The strongest free replacement for Photoshop on Windows, Mac and iPad since Canva made it free; the AI tools are the paid part.
What it is
Affinity (formerly Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher by Serif, acquired by Canva) is now one app with Pixel, Vector and Layout studios. Since its late-2025 relaunch every editing tool is free for individuals with a free Canva account, with free updates; the iPad version followed on November 2, 2026. It opens PSD, AI, INDD, IDML, PDF and SVG files and supports non-destructive editing. Canva AI tools inside Affinity (Generative Fill, Generative Expand, Generative Edit, background removal, upscaling) need a Canva premium plan, Canva Pro being $18 a month or about $144 a year in the US. Windows, macOS and iPadOS; a Linux version is announced without a date. Checked November 2026.
Best for
- Leaving a Photoshop subscription
- Photo, vector and print layout in one app
- Freelancers and small studios
What we like
- Full editing toolset free for individuals
- Photo, vector and layout studios share one file
- Opens PSD and other Adobe formats
What to watch
- AI tools need a paid Canva plan
- Requires a Canva account and an online activation
- No Linux version yet
- Smaller plugin and tutorial ecosystem than Photoshop
Where Affinity ranks
Alternatives and head-to-heads
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