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Publishing · head to head

Affinity Publisher vs Draft2Digital

Affinity Publisher logo

Affinity Publisher

Publishing

Desktop page layout application, free since the Affinity range was relaunched by Canva

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Draft2Digital logo

Draft2Digital

Publishing

Ebook and print distribution aggregator that takes a percentage instead of a fee

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Affinity Publisher it cannot open native InDesign documents, only IDML exports, so inherited client archives either come across imperfectly or have to be rebuilt from scratch.; Draft2Digital the 10% cut is taken from the list price of every copy for as long as the title stays in the channel, so on a backlist that sells for years it costs far more than a one-off formatting or distribution fee would have.
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Publisher covers Master pages and text flow, Draft2Digital covers One-upload distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Publisher and Draft2Digital actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Publisher and Draft2Digital differ
AttributeAffinity PublisherDraft2Digital
Pricing modelFree, no licence fee10% of retail list price, no upfront fee
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iPadOSWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Publishing).

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 Publisher

  • Master pages and text flow
  • Prepress output
  • Unified application
  • IDML import
  • Data merge
  • Cross platform files

Only in Draft2Digital

  • One-upload distribution
  • Free conversion
  • Books2Read universal links
  • Print distribution
  • Free ISBN option
  • Series and back-matter automation

What people use each for

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

Affinity Publisher

  • Freelance designers and small studios that cannot justify a monthly page layout subscriptionnot Draft2Digital
  • In-house marketing teams producing brochures, reports and price lists for commercial printnot Draft2Digital
  • Print buyers who need to check and correct supplied artwork without a design suite licencenot Draft2Digital
  • Schools, charities and community publishers where a zero licence cost decides the toolnot Draft2Digital

Draft2Digital

  • An author with a growing backlist who does not want to maintain accounts at eight separate retailers and reupload corrected files to each onenot Affinity Publisher
  • A writer who wants library distribution through OverDrive and Bibliotheca without meeting the requirements those platforms set for direct suppliersnot Affinity Publisher
  • Anyone publishing outside the United States who wants Tolino and other regional European stores reached without local accountsnot Affinity Publisher
  • A publisher of series fiction that benefits from automated end-matter linking across every store editionnot Affinity Publisher

Where each one falls short

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

Affinity Publisher

  • It cannot open native InDesign documents, only IDML exports, so inherited client archives either come across imperfectly or have to be rebuilt from scratch.
  • There is no scripting or plugin interface, so studios that automate catalogue or variable data production still need InDesign alongside it.
  • Signing in through a Canva account is now part of using the free application, which is a problem for regulated or offline environments that forbid cloud accounts.
  • The roadmap belongs to Canva, and the 2025 relaunch already reset the licence model that earlier perpetual buyers paid for, so long-term direction is outside your control.
  • Commercial printers and freelance collaborators still expect InDesign packages, so handoff usually means delivering flattened PDFs rather than editable files.

Draft2Digital

  • The 10% cut is taken from the list price of every copy for as long as the title stays in the channel, so on a backlist that sells for years it costs far more than a one-off formatting or distribution fee would have.
  • Moving a title to direct distribution later means unpublishing and republishing at each store, which usually resets reviews, rankings and pre-order history at that retailer.
  • The free ISBN names Draft2Digital as publisher of record, which weakens the case that the book is independently published when dealing with libraries, bookshops or awards that check the imprint.
  • You lose the merchandising and promotional tools retailers give direct suppliers, including Kobo price promotion tools and Apple promotional scheduling, which are among the few levers indie authors actually have.
  • Payments wait on retailer reporting, so revenue arrives later than a direct account would pay it, and reconciling a discrepancy means the aggregator has to raise it with the store on your behalf.

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Publisher

Free
  • AffinityFree
    • Free for everyone since the 2025 relaunch
    • Layout, vector and photo tools in one application
    • Requires a Canva account to sign in

Draft2Digital

Free
  • Draft2Digital$undefined/month
    • No setup, subscription or conversion fees
    • Draft2Digital retains 10% of the retail list price of each sale
    • Free ISBN available, or supply your own

Which should you pick?

Choose Affinity Publisher if

  • You need master pages and text flow.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iPadOS.
  • You also want prepress output.
Affinity Publisher review

Choose Draft2Digital if

  • You need one-upload distribution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want free conversion.
Draft2Digital review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Publisher or Draft2Digital better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Publisher starts at Free and Draft2Digital at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Publisher or Draft2Digital?
Affinity Publisher starts at Free and Draft2Digital at Free.
Does Affinity Publisher or Draft2Digital run on more platforms?
Affinity Publisher runs on macOS, Windows, iPadOS. Draft2Digital runs on Web.
Can I use Affinity Publisher for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Affinity Publisher best used for?
Affinity Publisher is most often used for freelance designers and small studios that cannot justify a monthly page layout subscription, in-house marketing teams producing brochures, reports and price lists for commercial print, print buyers who need to check and correct supplied artwork without a design suite licence, schools, charities and community publishers where a zero licence cost decides the tool. Of those, freelance designers and small studios that cannot justify a monthly page layout subscription and in-house marketing teams producing brochures, reports and price lists for commercial print are not what Draft2Digital is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Publisher do that Draft2Digital cannot?
Affinity Publisher covers Master pages and text flow, Prepress output, Unified application, IDML import. Draft2Digital covers One-upload distribution, Free conversion, Books2Read universal links, Print distribution.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Affinity Publisher: Is Affinity Publisher really free now?

Yes. Since the 2025 relaunch the unified Affinity application is free. Artificial intelligence features need a paid Canva plan.

Draft2Digital: Should I distribute to Amazon through Draft2Digital?

Usually not. Amazon accounts are free and paying an aggregator a percentage on your largest sales channel is difficult to justify unless you have a specific reason to avoid a direct account.

Affinity Publisher: Can it open InDesign files?

Only IDML interchange files, and complex layouts lose fidelity. Native INDD files cannot be opened at all.

Draft2Digital: Can I use my own ISBN?

Yes, and you should if you want the imprint on record to be yours. The free ISBN is convenient but lists Draft2Digital as publisher.

Affinity Publisher: What happened to the perpetual licences people bought?

Canva made the relaunched application free to everyone, which superseded the paid version 2 licence model.

Draft2Digital: What happened to Smashwords?

Draft2Digital acquired it in 2022. The Smashwords store continues, and the two distribution operations were brought under one company, which reduced the number of independent aggregators to choose between.

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