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Photography · head to head

Affinity Photo vs NightCap

Affinity Photo logo

Affinity Photo

Photography

Professional photo editing software

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

NightCap

Photography

Long-exposure camera app for iOS aimed at night sky, star trail and light trail photography

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; NightCap it is iOS-only, so Android photographers cannot use it at all.
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Photo covers Photo editing, NightCap covers Manual exposure control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Affinity Photo and NightCap differ
AttributeAffinity PhotoNightCap
Starting price$69.99/one-timeOn request
Pricing modelone-timeOne-time purchase
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iPadiOS
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
  • RAW processing
  • Non-destructive editing
  • AI enhancement
  • Retouching tools
  • Batch processing
  • Vector support
  • HDR tools

Only in NightCap

  • Manual exposure control
  • Star trail mode
  • Light trail mode
  • Northern lights mode
  • Meteor shower mode
  • Astro mode with stacking

What people use each for

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

Affinity Photo

  • Photo editingnot NightCap
  • RAW processingnot NightCap
  • Retouchingnot NightCap
  • Digital photographynot NightCap

NightCap

  • An iPhone owner wanting star trail or Milky Way photos without buying a dedicated cameranot Affinity Photo
  • A hobbyist photographing the northern lights who needs exposure control the stock camera app lacksnot Affinity Photo
  • Someone capturing light trail shots of traffic or fireworks at nightnot Affinity Photo
  • A photographer who prefers a one-time purchase app over yet another photography subscriptionnot 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

NightCap

  • It is iOS-only, so Android photographers cannot use it at all.
  • Results are still limited by the physical sensor size and aperture of an iPhone, so it cannot match a dedicated mirrorless camera for astrophotography.
  • It requires a tripod or other stabilisation for most of its long-exposure modes, which is an extra cost and inconvenience beyond the app itself.
  • Its manual controls have a learning curve for someone used to a fully automatic point-and-shoot camera app.
  • As a niche app from a small developer, update cadence and long-term support are less predictable than a major platform vendor camera app.

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Photo

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

NightCap

On request
  • NightCap$2.99/one-time
    • Full manual exposure control
    • All shooting modes included
    • No subscription

Which should you pick?

Choose Affinity Photo if

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

Choose NightCap if

  • You need manual exposure control.
  • You work on iOS.
  • You also want star trail mode.
NightCap review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Photo or NightCap better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time and NightCap at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Photo or NightCap?
Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time and NightCap at On request.
Does Affinity Photo or NightCap run on more platforms?
Affinity Photo runs on macOS, Windows, iPad. NightCap runs on iOS.
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 NightCap is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Photo do that NightCap cannot?
Affinity Photo covers Photo editing, RAW processing, Non-destructive editing, AI enhancement. NightCap covers Manual exposure control, Star trail mode, Light trail mode, Northern lights mode.

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
NightCap: Is NightCap still maintained?

Yes, it remains listed and updated on the App Store, including a rebuilt version offered free to existing customers.

NightCap: Is it a subscription?

No, it is sold as a one-time purchase.

NightCap: Does it work on Android?

No, NightCap is iOS-only.

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