Affinity by Canva
Last updated: 26 October 2026
Affinity by Canva is a free design app for Mac and Windows that puts photo editing, vector illustration and page layout in one program. It replaced Serif's three paid Affinity apps, Photo, Designer and Publisher, in October 2025. You need a free Canva account to download it, and the built-in Canva AI tools only work on a paid Canva plan.
What Affinity by Canva is
Serif made the Affinity apps as a one-off purchase alternative to Adobe's subscriptions. Canva bought Serif in 2024, and on 30 October 2025 it merged the three apps into one and made it free.
Inside, the old apps live on as studios. Pixel covers photo editing, Vector covers illustration and logos, and Layout covers page design for magazines, books and posters. You switch between them with tabs at the top of the window instead of opening a different program.
What it does
- Pixel studio: photo editing and retouching with layers, masks and adjustments.
- Vector studio: logos, icons and illustration with pen and shape tools.
- Layout studio: multi-page documents such as magazines, brochures and books.
- Extra studios: Slice, Retouching, Colour Grading, Typography and Compositing, according to TidBITS.
- Canva AI: AI tools inside the app for people on a paid Canva plan.
Key facts
- Price: free for individuals
- Platforms: macOS on Apple silicon and Intel, and Windows
- iPad: not out yet; Affinity says an iPad version is coming
- Account: a Canva account is needed to download and activate it
- Offline use: works offline once activated; help, stock libraries and AI need a connection
- Older files: opens files from Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher
- Install size: about 3.5GB
Who Affinity by Canva suits
- Anyone paying for Adobe just for occasional work: the photo, vector and layout studios do the same kinds of jobs as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
- Students and people learning design: there is nothing to pay while you learn.
- Small businesses: posters, menus, logos and social images can all come from one free app.
- People who already used Affinity V2: your old files open in the new app.
Our Affinity by Canva review covers the AI tools, the platforms and how it compares with Adobe.
The limits
New files do not open in the old apps. Once you save a document in Affinity by Canva, Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher V2 cannot read it, and those apps no longer get updates.
The AI features cost money. Canva AI and tools such as Super Resolution and Colorization need a Canva premium plan, so the free app is free without them.
There is no iPad version yet. If you edited on an iPad with the old Affinity apps, you will need to keep using them for now.
Your account is a Canva account. Organisations that need single sign-on are pointed to Canva Enterprise or Canva Education instead.
Where to get it in the UK
Download Affinity by Canva from the official Affinity site, which links through to a Canva sign-in. TidBITS has a full write-up of the change from three apps to one, including what happens to older versions.
FAQs
Is Affinity by Canva free?
Yes, for individuals. The Canva AI tools inside it need a paid Canva plan.
Do I need a Canva account for Affinity?
Yes. You sign in with a Canva account to download and activate it. After that it works offline.
Is Affinity by Canva on iPad?
Not yet. Affinity says an iPad version is on the way, but only Mac and Windows are out.
Can Affinity by Canva open my old Affinity files?
Yes, it opens files from Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher. Files saved in the new app will not open in the old ones.
Is Affinity by Canva a replacement for Photoshop?
It covers photo editing with layers, masks and adjustments, and adds vector and layout tools in the same app. Whether it replaces Photoshop for you depends on the plug-ins and file formats your work needs.
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