About 13; min
Adobe charges $55-70/month forever. Affinity charges $0 — because Canva made it free in late 2025. The subscription vs one-time payment debate just became the subscription vs free debate. But “free” doesn’t mean Affinity replaces Adobe for everyone. We compared both on features, file compatibility, and the exact point where free software stops being enough.
All pricing verified March 2026 from adobe.com and affinity.serif.com.
Pricing: The Elephant in the Room
| Adobe Creative Cloud | Affinity Suite | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Monthly subscription | Free (since Canva acquisition) |
| Photo editing | Photoshop: $22.99/mo | Affinity Photo: $0 |
| Vector design | Illustrator: $22.99/mo | Affinity Designer: $0 |
| Page layout | InDesign: $22.99/mo | Affinity Publisher: $0 |
| All apps | Standard: $54.99/mo | All 3 apps: $0 |
| 3-year cost | $1,980+ | $0 |
$1,980 vs $0
Adobe CC Standard: $54.99 × 36 months = $1,979.64
Affinity Suite: $0 (free since Canva acquisition)
The question is whether Adobe’s extra features are worth $1,980 over 3 years.
App-by-App Comparison
Photo Editing: Photoshop vs Affinity Photo
| Feature | Photoshop | Affinity Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Layers & masks | Yes | Yes |
| RAW processing | Camera Raw (best) | Built-in (good) |
| AI features | Generative Fill, Neural Filters | Basic |
| PSD file support | Native | Opens and saves PSD |
| Batch processing | Actions + scripting | Macros (limited) |
| Plugin ecosystem | Massive | Growing |
| Performance | Heavy (RAM hungry) | Lighter, faster startup |
Verdict: Affinity Photo handles 85-90% of what Photoshop does. The gap: AI features (Generative Fill), advanced batch processing, and the plugin ecosystem. For photo editing, retouching, and compositing, Affinity Photo is genuinely professional-grade.
Vector Design: Illustrator vs Affinity Designer
| Feature | Illustrator | Affinity Designer |
|---|---|---|
| Vector tools | Yes | Yes |
| Raster + vector | Separate apps | Combined (Persona switch) |
| AI file support | Native | Opens AI files |
| SVG support | Yes | Yes |
| Artboards | Yes | Yes |
| 3D effects | Yes | No |
| Pattern/mesh tools | Advanced | Basic |
Verdict: Affinity Designer’s killer feature is the Persona system — switch between vector mode and pixel mode in one app. For logo design, illustration, and UI work, Designer matches Illustrator for most workflows.
Page Layout: InDesign vs Affinity Publisher
| Feature | InDesign | Affinity Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-page layouts | Yes | Yes |
| Master pages | Yes | Yes |
| CMYK/print prep | Industry standard | Yes (good) |
| IDML import | Native | Yes |
| Data merge | Yes | Limited |
| Book/long doc | Book feature | Basic |
| StudioLink | No equivalent | Access Photo/Designer tools inside Publisher |
Verdict: Publisher’s StudioLink is brilliant — edit photos and vectors directly inside your layout without switching apps. InDesign wins for book-length documents and print production workflows. For brochures, magazines, and marketing materials, Publisher is excellent.
Where Adobe Still Wins
- AI features — Generative Fill, Neural Filters, Firefly integration. Adobe’s AI tools are production-ready. Affinity has basic AI at best.
- Industry standard file formats — print shops expect InDesign files. Agencies send Illustrator files. Affinity opens these formats but round-tripping isn’t perfect.
- Premiere Pro + After Effects — Affinity has no video editing or motion graphics equivalent. If you do video, you still need Adobe (or DaVinci Resolve).
- Cloud collaboration — Creative Cloud Libraries let teams share assets, colors, and styles across apps. Affinity is desktop-only with no cloud sync.
- Plugin ecosystem — 20+ years of third-party plugins, scripts, and extensions. Affinity’s ecosystem is growing but orders of magnitude smaller.
Where Affinity Wins
- Price — it’s free — $0 vs $660-840/year. For budget-conscious designers, freelancers, and students, this ends the discussion.
- Performance — lighter apps, faster startup, less RAM usage. Affinity runs smoothly on hardware that struggles with Adobe’s bloat.
- No subscription anxiety — your software never expires. No “pay or lose access to your files” pressure.
- StudioLink — edit photos and vectors inside Publisher without switching apps. Adobe requires bouncing between Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
- One-time learning curve — all three Affinity apps share the same interface philosophy. Learn one, and the others feel familiar.
Who Should Pick What
Freelancer or small studio: Affinity. $0 for professional design tools. Save $660-840/year. Use Adobe only for specific files clients require in native format.
Student learning design: Affinity. Free, professional-grade, and teaches the same concepts as Adobe without the cost burden.
Agency working with clients/printers: Adobe. Industry-standard file compatibility and the AI features justify the subscription when clients expect native Adobe files.
Photo editing only: Affinity Photo. Handles 90% of Photoshop workflows at $0. Add Lightroom ($9.99/mo) only if you need a RAW workflow and catalog system.
Video + design: Adobe. No Affinity alternative for Premiere Pro or After Effects. You need Creative Cloud for video.
Hobbyist or personal projects: Affinity. Paying $55-70/month for hobby design work was always hard to justify. At $0, there’s no reason not to use Affinity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Affinity really free now?
Yes. Canva acquired Serif (Affinity’s parent company) in 2025 and made all three apps free. Photo, Designer, and Publisher — desktop versions — are free to download and use with no limitations.
Can Affinity open Adobe files?
PSD files: yes, with high compatibility. AI files: opens them but complex effects may not transfer perfectly. INDD files: yes via IDML export from InDesign. Round-tripping between Adobe and Affinity works but isn’t flawless.
Will Affinity stay free?
Canva hasn’t announced plans to change this. The strategy appears to be: free Affinity apps feed users into the Canva ecosystem. But always download and keep installers — future versions may have different terms.
All pricing verified March 2026. Adobe prices from adobe.com. Affinity apps free since Canva acquisition.
