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Photography · head to head

Affinity Photo vs Corel PaintShop Pro

Affinity Photo logo

Affinity Photo

Photography

Professional photo editing software

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Corel PaintShop Pro logo

Corel PaintShop Pro

Photography

One-time purchase photo editor from Corel, positioned as a budget Photoshop alternative with no subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Affinity Photo version 2.0 required a full repurchase after seven years, breaking the perpetual license promise made to earlier users; Corel PaintShop Pro corel has slowed its release cadence, so buyers researching a current edition often find the newest widely sold version is PaintShop Pro 2023, not a genuinely new annual release.
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Photo covers Photo editing, Corel PaintShop Pro covers Layer-based editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Photo and Corel PaintShop Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Photo and Corel PaintShop Pro differ
AttributeAffinity PhotoCorel PaintShop Pro
Starting price$69.99/one-timeOn request
Pricing modelone-timeOne-time purchase, paid upgrades
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iPadWindows
Founded1987Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Photography).

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 Photo

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

Only in Corel PaintShop Pro

  • Layer-based editing
  • AI selection tools
  • Batch processing scripts
  • HDR merge and photo restoration tools
  • Perpetual licensing with paid upgrades

Both cover

  • RAW processing

What people use each for

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

Affinity Photo

  • Photo editingnot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • RAW processingnot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • Retouchingnot Corel PaintShop Pro
  • Digital photographynot Corel PaintShop Pro

Corel PaintShop Pro

  • A Windows hobbyist who wants layer-based photo editing without paying an Adobe subscriptionnot Affinity Photo
  • A long-time PaintShop Pro user with existing scripts and workflows built around the productnot Affinity Photo
  • Someone restoring old family photos who wants the bundled restoration and HDR tools rather than assembling a plugin stacknot Affinity Photo
  • A budget-conscious small studio doing basic compositing that does not require Photoshop plugin compatibilitynot Affinity Photo

Where each one falls short

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

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

Corel PaintShop Pro

  • Corel has slowed its release cadence, so buyers researching a current edition often find the newest widely sold version is PaintShop Pro 2023, not a genuinely new annual release.
  • It is Windows-only, ruling it out for Mac-based photographers entirely.
  • Its RAW processing and colour engine trail Lightroom, Capture One and DxO PhotoLab in independent quality comparisons, particularly on noise and dynamic range.
  • The plugin and brush ecosystem is much smaller than Photoshop, so third-party workflows built around Adobe filters do not transfer.
  • Paid upgrades to major new versions mean the true cost over several years can approach a Photoshop Elements-style total, eroding the one-time-purchase advantage.

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Photo

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

Corel PaintShop Pro

On request
  • PaintShop Pro$79.99/one-time
    • Layer-based editing and RAW processing
    • Perpetual licence, no subscription
    • Paid upgrade for the next major version
  • PaintShop Pro Ultimate$99.99/one-time
    • Everything in the standard edition
    • Bundled AI and utility add-ons
    • Extra brush and effect packs

Which should you pick?

Choose Affinity Photo if

  • You need photo editing.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iPad.
  • You also want non-destructive editing.
Affinity Photo review

Choose Corel PaintShop Pro if

  • You need layer-based editing.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want ai selection tools.
Corel PaintShop Pro review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Photo or Corel PaintShop Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time and Corel PaintShop Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Photo or Corel PaintShop Pro?
Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time and Corel PaintShop Pro at On request.
Does Affinity Photo or Corel PaintShop Pro run on more platforms?
Affinity Photo runs on macOS, Windows, iPad. Corel PaintShop Pro runs on Windows.
What is Affinity Photo best used for?
Affinity Photo is most often used for photo editing, raw processing, retouching, digital photography. Of those, photo editing and raw processing are not what Corel PaintShop Pro is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Photo do that Corel PaintShop Pro cannot?
Affinity Photo covers Photo editing, Non-destructive editing, AI enhancement, Retouching tools. Corel PaintShop Pro covers Layer-based editing, AI selection tools, Batch processing scripts, HDR merge and photo restoration tools. Both handle RAW processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Corel PaintShop Pro: Is PaintShop Pro a subscription like Photoshop?

No, it is sold as a one-time purchase; major new versions are separate paid upgrades rather than a recurring subscription.

Corel PaintShop Pro: Does PaintShop Pro edit RAW files?

Yes, it imports and processes camera RAW files, though its RAW engine is less capable than dedicated tools like Lightroom or Capture One.

Corel PaintShop Pro: Is there a Mac version?

No, PaintShop Pro is Windows-only.

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