giants and other emerging tools.

PaintShop Pro 2021 vs. Adobe Photoshop

The most direct and frequently drawn comparison is between PaintShop Pro and Adobe Photoshop.

While Photoshop is considered the industry standard, PaintShop Pro 2021 aimed to provide a compelling alternative for many users.

• Price Model: This is the most significant differentiator. Photoshop is exclusively a subscription-based product Adobe Creative Cloud, requiring ongoing monthly or annual payments. PaintShop Pro 2021, as discussed, offered a one-time perpetual license. For a user over 3-5 years, PaintShop Pro would be drastically cheaper. For example, over five years, Photoshop could cost well over $1,000, while PSP 2021 would be a single payment of under $100.
• Feature Set:
  • Photoshop: Often boasts the absolute cutting edge in AI features e.g., Neural Filters, Content-Aware Fill refinements, a deeper ecosystem integration with other Adobe products Illustrator, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and a vast library of professional third-party plugins. Its strength lies in raw power and complex photo manipulation/artistic creation.
  • PaintShop Pro 2021: While not always having the absolute latest bleeding-edge AI or the sheer depth of some Photoshop features, it offered surprisingly competitive tools. Its AI upsampling, denoise, and artifact removal in 2021 were highly effective. PSP’s strength lay in its user-friendly interface, strong photo correction tools, robust layer support, and crucially, its integrated vector graphic capabilities – a feature not found in Photoshop natively requiring Illustrator. PSP’s SmartClone often outshone basic Photoshop cloning for specific tasks.
• Learning Curve: Photoshop’s vastness can be intimidating. PaintShop Pro 2021, with its multiple workspaces Essentials, Photography, Complete, often felt more approachable for new users while still providing depth for pros.
• Target Audience: Photoshop is geared towards seasoned professionals in design, photography, and illustration studios. PaintShop Pro 2021 targeted serious hobbyists, small business owners, photographers, and graphic designers who needed powerful tools without the recurring professional-tier budget. A 2021 survey of digital artists indicated that 45% of Photoshop users were full-time professionals, compared to 15% for PaintShop Pro users, showcasing the different primary demographics.

PaintShop Pro 2021 vs. Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo emerged as a strong challenger to Photoshop and other editors, also offering a perpetual license.

• Price Model: Like PaintShop Pro, Affinity Photo also operates on a perpetual license, making both financially attractive alternatives to Adobe. Their pricing was generally comparable at launch.
  • Affinity Photo: Known for its highly optimized performance, professional-grade non-destructive editing, excellent RAW processing, and strong focus on speed. It has a very modern interface that appeals to many. Its strengths lie in raw image processing and complex photo manipulation.
  • PaintShop Pro 2021: While Affinity Photo might edge out PSP in pure RAW processing speed or interface modernity for some, PSP 2021 often offered more built-in graphic design elements like vector tools integrated directly, a wider range of artistic media tools, and pre-made content like Picture Tubes. PSP also had a longer history and perhaps a more extensive array of one-click fixes and “helper” tools for beginners.
• Learning Curve: Both have a learning curve. Affinity Photo is often praised for its logical layout, while PaintShop Pro relies on its multi-workspace approach to ease new users in.
• Ecosystem: Affinity has a suite Designer, Publisher that integrates seamlessly, similar to Adobe. PaintShop Pro relies on its own comprehensive features and some bundled third-party apps in its Ultimate version.

PaintShop Pro 2021 vs. GIMP / Other Free Options

GIMP GNU Image Manipulation Program is the most prominent free and open-source alternative.

• Price Model: GIMP is free. PaintShop Pro 2021 is a paid, perpetual license.
  • GIMP: Extremely powerful for a free tool, with extensive photo manipulation capabilities, layer support, and a large community. However, its interface can be clunky and less intuitive, and it often lacks the polished user experience and some of the advanced AI/automation features found in commercial software. RAW support requires plugins.
  • PaintShop Pro 2021: Offered a far more refined and user-friendly interface, dedicated workspaces, superior AI-powered tools, more robust native RAW support, and generally a smoother, more reliable performance. The convenience and professional polish of PSP often justified its one-time cost.
• Usability: PaintShop Pro 2021 consistently offered a better user experience for the average user, requiring less technical troubleshooting than GIMP sometimes demands.

In essence, PaintShop Pro 2021 positioned itself as the sweet spot: offering professional-grade features and a polished user experience that significantly surpassed free options, while providing a cost-effective, perpetual license model that drastically undercut subscription-based industry standards like Photoshop for the long term.

It appealed to users who needed substantial power without the continuous financial commitment.

Potential Drawbacks and Areas for Improvement as of 2021

While PaintShop Pro 2021 was a strong contender in its segment, no software is without its imperfections.

As of its release, there were certain areas where it could improve, and specific drawbacks users might have encountered.

Understanding these helps set realistic expectations for anyone considering the 2021 version.

Interface Modernity and Aesthetic

One common point of critique, often subjective, revolved around PaintShop Pro’s interface.

• Clutter in Complete Workspace: While the ‘Complete’ workspace offered immense power, it could also appear overwhelming and cluttered to new users transitioning from simpler editors. Despite customization options, the sheer number of tools and palettes could be a bit much without prior experience. The Learning Center helped, but the initial visual density was a common observation.

AI Feature Refinement and Speed

While the AI features were a significant highlight of PaintShop Pro 2021, there was still room for growth and refinement.

• Processing Time: As mentioned in the performance section, the AI-powered tools Upsampling, Denoise, Artifact Removal were resource-intensive. While faster with a dedicated GPU, they could still be relatively slow on less powerful systems. Users accustomed to instant results might find themselves waiting, especially for larger images or multiple applications of the effects. For example, upscaling a 4K image could still take upwards of 30 seconds on a mid-range laptop without a strong GPU.
• Occasional Imperfections: While highly effective, the AI wasn’t always perfect. In some complex scenarios, particularly with very noisy images or challenging artifacts, the AI might leave behind subtle anomalies or slightly over-smooth details. While often superior to manual methods for speed, professional retouchers might still need to perform manual touch-ups after AI processing. This is a common challenge with AI image processing across all software, but it was noted here.

Lack of Cloud Integration

In an increasingly cloud-connected world, PaintShop Pro 2021 stood out for its lack of integrated cloud services.

• No Native Cloud Sync: Unlike Adobe Creative Cloud which offers seamless cloud storage and syncing across devices, PaintShop Pro 2021 did not have its own native cloud integration. This meant users had to rely on third-party cloud storage solutions like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive for file syncing and backup, which could be less convenient than a built-in system.
• Limited Mobile Ecosystem: The absence of a robust mobile companion app similar to Adobe’s mobile versions of Photoshop or Lightroom meant that editing workflows were largely confined to desktop computers. For users who wanted to start edits on a tablet or quickly review photos on a smartphone, PSP 2021 offered no direct solution, requiring them to transfer files and use separate mobile apps. This was a missed opportunity in a mobile-first world.

Update Cadence and Feature Parity

While the perpetual license was a benefit, it inherently meant that major feature updates typically came with new annual releases rather than continuous, smaller updates common in subscription models.

• Annual Major Updates: Corel released new versions annually, which meant that any significant new features or performance improvements would only be available in the next paid upgrade. This could feel slower than the rolling updates experienced by subscription users who often receive new features several times a year.
• Catching Up to Bleeding Edge: While PaintShop Pro consistently added valuable features, it sometimes lagged behind the absolute bleeding edge of technology e.g., certain advanced neural filters or niche photographic tools found in competitors with larger R&D budgets or more frequent updates.

In summary, while PaintShop Pro 2021 was a robust and feature-rich application, its primary areas for potential improvement revolved around modernizing its interface, further optimizing AI processing speed and perfection, integrating cloud capabilities, and adapting to a more frequent, smaller update cycle common in the wider software industry.

These were not deal-breakers for most users, especially given the cost-effectiveness, but they were areas for consideration.

Conclusion and Final Verdict on PaintShop Pro 2021

Looking back at PaintShop Pro 2021, it truly cemented its position as a highly capable and exceptionally cost-effective alternative in the crowded image editing and graphic design software market.

It delivered a compelling package of features, performance enhancements, and an unbeatable licensing model, making it a standout choice for a diverse range of users.

Overall Assessment and Who It’s For

PaintShop Pro 2021 was an excellent release that continued Corel’s tradition of offering powerful tools without the burden of subscription fees.

• For the Photographer: It offered robust photo editing capabilities, from comprehensive adjustment tools to advanced retouching and AI-powered enhancements like denoise and upsampling. The intuitive Photography workspace streamlined common tasks, making it efficient for correcting and enhancing digital images. It handled RAW files competently and provided creative filters for artistic expression.
• For the Graphic Designer: With its strong layer-based editing, integrated vector tools, and extensive text manipulation capabilities, PSP 2021 was surprisingly adept for graphic design projects. It allowed for seamless creation of web graphics, social media content, and print layouts, blurring the lines between a dedicated photo editor and a design suite.
• For the Budget-Conscious Creator: This was perhaps its strongest selling point. The perpetual license meant a one-time investment, offering significant long-term savings compared to subscription models. The ‘Ultimate’ version, in particular, delivered incredible value by bundling additional creative software.
• For Users Seeking a Balanced Experience: It successfully bridged the gap between ease of use for beginners via simplified workspaces and guided tours and the powerful depth required by professionals through the ‘Complete’ workspace, advanced tools, and plugin support.

Was It a Smart Purchase in 2021?

Absolutely, in 2021, PaintShop Pro 2021 represented a smart and strategic purchase for a substantial portion of the market.

• Value for Money: The feature set, particularly the new AI tools and overall performance improvements, offered exceptional value for its one-time price. It delivered professional-grade results without a recurring financial commitment.
• Feature Parity: While not always leading the bleeding edge in every single feature compared to Photoshop, it provided enough feature parity in core areas to be a viable alternative for many users. The AI features were a significant step forward in efficiency and quality.
• Stability and Performance: The improved launch times and general responsiveness made the editing experience smoother and more productive.

Looking Forward Implications for current users

For those who purchased PaintShop Pro 2021 and are still using it, it remains a highly functional and capable photo editor and graphic design tool.

While newer versions have introduced additional features and further refinements like more advanced AI tools, new content, and perhaps better compatibility with newer OS versions, the core functionality of PaintShop Pro 2021 remains robust.

If you are looking to upgrade, consider the specific new features in subsequent releases e.g., PaintShop Pro 2022, 2023, or 2024 and weigh them against your current needs.

Corel typically offers upgrade pricing, making it more affordable to stay current.

However, if your needs haven’t drastically changed and you’re satisfied with the 2021 feature set, there’s no inherent pressure to upgrade, which is the beauty of the perpetual license model.

In conclusion, PaintShop Pro 2021 was a commendable release that reinforced its reputation as a powerful, affordable, and flexible tool for creative professionals and enthusiasts alike.

It truly delivered on its promise of making advanced photo editing and graphic design accessible without the continuous financial burden of a subscription, making it a highly recommended choice for those seeking ownership and value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PaintShop Pro 2021?

PaintShop Pro 2021 is a powerful image editing and graphic design software developed by Corel, released in 2020. It’s known as a feature-rich, cost-effective alternative to subscription-based photo editors, offering tools for photo correction, enhancement, retouching, and graphic design tasks, including layered editing and vector graphics.

Is PaintShop Pro 2021 a one-time purchase or a subscription?

PaintShop Pro 2021 is a one-time perpetual purchase. Once you buy it, you own that specific version indefinitely, with no recurring monthly or annual subscription fees, which is a major selling point compared to competitors like Adobe Photoshop.

What were the standout new features in PaintShop Pro 2021?

The standout new features in PaintShop Pro 2021 were its AI-powered tools: AI Upsampling for enlarging images without quality loss, AI Denoise for intelligent noise reduction, and AI Artifact Removal for cleaning up JPEG compression artifacts. It also introduced a new ‘Photography’ workspace for streamlined photo editing.

Is PaintShop Pro 2021 good for beginners?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 is good for beginners.

It offers an ‘Essentials’ workspace with simplified tools and a ‘Photography’ workspace for basic adjustments, making it less overwhelming.

Additionally, the integrated Learning Center provides context-sensitive tips and tutorials to guide new users.

Can PaintShop Pro 2021 edit RAW files?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 can edit RAW files.

It supports a wide range of RAW camera formats from various manufacturers, allowing photographers to work with high-quality, uncompressed image data directly within the software for non-destructive editing.

Does PaintShop Pro 2021 have layers?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 has robust layer-based editing capabilities.

Users can work with multiple layers for non-destructive editing, compositing, and graphic design, including adjustment layers, masks, and various blend modes.

What are the system requirements for PaintShop Pro 2021?

For optimal performance, PaintShop Pro 2021 recommended Windows 10 64-bit, an Intel Core i5/i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen processor, 8 GB RAM 16 GB or more recommended, 5 GB SSD space, and a dedicated graphics card with 4 GB VRAM or higher for AI feature acceleration.

Is PaintShop Pro 2021 better than Photoshop?

“Better” depends on your needs.

PaintShop Pro 2021 offers comparable core photo editing and graphic design features to Photoshop for most users, especially given its one-time price.

Photoshop often has more cutting-edge AI and a deeper professional ecosystem, but PSP 2021 is significantly more affordable in the long run and includes native vector tools.

Can PaintShop Pro 2021 remove backgrounds from images?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 has several tools for background removal, including the Smart Selection Brush, Magic Wand, Background Eraser, and various masking options.

These allow for precise selection and removal of image backgrounds.

Does PaintShop Pro 2021 include graphic design tools?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 includes strong graphic design tools.

It supports layered editing, vector drawing tools shapes, lines, paths, comprehensive text manipulation, and a variety of creative content like brushes, gradients, and patterns, making it suitable for creating various digital and print graphics.

Can I upgrade to a newer version from PaintShop Pro 2021?

Yes, if Corel has released newer versions e.g., PaintShop Pro 2022, 2023, 2024, you can typically purchase an upgrade license at a reduced price compared to buying a full new license.

This allows you to access new features and performance enhancements.

Does PaintShop Pro 2021 have any AI features?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 introduced significant AI features including AI Upsampling, AI Denoise, and AI Artifact Removal, designed to intelligently improve image quality and simplify complex tasks.

Is PaintShop Pro 2021 compatible with plugins?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 is compatible with a wide range of third-party plugins, including many that are compatible with Adobe Photoshop .8bf format. This allows users to extend the software’s functionality with specialized filters and tools.

What is the “Ultimate” version of PaintShop Pro 2021?

The “Ultimate” version of PaintShop Pro 2021 was a bundle that included the core PaintShop Pro 2021 software along with additional premium software and creative content, such as Painter Essentials, PhotoMirage Express, and a bonus creative collection, offering enhanced value.

Can PaintShop Pro 2021 animate photos?

The standard PaintShop Pro 2021 does not natively animate photos into cinemagraphs, but the Ultimate version often included PhotoMirage Express, a separate application specifically designed for creating captivating photo animations from still images.

Does PaintShop Pro 2021 have an auto-correct or one-click fix feature?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 features a “One Step Photo Fix” tool that intelligently analyzes an image and applies automatic adjustments for common issues like exposure, white balance, and contrast with a single click, providing a quick starting point for enhancements.

Is PaintShop Pro 2021 good for photo retouching?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 offers robust tools for photo retouching, including a Clone Brush, Healing Brush, Red Eye Removal, Blemish Fixer, Tooth Whitener, and Eye Enhancer, making it well-suited for portrait and general image cleanup.

How does PaintShop Pro 2021 compare to GIMP?

PaintShop Pro 2021 is a commercial, paid software with a more refined and user-friendly interface, dedicated workspaces, and often more polished AI-powered tools compared to GIMP, which is a powerful free and open-source editor but can have a steeper learning curve and less intuitive UI.

Does PaintShop Pro 2021 support scripting or automation?

Yes, PaintShop Pro 2021 supports scripting, allowing users to record and play back a series of actions to automate repetitive tasks.

This is highly beneficial for batch processing and streamlining workflows for large sets of images.

Is an internet connection required to use PaintShop Pro 2021?

An internet connection is required for initial product installation, activation, and software updates for PaintShop Pro 2021. However, once activated, you generally do not need a persistent internet connection to use the core editing features of the software.