Canva has relaunched its Affinity creative suite, once considered a competitor to Adobe following its acquisition of Serif last year. The new Affinity app has been revamped into an all-in-one solution that handles photo editing, vector illustration, and page layout in a single app. Unlike the previous model, where Designer, Photo, and Publisher were each sold separately for $70, the new Affinity apps emphasize that they are "forever free.".
The new version is currently available for Windows and Mac, with an iPad version coming soon. According to Canva, Affinity offers improved file compatibility with a "single unified file format" and includes integrated functionality for exporting designs directly to your Canva account. Canva Premium subscribers also gain access to AI-powered editing tools, including image creation, photo organization, and instant copy creation, all directly within the Affinity app.
Users who previously purchased Affinity products can still use older versions of the app and will not be forced to migrate to the new platform. However, Canva recently removed all versions of Designer, Photo, and Publisher V2 from the Affinity website, and has not announced whether technical support will continue for existing users.
One of Affinity's greatest strengths, its perpetual licensing model, contrasted favorably with Adobe's subscription-based Creative Cloud offerings and gained popularity among many creators. Since the acquisition, Canva has been strengthening its subscription-based features within its own services, leading to industry concerns that Affinity might also transition to a subscription model. However, Canva repeatedly emphasized its "free" nature in this announcement, attempting to allay these concerns. However, the integration of AI features within Affinity is expected to continue to generate backlash from some creators, who are concerned about technological abuse and diminished creative value.
