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Design · head to head

Affinity Designer vs Balsamiq Wireframes

Affinity Designer logo

Affinity Designer

Design

Professional graphic design software for everyone

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Balsamiq Wireframes logo

Balsamiq Wireframes

Design

Low-fidelity wireframing that keeps focus on structure and content

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Balsamiq Wireframes has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Affinity Designer premium AI features require separate Canva subscription; pricing for those plans not disclosed; Balsamiq Wireframes starter plan is capped at 10 projects and costs $16 per editor per month ($192/year)
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Designer and Balsamiq Wireframes actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Designer and Balsamiq Wireframes differ
AttributeAffinity DesignerBalsamiq Wireframes
Starting price$69.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb
Founded1994Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Design).

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 Balsamiq Wireframes

Nothing recorded that Affinity Designer does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Affinity Designer

  • Logo designnot Balsamiq Wireframes
  • Vector illustrationnot Balsamiq Wireframes
  • Icon designnot Balsamiq Wireframes
  • Brandingnot Balsamiq Wireframes

Balsamiq Wireframes

  • Creating wireframes for idea communicationnot Affinity Designer
  • Prototyping interfaces faster than design toolsnot Affinity Designer
  • Collaborating on wireframes with unlimited reviewersnot Affinity Designer
  • Exporting designs to PDF and imagesnot 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

Balsamiq Wireframes

  • Starter plan is capped at 10 projects and costs $16 per editor per month ($192/year)
  • Teams plan raises the cap to only 100 projects at $24 per editor per month; even Enterprise tops out at 400 projects
  • AI credits are metered per editor per month (500 on Starter, 1,000 on Teams, 2,500 on Enterprise), so AI features have a hard usage ceiling beyond the base seat price

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Designer

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

Balsamiq Wireframes

Free
  • Starter$16/month
    • Up to 10 projects
    • Unlimited reviewers
    • 500 monthly AI credits per editor
  • Teams$24/month
    • Up to 100 projects
    • Unlimited reviewers
    • 1000 monthly AI credits per editor
  • Enterprise$35/month
    • Up to 400 projects
    • 2500 monthly AI credits per editor
    • SSO with SAML

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 Balsamiq Wireframes if

  • You want to start without paying.
Balsamiq Wireframes review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Designer or Balsamiq Wireframes better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time and Balsamiq Wireframes at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Designer or Balsamiq Wireframes?
Balsamiq Wireframes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $69.99/one-time for Affinity Designer and Free for Balsamiq Wireframes.
Does Affinity Designer or Balsamiq Wireframes run on more platforms?
Affinity Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Balsamiq Wireframes runs on Web.
Can I use Balsamiq Wireframes for free?
Yes. Balsamiq Wireframes has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time.
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 Balsamiq Wireframes is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Designer do that Balsamiq Wireframes cannot?
Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Gradient tools, Typography.

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
Balsamiq Wireframes: How much does Balsamiq Wireframes cost per editor?

Balsamiq charges $16/month (Starter), $24/month (Teams), or $35/month (Enterprise) per editor when billed annually. Monthly billing costs $192/year, $288/year, or $420/year respectively. Only editors who actively make changes are counted, not viewers or stakeholders.

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
Balsamiq Wireframes: What AI credit limits does Balsamiq provide by plan?

Starter includes 500 monthly AI credits per editor, Teams includes 1000 monthly credits per editor, and Enterprise includes 2500 monthly credits per editor. Additional on-demand credits can be purchased at $15 per 500 credits across all tiers.

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
Balsamiq Wireframes: What are the project limits across Balsamiq plans?

Starter allows up to 10 projects, Teams allows up to 100 projects, and Enterprise allows up to 400 projects per workspace. All tiers support unlimited boards within each project.

Source
Balsamiq Wireframes: Is there a free trial for Balsamiq Wireframes?

Balsamiq offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required for new users to evaluate the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Source
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