Acorn

An affordable, indie image editor for the Mac with layers and non-destructive filters.

Verified facts: 4 of 4
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Acorn

Acorn is a Mac image editor made by Flying Meat, a small independent developer near Seattle. It sits between simple tools like Preview and heavyweight editors like Photoshop: layers and masks, non-destructive filters, vector shapes and text on paths, curves and levels, RAW import, layered screenshots, PSD import and export, and automation through Shortcuts and AppleScript. The single-window interface feels at home on macOS and is quick to learn. It lacks AI generation tools, advanced RAW processing and the depth of Pixelmator Pro or Affinity, so it suits developers, bloggers and designers who need a dependable everyday editor. Acorn is sold as a one-time purchase with no subscription, with a 14-day free trial; major upgrades are paid. The current version requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later and runs natively on Apple silicon.

Best for: Mac users who want a capable, inexpensive editor without a subscription.

What works

One-time purchase from an independent developer
Non-destructive filters, layers and vector tools
Automation with Shortcuts and AppleScript

Why people leave

Mac only
No AI generative tools
Less depth than Pixelmator Pro or Affinity

Top Acorn alternatives

See all 5

1
Pixelmator Pro
More features and AI tools for Mac, also available as a one-time purchase.
66.5
2
GIMP
Free and open source, if you can accept a less Mac-like interface.
59.6
3
PhotoScape X
Free Mac editor for quick fixes, collages and batch resizing.
55.3
4
Photopea
Free browser editor for occasional PSD work.
47.7
5
Affinity
Free for individuals, with professional photo, vector and layout tools.
41.7

Why people left Acorn

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Acorn: common questions

Is Acorn free?

No, Acorn is a paid product.

Is Acorn open source?

No, Acorn is not open source. Open-source alternatives include GIMP.

What platforms does Acorn run on?

Acorn is available for macOS.

What are the best alternatives to Acorn?

The highest-ranked Acorn alternatives right now are Pixelmator Pro, GIMP and PhotoScape X. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 Acorn alternatives

Acorn facts

4 of 4 verified

Subscription: None (one-time purchase); Checked Oct 25, 2026flyingmeat.com(opens source in a new tab); “Does Acorn use a subscription? Nope!”
Free trial: 14 days; Checked Oct 25, 2026flyingmeat.com(opens source in a new tab); “Download a 14 Day Free Trial”
Requirements: macOS 14 Sonoma or later; Checked Oct 25, 2026flyingmeat.com(opens source in a new tab); “Acorn is an image editor for macOS 14 Sonoma or later, including macOS 27 Golden Gate.”
Developer: Flying Meat (independent); Checked Oct 25, 2026flyingmeat.com(opens source in a new tab); “Flying Meat is an independent software company just north of Seattle, Washington.”