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Design · head to head

Affinity Designer vs Affinity Photo

Affinity Designer logo

Affinity Designer

Design

Professional graphic design software for everyone

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Affinity Photo logo

Affinity Photo

Photography

Professional photo editing software

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Affinity Designer premium AI features require separate Canva subscription; pricing for those plans not disclosed; Affinity Photo version 2.0 required a full repurchase after seven years, breaking the perpetual license promise made to earlier users
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Affinity Photo covers Photo editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo differ
AttributeAffinity DesignerAffinity Photo
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosmacOS, Windows, iPad
CategoryDesignPhotography
Founded19941987

Identical on both: starting price ($69.99/one-time), pricing model (one-time), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Affinity Designer

  • Vector drawing
  • Bezier tools
  • Gradient tools
  • Typography
  • Pixel-perfect editing
  • Artboards
  • Symbols
  • Non-destructive effects

Only in Affinity Photo

  • Photo editing
  • RAW processing
  • Non-destructive editing
  • AI enhancement
  • Retouching tools
  • Batch processing
  • Vector support
  • HDR tools

Both cover

  • Affinity Publisher
  • Dropbox
  • OneDrive
  • iCloud
  • Desktop deployment
  • Mobile deployment
  • Windows support
  • Macos support
  • Ios support
  • Multiple languages available language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Affinity Designer

  • Logo designnot Affinity Photo
  • Vector illustrationnot Affinity Photo
  • Icon designnot Affinity Photo
  • Brandingnot Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo

  • Photo editingnot Affinity Designer
  • RAW processingnot Affinity Designer
  • Retouchingnot Affinity Designer
  • Digital photographynot Affinity Designer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Affinity Designer

  • Premium AI features require separate Canva subscription; pricing for those plans not disclosed
  • Core Affinity tools are free but Canva premium add-on costs are not detailed

Affinity Photo

  • Version 2.0 required a full repurchase after seven years, breaking the perpetual license promise made to earlier users
  • Affinity Photo was discontinued in October 2025 and replaced by freemium Affinity application
  • No subscription model means no cloud storage or automatic backups like Photoshop Creative Cloud

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Designer

$69.99/one-time
  • Standard$69.99/one-time
    • Full version
    • All features
    • Lifetime updates

Affinity Photo

$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.
Affinity Designer review

Choose Affinity Photo if

  • You need photo editing.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iPad.
  • You also want raw processing.
Affinity Photo review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Designer or Affinity Photo better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time and Affinity Photo at $69.99/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Designer or Affinity Photo?
Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time and Affinity Photo at $69.99/one-time.
Does Affinity Designer or Affinity Photo run on more platforms?
Affinity Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Affinity Photo runs on macOS, Windows, iPad.
What is Affinity Designer best used for?
Affinity Designer is most often used for logo design, vector illustration, icon design, branding. Of those, logo design and vector illustration are not what Affinity Photo is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Designer do that Affinity Photo cannot?
Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Gradient tools, Typography. Affinity Photo covers Photo editing, RAW processing, Non-destructive editing, AI enhancement. Both handle Affinity Publisher, Dropbox, OneDrive, iCloud.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Affinity Designer: Is Affinity Designer free?

Yes, Affinity Designer is completely free. Every tool in the Pixel, Vector, and Layout studios, plus all customization and export features, are available at no cost with no seat count restrictions or payment requirements.

Source
Affinity Photo: Does Affinity Photo include RAW editing?

Yes, Affinity Photo includes non-destructive RAW photo editing and development capabilities for photographers working with RAW image formats.

Source
Affinity Designer: Are there premium features available in Affinity by Canva?

Affinity by Canva includes optional AI features available through separate Canva premium subscriptions (Pro, Business, Enterprise, Education tiers). Core design tools remain free; premium AI functionality requires a Canva subscription.

Source
Affinity Designer: Do I need to pay for Affinity Designer updates?

No. Affinity by Canva receives free updates and new features over time. The core application and all design, editing, and layout tools are updated at no additional cost.

Source
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