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Publishing · head to head

Affinity Publisher vs FigJam

Affinity Publisher logo

Affinity Publisher

Publishing

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FigJam logo

FigJam

Productivity

Free online whiteboard for teams

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.; FigJam organization and Enterprise tiers are billed annually only, with no monthly billing option
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Publisher covers Master pages and text flow, FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Affinity Publisher and FigJam differ
AttributeAffinity PublisherFigJam
Pricing modelFree, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iPadOSWeb, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android
CategoryPublishingProductivity
FoundedUnknown2012

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

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 FigJam

  • Infinite whiteboard
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Sticky notes
  • Drawing tools
  • Shapes
  • Widgets
  • Templates
  • Voting

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 FigJam
  • In-house marketing teams producing brochures, reports and price lists for commercial printnot FigJam
  • Print buyers who need to check and correct supplied artwork without a design suite licencenot FigJam
  • Schools, charities and community publishers where a zero licence cost decides the toolnot FigJam

FigJam

  • Teams running collaborative brainstorming and whiteboarding sessions bundled into an existing Figma plannot 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.

FigJam

  • Organization and Enterprise tiers are billed annually only, with no monthly billing option
  • Free Starter plan caps AI credit usage at 150 credits per day and 500 per month, well below the 3,000 monthly AI credits on a Professional full seat

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

FigJam

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited editable boards
    • Basic tools
    • Unlimited viewers
  • Paid$5/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced templates
    • Moderation tools

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 FigJam if

  • You need infinite whiteboard.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
FigJam review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Publisher or FigJam better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Publisher starts at Free and FigJam at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Publisher or FigJam?
Affinity Publisher starts at Free and FigJam at Free.
Does Affinity Publisher or FigJam run on more platforms?
Affinity Publisher runs on macOS, Windows, iPadOS. FigJam runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Ios, Android.
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 FigJam is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Publisher do that FigJam cannot?
Affinity Publisher covers Master pages and text flow, Prepress output, Unified application, IDML import. FigJam covers Infinite whiteboard, Real-time collaboration, Sticky notes, Drawing tools.

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.

FigJam: Is FigJam included with Figma or sold separately?

FigJam is included at no additional cost with all Figma plans, from the free Starter plan through Enterprise.

Source
Affinity Publisher: Can it open InDesign files?

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

FigJam: How many AI credits does each Figma plan include for FigJam?

The Professional plan includes 3,000 AI credits per month, Organization plan includes 3,500 AI credits per month, and Enterprise plan includes 4,250 AI credits per month. Starter (free) does not include AI features.

Source
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.

FigJam: What can I do with FigJam's open sessions feature?

FigJam allows anyone to join open sessions for 24 hours without needing a Figma account, and you can create unlimited open sessions across your team.

Source
FigJam: What diagramming capabilities does FigJam include?

FigJam includes advanced shapes for technical diagramming such as AWS, GCP, Azure, and Kubernetes components, plus standard diagramming tools and connectors. All these features are available on every paid plan.

Source
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