head to head · open source
rembg vs GIMP
rembg has 24,813 GitHub stars, 2,422 forks, 3 open issues and last shipped 12 days ago. GIMP has 6,437 stars, 890 forks, 0 open issues and last shipped yesterday. rembg leads on adoption by 285% (24,813 vs 6,437 stars). rembg is written in Python under MIT; GIMP is written in C under a custom or non-standard licence. rembg has attracted 10% as many forks as stars, GIMP 14%. GIMP was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| rembg | GIMP | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 25K | ★ 6.4K |
| License | MIT | Custom / other |
| Written in | Python | C |
| Last push | 2026-09-08 | 2026-09-19 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.4K | ⑂ 890 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick rembg if
- You weight community size — 25K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick GIMP if
- You want the GIMP feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C
- You evaluated both and GIMP fits your workflow better
About rembg
Rembg is an MIT licensed Python tool for removing image backgrounds, usable as a CLI, a Python library, an HTTP server, or a Docker container, and aimed at developers, designers, and automated image pipelines that need background removal without depending on a hosted service.
read the full rembg overview →
About GIMP
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free, open source raster image editor aimed at photographers, designers, and illustrators who need professional grade editing tools without a commercial licence, and it is positioned in this registry as the open alternative to Adobe Photoshop.
More in Miscellaneous
Related comparisons
More Photo & Video Editors projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Photo & Video Editors field.
Frequently asked questions
Is rembg or GIMP more popular?
rembg has 24,813 GitHub stars and GIMP has 6,437. rembg has the larger community by that measure.
Are rembg and GIMP free?
Both are open source. rembg is licensed under MIT, and GIMP has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between rembg and GIMP?
rembg is written in Python and GIMP in C. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, rembg or GIMP?
Choose rembg if you want the larger community (24,813 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose GIMP if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.