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Canva acquired Serif, the company behind Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher, in March 2024. Canva did not disclose the purchase price, despite reports describing the transaction as a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Since then, Canva has relaunched Affinity as a free, unified application combining vector, raster, and layout tools.
That makes the story more than a corporate acquisition. For designers, the important questions are what happened to the original apps, what “free” includes, how Canva’s promises about perpetual licenses apply, and whether the new Affinity is a practical alternative to Adobe.
What Canva actually bought
Canva did not simply purchase three standalone applications. It acquired Serif (Europe) Ltd, the UK-based company that developed the Affinity software family. A Serif financial filing records that Canva purchased 100% of the company’s issued share capital on March 20, 2024; Canva publicly announced the acquisition on March 26.
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The original Affinity product family consisted of:
- Affinity Designer: vector illustration, branding, icons, and graphic design.
- Affinity Photo: raster editing, retouching, compositing, and image manipulation.
- Affinity Publisher: page layout and publishing.
Together, the apps were widely viewed as a professional alternative to Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, particularly because they traditionally used perpetual licenses instead of requiring a subscription.
Canva’s acquisition announcement describes the strategic rationale and the company’s view of Affinity’s user base. The corporate distinction matters because Canva acquired the product technology, brand, staff, and operating business behind Affinity—not merely the rights to three app names.
How much did Canva pay for Affinity?
Canva has not publicly disclosed the acquisition price. Fortune reported that Canva declined to reveal the financial terms. Other coverage described the transaction as worth several hundred million dollars, with figures such as US$380 million, £300 million, or A$580 million appearing in reports or currency conversions.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Those estimates should not be presented as a confirmed purchase price. The most accurate description is that Canva bought Serif in a transaction widely reported as being worth hundreds of millions of dollars, while the exact amount remains undisclosed by Canva.
In other words, “Canva acquired Affinity in a multi-million-dollar deal” is directionally accurate but imprecise. It is not accurate to state a specific figure as fact without stronger primary confirmation.
Fortune’s acquisition coverage also notes the lack of disclosed financial terms.
Why Canva wanted Affinity
Canva’s traditional strength is accessible, template-driven visual communication in the browser. Affinity brought something different: deeper desktop tools for professional vector design, photo editing, and page layout.
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The acquisition gave Canva:
- A stronger presence in professional creative workflows.
- A mature desktop application foundation instead of having to build a professional suite from scratch.
- Affinity’s engineering and product team.
- An established brand among designers, photographers, illustrators, publishers, and students.
- A more direct competitive position against Adobe’s core design applications.
Canva described Affinity as a way to empower “every kind of designer,” extending beyond Canva’s traditional focus on quick, collaborative content creation.
That does not mean Canva claimed Affinity would replace Adobe outright. Adobe retains major advantages in ecosystem breadth, enterprise adoption, cloud services, motion and video tools, plug-ins, and long-established production workflows. Affinity gives Canva a more credible professional-design platform; it does not automatically make the two companies equivalent.
What Canva promised existing Affinity users
After the acquisition, Canva and Affinity published several commitments intended to reassure the existing community. The 2024 pledge promised:
- Fair, transparent, and affordable pricing, including continued perpetual licenses.
- Continued investment in Affinity as a standalone product suite.
- Free access for eligible schools and nonprofits.
- Continued engagement with the design community.
The pledge also said that if Canva introduced a subscription option, it would be offered alongside the perpetual model rather than replacing it.
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This is important historical context, but it should not be confused with a permanent legal guarantee covering every future Affinity product. Canva later changed the product direction by announcing an all-new Affinity application that is advertised as free for everyone.
What happened to Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher?
The original applications became the Affinity V2 generation: Designer, Photo, and Publisher. Canva subsequently introduced a consolidated Affinity application that combines vector, raster, and layout capabilities in one workspace.
The new approach allows users to move between vector design, image editing, and page layout without switching between three separate applications. Canva says the application can open or import formats including PSD, AI, PDF, SVG, TIFF, and IDML, among others.
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- Drawing Pad: One is enough- The sleek Red Dial on the display is expertly designed with creators in mind, its strategic placement allows for natural drawing postures. With just one wheel, you can effortlessly zoom in and out, adjust brush sizes, and flip the canvas—all tailored to suit the habits of everyday artists. The 8 customizable shortcut keys allow you to personalize your setup, streamlining your workflow and enhancing creative efficiency
- Universal Compatibility & Software Support：supports Windows 7 (or later), Mac OS X 10.10 (or later), Chrome OS 88 (or later), and Linux systems. Fully compatible with major creative software including Photoshop, Illustrator, SAI, and Blender 3D. Register your device to access additional programs like ArtRage 5 and openCanvas for expanded creative possibilities.
Format support is not the same as perfect feature parity. A file may open while still requiring checks for unsupported effects, altered text flow, missing fonts, transparency behavior, color settings, linked assets, or export differences. Users should also avoid assuming that old macros, brushes, plug-ins, panels, shortcuts, or application-specific workflows behave identically in the unified app.
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What “free” means now
Canva’s current product announcement advertises the full new Affinity experience as free for everyone. Users can activate it with an existing Canva account, while new users can create a free Canva account to download it.
The practical distinction is between the core editor and optional Canva-connected services:
| Feature or workflow | What the announcement indicates |
|---|---|
| Core Affinity editing | Advertised as free for everyone. |
| Canva account | Required to activate the product according to Canva’s launch description. |
| Canva AI inside Affinity | Available to Canva premium users; examples include Generative Fill, Expand & Edit, and Remove Background. |
| Canva collaboration and publishing | Projects can be exported into Canva for collaboration, scaling, or publishing. |
| Local work | Canva says Affinity stores work locally on the user’s device. |
“Free” therefore does not necessarily mean that every AI feature, premium asset, collaboration tool, cloud service, or publishing workflow is included without an account or paid Canva entitlement. Nor should Canva’s “free forever” marketing language be treated as an irrevocable legal promise covering every future platform or feature.
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Canva also says Affinity content is not used to train or develop its AI features, including content created with Canva AI tools inside Affinity. That is a Canva policy statement, not an independent technical audit.
Read Canva’s explanation of the free model and data-use position at Canva’s Affinity announcement.
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- Professional Pen Performance: Huion H640P drawing pad for computer comes with the battery-free PW100 stylus that's always ready when inspiration strikes. With 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, every light sketch, or bold stroke responds naturally to your hand—just like a real pen. The 5080 LPI resolution and 233 PPS report rate deliver lag-free, precise strokes, so you can draw confidently without second-guessing your cursor. The pen side buttons help you switch between pen and eraser instantly.
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- Move Beyond the Mouse: Huion Inspiroy H640P is a pen tablet that replaces your mouse for more natural, precise control. Freehand draw, take notes, or even play OSU—everything you do with a mouse, you can do better with a pen. The precise tip makes it ideal for detailed photo editing, graphic design, or signing PDF. Meanwhile, the ergonomic pen grip helps you avoid the strain that comes from hours of using a mouse.
Education and nonprofit access
Canva pledged free Affinity access for eligible schools and nonprofits. Its support documentation says eligible K–12 schools and nonprofits can access the full Affinity suite—Designer, Photo, and Publisher—on Mac, Windows, and iPad through a valid Canva for Education or Canva for Nonprofits account.
Eligibility is not necessarily automatic. Organizations may need to verify their status with Canva. Administrators should confirm account ownership, device deployment, privacy requirements, supported platforms, and whether the current product version is covered.
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Details are available in Affinity’s education and nonprofit support documentation.
Why Affinity users remain cautious
The concerns are understandable. Canva has a subscription-led business model, while Affinity built much of its reputation around one-time purchases. Existing users may worry that the free application will eventually become a funnel into Canva subscriptions, cloud services, AI tools, or account-based workflows.
Other concerns include:
- Whether local files will remain practical for professional work.
- How much telemetry or account dependency the product will require.
- Whether AI features will become central to the product.
- Whether the unified application will preserve familiar V2 workflows.
- Whether Canva’s focus will shift away from standalone desktop software.
- Whether “free” will apply equally to future features and platforms.
The observable facts are more reassuring than the speculation. Canva publicly pledged to preserve perpetual licensing in the post-acquisition period, later made the new Affinity free, and says work is stored locally and excluded from AI training. Those commitments are meaningful evidence of current intent, but they are not the same as an independent guarantee of every future product decision.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Affinity versus Adobe: a more useful comparison
The question is not simply whether Affinity “kills” Adobe. The better question is which workflow fits your work.
| Factor | Affinity is especially attractive when… | Adobe may remain stronger when… |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | You want a free core editor or want to avoid a recurring subscription. | Your employer or clients already provide Creative Cloud. |
| Workflow | You need vector, raster, and layout tools in a desktop-focused application. | You rely on Adobe’s broader ecosystem, automation, or specialized applications. |
| Compatibility | Your projects use formats that import and export cleanly after testing. | Client, agency, printer, or employer workflows require native Adobe files. |
| Collaboration | You primarily work locally or can use Canva for selected collaboration tasks. | You need mature enterprise administration and established cloud workflows. |
| AI | You want AI to remain optional and are comfortable with Canva account requirements for connected features. | You need Adobe’s established AI and Creative Cloud ecosystem. |
| Scope | Your work is illustration, photography, graphic design, or page layout. | You also need extensive video, animation, motion, or other Creative Cloud tools. |
Affinity’s strongest case is for designers, freelancers, students, and small studios seeking capable desktop editing without an Adobe subscription. Adobe remains the safer choice where client compatibility, plug-ins, enterprise controls, specialized tools, or industry-standard handoffs are business-critical.
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- Working Area Configuration - HUION art tablet equips with a 10 x 6.25 inches working area, providing the user with the most comfortable size to work; the 10mm slim structure and minimalist design of appearance make the drawing tablet more attractive.
- Tilt Function Battery-free Stylus: This computer graphics tablet come with a battery-free stylus PW100, no need to charge, allowing for constant uninterrupted drawing. ±60° tilt support enables imitation of lines input with diverse drawing gestures, with accuracy ensured.
- Press Keys:12 programmable press keys plus 16 programmable soft keys, you can set shortcut keys on drawing tablet's driver based on your preferences, such as erase, zoom in/out, scroll up and down, and so on.
- Compatibility: HUION graphics tablet supports Windows 7 or later/ macOS 10.12 or later/ Android 6.0 or later/ Linux (Ubuntu). A USB adapter is required to connect to a Mac computer. H1060P supports various mainstream design and drawing software, including PS, SAI, AI, CDR, etc. (Please note: The H1060P is compatible with Ubuntu, but it requires the use of the Xorg display server. Wayland is not supported.)
- NOTE: You can easily connect your phone to the art tablet via the OTG connector; while iPhone and iPad are NOT at the moment. The cursor will not show up in the SAMSUNG Galaxy S series at present. If you are not sure whether the product is compatible with your Phone or any help, please contact us.
What existing Affinity users should do
- Keep working V2 installations for now. Do not uninstall a version that currently supports a deadline-critical workflow.
- Back up license records and installers. Preserve the information needed to reinstall the apps you already own.
- Archive important projects. Keep the original files, linked assets, fonts, color profiles, export presets, and a copy of the final output.
- Test the new Affinity on duplicates. Start with representative files rather than simple demonstration projects.
- Check production details. Test CMYK behavior, transparency, type-heavy layouts, linked resources, nonstandard fonts, PDF exports, and print output.
- Test Adobe handoffs. Open representative PSD, AI, PDF, SVG, TIFF, and IDML files and check whether effects, text, layers, and color settings survive as expected.
- Delay migration for high-risk work. Keep the old workflow available until the new application has passed your own production tests.
There is not enough official information to assume a complete migration matrix for every legacy feature, plug-in, macro, brush, panel, or file type. A professional workflow should be migrated based on tested files, not on the existence of a format-import list.
Who should try Affinity now?
Existing Affinity customers
Try the new application, but treat it as a new production environment rather than an automatic replacement for every V2 workflow. Keep your existing apps and files until testing is complete.
Adobe subscribers
Use a representative project to evaluate Affinity. Check file exchange, fonts, color management, plug-ins, automation, team handoffs, and client requirements. If compatibility affects revenue or deadlines, retain Adobe during the transition.
Students and new designers
The free entry point makes Affinity a low-risk way to learn vector, raster, and layout concepts. Canva is often better for template-driven collaboration and fast content production; Affinity is better suited to hands-on professional editing.
Teams and organizations
Evaluate account requirements, device management, privacy policies, export workflows, support, and administrator controls before standardizing. Education and nonprofit organizations should complete Canva’s eligibility process rather than assuming the offer applies automatically.
The bottom line
Canva acquired Serif—the company behind Affinity—in March 2024, not merely a collection of apps. The price was never officially disclosed, although secondary reports described a transaction worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The acquisition initially raised fears that Affinity would become subscription software. Instead, Canva later launched a free, unified Affinity application combining vector, photo, and layout tools. That makes Affinity more accessible and gives Canva a stronger professional-design position, while optional Canva AI and collaboration services create a path into the wider Canva ecosystem.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFor many students, freelancers, and independent designers, Affinity is now worth trying. For production teams with complex Adobe dependencies, it is better viewed as a promising alternative to test than as an automatic replacement. Preserve your existing V2 setup, verify real project files, and separate the free local editor from the Canva services you may or may not need.
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