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Affinity is back as a single desktop app combining the photo-editing, vector-design and page-layout work once handled by Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher. Canva says the core app is free forever, not a time-limited trial. You do need a free Canva account to download and activate it, and Canva AI features are the premium layer. For painters and other visual artists, that means a potentially useful set of tools for editing artwork, making illustrations and preparing publications—without an upfront software purchase.
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What is the new Affinity?
Instead of three separate applications, the new Affinity brings their main workflows together in one app. Canva describes it as a unified workspace with three task-oriented modes:
- Pixel: photo editing, retouching, compositing and other raster-image work.
- Vector: drawing, paths, shapes, logos and scalable illustrations.
- Layout: typography and multipage documents such as brochures, reports and portfolios.
That combination could suit painters who want to photograph or scan their work, adjust images, create supporting vector graphics and assemble a catalogue or portfolio. It is still a desktop design application, not just a browser-based Canva editor. Canva says users can customize studios and combine tools across the modes. Canva’s launch announcement explains the product and its included workflows.
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Is Affinity really free?
The core Affinity app is advertised as free forever by Canva. It is not described as a trial, and the announcement says a free Canva account is needed to download it. The free app includes the central photo, vector and layout tools.
“Free” does not mean that every Canva feature is included. Canva positions features such as Generative Fill, Expand & Edit and Remove Background as Canva AI capabilities for premium accounts. The precise AI feature list, limits and eligibility can change by plan or region, so check the current Canva plan terms if you need a particular tool. You do not need to treat Canva Pro as a prerequisite for using the core Affinity app.
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The free tier is intended to cover the main design work: photo editing and compositing, vector illustration, and page layout. Canva also lists support for formats including PSD, AI, PDF, SVG, TIFF and IDML. “AI” in that list refers to the Adobe Illustrator file format; it is not evidence that every Illustrator feature or effect will transfer perfectly.
Format support is not a guarantee of flawless import or round-tripping. Before relying on Affinity for a client or print job, test copies of your real files. Pay particular attention to layered PSDs with complex effects, Illustrator files using plugins or linked assets, InDesign documents with unusual fonts or advanced layout features, and PDFs that use overprints, spot colors or transparency. Check the visual result and the exported file, not just whether the document opens.
Canva says Affinity stores work locally. Its separate explanation of the free model also says Affinity content is not used to train AI. Those are Canva’s stated policies; they should not be confused with the processing terms for using Canva AI. If you handle confidential artwork or client material, review the applicable privacy and AI terms before sending content to an AI feature. Canva’s explanation of the free model sets out its position.
What happened to Photo, Designer and Publisher?
The former Affinity family consisted of three separate apps: Photo for raster work, Designer for vector work and Publisher for page layout. The new product brings those kinds of work into one application, organized around Pixel, Vector and Layout modes. It is better understood as a new unified product and a change in product strategy than as a routine “Affinity V3” upgrade.
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Should existing Affinity users switch?
Try the new app, but do not uninstall a working V2 installation just because the new core app is free. A cautious migration is especially sensible if you have years of files, custom resources or client-facing production workflows.
- Back up first. Preserve native files and final exports in more than one location.
- Test representative projects. Open copies of your most important files, including any that use linked images, special fonts, effects, brushes, assets or templates.
- Inspect production details. Check text reflow, image links, color profiles, page dimensions, bleed, crop marks, transparency and print output.
- Check your tools. Verify macros, presets, keyboard shortcuts and third-party plugins rather than assuming they transfer.
- Test handoff. Export in the formats your clients, collaborators or printer require, then confirm the results on their side before moving production work.
Canva lists common Adobe and publishing formats, but that does not prove native Affinity files or every feature will migrate seamlessly. Keep a working copy of the original until your tests are complete.
How to get started
- Go to the official Affinity site and check the current download options for your device.
- Create or sign in to a free Canva account and use it to download and activate the app.
- Choose Pixel for raster and photo work, Vector for illustration, or Layout for page design.
- Open a copy of an existing project, inspect it carefully, and save a separate native working file.
- Export a suitable delivery copy—such as a PDF, SVG, TIFF or PSD—and verify it before using it as your final handoff.
The launch announcement listed Mac and Windows availability and described an iPad version as forthcoming. That is a historical launch detail, not a reliable statement of current availability: check the live product page for the latest device options. The launch materials also do not establish a complete offline-use policy. They confirm an account requirement for download and activation, but do not answer how often sign-in may be needed or what happens during extended offline use. Keep the account used for activation documented and consult current vendor support if offline access is important to your work.
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Why is Canva giving Affinity away?
Canva’s stated case is that free access broadens the reach of professional design tools while optional premium features, AI, collaboration and other Canva services support the business. In its explanation, Canva reported more than 28 million paying customers and $3.5 billion in annualized revenue; those are company-provided figures, not independent verification. Canva’s account of its business rationale describes that model.
The commercial logic is straightforward: a free desktop app can attract designers who may later want Canva’s paid AI or wider ecosystem. That does not prove Canva plans to charge for today’s core Affinity tools later. But “free forever” is the company’s promise, not a guarantee that features, account requirements or offline policies can never change. For important work, keep source backups and broadly usable exports rather than relying on a single app or file format.
Is Affinity a replacement for Adobe Creative Cloud?
It may replace part of an Adobe workflow, but there is no universal yes-or-no answer. Affinity is worth trying if your work centers on photo editing, vector illustration and page layout, you prefer desktop software, and you want to avoid a recurring fee for core tools.
Adobe may remain the practical choice if your work relies on Lightroom catalogs, After Effects, Premiere Pro or other Adobe applications; agency or employer handoffs in native Adobe files; Adobe cloud libraries and collaboration; or specialized plugins and production pipelines. Affinity’s listed format support can help with exchange, but compatibility should be tested with the exact files and features your workflow uses.
Who should try it?
- Painters and illustrators: Useful for editing photographs or scans of finished work, producing vector graphics and assembling portfolios. Test color and print output if accurate reproduction matters.
- Students and independent designers: The free core app lowers the cost of trying a professional desktop workflow.
- Freelancers: A promising option if you can validate file exchange and client handoffs before changing your production setup.
- Agencies and larger teams: Check licensing, account administration, support, collaboration and service-continuity needs against current terms. The launch announcement does not resolve every enterprise question.
- Adobe-dependent professionals: Keep Adobe where its wider app ecosystem, specialist tools or client requirements are essential; Affinity can still be evaluated for selected projects.
For artists considering any account-connected tool, also find out how activation works for your organization and what data is involved when you use optional AI features. Do not assume local storage for ordinary work means that an AI operation has the same data handling. Canva’s policy statements and the relevant terms should guide that decision.
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