This entry is compiled from primary sources: Paint.NET's own documentation, release notes, and licensing or pricing pages.
It has not been hands-on tested by us. Where a limit, a price or a requirement is stated below, it is the published figure at the time of writing rather than a measured result.
Anything we have not verified is left out instead of guessed at.
Paint.NET Review (2026) — Honest Take for Free Users
FreeOfficial project
Paint.NET, from dotPDN, is a text-to-image generator that turns prompts into pictures. On its Free plan it is genuinely usable, not a teaser.
Below: what you actually get for free, where the limits sit, and who should skip it.
What it does well
- Real image capability on the Free tier — no credit card to start.
- Practical for everyday use; outputs are usable, not just demos.
- Actively maintained by dotPDN; Windows paint is a current highlight.
Pros
- No-cost entry with meaningful features.
- Backed by dotPDN, so it is actively maintained.
- Good fit for users who want a text-to-image generator that turns prompts into pictures without paid subscriptions.
Cons
- Free is the vendor's current policy, not a contract — terms can change.
- Less specialized than dedicated tools for adjacent tasks.
- You are not the paying customer here, so support and roadmap priority sit elsewhere.
What it costs
Paint.NET is free to use, and the free version is the one covered here.
Where a vendor also sells a paid plan, check their pricing page for what an upgrade actually adds — free terms are the kind of thing that change quietly.
Best alternatives
- Stable Diffusion — The original open-source image generation model (image).
- Krita — Illustration, comics, and digital painting (image).
- Canva Free — Fast social graphics, presentations, and marketing designs (image).
FAQ
Is Paint.NET free? Yes — it is free to use.
Do I need a credit card? No, to start.
Best for? a text-to-image generator that turns prompts into pictures without paying.