Attack on Adobe: Canva makes Affinity completely free as a new era of graphics editing

The graphic design world is shaking: Canva is giving away its professional graphics suite Affinity, challenging top dog Adobe.

What is behind this strategic bomb and what the free alternative really has on it, we take a closer look today.

A bold move against the subscription model

On October 31, 2025, Canva blew out a message, which is causing quite a stir in the creative sector: The Affinity graphic suite, which was acquired in 2024, is now offered completely free of charge. ‘Forever’, as the company expressly points out. This step is nothing less than a battle announcement to Adobe, whose Creative Cloud has dominated the industry for years, but only through paid subscriptions that ask you to check out month after month.

The message is crystal clear: While Adobe users have to dig deep into their pockets every month to gain access to Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, Canva now offers a full-fledged alternative at no recurring cost. This is kind of like Netflix suddenly becoming free – just for designers.

Three professional programs in one application

The new structure of Affinity is particularly exciting: Canva has three separate programs to date. Affinity photo (image editing), Affinity designer (Vector design) and Affinity publisher (Layout and Publishing) merged into a single, seamlessly integrated application.

In concrete terms, this means:

Affinity photo is an alternative to Adobe Photoshop and offers professional image editing functions for photography and digital art.

Affinity designer Competes with Adobe Illustrator and enables precise vector work for logos, icons and illustrations.

Affinity publisher Challenges Adobe InDesign and covers layout and publishing for magazines, books and brochures.

The highlight: You can switch between these three modes at any time via a menu at the top of the screen without leaving the application or jumping back and forth between different programs. This integration allows for a much smoother workflow than Adobe, where you have to open each application separately – and by the way, make your RAM glow.

Old rabbits find their way around immediately

Here is the good news for all those who have worked with Affinity Designer or even with the predecessor DrawPlus in the last ten years: You'll feel right at home in the new unified Affinity app. The developers have maintained the proven operating philosophy that has always distinguished Affinity.

Those who still remember DrawPlus (yes, the good old program from Serif, which was already a budget alternative to Illustrator, similar to Inkscape) will recognize many familiar concepts. The tool palette, the layer structure, the way vector paths are edited: All this feels familiar, but of course has been significantly refined and modernized over the years.

For longtime Affinity users, it's like seeing an old friend who has had a full makeover in the meantime, but has still remained the same at its core. Now, all of a sudden, this friend can do it all: Vectors, pixels and layouts – all for free.

Compatibility as a bridge builder

Canva knows that many of you have been working with Adobe software for years and have accumulated corresponding files. Therefore, in addition to common standard formats, Affinity also supports the most important Adobe file types:

• PSD (Photoshop documents)
• AI (Illustrator files)
• IDML (InDesign format)

This compatibility significantly lowers the hurdle for a change. Your existing projects can be easily opened and processed in Affinity without having to go through tedious conversion processes or worry about data loss. No more drama with ‘File could not be opened’ – we all know that enough.

The business model: Free, but not without hooks

Of course, Canva does not give away its software out of pure charity. The business model is based on a freemium approach: While the core features of the graphics suite remain permanently free, AI-powered features are paid and only accessible with a subscription.

Premium AI features include:

• Generative filling in of image areas
• Automatic background removal
• AI-assisted image processing and optimization

For many professional users, these AI features are likely to be quite interesting, but their use is optional. If you can or want to do without these functions, you will receive a full-fledged graphics program without any costs. Honestly, Most of us have worked for years without AI bells and whistles and have created great designs – and we can continue to do so.

Availability and system requirements

At the start is Affinity for Windows and macOS available. One iPad version It has been announced, but a specific date of publication is yet to be announced. This mobile version should be especially interesting for you if you like to work with the Apple Pencil and want to be creative on the go.

The only requirement for use is a free Canva account, for which you only need an e-mail address. You do not have to provide any other personal data! No credit card, no fine print, no nasty surprises.

What does this mean for Adobe?

This move by Canva puts a lot of pressure on Adobe. The San José-based company completely switched its business model to subscriptions years ago, a decision that many of you didn't exactly like. Do you remember the outcry when Adobe announced in 2013 that Creative Suite 7 would be the last version for single purchase? The internet has been screaming collectively.

With Affinity, Canva now offers exactly what many have been demanding for a long time: A professional graphics solution with no monthly fees. Adobe will have to react if it doesn't want to lose market share to its emerging competitors. Price adjustments, new free entry offers or increased innovation in AI functions would be possible.

Who is Affinity for?

The free Affinity Suite is aimed at different target groups:

Beginners and hobby designers Here you will find a low-threshold way to learn professional graphics editing without having to worry about monthly costs.

Students and educational institutions can use the software without licensing costs, thus freeing up more budget for other areas – or for pizza on the day of delivery, which is probably more realistic.

Freelancers and small agencies, Those who want to reduce their operating costs will get a real alternative to Adobe, especially if you can do without AI features. Every dollar saved counts, especially if you're just getting started.

Voluntary Adobe users, Those who are fed up with the subscription model will get a realistic exit strategy with full compatibility with your existing files. Finally, you can show Adobe the cold shoulder without committing professional suicide.

Former DrawPlus and Affinity veterans You will be pleased: You already know the DNA of this software and can start immediately without having to laboriously familiarize yourself.

Conclusion: A turning point for the creative industry?

Canvas's decision to offer Affinity for free could actually be a turning point in the history of graphic design software. After years in which Adobe dominated the market almost unrivalled, there is now a serious alternative without the need for a subscription.

Whether this strategy will work out will become clear in the coming months. Decisive will be how well Affinity works in practice and whether Canva can win enough of you for the paid AI features to make the business model profitable.

TL:DR

For you as a user, the thing is clear: You benefit from more choice and lower costs. In the end, that's what really matters. Especially in times when EVERY software seems to be switching to a subscription model, this is a refreshing counter-design.

Download: Affinity is now free of charge on the Canva website available. All you need is a free Canva account.