What is Acorn?
Acorn is an image editor for the Mac from Flying Meat, aimed at editing rather than at being a full design suite. It works with layers and non-destructive filters, imports RAW images as 32, 64 or even 128 bit data, and includes vector tools for stars, arrows, Bézier curves and boolean operations alongside a large set of photo effects. Version 8 adds machine-learning features: AI subject selection, Live Text that detects text in an image, and Super Resolution resizing. It exports to JPEG, JPEG-XL, PNG, HEIC, WebP, TIFF, PSD, PDF and SVG, and it can be automated through AppleScript, JavaScript, Automator and Apple Shortcuts. It requires macOS 14 or later and costs $29.99 as a one-time purchase. It suits Mac users who want a capable editor without a subscription.
Verified product facts
- Type
- image editorEditorially reviewed
- Platform
- macOS
- Pricing
- One-time purchaseDeveloper-stated
- Price
- USD 29.99(US App Store)Developer-stated
- Developer
- Flying MeatDeveloper-stated
- Relationship to Nuanyue
- Third-party product — not published by NuanyueEditorially reviewed
- Current version
- 8.6.3Developer-stated
- Official website
- flyingmeat.com/acorn/
Last updated . Facts marked developer-stated come from the developer and are not independently confirmed; editorially reviewed marks a Nuanyue judgement.
Key features
What Acorn does at a glance.
Layer-based editing
With non-destructive curves, levels and filters
AI subject selection
Isolates subjects in an image
Live Text tool
Detects and copies text found in images
Super Resolution machine-learning image resizing
Data merge
Populates text boxes and images from a CSV file
RAW import
At 32, 64 or 128 bit
Vector tools
Including stars, arrows, Bézier curves and boolean operations
Over a hundred photo effects
Including tilt shift, vignette and gradients
Text
On a path and a circle text tool
Look-up tables
For colour grading, and JPEG-XL import and export
Smart layer export
At 1x through 5x, similar to slicing
Scriptable
Through AppleScript, JavaScript, Automator and Apple Shortcuts
What you can use Acorn for
- Editing a photo with non-destructive adjustments that can be reverted later
- Isolating a subject automatically instead of tracing it by hand
- Producing 1x to 5x exports for an app from one layered document
- Batch processing images through Automator or Apple Shortcuts
Who is Acorn for?
- Mac users who want a capable editor without a subscription
- People who automate image work with AppleScript or Shortcuts
Who is Acorn not for?
- Anyone who needs a full layout and page design suite — Acorn is an image editor
- Users on macOS 13 or earlier, since Acorn 8 requires macOS 14 or later
Limitations
- Acorn 8 requires macOS 14 or later; the vendor offers Acorn 7.4.6 for macOS 10.14 and newer, and that older version accepts Acorn 8 registration numbers
- Closed source, so the application cannot be inspected
- Apple Silicon support is not explicitly stated in the sources Nuanyue tracks, though the app uses Metal 2
- Photoshop files are opened as well as the application can, which the vendor states as a limitation rather than a guarantee
Strengths and trade-offs
What Acorn does well, and what to weigh before choosing it. Points marked developer-stated come from the developer’s own material and have not been independently confirmed.
Strengths
- Uses non-destructive curves, levels and filters, so adjustments can be reverted without losing quality.Developer-stated
- Imports RAW images at 32, 64 or even 128 bit for editing directly.Developer-stated
- Exports to a wide range of formats including JPEG-XL, HEIC, WebP, PSD, PDF and SVG.Developer-stated
- Smart layer export produces 1x to 5x assets from one document, similar to slicing.Developer-stated
- Can be automated through AppleScript, JavaScript, Automator and Apple Shortcuts.Developer-stated
- Is a one-time purchase with no subscription.
Trade-offs
- Requires macOS 14 or later, so older Macs need the previous major version instead.
- Closed source, so the application cannot be audited.
- It is an image editor rather than a design suite, so it does not cover page layout.Derived
- Photoshop file support is described by the vendor as opening layered PSDs to the best of its ability, not as full compatibility.Developer-stated
First-use experience
What the app asks of you when you set it up. Only established facts appear here; anything we could not confirm is left out rather than guessed at.
- Installation
- Downloaded from flyingmeat.com; the vendor also publishes a legacy build for older macOS versions.
- First launch Derived
- A registration number is entered to unlock the application; no account is required.
- System integration Developer-stated
- Automates through AppleScript, JavaScript, Automator and Apple Shortcuts, and exports through a dedicated export window.
What it does
Acorn edits images on the Mac, with the emphasis on editing rather than on being a design suite. Work happens in layers with non-destructive curves, levels and filters, so an adjustment can be reverted later without having degraded the image. RAW files can be imported as 32, 64 or even 128 bit data and edited directly rather than being preprocessed first.
Alongside the photo side it carries a set of vector tools — stars, arrows, Bézier curves, boolean operations — plus text on a path and a circle text tool, which covers the labelling and annotation work that comes up in image editing.
Version 8 and automation
Acorn 8 adds machine-learning features that remove manual steps: AI subject selection isolates a subject automatically, Live Text detects and copies text found inside an image, and Super Resolution scales an image up while trying to preserve detail. A data merge feature populates text boxes and images from a CSV file, which is a niche capability that is hard to find outside page layout tools.
Automation is unusually broad for this kind of application. It can be driven through AppleScript, JavaScript, Automator and Apple Shortcuts, and Smart layer export produces 1x through 5x assets from a single layered document — the slicing workflow an app developer would otherwise do by hand.
Formats and licensing
Export covers JPEG, JPEG-XL, JPEG 2000, GIF and PNG including animation, Indexed PNG, HEIC, TIFF, WebP, BMP, PSD with or without layers, PDF and SVG. Import adds Illustrator files with PDF compatibility, ICO, RAW, PICT and TGA.
Acorn 8 requires macOS 14 or later, and the vendor keeps Acorn 7.4.6 available for older systems, which will accept an Acorn 8 registration number. The licence is a one-time purchase of $29.99, or $19.99 each for two or more, and the vendor states the position plainly: no subscription, you buy a thing and you get a thing.
Questions about Acorn
How much does Acorn cost?
Acorn 8 is $29.99 for a single licence, or $19.99 each when you buy two or more.
Does Acorn use a subscription?
No. The vendor states the philosophy directly: you buy a thing, you get a thing.
Which macOS version does Acorn 8 need?
Acorn 8 requires macOS 14 or later. If you are running an older system, Acorn 7.4.6 requires macOS 10.14 or later and will accept Acorn 8 registration numbers.
Can Acorn open Photoshop files?
Yes, with a caveat the vendor states itself: Acorn will open a layered 32-bit PSD to the best of its ability, rather than guaranteeing full compatibility.Developer-stated
Alternatives to Acorn
Apps that could replace this one — the same job, a different trade-off.
Pixelmator
Apple's AI-assisted image editor for Mac and iPad.
Both are Mac image editors sold as one-time purchases, but Pixelmator Pro is now an Apple product on the App Store while Acorn is an independent app from Flying Meat.
GIMP
Free and open-source image editor for retouching, compositing and artwork.
Both are general-purpose image editors, but GIMP is free and open source and cross-platform while Acorn is a paid Mac-only application built on native frameworks.
Similar apps
Related in purpose, but not a straight swap.
Affinity Designer
Vector design studio in Affinity, now free from Canva.
Both handle vector and raster work, but Affinity is now a free suite covering design, photo and layout while Acorn is a focused paid Mac image editor.
Links
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the sources below. Last updated .
- Acorn on the Mac App StoreGrade A
- Acorn — official websiteGrade B
- Flying Meat — developer websiteGrade B
