PicPick is a light-weight free image editing software holding some powerful features. At first glance PicPick looks like just a simple MS Paint clone with only a few modifications, but once you get to know PicPick better you start realizing why it is advertised as an “all-in-one tool”. It delivers not just a basic paint program, but also advanced screen capture functions, easy Facebook, Tweeter and web upload plus a built-in FTP client, and more.
PicPick – Main ScreenInstallation & Requirements
As mentioned before, PicPick is a freeware program so you will not have any problems using this software for as long as you want without paying a dime. There is however the possibility of paying for a license in case you are planning on using PicPick for commercial purposes.
Another interesting aspect regarding the installation is that earlier versions of PicPick usually had the optional Bing toolbar pop-up in their installation process. With the latest version however, PicPick has a “cleaner” installation process mainly because the Bing adware is gone.
As for system requirements, PicPick is available only for Windows, supporting any of the following versions: Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Interface
The PicPick interface is very simple and straightforward but offers lots of intuitive small things that add up and make PicPick a great program. For example, you have a Color Picker that is more than just a modified mouse cursor. By using this feature you also get a small window with a magnified overview of where the mouse cursor is located, and not only you can pick colors from a picture opened with PicPick, but also on images that are not related to the program, like your internet browser, desktop screen or an image opened with Windows preview.
The Color Pallete function is also offering a little extra, such as the instant HTML, RGB, C++ and Delphi color codes every time you pick a color. PicPick delivers a user interface that gives you the feeling of “a little extra” everywhere you look, and that’s a truly great achievement. You also get a Pixel Ruler, a Protractor and a Whiteboard.
The high-point of PicPick is probably the fact that it delivers a large amount of image capture options amongst which is the Scrolling Window that enables the user to capture entire scrolling pages in one continuous shot. Other image capturing options are: Full Screen, Active Window, Window Control, Region, Fixed Region and FreeHand.
To make things even simpler, PicPick offers a fair amount of keyboard shortcuts in order to help you pick the right tool for the right job with more ease.
Pros
– Great user interface with lots of small but intuitive functions
– Easy to use
– Fast, powerful and low on resources
– Great image capturing capability
– Built-in FTP and Facebook/Tweeter upload option
– It’s free
Cons
– Only for Windows users
PicPick Alternatives
If you like PicPick because of its multiple features for both image capture and editing, than you should realize there are not too many programs offering all of these tools. However the list is not completely blank and in terms of complexity the main rival of PicPick is the highly popular SnagIt. Both applications can grab screenshots in similar ways, but concerning the editing tools each one has its own set of functions which can’t be found within the other. Although a powerful program, SnagIt is fairly expensive, while PicPick is free so when you are down to making a decision you should consider the price, the differences between the editing tools and choose the one that suits your budget, needs and personal taste.
In case you are mainly interested by the screen capture capability offered by PicPick, then you might like to know about a few alternatives for PicPick that focus mainly on the screen capturing aspect, such as FastStone Capture and Jing programs .
FastStone Capture is a tool that has pretty much the same image capturing options as PicPick, but as a dedicated capture program it lacks the “paint” options that PicPick offers as a bonus. FastStone will also need a paid license after 30 days of use, and just as PicPick, FastStone can only run on Windows.
Jing is another alternative to PicPick, delivering a very good image capturing experience, not only to the Windows users but also those who prefer the Mac. Jing is also capable of capturing videos and share them instantly via web, Twitter and IM. Jing, just like FastStone lacks the other extra functions that PicPick delivers, instead it focuses on image capturing and it does a pretty good job. Jing is also free with the option of taking your product one step further by purchasing a Pro version.
Conclusion
PicPick is one of the best free image capturing and paint programs out there. It delivers a clear and straightforward experience, the user interface is clean, intuitive and it gives you the feeling that every option is conveniently placed at your fingertips. It comes packed with a built-in FTP client as well as the option to easily upload pictures on Facebook or Tweeter. If you’re looking for a complex, free image capturing program then you should definitely give PicPick a try.
