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Affinity Designer vs Fresha

Affinity Designer logo

Affinity Designer

Software

Professional graphic design software for everyone

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fresha logo

Fresha

Software

Free salon and spa software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fresha has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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); Fresha fresha charges a 50 percent one time commission on each new client booked through its marketplace, subject to a minimum fee per client
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Fresha covers Online booking.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Affinity Designer and Fresha differ
AttributeAffinity DesignerFresha
Starting price$69.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19942015

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 Affinity Designer

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

Only in Fresha

  • Online booking
  • Appointment management
  • Client database
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Staff scheduling
  • Marketing tools
  • Reports & analytics

What people use each for

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

Affinity Designer

  • Logo designnot Fresha
  • Vector illustrationnot Fresha
  • Icon designnot Fresha
  • Brandingnot Fresha

Fresha

  • Running appointment booking and point of sale for salons and spasnot Affinity Designer
  • Attracting new clients through the Fresha consumer marketplacenot Affinity Designer
  • Sending appointment reminders and marketing campaigns to clientsnot Affinity Designer

Where each one falls short

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

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)

Fresha

  • Fresha charges a 50 percent one time commission on each new client booked through its marketplace, subject to a minimum fee per client
  • Online card payments carry a 4.90 percent plus fixed fee per transaction charge on top of the subscription
  • Only 20 SMS or WhatsApp notifications and 50 marketing emails are free each month; everything beyond that is billed per message
  • Team and Enterprise plans are quoted as custom rates with no published figure
  • Add ons such as Team Connect and Insights are billed per team member per month on top of the plan
  • Enterprise pricing applies to businesses with 20 or more team members

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Designer

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

Fresha

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited appointments
    • Unlimited staff
    • Online booking
  • Payments (Add-on)$2.19/transaction
    • Card payments
    • Contactless payments
    • Online payments
  • Marketing (Add-on)$0.01/message
    • Email campaigns
    • SMS marketing
    • Automated messages

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 Fresha if

  • You need online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want appointment management.
Fresha review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Designer or Fresha better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time and Fresha at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Designer or Fresha?
Fresha has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $69.99/one-time for Affinity Designer and Free for Fresha.
Does Affinity Designer or Fresha run on more platforms?
Affinity Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Fresha runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Fresha for free?
Yes. Fresha 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 Fresha is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Designer do that Fresha cannot?
Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Gradient tools, Typography. Fresha covers Online booking, Appointment management, Client database, Point of sale.
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