Online image editing startup Picnik has announced that users will now have full access to all of Picniks editing features for free.
Tools now available to all users include advanced edit tools, special effects, additional fonts and shapes. The service will be ad supported, but those wanting an ad free experience can sign up for Picnik Premium for $24.95 a year.
Why the change? This is how Picnik spins it:
We want to make everyone feel like a photo editing superstar. Picnik is already the world’s leading online photo editor, but there are still a lot of people living tragic, gloomy lives believing that powerful photo editing tools cost hundreds of dollars, come in unopenable boxes, and are impossible to use. By offering an ad-supported version of Picnik, we can make much richer, deeper, and ultimately better photo-editing functionality available to more people around the globe: Photo editing awesomeness for everyone.
The more likely reason: they can afford to do so due to the money they’re getting from Yahoo for the Flickr deal, and in the face of increased competition (both existing and future) Picnik needed to offer more. Still, Picnik was a good package before this announcement, and now it’s better again.
See our February 2007 review of online Photo editing sites here.
I can use my built in Mac software but man, this site is simply drop dead beautiful!
What about the GIMP? It doesn’t come in a box. You can download it from sourceforge for free, no ads, AND you get the source code. Will Picnik give me source code? hahaahaha!!!
Sorry for that last comment. I thought this was Slashdot.
Picnik is fantastic when you’re on another computer without image editing software or just need a real quick fix.
Why the change? It’s called FotoFlexer (www.fotoflexer.com). It blows Picnik away and is totally free.
fotoflexer sucks.
Both apps did crash under FireFox 2 on my Linux box
I really don’t see the interest of such tools
a simple USB Key with Gimp and “voila” you got your
editing tools in your pocket
http://portableapps.com/apps/g.....p_portable
Gimp is such an incredible powerful image editing software AND FREE like in FREEDOM
Nothing compared to those website, and if you want something easy there are some easy software tools around
Using Flash to edit an image remotely sucks
Picnik was my fav even with the paid service but not its my one place for all my photo editing needs
FotoFlexer is the real deal. It’s got a smooth, intuitive interface and integrates into all the social networks, and Flickr/Photobucket, etc. FotoFlexer also offers really cool Professional features like full layer support, seam-carving, etc. FotoFlexer doesn’t charge, and has never charged for any features, it’s completely ad-supported. FotoFlexer is the hands-down best online image editor.
Picnik’s website has not been changed to accurately reflect this announcement.
Gimp is too hard to work with for people who are not Linux geeks.
was this a b.s. announcement to get press? Picnik’s web site, and accessing it through Flickr, still charge $25 to upgrade.