Software · head to head
7-Zip vs Affinity Designer
7-Zip
Software
Free and open-source file archiver with high compression and strong encryption
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Affinity Designer
Software
Professional graphic design software for everyone
- From
- $69.99/one-time
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only 7-Zip has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 7-Zip windows-centric GUI design; native graphical interface is Windows-only, with no first-class macOS or Linux GUI applications provided; Affinity Designer sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription: the Windows or macOS edition was priced at CA$94.99, the cross-platform Universal License at CA$224.99, and the standalone iPad edition at CA$24.99 (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which 7-Zip and Affinity Designer actually diverge.
| Attribute | 7-Zip | Affinity Designer |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $69.99/one-time |
| Pricing model | open-source | one-time |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, macOS | Windows, Macos, Ios |
| Founded | Unknown | 1994 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in 7-Zip
Nothing recorded that Affinity Designer does not also cover.
Only in Affinity Designer
- Vector drawing
- Bezier tools
- Gradient tools
- Typography
- Pixel-perfect editing
- Artboards
- Symbols
- Non-destructive effects
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
7-Zip
- Creating highly compressed archives for backup and storage optimisationnot Affinity Designer
- Distributing self-extracting executables to users who lack archive toolsnot Affinity Designer
- Unpacking diverse archive formats (RAR, ISO, DMG) without purchasing separate toolsnot Affinity Designer
- CI/CD automation via command-line compression and extractionnot Affinity Designer
- Encrypting sensitive files with AES-256 for secure transmissionnot Affinity Designer
- Restoring archived VirtualBox and VMware disk imagesnot Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer
- Logo designnot 7-Zip
- Vector illustrationnot 7-Zip
- Icon designnot 7-Zip
- Brandingnot 7-Zip
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
7-Zip
- Windows-centric GUI design; native graphical interface is Windows-only, with no first-class macOS or Linux GUI applications provided
- Linux and macOS support primarily through command-line tools; no native file manager integration on these platforms
- User interface design is dated compared to modern alternatives; visual feedback and UX polish lag behind commercial archivers
- ARM64 support limited to Windows; no ARM64 build for Linux or macOS despite growing ARM adoption
- No built-in cloud storage integration or synchronisation; cannot extract directly to Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive
Affinity Designer
- Sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription: the Windows or macOS edition was priced at CA$94.99, the cross-platform Universal License at CA$224.99, and the standalone iPad edition at CA$24.99 (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)
Pricing, plan by plan
7-Zip
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the 7-Zip review.
Affinity Designer
$69.99/one-time- Standard$69.99/one-time
- Full version
- All features
- Lifetime updates
Which should you pick?
Choose Affinity Designer if
- You need vector drawing.
- You work on Windows, Macos, Ios.
- You also want bezier tools.
Questions people ask
- Is 7-Zip or Affinity Designer better?
- Neither clearly leads. 7-Zip starts at Free and Affinity Designer at $69.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, 7-Zip or Affinity Designer?
- 7-Zip has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for 7-Zip and $69.99/one-time for Affinity Designer.
- Does 7-Zip or Affinity Designer run on more platforms?
- 7-Zip runs on Windows, Linux, macOS. Affinity Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Ios.
- Can I use 7-Zip for free?
- Yes. 7-Zip has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time.
- What is 7-Zip best used for?
- 7-Zip is most often used for creating highly compressed archives for backup and storage optimisation, distributing self-extracting executables to users who lack archive tools, unpacking diverse archive formats (rar, iso, dmg) without purchasing separate tools, ci/cd automation via command-line compression and extraction. Of those, creating highly compressed archives for backup and storage optimisation and distributing self-extracting executables to users who lack archive tools are not what Affinity Designer is typically brought in for.
- What can 7-Zip do that Affinity Designer cannot?
- Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Gradient tools, Typography.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
7-Zip: Is 7-Zip free to use commercially?
Yes. 7-Zip is licensed under GNU LGPL with BSD 3-clause portions, permitting commercial and personal use without fees, registration, or restrictions.
Source7-Zip: What file formats does 7-Zip support?
7-Zip natively creates 7z archives and supports packing/unpacking ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, XZ, TAR, and WIM. It can unpack 30+ additional formats including RAR, ISO, DMG, and VirtualBox disk images without requiring external tools.
Source7-Zip: Does 7-Zip work on macOS and Linux?
Yes. 7-Zip operates on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Graphical interfaces are optimised for Windows; Linux and macOS primarily use command-line tools. Port and third-party GUI applications extend functionality on these platforms.
SourceRelated pages
More on Affinity Designer
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