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Software · head to head

Affinity Photo vs Photopea

Affinity Photo logo

Affinity Photo

Software

Professional photo editing software

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

Photopea

Software

Free online photo editor

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Photopea has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Photopea performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Photo covers RAW processing, Photopea covers PSD compatibility.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Affinity Photo and Photopea differ
AttributeAffinity PhotoPhotopea
Starting price$69.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timeUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iPadWeb
Founded19872013

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 Photo

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

Only in Photopea

  • PSD compatibility
  • Layer support
  • Selection tools
  • Filters and effects
  • Google Drive
  • Adobe fonts
  • Browser-based
  • No file uploads to servers

Both cover

  • Photo editing
  • Dropbox

What people use each for

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

Affinity Photo

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

Photopea

  • Quick photo editsnot Affinity Photo
  • PSD file editingnot Affinity Photo
  • Web designnot Affinity Photo
  • Social media graphicsnot 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

Photopea

  • Performance becomes sluggish and prone to crashes with high-resolution images or multi-layered files
  • Risk of losing work due to browser crashes or save failures
  • Aggressive advertising that can slow down the entire computer
  • No local installation option, always requires browser access
  • Basic file organization and version tracking compared to professional tools

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Photo

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

Photopea

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Photopea review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Affinity Photo if

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

Choose Photopea if

  • You need psd compatibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want layer support.
Photopea review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Photo or Photopea better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time and Photopea at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Photo or Photopea?
Photopea has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $69.99/one-time for Affinity Photo and Free for Photopea.
Does Affinity Photo or Photopea run on more platforms?
Affinity Photo runs on macOS, Windows, iPad. Photopea runs on Web.
Can I use Photopea for free?
Yes. Photopea has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Affinity Photo starts at $69.99/one-time.
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 Photopea is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Photo do that Photopea cannot?
Affinity Photo covers RAW processing, Non-destructive editing, AI enhancement, Retouching tools. Photopea covers PSD compatibility, Layer support, Selection tools, Filters and effects. Both handle Photo editing, Dropbox.

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
Photopea: Is Photopea free to use?

Yes, Photopea is completely free and supported by ads displayed within the browser. No subscription or payment is required to use the full feature set.

Source
Photopea: Does Photopea support Photoshop PSD files?

Yes, Photopea fully supports Photoshop PSD files including layers, masks, text, and effects. It can read and export files back to PSD, PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG, or GIF format.

Source
Photopea: What platforms does Photopea run on?

Photopea is a web-based editor accessible through any modern browser including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. It can be added to desktop as a shortcut or Chrome extension.

Source
Photopea: Does Photopea upload my files to servers?

No. Photopea processes images entirely within your browser and does not upload files to external servers, keeping your work private and secure.

Source
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Related pages

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