Affinity — Canva's professional design suite combining vector, photo, and layout editing in one free app.
By Noahlast updated
Affinity screenshots & video
Affinity in 20 seconds
Best for: designers and photographers wanting professional editing tools without a subscription, minus AI generative features
Pricing: Core app is free with a Canva account; optional Canva Pro at $14.99/month ($119.99/year) unlocks AI generative tools.
- Affinity's core app (Vector, Pixel, and Layout studios) became completely free for individuals in 2026 following Canva's acquisition.
- Generative AI features require a Canva Pro subscription at $14.99/month or $119.99/year.
- Affinity merges what were previously three separate paid apps (Designer, Photo, Publisher) into one application.
- Affinity Photo holds a 4.8/5 rating from 99 reviews on Capterra.
- Affinity currently runs on Windows and macOS; iPad support is listed as coming soon.
Limitations: AI generative features require a separate paid Canva Pro subscription.; No iPad app yet, despite being listed as coming soon.; No Linux support.
Top alternatives: Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Procreate, CorelDRAW, Inkscape — full list
What is Affinity?
Affinity is Canva's professional-grade creative application, unifying the vector illustration, raster photo editing, and page layout tools that were previously sold as three separate apps (Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher, each historically a one-time purchase). Users can switch between Vector, Pixel, and Layout studios inside a single workspace and mix tools across all three without opening separate programs. Since Canva's acquisition, the core application is free for everyone with no restrictions on tools, customization, or export — a major shift from Affinity's previous one-time-purchase-per-app model and a direct challenge to Adobe's subscription pricing. Generative AI features (Generative Fill, Generative Expand, and AI-generated images or vectors) are powered by Canva's AI and gated behind a Canva Pro subscription, which also raises the monthly AI-generation credit allowance from Canva's free-tier limit. The app currently runs on Windows and macOS (optimized for both Apple silicon and Intel); iPad support is listed as coming soon rather than currently available.
Affinity is Canva's professional creative application, merging what used to be three separate paid apps (Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher) into one program with Vector, Pixel, and Layout studios, used by graphic designers, photographers, and desktop publishers who want Photoshop/Illustrator-caliber tools without a subscription fee. Following Canva's acquisition, the core app became completely free for individuals in 2026, requiring only a free Canva account; optional AI features (Generative Fill, Expand, Generate Image/Vector) require a Canva Pro subscription at $14.99/month or $119.99/year. Affinity runs on Windows and macOS, with iPad support listed as coming soon. Affinity Photo holds a 4.8/5 rating from 99 reviews on Capterra.
Standout feature: The full Vector, Pixel, and Layout studios are free with no feature restrictions, a direct reversal from Affinity's former one-time-purchase model and from Adobe's subscription pricing.
Biggest weakness: Generative AI tools (Fill, Expand, AI image/vector generation) require a separate Canva Pro subscription rather than being included, iPad support is still listed as coming soon rather than shipped, and there is no Linux version.
Pros
- Full professional design suite (vector, raster, layout) free with no time limit or feature gate on the core tools.
- Requires only a free Canva account, no credit card, to unlock everything in the base app.
- Backed by Canva's infrastructure and update cadence rather than a small independent studio.
- Optional Canva Pro AI features integrate directly inside the same app rather than requiring a separate tool.
Cons
- Generative AI features are gated behind a paid Canva Pro subscription ($14.99/month or $119.99/year).
- No iPad app yet; it is listed as coming soon rather than available.
- No Linux support.
- The 2026 rebrand merging three separate apps into one changes workflows for users of the older per-app Affinity Designer/Photo/Publisher versions.
Affinity pricing
Free tier · paid from $14.99/mo
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Affinity (core app) | Free | Free forever with a free Canva account; full access to Vector, Pixel, and Layout studios plus all customization and export features, no restrictions. |
| Canva Pro (optional, unlocks AI tools) | $14.99/mo | $119.99/year with annual billing; adds Generative Fill, Generative Expand, and AI image/vector generation inside Affinity, plus a larger monthly AI-credit allowance than the free Canva tier. |
What reviewers say
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