Quick answer: Corel PaintShop Pro is still sold in October 2026 as a Windows-only photo editor and graphics program that you buy once instead of renting by subscription. The version on Corel’s website is still PaintShop Pro 2023, released in 2022, so the software has not had a new yearly version for several years. It comes as PaintShop Pro and PaintShop Pro Ultimate, which adds bonus programs and content. It suits Windows users who want layers, raw editing and design tools without paying Adobe every month; there is no Mac version.
This review is based on Corel’s PaintShop Pro website and published product information. We have not tested the software ourselves. An earlier version of this article reviewed PaintShop Pro 2021 and quoted its 2020 prices. We have updated it for the current version and removed old prices and unsourced performance claims.
Is PaintShop Pro still being updated?
Corel’s website lists PaintShop Pro 2023 as the current version in October 2026. That version came out in 2022, and Corel’s website showed no newer edition when we checked. The software is still sold and supported, but buyers should know that it has not had a major release since then, which matters for support for the newest cameras and Windows features.
Corel itself traded under the name Alludo from 2022 until 2025, then returned to the Corel name. Its website’s copyright line now reads “Corel Corporation”.
Editions and pricing
- PaintShop Pro 2023: the main photo editor with graphic design tools.
- PaintShop Pro 2023 Ultimate: adds a bundle of extras, listed below.
- Bundles and licences: Corel also sells a Photo Video Bundle with VideoStudio, a family licence, and business and education licences.
All editions are one-time purchases (“Buy it once, it’s yours forever”, in Corel’s words), with a free trial. Corel runs frequent sales, and we could not see list prices on its pages during this check, so check Corel’s website for the current price. The original article quoted $79.99 for PaintShop Pro 2021 and $99.99 for Ultimate; those prices are out of date.
The original article compared this with Adobe’s subscriptions. That comparison still holds in principle: Photoshop and Lightroom are sold by subscription, while Adobe’s consumer editor, Photoshop Elements, is now sold as a three-year licence rather than a permanent one.
What’s in PaintShop Pro Ultimate
According to Corel’s Ultimate page, the Ultimate edition adds:
- Painter Essentials 8, a beginner’s painting program;
- PhotoMirage Express, which turns a photo into a short animation;
- Highlight Reel, a slideshow and movie maker;
- MultiCam Capture 2.0 Lite, for recording screen and camera video;
- the Sea-to-Sky Workspace for underwater and drone photos;
- the Corel Creative Collection of brushes, textures and backgrounds, and 50 extra fonts.
The original article said Ultimate included AfterShot and Painter Essentials. AfterShot’s raw editing is now built into PaintShop Pro itself as AfterShot Lab (see below).
Features Corel documents today
- New in 2023: AfterShot Lab for raw editing inside PaintShop Pro, an improved Frame Tool for shape masks, Focus Stacking, real-time blend mode previews and Snap to Objects.
- Photo editing: layers, masks, selection and correction tools, one-click fixes (One Step Photo Fix and Smart Photo Fix) and AI-based enhancement.
- Raw and file support: raw files from more than 800 camera models, plus formats such as PSD, HEIC, WebP and SVG.
- Graphic design: text, vector shapes, brushes, textures and patterns. The original article noted that PaintShop Pro edits both raster and vector images, which in Adobe’s range needs two programs.
- Scripts: record a series of edits and apply them to many photos in a batch, for example to add a watermark or resize.
- Workspaces: several workspaces you can customise. The original article described the Photography, Essentials and Complete workspaces and the Welcome screen.
- Vision FX: a separate AI plugin that creates artwork from photos using text prompts, sold as a one-time purchase.
Tools added in 2020 and 2021 (kept for reference)
Our original review described the AI tools introduced in PaintShop Pro 2021: AI Upsampling for enlarging small images, AI Artifact Removal, AI Denoise and AI Style Transfer, which turns photos into painting-style images (it replaced the earlier Pic-to-Painting effect). The 2021 version also added the Sea-to-Sky Workspace, with Corrective, Low Light, Scenic and Creative buttons. The 2020 version had added SmartClone, the Refine Brush for selecting hair and trees, and a Depth of Field tool. Check Corel’s feature list for which of these are in the current version.
System requirements
- Windows 11 or Windows 10 (64-bit; version 1903 or later recommended). The native 32-bit version of Windows is no longer supported.
- Intel Celeron G series or AMD Phenom II or better; Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen recommended for AI features.
- 4 GB of RAM (8 GB recommended for AI features) and 3 GB of free disk space.
- An internet connection to install and authenticate the software.
The original article said PaintShop Pro ran on Windows 7 to Windows 10 and let you install 32-bit or 64-bit versions. That is out of date.
PaintShop Pro compared with Photoshop
The original article noted that PaintShop Pro lacks some of Photoshop’s most advanced tools, and that its interface is less polished. That is still a fair summary: Photoshop has many more AI and generative features, but it requires a subscription. PaintShop Pro offers a broad toolset for a one-time price on Windows.
For comparisons, see our Adobe Photoshop review, our GIMP review for a free alternative, and our list of photo editing software.
Frequently asked questions
What is the latest version of PaintShop Pro?
PaintShop Pro 2023, released in 2022, is the version Corel was selling in October 2026.
Is PaintShop Pro a subscription?
No. Corel sells it as a one-time purchase, with a free trial.
Is PaintShop Pro available for Mac?
No. It runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11.
What is the difference between PaintShop Pro and PaintShop Pro Ultimate?
Ultimate includes the same editor plus extra programs and content, such as Painter Essentials 8, PhotoMirage Express, Highlight Reel and the Sea-to-Sky Workspace.
Can PaintShop Pro open Photoshop files?
Yes. Corel lists PSD among the formats PaintShop Pro can import and export, and it can use Photoshop brush files (.abr).
Checked in October 2026 against Corel’s PaintShop Pro and PaintShop Pro Ultimate pages, including the tech specs. Corel did not show list prices during this check, so confirm the current price on its website before you buy.
