Your own finished images or layouts are the main deliverable
The free core includes substantial photo tools alongside vector and page-layout work.
Affinity vs Adobe Photoshop
The relevant Affinity comparison has changed. Its current desktop application combines vector, pixel and layout tools in a free core product activated with a Canva account. Old comparisons based on buying separate Affinity V2 licenses no longer describe the entry cost for this app.
Which software fits your needs
You must preserve a Photoshop-dependent working file
Its native layers and Smart Objects avoid introducing another application's interpretation into that required handoff.
The short answer
Affinity is a serious candidate when you want local photo work without a recurring payment for the core editor. Photoshop deserves priority when a client's editable PSD requirements or an established Adobe workflow determine the handoff. Verify the actual files before switching.
Prices and billing terms
Published prices keep their original currency and billing terms. Taxes, promotions and checkout prices can differ.
Affinity
Core desktop application
Free
Free individual application
AvailabilityGlobal; availability applies
Vector, Pixel and Layout tools are free with a Canva account.
SourceAdobe Photoshop
Mobile entry plan
Free
Free mobile app with optional premium features
AvailabilityApp availability varies by region
This does not include perpetual free desktop Photoshop.
SourcePhotoshop — annual billed monthly
USD 22.99/month
Annual subscription billed monthly
AvailabilityUnited States
Includes desktop, web and mobile plus Express Premium. This is not a cancel-any-month plan.
SourcePhotoshop — annual prepaid
USD 263.88/year
Annual subscription paid upfront
AvailabilityUnited States
Official FAQ annual price; 100 GB cloud storage.
SourcePhotography — annual billed monthly
USD 19.99/month
Annual subscription billed monthly
AvailabilityUnited States
Includes Photoshop and Lightroom; 1 TB shown in the comparison.
SourceThe details, side by side
12 features
Documented differences. An unverified answer means we do not have enough evidence.
Platforms
Affinity
The new app supports Windows and macOS. Its iPad edition is listed as coming soon.
Vendor documentedSource
Offline use
Affinity
Online download and Canva activation are required; core use can continue offline for extended periods.
Vendor documentedSource
Adobe Photoshop
Installed apps can work offline after activation; periodic licensing checks and plan-dependent grace periods apply.
Vendor documentedSource
Collaboration
Affinity
Files can be exported to Canva for shared work. This does not establish simultaneous editing of a local .af document.
Vendor documentedSource
Adobe Photoshop
Share for review supports browser comments. Invite to edit requires the document to be saved in the cloud.
Vendor documentedSource
Export
Affinity
The photo guide lists JPEG, PNG, TIFF, WebP and press-ready PDF. Exported PNG/PDF is not an editable Photoshop round-trip.
Vendor documentedSource
Adobe Photoshop
Save locally or to Creative Cloud. Save a Copy can produce flattened JPEG or PNG while preserving the working document.
Vendor documentedSource
Project portability
Affinity
Layered PSD import can retain masks, groups and adjustments; Smart Objects and advanced filters may flatten.
Vendor documentedSource
Adobe Photoshop
Embedded Smart Objects preserve source information; PSD, TIFF or PSB can retain layers while JPEG flattens them.
Vendor documentedSource
Free plan limits
Affinity
Vector, Pixel and Layout studios plus customization and export are free with a Canva account.
Vendor documentedSource
AI features
Adobe Photoshop
The Photoshop single-app offer lists 25 monthly generative credits. Larger bundles have different allowances.
Vendor documentedSource
Privacy and storage
Affinity
Affinity states that local content is not used to train its AI. Uploading or exporting to Canva introduces Canva privacy settings.
Vendor documentedSource
Adobe Photoshop
Not yet verified for this product.
V1 and V2 migration
Affinity
The new app opens V1/V2 files, but older apps cannot open files saved in the new .af format.
Vendor documentedSource
Adobe Photoshop
Not yet verified for this product.
Nondestructive changes
Affinity
The photo toolkit includes RAW development, live filters, masks, HDR merging and batch macros.
Vendor documentedSource
Local or cloud
Affinity
Not yet verified for this product.
Adobe Photoshop
The default save location can be set to the computer or Creative Cloud.
Vendor documentedSource
AI Assistant availability
Affinity
Not yet verified for this product.
Adobe Photoshop
The current mobile page places AI Assistant beta on web and mobile and explicitly excludes desktop.
Vendor documentedSource
| Feature | Affinity | Adobe Photoshop |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | The new app supports Windows and macOS. Its iPad edition is listed as coming soon. Vendor documentedSource | Desktop on Windows and macOS with separate web, phone and iPad experiences. |
| Offline use | Online download and Canva activation are required; core use can continue offline for extended periods. Vendor documentedSource | Installed apps can work offline after activation; periodic licensing checks and plan-dependent grace periods apply. Vendor documentedSource |
| Collaboration | Files can be exported to Canva for shared work. This does not establish simultaneous editing of a local .af document. Vendor documentedSource | Share for review supports browser comments. Invite to edit requires the document to be saved in the cloud. Vendor documentedSource |
| Export | The photo guide lists JPEG, PNG, TIFF, WebP and press-ready PDF. Exported PNG/PDF is not an editable Photoshop round-trip. Vendor documentedSource | Save locally or to Creative Cloud. Save a Copy can produce flattened JPEG or PNG while preserving the working document. Vendor documentedSource |
| Project portability | Layered PSD import can retain masks, groups and adjustments; Smart Objects and advanced filters may flatten. Vendor documentedSource | Embedded Smart Objects preserve source information; PSD, TIFF or PSB can retain layers while JPEG flattens them. Vendor documentedSource |
| Free plan limits | Vector, Pixel and Layout studios plus customization and export are free with a Canva account. Vendor documentedSource | Free mobile and iPad apps have optional premium features. Desktop pricing offers a seven-day trial rather than an ongoing free desktop plan. |
| AI features | Canva premium plans unlock integrated generative tools. Allowances and eligibility should be checked against the current Canva plan. | The Photoshop single-app offer lists 25 monthly generative credits. Larger bundles have different allowances. Vendor documentedSource |
| Privacy and storage | Affinity states that local content is not used to train its AI. Uploading or exporting to Canva introduces Canva privacy settings. Vendor documentedSource | Not yet verified for this product. |
| V1 and V2 migration | The new app opens V1/V2 files, but older apps cannot open files saved in the new .af format. Vendor documentedSource | Not yet verified for this product. |
| Nondestructive changes | The photo toolkit includes RAW development, live filters, masks, HDR merging and batch macros. Vendor documentedSource | Adjustment layers, masks and Smart Objects support revisable image workflows. |
| Local or cloud | Not yet verified for this product. | The default save location can be set to the computer or Creative Cloud. Vendor documentedSource |
| AI Assistant availability | Not yet verified for this product. | The current mobile page places AI Assistant beta on web and mobile and explicitly excludes desktop. Vendor documentedSource |
The current cost is different from the old story
Affinity's new core application is free for individual use with a Canva account. Optional premium Canva integrations are separate from the base editing tools. Photoshop's verified US single-app offer includes $22.99 per month on an annual commitment billed monthly, plus a separate annual prepaid option. These are desktop comparisons: Adobe's free mobile entry does not establish a free desktop Photoshop license. Compare the plan that actually runs your workflow and include any existing entitlement before deciding that an additional subscription is necessary.
Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Both deserve evaluation on a real photo task
Affinity's documented photo tools include RAW development, masks, live filters, HDR merging and batch macros. Photoshop documents its own layers, retouching tools and Smart Objects. Those lists show substantial editing scope, but they do not establish equal results or equal time to finish. Choose a representative photograph and define the desired correction before testing either application. Keep track of steps you repeat across a batch. This documented comparison has not run a matched photo task, measured responsiveness or evaluated the visual quality of the resulting image.
Source 1Source 2Source 3Opening a PSD is only the first check
Affinity's detailed guidance says imported PSD files can retain masks, groups and adjustments while some Smart Objects or advanced filters may flatten. That qualification matters more than a broad compatibility headline. A flattened element can still look correct when you open the image, yet become unsuitable for the next revision. Use a copy of a representative client file and inspect the layers that must remain editable. Ask the recipient to check the returned file as well. Visual similarity alone does not prove that a round-trip preserves the working structure.
Source 1Source 2Source 3Keep legacy Affinity work separate during migration
The new Affinity application can open V1 and V2 files, but its new .af format does not open back in those older applications. That creates a particular issue for a workflow involving the existing iPad version: the new iPad app is still listed as coming soon. Preserve original files while trying the new desktop application and agree which version collaborators will use. A free upgrade can still impose a workflow change if one person cannot open the newly saved master. Do not overwrite the only copy during an initial evaluation.
SourceOffline work and online features have distinct boundaries
Affinity requires online download and account activation, after which core use can continue offline for extended periods. Photoshop's installed desktop applications can also operate offline after activation, subject to Adobe's license-verification rules. Connected features require their own checks. Affinity's integrated Canva features are not proof that a local .af document supports simultaneous editing. Photoshop distinguishes cloud-document editing invitations from feedback links. Decide whether you need independent local work, review comments or shared editing, then test the relevant route instead of treating them as one collaboration feature.
Source 1Source 2Source 3Source 4Choose the delivery file before choosing the editor
If the client needs a finished PNG, TIFF or PDF, either workflow may be worth evaluating against that output requirement. If the client needs an editable Photoshop document with preserved source objects, the compatibility burden is more specific. Affinity's photo guidance does not establish that exporting a flattened delivery file preserves Photoshop editability. Keep an editable master separately from final exports and rehearse one round of client revisions. The most useful saving is a workflow you can maintain; a lower entry price alone does not compensate for repeated repair of a required handoff.
Source 1Source 2Source 3Our take
Evaluate Affinity first when free local editing and finished outputs match your needs. Keep Photoshop when native Photoshop editability is a requirement until representative files prove that a different workflow can satisfy it. Retain originals throughout an Affinity version migration.
Common questions
Is the new Affinity still a one-time paid purchase?
Its current core desktop application is free with a Canva account. Older V2 purchase pricing should not be presented as the new app's entry price.
Is Photoshop free on desktop?
The verified desktop offer is paid after its trial. Adobe's free mobile access is a different product route with its own scope.
Check the sources
Evidence used for this comparison. A checked date records when we reviewed the source, not a promise that the vendor has made no changes since.
- Canva plans for Affinity integrations (opens in a new tab)
www.canva.com · AI access is evolving. General Affinity FAQ wording is broader than Canva's distinction between on-device and premium AI.
- Get the new Affinity (opens in a new tab)
www.affinity.studio · Current free product and V2 migration guidance; old V2 purchase prices are not used.
- Affinity and Canva integration (opens in a new tab)
www.affinity.studio
- Affinity photo editing (opens in a new tab)
www.affinity.studio · The detailed FAQ qualifies broad PSD compatibility marketing.
- Photoshop features (opens in a new tab)
www.adobe.com
- Photoshop on mobile (opens in a new tab)
www.adobe.com
- Photoshop embedded Smart Objects (opens in a new tab)
helpx.adobe.com
- Adobe offline use and licensing (opens in a new tab)
helpx.adobe.com
- Photoshop plans (opens in a new tab)
www.adobe.com · Fresh US-targeted Firecrawl retrieval resolved currency. Promotional suite prices are excluded from the recorded plans.
- Save work in Photoshop (opens in a new tab)
helpx.adobe.com
- Photoshop sharing and feedback (opens in a new tab)
helpx.adobe.com
Keep comparing
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Photoshop vs Photopea: when does the paid editor earn its cost?
Graphic design · Try Photopea for a small browser-based edit or a PSD you need to inspect. Choose Photoshop when a required Adobe workflow, detailed capability or client file handoff makes it necessary. Neither name guarantees that a complex document will behave exactly as you expect.
Canva vs Adobe Express: choosing a content workflow
Graphic design · Shortlist Canva for a reusable content workspace with its current brand tools. Shortlist Express when Adobe asset handoffs or a monthly Premium commitment fit your work. Start with the free plans and one real deliverable rather than paying for a longer feature list.