Affinity suits designers who want vector design, photo editing and page layout in one app, and its own site says it's free for individuals on Mac and Windows. Photoshop suits people who want Adobe's AI editing, like Generative Fill and Harmonize, on desktop, web and mobile. If you're a solo designer, Affinity's free app is worth trying first; if you need Adobe's AI and workflows, Photoshop is the fit.
Affinity has changed a lot, so older comparisons may be out of date. I read Affinity's own site and Adobe's Photoshop page, and the facts below come from them.
Affinity and Photoshop at a glance
| Affinity | Photoshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, free for individuals | Not named; free trial, mobile app is a free download |
| What's in it | Vector, pixel and layout in one app, plus Canva AI | Image editing, graphics and art |
| Platforms | Mac and Windows; iPad coming soon | Desktop, web and mobile |
| AI tools | Canva AI inside the app | Generative Fill, Expand, Remove Tool, Harmonize |
| Linked with | Canva | Adobe Express Premium on the Photoshop plan |
| For teams | Enterprise option | Creative Cloud Pro with 20+ apps |
What Affinity offers now
Affinity's site describes professional design, photo editing and page layout in one app, and says it's free for individuals, with an enterprise option for larger organisations. Vector, pixel and layout tools sit together, so you design, edit and lay out a project without leaving your .af file.
It runs natively on Mac, on Apple silicon and Intel, and on Windows, with an iPad version listed as coming soon. Canva AI is built in, and Affinity's tagline is craft in Affinity, scale in Canva, with Canva integrations listed on the site.
What Photoshop offers
Adobe's page leads with AI editing. Firefly models drive Generative Fill, Expand and the Remove Tool, Harmonize blends people and objects into new backgrounds, and Topaz Labs upscaling boosts detail. New adjustment layers for Clarity and Dehaze and Grain work non-destructively.
Photoshop runs on desktop, web and mobile, and the Photoshop plan includes Adobe Express Premium. Creative Cloud Pro puts Photoshop together with more than 20 other Adobe apps for teams that need the full set.
One app or one specialist
The difference I'd weigh is scope. Affinity's single app covers what used to take three: vector illustration, photo editing and page layout. Photoshop is the specialist for pixels and AI-assisted edits, and Adobe covers vectors and layout with other apps.
So if you make logos, social graphics, brochures and edited photos, Affinity can handle all of it in one file. If your day is retouching, compositing and generative edits on photos, Photoshop's AI tools are built for exactly that.
It's worth thinking about who you hand files to as well. If your clients or printers work in Adobe's apps, check they're happy to receive files from Affinity before you move a project over. If you share most of your work through Canva, Affinity's links with Canva make that hand-off simpler.
Getting started is easier than it used to be, too. Affinity's site links to learning resources and to an Affinity vs Adobe comparison of its own, so you can see how it maps its tools to Adobe's. Treat that page as Affinity's view of a rival, and test the parts that matter to you: the brushes, the export formats and how your printer or client receives the files.
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Who each suits
Affinity suits freelance designers, small business owners and Canva users who want a professional desktop app without signing up for a plan. Photoshop suits photo-heavy marketers, retouchers and teams already in Adobe. My comparison of Canva and Adobe Express for small business design covers the lighter tools, and these Nano Banana prompts for image edits are a quick AI option alongside either.
My advice on Affinity or Photoshop
Download Affinity first, since it's free for individuals, and rebuild one real piece of work in it, like a flyer that mixes a photo, a logo and text. If it handles that comfortably, you may not need anything else. If you keep reaching for generative edits on photos, start Photoshop's free trial and run the same job there.
Do you make design and photo editing tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Affinity free?
Affinity's site says it's free for individuals, with an enterprise option for organisations.
Does Affinity work on Windows?
Yes. Affinity's site lists Mac and Windows, with an iPad version coming soon.
Is Affinity part of Canva?
Affinity's site carries the line craft in Affinity, scale in Canva, and includes Canva AI and Canva integrations.
Does Photoshop have a free trial?
Yes. Adobe's Photoshop page offers a free trial, and the mobile app is a free download.
Can Affinity do page layout?
Yes. Affinity's site describes design, photo editing and page layout in one app.
