According to XDA-Developers, Affinity has completely transformed its creative software lineup by launching a free unified app that merges its previously separate Photo, Designer, and Publisher applications into one platform. The new app, simply called Affinity, launched on November 1, 2025 following the company’s acquisition by Canva, one of the most popular freemium graphics platforms. This represents a major shift from Affinity’s previous one-time purchase model to a freemium approach where core features remain free but advanced AI tools require a Canva Pro subscription. Existing customers who purchased the old apps can continue using them but won’t receive future updates, effectively sunsetting the standalone applications. The move positions Affinity as the most serious free competitor to Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite that creative professionals have seen in years.
The subscription shift
Here’s the thing that’s got people talking: Affinity was one of the last holdouts against the subscription model. For years, they offered professional-grade creative tools for a one-time fee, which was a breath of fresh air in an industry dominated by Adobe’s monthly payments. Now they’ve joined the subscription club, but with a twist. The core app remains free – and we’re talking legitimately powerful tools here, not some watered-down version. The paid features are specifically Canva’s AI capabilities, which are bundled into Canva Pro subscriptions rather than sold separately by Affinity.
This is actually pretty clever when you think about it. Canva gets to upsell its existing user base on pro features, while Affinity gets massive distribution through a free app that can compete directly with Adobe. It’s a win-win for both companies, but what about users? Well, if you’re someone who just needs solid pixel editing, vector tools, and layout capabilities without the AI bells and whistles, you’re basically getting a professional creative suite for zero dollars. That’s unprecedented.
Photoshop-level power for free
The Pixel workspace (formerly Affinity Photo) is where this app really shines. We’re talking about features that directly compete with Photoshop’s core capabilities – object selection that’s apparently on par with Adobe’s, non-destructive layer editing, RAW development, liquify tools, and the whole suite of brushes and adjustment tools. The fact that all this is available without paying a cent is kind of mind-blowing. I’ve tried countless free Photoshop alternatives over the years, and most feel like compromises. This doesn’t.
But here’s my question: can it really replace Photoshop for professional work? From what the testing shows, the selection tools alone make it a serious contender. Object Selection apparently handles detailed edges just as well as Photoshop, and you’ve got all the manual selection options you’d expect. The persona system from the original Affinity Photo carries over too, meaning you get dedicated workspaces for different tasks like RAW development and tone mapping.
Vector and layout tools
The Vector workspace brings Affinity Designer’s capabilities into the unified app, offering Illustrator-level tools for creating shapes, paths, and text with adjustable properties and a massive brush library. For casual designers or anyone who needs vector capabilities without the Adobe price tag, this is arguably more polished than existing free alternatives like Inkscape. Meanwhile, the Layout workspace replaces Affinity Publisher with comprehensive desktop publishing features including master pages, CMYK support, and advanced text tools that make it a viable InDesign alternative.
What’s interesting is how these three previously separate applications now work together seamlessly in one interface. You can jump between pixel editing, vector design, and page layout without switching apps or dealing with compatibility issues. That’s something even Adobe’s Creative Cloud struggles with at times, despite all their integration efforts.
What this means for creative software
Affinity just did what creative professionals have been begging Adobe to do for years: make pro-level tools accessible without massive ongoing payments. The timing is perfect too, with growing frustration about Adobe’s subscription prices and cancellation policies. This could seriously disrupt the creative software market, especially for students, freelancers, and small businesses who need professional capabilities but can’t justify Adobe’s costs.
Now, is it perfect? Of course not. The subscription model for AI features might rub some people the wrong way, and we’ll have to see how the free version is supported long-term. But for now, getting Affinity feels like discovering a cheat code for creative work. It’s one of those rare moments where the balance of power in software actually shifts toward users rather than corporations. And honestly, it’s about time.
