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Photography · head to head

Affinity Photo vs ON1 Photo RAW

Affinity Photo logo

Affinity Photo

Photography

Professional photo editing software

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ON1 Photo RAW logo

ON1 Photo RAW

Photography

All-in-one RAW photo editor and organizer, an alternative to Lightroom and Photoshop

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; ON1 Photo RAW it is a Mac and Windows desktop application only, with no mobile app or web-based editing option.
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Photo covers Photo editing, ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Photo and ON1 Photo RAW actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Photo and ON1 Photo RAW differ
AttributeAffinity PhotoON1 Photo RAW
Starting price$69.99/one-timeOn request
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iPadmac, windows
Founded1987Unknown

Identical on both: pricing model (one-time), 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 ON1 Photo RAW

  • RAW processing and organization
  • Layers and masking
  • NoNoise AI
  • Resize AI
  • Super Select AI
  • Generative editing tools
  • Presets, filters, and LUTs

What people use each for

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

Affinity Photo

  • Photo editingnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • RAW processingnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Retouchingnot ON1 Photo RAW
  • Digital photographynot ON1 Photo RAW

ON1 Photo RAW

  • Editing and organizing RAW photos without a subscriptionnot Affinity Photo
  • Replacing a Lightroom plus Photoshop workflow with one applicationnot Affinity Photo
  • Applying AI noise reduction to high-ISO imagesnot Affinity Photo
  • Upscaling images for large prints using AInot Affinity Photo
  • Building composite edits with layers and masksnot 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

ON1 Photo RAW

  • It is a Mac and Windows desktop application only, with no mobile app or web-based editing option.
  • Pricing and available bundles are not clearly listed on the marketing pages, requiring users to reach checkout to see actual costs.
  • Some advanced features and content bundles are locked behind the higher-priced MAX or Studio subscription tiers rather than the base one-time purchase.
  • As a smaller ecosystem than Adobe's, it has fewer third-party plugin and tutorial resources built around it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Photo

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

ON1 Photo RAW

On request
  • Photo RAW$undefined/one-time
    • One-time payment, no subscription
    • Install on two computers
    • Full RAW editing and organization
  • Photo RAW MAX$undefined/one-time
    • One-time payment or subscription option
    • Install on three computers
    • Adds extra effects and content bundles
  • Photo Studio$undefined/month
    • Subscription plan
    • Includes all individual ON1 plugin and standalone titles
    • Cloud sync and ON1 Plus training content

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 ON1 Photo RAW if

  • You need raw processing and organization.
  • You work on mac, windows.
  • You also want layers and masking.
ON1 Photo RAW review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Photo or ON1 Photo RAW better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time and ON1 Photo RAW at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Photo or ON1 Photo RAW?
Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time and ON1 Photo RAW at On request.
Does Affinity Photo or ON1 Photo RAW run on more platforms?
Affinity Photo runs on macOS, Windows, iPad. ON1 Photo RAW runs on mac, 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 ON1 Photo RAW is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Photo do that ON1 Photo RAW cannot?
Affinity Photo covers Photo editing, RAW processing, Non-destructive editing, AI enhancement. ON1 Photo RAW covers RAW processing and organization, Layers and masking, NoNoise AI, Resize AI.

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
ON1 Photo RAW: Does ON1 Photo RAW require a subscription?

No. ON1 Photo RAW is sold with 'one price covers everything, no subscription' as the default purchase model, though a subscription-based Photo Studio bundle is also offered for users who want ongoing access to all ON1 apps.

Source
ON1 Photo RAW: What AI features does ON1 Photo RAW include?

It includes Resize AI for super-resolution enlargement, NoNoise AI for noise reduction, Super Select AI for one-click selections, and generative tools such as Sky Swap AI and Generative Erase.

Source
ON1 Photo RAW: How many computers can I install ON1 Photo RAW on?

The standard Photo RAW purchase allows installation on two computers, the MAX edition allows three, and the Photo Studio subscription allows installation on five computers.

Source
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