Affinity’s latest update: what the changes mean for designers and agencies

Affinity has long been regarded as one of the most credible alternatives to Adobe’s Creative Cloud. Known for its performance, professional toolset and lack of mandatory subscriptions, it earned a loyal following among designers frustrated with Adobe’s pricing model.

Recently, however, Affinity has undergone its most significant change to date. Following its acquisition by Canva, the Affinity platform has been fundamentally restructured, and the way designers access and use Affinity has changed as a result.

This post explains what has changed, what is no longer available, and what the updates mean in practice for designers and growing teams.

Historically, Affinity was made up of three separate professional applications:

• Affinity Designer (vector design)
• Affinity Photo (image editing)
• Affinity Publisher (layout and publishing)

These were available via one-off licences and, later, as part of Affinity V2.

That model is no longer available to new users.

Affinity has now been consolidated into a single, unified application that brings vector, photo and layout tools together in one place. Rather than switching between separate programmes, designers can now work across disciplines inside the same environment.

For many workflows, particularly web design, marketing assets and digital publishing, this significantly reduces friction.

Affinity V2 is no longer sold.

If you already purchased Affinity V2 or earlier versions, you can continue using them. They have not been disabled, and existing licences still work. However:

• New users can no longer buy V2 licences
• Feature development and long-term focus has shifted to the new unified Affinity app
• Future updates are expected to prioritise the new platform

For teams already invested in V2, this means there is no immediate pressure to migrate – but it does signal a clear change in direction.

One of the most striking changes is pricing.

The new Affinity app is available for free on desktop platforms. Core professional functionality, including vector editing, photo manipulation and layout tools, is included without a subscription.

This positions Affinity very differently from Adobe, whose tools remain locked behind ongoing monthly costs.

That said, there is an important distinction to understand:

• Core design tools are free
• Some advanced features, particularly AI-powered tools, are tied into Canva’s ecosystem and may require a Canva subscription

Affinity has taken a more cautious approach to AI than Adobe, which some professionals see as a benefit. Others may be wary of future feature segmentation.

From a practical standpoint, the new Affinity structure offers several advantages:

• A single application instead of three reduces context switching
• Vector, bitmap and layout tools coexist in the same document
• Cross-discipline work becomes easier for small teams and solo designers
• The learning curve is reduced for non-specialists

For agencies working across branding, web design and content creation, this unified approach aligns well with modern, fast-moving workflows.

Despite concerns following the Canva acquisition, Affinity has retained its reputation for performance and precision:

• Fast rendering and smooth interaction with large files
• Strong snapping, grids and layout controls
• Pixel-accurate zoom and detail handling
• A UI still clearly aimed at professionals rather than casual users

This helps distinguish Affinity from Canva’s core product, which targets a very different audience.

Affinity’s recent changes make it more accessible than ever, particularly for:

• Freelancers avoiding subscription costs
• Small studios and agencies scaling their teams
• Designers who want professional tools without vendor lock-in
• Organisations onboarding juniors or non-design specialists

However, it is not a direct one-to-one replacement for every Adobe workflow. Highly specialised print pipelines, deep After Effects integrations or niche plugin ecosystems may still favour Adobe.

Affinity’s evolution marks a strategic shift rather than a decline. By consolidating tools, removing the purchase barrier and aligning with Canva’s wider ecosystem, Affinity is positioning itself as a modern, accessible professional design platform – not just an “Adobe alternative”.

For designers and agencies willing to adapt, the updates present an opportunity to rethink tooling, costs and workflows without sacrificing capability.