Softwr

Design · head to head

Affinity Designer vs Shotcut

Affinity Designer logo

Affinity Designer

Design

Professional graphic design software for everyone

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Shotcut

Video Production

Free, open-source, cross-platform video editor built on the MLT framework

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shotcut 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; Shotcut interface is dense and less polished than commercial competitors like VEGAS Pro.
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Shotcut covers Native timeline editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Affinity Designer and Shotcut differ
AttributeAffinity DesignerShotcut
Starting price$69.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timeopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, Ioswindows, mac, linux
CategoryDesignVideo Production
Founded19942004

Identical on both: 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 Shotcut

  • Native timeline editing
  • Wide format support
  • 4K resolution support
  • Blackmagic Design SDI/HDMI capture
  • Multi-format timelines
  • Text and audio filters

What people use each for

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

Affinity Designer

  • Logo designnot Shotcut
  • Vector illustrationnot Shotcut
  • Icon designnot Shotcut
  • Brandingnot Shotcut

Shotcut

  • Free cross-platform video editingnot Affinity Designer
  • Working with mixed-format footage in one projectnot Affinity Designer
  • 4K video editing without a subscriptionnot Affinity Designer
  • Capturing footage from Blackmagic SDI/HDMI hardwarenot 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

Shotcut

  • Interface is dense and less polished than commercial competitors like VEGAS Pro.
  • No built-in cloud collaboration or team review features.
  • Performance on very large 4K projects can lag on modest hardware.
  • Community-driven support model means no official paid support channel.

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Designer

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

Shotcut

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor
    • All filters and effects
    • Community support

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 Shotcut if

  • You need native timeline editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want wide format support.
Shotcut review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Designer or Shotcut better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time and Shotcut at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Designer or Shotcut?
Shotcut has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $69.99/one-time for Affinity Designer and Free for Shotcut.
Does Affinity Designer or Shotcut run on more platforms?
Affinity Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Shotcut runs on windows, mac, linux.
Can I use Shotcut for free?
Yes. Shotcut 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 Shotcut is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Designer do that Shotcut cannot?
Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Gradient tools, Typography. Shotcut covers Native timeline editing, Wide format support, 4K resolution support, Blackmagic Design SDI/HDMI capture.

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
Shotcut: Is Shotcut free for commercial use?

Yes. Shotcut is distributed under the GPLv3 license, which grants the freedom to run the program for any purpose, including commercial use, at no cost.

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
Shotcut: Does Shotcut collect personal data?

No. Shotcut does not collect, store, or share any personal information, and it requires no network connection for activation or usage tracking.

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
Shotcut: What operating systems does Shotcut support?

Shotcut supports Windows 10 (build 1809) and later, macOS 12-26, and 64-bit Linux with glibc 2.35 or higher.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Affinity Designer

More on Shotcut

Keep looking

Other head to heads