Alternatives to Affinity
Free professional app from Canva that combines vector design, photo editing and page layout. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Affinity
Free professional app from Canva that combines vector design, photo editing and page layout.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Affinity.
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe's raster image editor for photo retouching, compositing, painting and generative AI edits.
Adobe Photoshop covers the photo editing side with generative AI features and a browser version, but it requires a subscription and has no vector or layout tools of its own.
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe's vector graphics application for logos, icons, illustration and typography.
Adobe Illustrator handles the vector design side with generative vector AI and Creative Cloud integration, but it is subscription only and does not cover photo editing or layout.
CorelDRAW
Commercial vector illustration, layout and graphic design software for Windows, Mac and the web.
CorelDRAW combines vector illustration, layout, photo editing and typography, and also runs in a browser, but it is paid software and the web version needs a subscription.
PhotoLine
An all-purpose image editor for Windows and macOS covering photo editing, vector graphics and page layout.
PhotoLine is a paid Windows and macOS program with photo, vector and layout tools plus CMYK, Lab and ICC color management and multipage PDF support.
Xara Designer Pro+
Desktop design software combining vector illustration, photo editing, page layout and no-code web design.
Xara Designer Pro+ bundles vector drawing, photo editing, page layout and no-code web design, but it is paid, proprietary and runs only on Windows.
Affinity Designer 2
Vector design app for illustration, branding and UI work.
Affinity Designer 2 is the legacy vector-only predecessor sold as a one-time purchase; it needs an existing v2 license and no longer receives new features.
GIMP
The long-running free image editor for photo retouching, compositing and general pixel work.
GIMP is free and open source with Linux support and full raster editing, but it covers only the photo side, with limited CMYK and no vector or layout tools.
Inkscape
A free vector editor that works natively in SVG, for logos, diagrams and illustration.
Inkscape is a free, open-source SVG vector editor for Windows, macOS and Linux, covering the vector side only, without photo editing or page layout.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Affinity as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Consumer photo editor from Adobe with AI fixes, guided edits and photo organizing.
Affinity is free for individual use and combines photo editing with vector and layout tools, though it requires a Canva account to download and lacks guided edits.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Scribus
Free desktop publishing for posters, magazines and books, with real CMYK output a printer will accept.
Pixelmator Pro
Apple's image editor for Mac and iPad with nondestructive layers, vector tools and AI features.
Figma
A collaborative design tool for interfaces, prototypes and product work, used in the browser.
Canva
An online design platform with templates and photo editing tools for making graphics in the browser.
Krita
A free digital painting program built for illustrators, with over a hundred brushes ready to use.
Photopea
Browser-based image editor that opens Photoshop, XD and Sketch files.
