Affinity goes Free with Canva
Big news for creatives everywhere: Canva has just made the entire Affinity suite free to use.
If you’ve spent any time in design, you’ll know Affinity’s reputation. For years, it’s been the go-to alternative to Adobe’s Creative Cloud - a set of high-performance apps for designers who prefer to own their tools outright rather than rent them via expensive, month-to-month subscriptions.
Isoblue have been advocates of Affinity for many years - taking that leap from Adobe when it appeared to be quite a risky move! But it soon paid off and we have never looked back.
Now, under Canva’s ownership, Affinity is stepping into an even bigger spotlight.
Watch the official launch video - 30th Oct 2025
What You Get
The Affinity suite now combines its three flagship apps into one seamless experience - three apps, one download:
Designer for vector graphics and branding
Photo for advanced image editing
Publisher for layout and print design
All free to download and use on Mac, Windows
Those with a Canva Pro subscription unlock premium AI tools such as generative fill, background removal, and enhanced collaboration — but the core suite remains completely free.
A Real Threat to Adobe? We think so.
This isn’t just good news for designers - it’s another clear challenge to Adobe’s dominance.
For years, Adobe’s subscription-only model has been the industry norm, leaving many small studios and freelancers tied into expensive monthly plans. Canva’s new move completely changes the equation:
Professional-grade creative tools are now free
Seamless web-to-desktop workflow through Canva and Affinity
A massive user base ready to explore design beyond the browser
It’s the kind of move that makes even the biggest players rethink their strategy.
What It Means for Everyone Else
For charities, small businesses, and agencies - including many of our own clients - this means more creative freedom and less cost. You can design social graphics in Canva, refine them in Affinity, and produce original, professional-quality materials without paying for multiple licences.
It’s a smart step that opens serious design power to anyone with curiosity and creativity but reluctant to commit to a costly subscription.
Our Take at Isoblue
We’ve been Affinity advocates since the very early days, and this feels like a genuine milestone. Canva’s influence brings accessibility and innovation; Affinity brings credibility and depth.
Together, they’re shaping what might just be the next generation of creative software - one that’s open, affordable, and fast.
We’ll be watching closely as this story unfolds - but for now, it’s safe to say: some of the best tools in the business just got a lot more accessible.