What Affinity does

Affinity is a professional-grade creative software suite that combines photo editing (Affinity Photo), vector graphics design (Affinity Designer), and page layout (Affinity Publisher) into a single unified application available on Windows, macOS, and iPad. The software is developed by Serif Europe Ltd., a UK-based company founded in 1987 and headquartered in Nottingham, and was acquired by Canva in March 2024 for $500 million. Following the acquisition, Canva repositioned Affinity from a paid one-time-purchase model ($69.99 per app) to a free core platform in October 2025, with AI-powered features and advanced integrations monetized through Canva Pro ($144/year), Business ($250/year), and Canva AI Studio ($120-$200/year) subscriptions.

The underlying technology stacks raster, vector, and layout engines behind a proprietary .af file format that is now natively supported by Capture One and DaVinci Resolve, embedding Affinity into professional photo and video editing workflows. Recent releases (Affinity 3.1 in March 2026 and 3.2 in May 2026) added non-destructive editing features such as Live Tone Blend Group, Tone Brush, Texture Filter, and improved RAW processing. The platform is integrated with Anthropic's Claude AI via nine MCP-based connectors, enabling natural language automation of batch editing, image retouching, and cross-application workflows.

Affinity's go-to-market combines a freemium product-led growth model with distribution through Canva's 260+ million monthly active user base across 190 countries. The company targets individual creatives, professional designers seeking alternatives to Adobe's subscription model, enterprise customers via Canva's Fortune 500 reach, and educational institutions through partnerships with RISD, Ringling College, and Goldsmiths. Affinity has reached over 5 million users since the October 2025 relaunch, with India emerging as the fourth-largest market following a sixfold increase in domestic adoption. CEO Ashley Hewson has publicly targeted a roughly 20x increase in adoption over the next 3-5 years.

Name

Affinity

Legal name

Serif Europe Ltd.

Website

https://affinity.serif.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Affinity is a free, unified professional creative suite combining photo editing, vector design, and page layout, serving individual creatives, professional designers, and enterprise users as Canva's professional-grade alternative to Adobe Creative Cloud.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Freemium Core Application: The core Affinity design suite (photo editing, vector design, page layout) is offered completely free to all users. This represents a fundamental shift from the previous one-time purchase model ($69.99 per app) to a free platform designed to drive adoption and funnel users into Canva's paid ecosystem.
2. AI Feature Subscriptions via Canva: AI-powered features and advanced capabilities are locked behind Canva Pro and Business subscriptions. Canva Pro subscriptions cost $144/year, with Business tier at $250/year. Additional AI tools via Canva AI Studio require paid subscriptions ranging from $120 to $200 per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Affinity is a unified creative software suite combining photo editing, vector design, and page layout tools into a single free desktop and iPad application. Originally developed by Serif as three separate apps (Affinity Photo, Designer, Publisher), the suite was unified and made completely free in October 2025 following Canva's $500 million acquisition of Serif in March 2024. The software competes directly with Adobe Creative Cloud, offering professional-grade raster editing, vector illustration, and desktop publishing with AI-powered features available through optional Canva subscription tiers.

Product overview

Affinity, now owned by Canva following a $500 million acquisition in March 2024, offers a unified creative software suite that combines photo editing, vector design, and page layout into a single free application. The product family centers on three flagship tools—Affinity Photo (raster/photo editing), Affinity Designer (vector graphics), and Affinity Publisher (page layout)—which were unified into a single application in October 2025. The core software is free, with AI-powered features available through optional Canva subscription tiers ($120-$200/year). Canva has expanded the ecosystem through strategic acquisitions including Cavalry (motion design, now free), Leonardo (generative AI), MagicBrief (creative asset management), and MangoAI (marketing algorithms), integrating its Canva AI Studio tools and Brand System directly into the Affinity platform. Affinity has attracted over five million users since its Canva relaunch in October 2025, positioning itself as a free alternative to Adobe's subscription-based Creative Cloud.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affinity (Unified Application) A unified creative suite combining photo editing, vector design, and page layout tools into a single interface. Following Canva's acquisition and October 2025 relaunch, it provides professional-grade design capabilities free of charge with optional AI-powered subscription features.
• Affinity Photo Professional photo editing software providing raster graphics manipulation, non-destructive RAW editing, and JPEG XL support. Competes with Adobe Photoshop for precision photo editing tasks. Now integrated within the unified Affinity application.
• Affinity Designer Professional vector graphics design application for illustration, UI/UX design, and vector artwork creation. Competes with Adobe Illustrator in the vector design space. Now integrated within the unified Affinity application.
• Affinity Publisher Professional page layout and desktop publishing software for creating documents, magazines, and multi-page layouts. Competes with Adobe InDesign for layout and publishing workflows. Now integrated within the unified Affinity application.
• Affinity 3.1 Major version update of the unified Affinity application introducing Live Tone Blend Group and Tone Brush features for non-destructive image editing and compositing across photo, design, and publisher toolsets.
• Affinity 3.2 Major version update of the unified Affinity application introducing Texture Filter, new Vector Blob and Vector Erase brushes, improved RAW image processing, and AI automation features via Claude integration for paid Canva subscribers.
• Canva AI Studio Canva's AI-powered design and workflow platform integrated into Affinity, offering generative AI tools, agentic orchestration, and living memory that learns user preferences. Available as paid upgrade within the Affinity ecosystem.
• Canva Brand System Integrated brand management system allowing Affinity users to publish branded assets directly to Canva's Brand Kit for consistency across designs and team collaboration. Available as part of Canva Pro and Business subscriptions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5+ million users achieved since October 2025 relaunch
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• AnthropiccoreTechnology or Integration · 28 April 2026Anthropic integrated its Claude AI assistant with Affinity through nine new connectors enabling natural language control of creative tools. The integration allows users to automate tasks like batch photo editing through natural language prompts, positioning Claude as a collaborative thinking partner alongside Affinity.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Rhode Island School of Design partnered with Anthropic and Canva as an early educational partner to test Claude AI connectors and Affinity tools with real creative workflows, providing feedback for product development.
• Ringling College of Art and DesignminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Ringling College of Art and Design partnered with Anthropic and Canva as an early educational partner to test Claude AI connectors and Affinity tools with real creative workflows, providing feedback for product development.
• Goldsmiths, University of LondonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Goldsmiths, University of London partnered with Anthropic and Canva as an early educational partner to test Claude AI connectors and Affinity tools with real creative workflows, providing feedback for product development.
• DaVinci Resolve (Blackmagic Design)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2026DaVinci Resolve 21.0 beta now supports importing Affinity .af files for use as title cards and video overlays with real-time sync. This enables seamless workflow between Affinity's design capabilities and DaVinci Resolve's video editing, positioning Affinity as part of professional video production workflows.
• Capture OnecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2026Capture One now natively supports Affinity's .af file format, enabling seamless file transfers without intermediary exports. The integration includes automatic file refresh when updates are made in Affinity.
• CanvaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Canva acquired Affinity (Serif) in March 2024 for $500 million to strengthen its position in the professional design software market. The acquisition transformed Affinity from a paid suite into a free platform with AI features available through Canva subscriptions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Figma: Figma dominates collaborative UI/vector design for digital product teams, directly overlapping with Affinity Designer's vector and prototyping workflows. Both target professional designers seeking modern, subscription-based alternatives.
• CorelDRAW: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite is a long-standing alternative to Adobe Illustrator, competing with Affinity Designer in vector illustration and layout for professional designers and print production workflows.
• Adobe: Adobe's Creative Cloud suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) is Affinity's primary direct competitor across photo editing, vector design, and page layout. Adobe targets the same professional and prosumer segments with a subscription model that Affinity's free offering directly challenges.
• Sketch: Sketch is a vector design tool focused on UI/UX and digital product design on macOS, overlapping with Affinity Designer in vector graphics and interface design use cases among professional designers.
• Pixelmator (Apple): Pixelmator Pro is a macOS-native photo editing and design tool competing with Affinity Photo. Apple acquired Pixelmator in late 2024, signaling broader platform competition in pro consumer creative software.

Emerging players

• DaVinci Resolve (Blackmagic Design): Blackmagic's DaVinci Resolve is a free professional video editor that natively supports Affinity's .af files for title cards and overlays. It is both a workflow integration partner and an adjacent creative tool targeting professional users with a free model.
• Capture One: Capture One is a professional RAW photo editor that now natively supports Affinity's .af file format. It serves overlapping professional photographer customers and is a partner in Affinity's expanding workflow integrations.
• Photopea: Photopea is a free, browser-based Photoshop alternative that supports PSD files natively. It targets the same cost-sensitive designers Affinity courts with its free model, particularly for raster/photo editing workflows.
• Inkscape: Inkscape is an open-source vector graphics editor competing with Affinity Designer in the free/open vector design space. It targets hobbyists, students, and cost-sensitive designers in segments overlapping Affinity's free tier.

Broad incumbents

• Canva: Affinity's parent company and broader creative platform serving 260M+ MAUs. While Canva targets mainstream/enterprise users and Affinity serves professionals, the products increasingly overlap as Canva layers AI and pro features atop Affinity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AffinitybySerif
• Facebookfacebook.com/affinitybyserif
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/serif-europe-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Affinity