| Affinity | |
|---|---|
_Logo.svg){kind=logo} | |
 Affinity 3.0.0 running onWindows 11 | |
| Developers | Serif Europe Canva |
| Stable release | |
| Operating system | macOS,Microsoft Windows |
| Available in | 9 languages |
| Type | Graphics editor |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | affinity |
Affinity is agraphics editor developed bySerif, a subsidiary ofCanva. It is simultaneously avector graphics editor, araster graphics editor and adesktop publishing application.
It was first released in 2025 as a successor to Serif'sAffinity Designer,Affinity Photo andAffinity Publisher, uniting the three editors into one application. While the previous versions competed individually againstAdobe'sIllustrator,Photoshop, andInDesign, Affinity 3.0 integrates their functionality into a singular application. It utilizes afreemium model monetized byAI features exclusive to Canva Pro subscribers.
Affinity is divided into a number of workspaces ("studios"), which are equivalent to the previous suite of Affinity applications: "vector" for vector graphics (Designer), "pixel" for raster editing (Photo), and "layout" for desktop publishing (Publisher). Additionally, it introduces the ability to create custom workspaces.[2]
The application supports real-time previews and non-destructive editing, which are based on GPU acceleration.[3] Supported file formats includeAdobe Photoshop,InDesign andIllustrator files,PDF,SVG, andTIFF, as well as a custom .af file format.[4]
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| This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(November 2025) |
Affinity includes photo editing tools including adjustments, masks,blend modes, batch processing, and retouching facilities.[5][4] Additionally, the application can developRAW files, similar toAdobe Lightroom.[6]
| This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(November 2025) |
Publishing features include master pages, text styles, and advanced typography.[4]
| This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(November 2025) |
The application supportsCanva's existing AI features, such as background removal and generative fill. This requires a Canva subscription.[2]
Serif launched the original Affinity suite starting with Affinity Designer in 2014, followed by Photo (2015) and Publisher (2019). The software gained popularity for its one-time purchase model, contrasting with Adobe's subscription-based Creative Cloud. In November 2022, Serif released Version 2 of the suite, introducing a "Universal License" that covered all three apps across all platforms.[7][8]In March 2024,Canva acquired Serif for approximately A$580 million (£300 million).[9] Following user backlash regarding a potential shift to subscriptions, Canva and Serif issued a joint "Pledge" committing to four key principles: fair pricing, no mandatory subscriptions, perpetual licenses for existing products, and continued development of Affinity as a standalone suite.[10][11]
In September 2025, Serif pulled all existing versions ofAffinity Designer,Affinity Photo andAffinity Publisher from sale amid an upcoming announcement on 30 October; ahead of the announcement, the iPadOS versions of the Affinity suite also became free on App Store.[12][13] During a "Creative Freedom" keynote on 30 October 2025,Canva released a new version now simply branded as "Affinity" (also known as "Affinity by Canva"), and referred to internally as version 3.0.[14] Version 3 drops the separate applications and integrates their functionality into a singular application, and adds the ability to export directly to the Canva platform. It also adds a CanvaAI studio, including background removal, "Expand & Edit", andgenerative fill.[15][16][17]
As of version 3, Affinity has switched to afreemium model; it is now available at no charge to users, although access to Canva AI features are locked behind the existing Canva Pro subscription service. Serif stated that the perpetually-licensed version 2 will remain available to existing owners, although it will no longer be actively maintained. The new version is currently available for macOS and Windows only, with an iPadOS version to be released soon.[15][16][17]
The change in business model by Canva in 2025 was met with mixed reception, including concerns about its incorporation of AI features. Some users were concerned that their projects would be used formachine learning purposes, or that future versions would suffer from a lack of maintenance or becomeadware. Additionally, some felt it turned Affinity into fundamentally subscription-based software, given the prevalence of these features in professional contexts.[5]
Affinity publicly stated on social media that it would remain "free forever", users' projects would not be used to train AI models, and that "Canva has built a sustainable business model that allows this kind of generosity. And when more professionals use Affinity, Canva can sell more seats into businesses."[5][18]
| Free and open-source | |
|---|---|
| Proprietary | |
| Discontinued | |
