Photoshop = $400+
Xara Xtreme = $70+
GIMP = $0

Xara Xtreme is not an image editor, it is a hybrid raster/vector application heavy on the vector side with lots of special features found in PS, like it handles PS plug-ins, etc.

I do have my share of free, shareware, and cheap software to accomplish the various tasks in my graphics job.

But I like to depend on one program if it can handle it for most things - for me that's Xara. As you can see it ain't free, but compared to PS, it might as well be.

Just thought I'd mention its superior bitmap tracing function, one more great thing about Xara is all.