{ "@context": [ "https://schema.org", { "nuanyue": "https://www.nuanyue.com/ns#" } ], "@type": "SoftwareApplication", "@id": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/affinity-photo/#software", "name": "Affinity Photo", "description": "Photo editing studio inside Affinity, the free professional creative application from Canva that merged the former Designer, Photo and Publisher apps into one program.", "url": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/affinity-photo/", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/affinity-photo/", "operatingSystem": "macOS", "applicationCategory": "DesignApplication", "publisher": { "name": "Canva", "url": "https://www.canva.com/" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.affinity.studio/" ], "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "price": "0", "priceCurrency": "USD" }, "nuanyue:record": { "schemaVersion": 1, "id": "software:affinity-photo", "slug": "affinity-photo", "name": "Affinity Photo", "type": "SoftwareApplication", "entityType": "image editor", "description": "Photo editing studio inside Affinity, the free professional creative application from Canva that merged the former Designer, Photo and Publisher apps into one program.", "shortDescription": "Photo editing studio in Affinity, now free from Canva.", "answer": "Affinity Photo 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. Photo work happens in Pixel Studio: layer-based raster editing with unlimited layers, non-destructive adjustment and live filter layers, RAW development with lens profiles and noise reduction, HDR Merge, Focus Merge and astrophotography stacking, frequency separation for retouching, and liquify and mesh warp tools. It runs on macOS and Windows, is a native build for both Apple silicon and Intel, 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 photographers and retouchers who want professional raster tools without a subscription.", "page": "https://www.nuanyue.com/software/affinity-photo/", "dataUrl": "https://www.nuanyue.com/data/software/affinity-photo.json", "categories": [ "design" ], "tags": [], "platform": [ "macOS" ], "architecture": [], "featured": false, "pricing": "free", "pricingDescription": "Free. Canva states that every tool in the Vector, Pixel and Layout studios, along with all customisation and export features, can be used without restriction or payment, and that the app will keep receiving free updates. Canva's AI tools inside Affinity require a paid Canva plan (Pro, Business, Enterprise or Education). Signing in requires a Canva account.", "openSource": false, "website": "https://www.affinity.studio/", "documentation": "https://www.affinity.studio/help", "developer": { "name": "Canva", "website": "https://www.canva.com/" }, "features": [ "Unlimited raster, vector and text layers in one document", "Non-destructive adjustment layers and live filter layers", "30 or more blend modes with on-canvas live preview", "Curves for RGB and individual channels, plus levels and exposure adjustments", "Colour balance and selective colour", "Spot healing, inpainting and clone stamp tools", "Dodge and burn with pressure sensitivity", "Liquify, mesh warp and lens correction filters", "Refine edge workspace for hair and complex subjects", "Channel, luminosity and depth masks", "RAW Develop with lens profiles and noise reduction", "HDR Merge, Focus Merge and astrophotography stacking", "Frequency separation and a full suite of liquify tools for retouching", "Macros and batch processing to automate repetitive edits", "High-bit-depth workflow with ICC profiles", "Imports Photoshop PSD files with layer fidelity and works in the .af format", "Exports finished work directly to Canva for collaboration" ], "useCases": [ "Retouching portraits with frequency separation and liquify tools", "Developing and correcting RAW files non-destructively", "Building a composite from several stacked photographs, textures and elements", "Merging bracketed exposures into an HDR image or stacking astrophotography frames", "Running one set of edits across many files with macros and batch processing" ], "formats": [], "integrations": [], "pros": [ { "text": "Every tool in the Vector, Pixel and Layout studios is available free, with no restrictions or payment required.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "The macOS build is a native application that runs on Apple silicon and Intel rather than through translation.", "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "Editing is non-destructive by default, with adjustment layers and live filters that can be revisited without flattening the original image.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "RAW development includes lens correction and noise reduction, and stays non-destructive from first tweak to final export.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "HDR Merge, Focus Merge and astrophotography stacking cover exposure and focus bracketing and deep-sky work without extra software.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "Retouching tools include frequency separation and a full suite of liquify tools.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "Imports Photoshop PSD files with layer fidelity, so work can move between the two applications.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "Photo editing sits in the same document as vector and layout tools, so a project does not have to be split across three programs.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" } ], "cons": [ { "text": "A Canva account is required to download and sign in, so the app is tied to a cloud identity.", "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "Canva's AI tools inside Affinity are locked behind a paid Canva plan.", "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "The application is closed source, so its implementation cannot be inspected.", "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "text": "The previous perpetual licence for Affinity Photo no longer applies, because the product has been replaced by a free application.", "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" } ], "whoIsItFor": [ "Photographers and retouchers who want professional raster tools without a subscription", "People already working in Affinity's vector or layout studios who want photo tools in the same document", "Anyone with a Canva account who wants to hand a finished file to colleagues inside Canva" ], "notFor": [ "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 Photo 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", "It is one studio inside a larger application, so there is no separate Affinity Photo download to install" ], "firstUse": { "installation": { "value": "Downloaded from the Affinity site for macOS or Windows, which requires signing in with a Canva account or creating one.", "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, "firstLaunch": { "value": "Sign in with a Canva account, then open an image or start a new document in Pixel Studio, where the photo editing tools live.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, "systemIntegration": { "value": "Exports files directly to Canva, and the workspace can be extended with the vector and layout tools from the other studios.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, "appleSilicon": { "value": true, "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" } }, "updates": [], "faq": [ { "question": "Is Affinity Photo still a paid app?", "answer": "No. Affinity Photo no longer exists as a separate paid product. Affinity is now a single application from Canva, released free of charge, and photo editing is one of its studios. Canva states that every tool can be used without restriction or payment.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "question": "Do I need a Canva account to use Affinity?", "answer": "Yes. The download process prompts you to sign in with a Canva account or create one free, and the application is installed from there.", "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "question": "Does Affinity run natively on Apple silicon Macs?", "answer": "Yes. Canva states that the macOS build is fully optimised for macOS and runs natively on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.", "status": "verified", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "question": "What are the Vector, Pixel and Layout studios?", "answer": "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.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "question": "Are Canva's AI features included in free Affinity?", "answer": "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. Generative Expand, Generative Fill, Smart Selections, Depth-Aware Masking, Portrait Blur, Colorize and Super Resolve are among them.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "question": "Can Affinity Photo still open Photoshop files?", "answer": "Yes. Canva states that PSD files can be imported with layer fidelity, and that PSD, AI, IDML and DWG files can be brought into Affinity with layers and structure preserved.", "status": "developer-stated", "source": "official", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" } ], "relationships": [ { "target": "affinity-designer", "type": "similar", "reason": "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.", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "target": "gimp", "type": "competitor", "reason": "Both are raster editors used for photo work and compositing, but Affinity Photo is a free closed-source application tied to a Canva account while GIMP is free software with a cross-platform interface.", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" }, { "target": "pixelmator", "type": "competitor", "reason": "Both are professional Mac photo editors, but Affinity Photo is free and cross-platform with a Canva account while Pixelmator Pro is an Apple product sold on the App Store.", "verifiedAt": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z" } ], "sources": [ { "id": "affinity-photo:official", "type": "official_website", "url": "https://www.affinity.studio/", "title": "Affinity Photo — official website", "trustLevel": "B", "accessedAt": null }, { "id": "affinity-photo:developer", "type": "developer", "url": "https://www.canva.com/", "title": "Canva — developer website", "trustLevel": "B", "accessedAt": null }, { "id": "affinity-photo:documentation", "type": "documentation", "url": "https://www.affinity.studio/help", "title": "Affinity Photo — documentation", "trustLevel": "C", "accessedAt": null } ], "claims": [ { "id": "software:affinity-photo.isA", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "isA", "value": "image editor", "status": "editorially-reviewed", "sourceIds": [ "affinity-photo:official" ], "lastVerified": null }, { "id": "software:affinity-photo.supportsPlatform", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "supportsPlatform", "value": [ "macOS" ], "status": "verified", "sourceIds": [ "affinity-photo:official" ], "lastVerified": null }, { "id": "software:affinity-photo.officialWebsite", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "officialWebsite", "value": "https://www.affinity.studio/", "status": "verified", "sourceIds": [ "affinity-photo:official" ], "lastVerified": null }, { "id": "software:affinity-photo.listedInCategory", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "listedInCategory", "value": [ "design" ], "status": "editorially-reviewed", "sourceIds": [ "affinity-photo:official" ], "lastVerified": null }, { "id": "software:affinity-photo.pricingModel", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "pricingModel", "value": "Free", "status": "developer-stated", "sourceIds": [ "affinity-photo:official" ], "lastVerified": null }, { "id": "software:affinity-photo.developedBy", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "developedBy", "value": "Canva", "status": "developer-stated", "sourceIds": [ "affinity-photo:developer", "affinity-photo:official" ], "lastVerified": null }, { "id": "software:affinity-photo.ownership", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "ownership", "value": "Third-party product — not published by Nuanyue", "status": "editorially-reviewed", "sourceIds": [], "lastVerified": null }, { "id": "software:affinity-photo.hasFeature", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "hasFeature", "value": [ "Unlimited raster, vector and text layers in one document", "Non-destructive adjustment layers and live filter layers", "30 or more blend modes with on-canvas live preview", "Curves for RGB and individual channels, plus levels and exposure adjustments", "Colour balance and selective colour", "Spot healing, inpainting and clone stamp tools", "Dodge and burn with pressure sensitivity", "Liquify, mesh warp and lens correction filters", "Refine edge workspace for hair and complex subjects", "Channel, luminosity and depth masks", "RAW Develop with lens profiles and noise reduction", "HDR Merge, Focus Merge and astrophotography stacking", "Frequency separation and a full suite of liquify tools for retouching", "Macros and batch processing to automate repetitive edits", "High-bit-depth workflow with ICC profiles", "Imports Photoshop PSD files with layer fidelity and works in the .af format", "Exports finished work directly to Canva for collaboration" ], "status": "editorially-reviewed", "sourceIds": [ "affinity-photo:official" ], "lastVerified": null }, { "id": "software:affinity-photo.usedFor", "subject": "software:affinity-photo", "predicate": "usedFor", "value": [ "Retouching portraits with frequency separation and liquify tools", "Developing and correcting RAW files non-destructively", "Building a composite from several stacked photographs, textures and elements", "Merging bracketed exposures into an HDR image or stacking astrophotography frames", 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"affinity-photo:official" ], "lastVerified": "2026-10-05" } ], "lastUpdated": "2026-10-05T00:00:00.000Z", "lastReviewedAt": null } }