I don't believe Elements has curves. This one feature, when one learns how to use, can become indispensable. OK, maybe not indispensable, but pretty darn handy. Elements is really good. I have it, and I also have Paint Shop Pro. They both cost about the same, but Paint Shop Pro does have curves, so I find myself using that almost exclusively. I am a photographer, and if you don't need to touch up photographs, you could probably easily live without curves.