What is Affinity Designer?
Affinity Designer no longer exists as a separate paid application. Affinity is now a single program from Canva, released free of charge, that contains a Vector Studio, a Pixel Studio and a Layout Studio — the work that used to be split across Designer, Photo and Publisher. Vector design happens in Vector Studio, with pen-precision curve and node editing, snapping and alignment, symbols and constraints for keeping icons and UI components consistent, and non-destructive editing with live pixel previews. It runs on macOS and Windows and requires a Canva account to sign in. Every tool is available at no cost, though Canva's AI features inside Affinity need a paid Canva plan. It suits designers who want professional vector tools without a subscription.
Verified product facts
- Type
- vector graphics editorEditorially reviewed
- Platform
- macOS
- Apple Silicon
- Yes
- Pricing
- FreeDeveloper-stated
- Developer
- CanvaDeveloper-stated
- Relationship to Nuanyue
- Third-party product — not published by NuanyueEditorially reviewed
- Official website
- www.affinity.studio/
Last updated . Facts marked developer-stated come from the developer and are not independently confirmed; editorially reviewed marks a Nuanyue judgement.
Key features
What Affinity Designer does at a glance.
Vector design
Inside the Affinity application's Vector Studio
Pen-precision curve and node editing
Snapping and alignment tools
For precise placement
Symbols and constraints
Keep icons, logos and UI components consistent across artboards
Non-destructive editing
With real-time pixel previews
Shape Builder
For creating and customising geometric elements
Fill Tool
With bitmap fills, hatch patterns and linear, radial and mesh gradients
Image Trace to convert a flat image into editable vectors
Warp shapes and expand or contract paths on the fly
Text
On a path, ligatures, artistic text, and character and paragraph styles
Expressive brushes
Add raster texture to vector illustration
Direct export to Canva
For collaboration
What you can use Affinity Designer for
- Designing logos, icons and UI components that stay consistent across artboards
- Turning a flat image into editable vectors with Image Trace
- Moving between vector illustration and photo editing in the same document
- Handing a finished file to colleagues or clients inside Canva
Who is Affinity Designer for?
- Designers who want professional vector tools without a subscription
- Illustrators who work across vector and raster in one document
Who is Affinity Designer not for?
- Anyone who needs to use the software without a Canva account, since signing in is required
- Users who need Canva's AI tools in Affinity, which require a paid Canva plan
- Anyone who needs the software to be open source, which it is not
Limitations
- Signing in requires a Canva account, so the application is tied to a cloud identity
- The former one-time licence for Affinity Designer is gone; the app is now free and funded through Canva
- Canva's AI features inside Affinity require a paid Canva plan
- Closed source, so the application cannot be audited
- Canva states that the iPad version is still being built, so the application is desktop-only for now
Strengths and trade-offs
What Affinity Designer does well, and what to weigh before choosing it. Points marked developer-stated come from the developer’s own material and have not been independently confirmed.
Strengths
- Every tool in the Vector, Pixel and Layout studios is available free, with no restrictions or payment required.Developer-stated
- Combines vector design, photo editing and layout in one application rather than three separate programs.Developer-stated
- Image Trace converts a flat image into clean, editable vectors rather than requiring a redraw.Developer-stated
- Symbols and constraints keep icons, logos and UI components consistent across every artboard.Developer-stated
- Edits are non-destructive with real-time pixel previews.Developer-stated
- Files can be exported directly to Canva for collaboration.Developer-stated
- The macOS build runs natively on both Apple silicon and Intel, so there is no translation layer.
Trade-offs
- A Canva account is required to download and sign in, so the app is tied to a cloud identity.
- Canva's AI tools inside Affinity are locked behind a paid Canva plan.
- The application is closed source, so its implementation cannot be inspected.
- The previous perpetual licence for Affinity Designer no longer applies, because the product has been replaced by a free application.
First-use experience
What the app asks of you when you set it up. Only established facts appear here; anything we could not confirm is left out rather than guessed at.
- Installation
- Downloaded from the Affinity site for macOS or Windows, which requires signing in with a Canva account or creating one.
- First launch Developer-stated
- Sign in with a Canva account, then set up a new document or open a file; vector tools are in Vector Studio.
- System integration Developer-stated
- Exports files directly to Canva, and the workspace can be extended with the photo editing and layout tools from the other studios.
- Apple Silicon
- Supported
What happened to Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer was a paid vector design application sold as a one-time licence. That product no longer exists in that form. Affinity is now a single application from Canva, released free of charge, and the former Designer, Photo and Publisher programs have become its Vector, Pixel and Layout studios. Anyone looking for Affinity Designer should look for Affinity, and should expect vector tools under Vector Studio rather than a separate download.
The consequence worth understanding is what changed for buyers. There is no licence to purchase, which removes the cost, and it also removes the option of owning the software outright in the sense the old licence offered — the application is now tied to a Canva account, and the paid tier has moved to Canva’s own plans.
Vector work
Vector Studio is the part that corresponds to the old Designer. It provides pen-precision curve and node editing, snapping and alignment, and symbols and constraints that keep icons, logos and UI components consistent across every artboard. Editing is non-destructive with real-time pixel previews, so vector work can be refined without committing to a change.
Beyond the basics it adds a Shape Builder for geometric elements, a Fill Tool covering bitmap fills, hatch patterns and linear, radial and mesh gradients, and Image Trace, which converts a flat image into clean editable vectors rather than requiring it to be redrawn. Expressive brushes add raster texture so digital illustration sits alongside logos and UI work in the same document.
Cost and accounts
Canva states that every tool in the Vector, Pixel and Layout studios, along with all customisation and export features, can be used as much as you want with no restrictions or payment, and that the app will keep receiving free updates. What is not free is Canva’s AI: features such as Generate Vector require a Canva premium plan. Signing in with a Canva account is required either way.
Questions about Affinity Designer
Is Affinity Designer still a paid app?
No. Affinity Designer no longer exists as a separate paid product. Affinity is now a single application from Canva, released free of charge, and vector design is one of its studios. Canva states that every tool can be used without restriction or payment.Developer-stated
Do I need a Canva account to use Affinity?
Yes. The download process prompts you to sign in with a Canva account or create one free, and the application is installed from there.
What are the Vector, Pixel and Layout studios?
They are the three working areas inside the single Affinity application. Vector Studio holds the vector design and illustration tools, Pixel Studio the photo editing tools, and Layout Studio the page layout tools — the work previously split across Affinity Designer, Photo and Publisher.Developer-stated
Does Affinity run natively on Apple silicon Macs?
Yes. Canva states that the macOS build is fully optimised for macOS and runs natively on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
Are Canva's AI features included in free Affinity?
Not all of them. Canva states that users on a Canva premium plan — Pro, Business, Enterprise or Education — can unlock Canva's AI tools within Affinity through the Canva AI Studio. Generate Vector, which turns a prompt into editable vector artwork, is one of those features.Developer-stated
Alternatives to Affinity Designer
Apps that could replace this one — the same job, a different trade-off.
Inkscape
Free open-source vector graphics editor built around SVG.
Both are vector design tools available free, but Inkscape is open source and standards-focused while Affinity combines vector work with photo editing and layout in one closed-source app.
Competitors
Direct competitors: overlapping features aimed at the same users.
Pixelmator
Apple's AI-assisted image editor for Mac and iPad.
Both are professional Mac creative tools, but Affinity is free and cross-platform with a Canva account while Pixelmator Pro is an Apple product sold on the App Store.
Similar apps
Related in purpose, but not a straight swap.
Affinity Photo
Photo editing studio in Affinity, now free from Canva.
Both were separate Affinity applications and are now studios inside one free program, so the distinction between them is a workspace rather than a purchase.
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the sources below. Last updated .
