# Affinity Designer Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra

> Is Affinity Designer the right Graphic Design solution for you? Explore 454 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/110533/WebPlus-X4/reviews

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Affinity Designer

4.7 (454)

[View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/110533/WebPlus-X4/alternatives/)

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Last updated March 13th, 2026

# Reviews of Affinity Designer

Ease of use

4.4

Customer Service

4.5

## Pros and Cons in Reviews

Susan M

AuthorWriting and Editing, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“The image editing is fantastic and on par with photoshop at a much reduced cost.“

December 11, 2025

Cindy C

Junior Software Engineer Computer Software, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“On the other hand, what I don't like is the performance, which is really low on Windows, even with a good configuration.“

September 17, 2023

Vasilis K

Web Developer and DesignerInformation Technology and Services, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“It has a nice user interface and plenty of powerful features such as seamlessly switching between vector and raster graphics.“

January 14, 2025

SB

Skyler B

Content CreatorWriting and Editing, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“Minor annoyances include not being able to trace a PNG into a vector, and not being able to merge vectors into one layer.“

May 10, 2022

RB

Robert B

PastorNon-Profit Organization Management, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“I used Adobe Illustrator for years. When they moved to a subscription model I looked for an alternative and found Affinity Designer. After I got use to their user interface I wouldn't go back to Adobe.“

April 25, 2025

DN

Debbie N

ManagerHealth, Wellness and Fitness, Self-employedUsed the software for: 6-12 months.

“The learning curve can be a bit steep for those who are new to vector design.-It lacks some of the advanced features found in other vector design software.-It does not have a built-in library of templates and shapes.“

February 2, 2023

NK

Nikolas K

Graphic DesignerGraphic Design, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years.

“Affinity designer is a very feature complete alternative to adobe illustrator, I feel that some tools are even better, and it is also much faster than illustrator.“

November 11, 2024

SB

Skyler B

Content CreatorWriting and Editing, Self-employedUsed the software for: 1-2 years.

“Some features are frustratingly similar to Adobe Illustrator, but slightly different, which can take time to figure them out, and slow down your workflow.“

May 10, 2022

## Showing most helpful reviews

Showing 1-25 of 454 Reviews

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Most Helpful

Rating

Company Size

Reviewer's Role

Length of Use

Frequency of Use

Vasilis K.  
Web Developer and Designer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Great software especially if we consider its price"

January 14, 2025

5.0

My overall experience is great so far. It's a very capable software and I really love the one-off payment that gives you access to the entire suite.

Pros

It has a nice user interface and plenty of powerful features such as seamlessly switching between vector and raster graphics.

Cons

I wish there was an Image Trace feature for converting png images to vector.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Mostly because of the one-off payment option.

Review Source

AL

Alexandra L.  
Customer success manager  
Marketing and Advertising  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Great alternative to Adobe illustrator "

April 29, 2025

4.0

I like affinity designer, I used it a lot for logo and branding creation. It’s very similar to adobe illustrator, overall is a great tool with a much lower price than its competitor.

Pros

The price. It was way cheaper than adobe and had most of the same functionalities.

Cons

That you are not able to vectorize images - this has been lacking for so long, is the only ready I miss having adobe.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Adobe illustrator is too expensive. I started using affinity 5 years ago when I was a freelancer and I needed to keep low budget, I kept it since then as I got used to it. I have also recommended this tool to others in my industry.

Review Source

KW

Kristen W.  
Owner  
Fine Art  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "User friendly"

September 3, 2024

3.0

I think that losing quality when sizing images needs to be improved as it is a significant issue

Pros

It’s very easy to figure out how to use, and it’s user friendlt

Cons

Image sizing loses quality of the image for vectors

Review Source

RR

Rafia R.  
Graphic Designer - Visual Branding  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Affinity Designer is a great alternative"

January 16, 2026

5.0

Affinity Designer is a great alternative for vector and branding work, especially for designers who prefer a one-time license.

Pros

It’s fast, responsive, and capable of handling both vector and raster work in one environment. The pricing model is very appealing for small teams, and the quality is strong enough for professional branding.

Cons

Some advanced features found in industry-standard tools are missing. File compatibility with Adobe formats can occasionally require extra adjustments.

Review Source

AJ

Amy J.  
Designer and Business Owner  
Design  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Affinity Designer is an amazing alternative for the designers of all kinds!"

May 9, 2025

5.0

Overall, as a Designer, I use Affinity Designer on a daily basis in my business. I could not run my business without it.

Pros

I love the robust capabilities that Affinity Designer has. It is a great alternative for other Design apps and softwares, for a fraction of the cost.

Cons

There really isn't anything that I don't like about Affinity Designer. It meets all of my needs as a professional Designer.

Switched from

[Adobe InDesign](https://www.capterra.com/p/233314/Adobe-InDesign/)

I wanted an alternative that was less expensive, but still could handle my needs.

Review Source

RB

Robert B.  
Pastor  
Non-Profit Organization Management  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Amazing Alternative to Illustrator"

April 25, 2025

5.0

I used Adobe Illustrator for years. When they moved to a subscription model I looked for an alternative and found Affinity Designer. After I got use to their user interface I wouldn't go back to Adobe.

Pros

Ease of use and very powerful in terms of graphic design including vector art.

Cons

There is not much to not like about this software! The price is amazing too.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Mainly pricing. When Adobe switched to subscription.

Review Source

NK

Nikolas K.  
Graphic Designer  
Graphic Design  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The best alternative to illustrator"

November 11, 2024

5.0

Affinity designer is a very feature complete alternative to adobe illustrator, I feel that some tools are even better, and it is also much faster than illustrator. Unlike illustrator, designer is made from scratch and as for that utilize modern hardware much better and everything works much faster. I use is as a freelance graphic designer since v.1 and the compatibility with adobe apps is pretty good, but even if you have trouble you can simple share PDF files that work fine. For example if I need to outsource some printing I send a PDF that can be saved in a PDF standard (like PDF X-1a:2003) and nobody have ever complained about incompatibilities or anything. Devs are improving the app all the time adding new tools and features. Personally I do miss from illustrator the image trace tool and the newer AI tools, although since affinity is bought by Canva maybe the AI gap in tools will soon be eliminated. Also you buy once in a very reasonable price and you can have it for ever. The newer universal license is pure gold value as you can have all 3 affinity apps for all available platforms for the cost of few months of adobe subscription (although yeah adobe suite give you a wider arrange of apps, me as a graphic designer simple need the 3 basics illustrator/photoshop/indesign, why to pay every year for apps that I don't use?). All in all it have a 60 days trial, so you can try for yourself for free. Just arrange the workspace the same way you had it in illustrator and the transition will be very smooth. The only thing that works completely differently is the clipping mask, but it is not a big deal.

Pros

Simple put, it is a very good and fast alternative to adobe illustrator with very competitive pricing and one off buy.

Cons

Technically speaking it is still on it's infancy, while it covers a lot of functions for a program that new, there are still things that are not yet implemented that I would love to have (although I have faith on the dev team that eventually will add everything that you may ever need).

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Illustrator is slow, doesn't use my hardware and it cost a lot of money with the subscription, not to mention that I have to pay all the time or I lose access to the app.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Managing Partner  
Photography  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Powerful software for graphic design and illustration"

January 14, 2025

5.0

Fast and powerful software with everything needed for graphic design and illustration.

Pros

Extremely good software for graphic design and illustration. Offers all needed tools. One-time payment instead of subscription model.

Cons

Everything I need is included, but generative AI tools like in Adobe products would be nice to have.

Alternatives considered

[Adobe InDesign](https://www.capterra.com/p/233314/Adobe-InDesign/)[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

I prefer one-time payments over subscription models.

Review Source

Susan M.  
Author  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Affinity Design is Great!"

December 11, 2025

5.0

Always being able to handle everything that I have asked it to do. The layout is easy to navigate and follow.

Pros

Affinity design is an all-in-one complete designer package. Great value for money, brilliant graphic designs, help tutorials are easy to understand and follow. The security is good and data seems to be well protected. Design creation has regular updates and easy to use software. The image editing is fantastic and on par with photoshop at a much reduced cost. I love it!

Cons

Have not found any negative aspects what-so-ever with this software. If I have to find one thing it would be, that if you have never used this type of software before, it has a quite in-depth learning curve. You need to watch all the tutorials.

Review Source

CS

Christian S.  
Web Producer  
Translation and Localization  
Used the software for: Less than 6 months

### "Great cheap alternative "

December 14, 2025

5.0

Pros

I had some experience with affinity before it's canva's. I love the several images editing features it's offering. Compared to big mane, it's easier.

Cons

I feel many lacks using Affinity Designer. Maybe some options aren't where I had habits to find on other tools.

Review Source

FS

Frank S.  
Founder and CEO  
Public Relations and Communications  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Perfect for a wide range of graphic tasks in a marketing agency environment"

September 11, 2024

5.0

I was looking for a tool to do my entire design - from print materials to social media URL preview images. It covers it all and is easy to use.

Pros

Pricing for what you actually get on functionality.

Cons

Some minor issues on figuring out how to set up the studio.

Switched from

[Pixelmator Pro](https://www.capterra.com/p/185948/Pixelmator-Pro-1-3-3-Prism/)

No vector capability at that time and a pricing incentive.

Review Source

TO

TERI O.  
Designer  
Graphic Design  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Affinity Designer is more bang for your buck "

November 17, 2024

5.0

Pros

Great alternative to Adobe products for an affordable price.

Cons

The UI is a little different than Adobe so there was a learning curve

Switched from

[Adobe Creative Cloud](https://www.capterra.com/p/48969/Adobe-Creative-Cloud/)

We could not afford Adobe anymore and needed another option

Review Source

GF

Gabriel F.  
Business Owner  
Consumer Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Why Affinity Earns My Loyalty: A Review of Their Customer-Centric Approach"

July 9, 2024

5.0

Pros

Affinity has always been a value-centered brand that genuinely cares about both the quality of its products and the satisfaction of its users. While many brands focus on maximizing profits and squeezing out every penny, Affinity chooses to do right by its customers with straightforward and simple purchase models. That's why their apps remain indispensable in my toolkit, and I feel a deep sense of loyalty toward their brand. Great job, team, and I think your 6-month model is brilliant. I wish you every success with it.

Cons

Learning curve takes time and help files could be better.

Switched from

[Adobe Creative Cloud](https://www.capterra.com/p/48969/Adobe-Creative-Cloud/)

Initially, price. Later, simply because they do everything Adobe does for a much better price.

Review Source

PK

Panagiotis K.  
Founder & Managing Director  
Media Production  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Vector graphics for everybody"

September 3, 2019

5.0

As the leader of a small-to-medium-enterprise and an educator in sound for media, many times I have the need to create simple graphics. From schematics and diagrams to icons and beyond. I use them for my company's internal knowledge-base, when I blog, for my presentations in classrooms, and even to create our own software graphical assets from mockups to finished product. First of all, it's no secret that working in vector is what every software developer should do, as it allows for the generation of all the graphic assets to be made in various bitmap resolutions, so your application looks clear and crisp in any device. Lately, even the Unity game engine introduced a pipeline to use vector graphic assets to create games, so that they render in any resolution, I definitely recommend checking this out if you are a game developer. Anyway, Affinity Designer always delivered a great experience for me and all my colleagues said that I became a graphic designer, which is not true, but it is a great compliment, and I really own that to Affinity Designer. The exporter feature is one huge time saver, you should check out the videos they have about this one and also the rest of Affinity team's video tutorials in Vimeo. Overall, the experience of using the application can be described as smooth, fast and easy.

Pros

What I liked most about this program, is the workflow and interface. The developers managed to create a simple to use application for vector graphics, that everybody can operate. I can't remember how many times I got frustrated trying to make a simple graphic in other programs, while in Affinity Designer, the workflow is mapped so well, that everybody can use it. From computer graphics professionals around the world, to amateurs like me, it is straight forward to open the application and start creating. The online help system is awesome and omni-present and the graphical interface is sleek and looks good in any monitor that I tried it, even small ones. I also consider a great bonus that the company keeps a straight policy about pricing, they don't use the subscription model which is very good for SMEs.

Cons

Some advanced vector tools are missing, but the software is still young and I'm sure it will develop to a great tool. After all, the developers seem to have usability, ease of use and fast workflows in mind, so they add new features very carefully, to keep Affinity Designer the great tool that it is now.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Over-complicated without making the interface and workflow intuitive, they only seem to add features to this program as they go and expect from the users to follow this progress from years ago. So I don't consider it a good onboarding process. Also subscription pricing model for a graphics creation application is only for those who make a lot of money by just making computer graphics, which many people who need graphics don't.

Review Source

PU

Pinar U.  
Designer  
Design  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "My Preferred App For Vector Drawing"

November 11, 2022

5.0

Even though it has some restrictions, I love using Affinity Designer and use it instead of Illustrator about 90% of the time. I switch back to Illustrator only when I have something I can't achieve with Affinity Designer. But the app gets updates pretty regularly so I'm hoping that it will only get better and better with each update.

Pros

The interface felt so easy to handle, uncluttered, and user-friendly after Illustrator. Even though Affinity Designer lacked some features that Illustrator has, it became my favorite drawing app very quickly and is still after using it for more than a year daily.

Cons

I'm hoping that Affinity will introduce an image trace feature soon. This feature is not only important for tracing images (which I don't really do) but also for using some custom vector brushes. For example, I bought some lovely watercolor vector brushes for Affinity Designer from a website just to realize that what I draw with them in Affinity Designer doesn't become a real vector image. When I tried the Illustrator version of the same brushes in Illustrator, I could get true vector drawings. Then I realized how important image tracing actually is.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

I saw reviews about Affinity Designer and was curious about how it was. When I tried it, I realized how much more I like working with it compared to Illustrator. Considering it being a one-time-off purchase, unlike Illustrator's subscription-based system, I wanted to switch to Affinity Designer altogether but couldn't entirely yet due to some missing features.

Review Source

DB

Deborah B.  
Artist  
Graphic Design  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Versatility and Easy to Learn"

July 1, 2022

5.0

Time saving: - Repetitive tasks: There are some intuitive features I'm learning about, while I was creating a template for printable stickers, I discovered after one 'duplicate' was dragged under the last, the next one would go to the space under that one (with just using the duplicate again). Saving time as I learn more and more.

Pros

This is the easiest to learn in graphic design software. I like that I can edit parts of a design and link or embed the update. I have created book covers (for print), e-book templates, and recently a sticker series (convention logo sticker items for event items). It has helped me save time (revising templates instead of building from scratch with each one), and I was able to create exactly what the client wanted. I've also created marketing graphics for social and launches of books and media (for clients). I can create custom templates to save time with each project (and there are a lot of built in custom templates already).

Cons

The main thing I like the least is that the Affinity software is not 'one' integration. It is three different programs. This is not my favorite thing for a few reasons, but, mostly I wish they were one, because I have started at least three projects in the wrong one (of the three I have).

Alternatives considered

[Krita](https://www.capterra.com/p/209859/Krita/)[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

I chose Affinity over Adobe because of price, and over Krita because it seems to work best when I would drop a finished design into it and then adjust the CMYK (so I basically used GIMP and Krita together). It is easier to just use Affinity Designer (for designing and CMYK).

Switched from

[Adobe InDesign](https://www.capterra.com/p/233314/Adobe-InDesign/)[GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)](https://www.capterra.com/p/168960/GIMP/)

GIMP does not have true CMYK option (for printing services who still use CMYK Printers), and Adobe is expensive in comparison (Affinity has NO monthly fee ).

Review Source

TM

Tyler M.  
Social Media Specialist  
Veterinary  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Absolutely amazing product with mind-blowing price!"

March 17, 2022

5.0

Wonderful. The quality is absolutely on par with Illustrator and works without a hitch on my Macbook Pro M1. No stutters or jitters.

Pros

I love Affinity Designer so much! I been using it on a daily basis for 5+ years now. The price of $50 is absolutely mind blowing for what this is able to do. It's comparable to other products in its category for 1/10th of the price. I have not had any instance of something that could be done in Illustrator that can't be done with Affinity.

Cons

The only thing about the product that I don't like is that the art board is not transparent. This becomes an issue because I am not able to view anything outside of the work area and unless I find it in the layers tab, I won't be able to locate anything I put on it.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

The cost. I could not afford to purchase Illustrator and a monthly subscription wasn't feasible for me. One month of adobe for the same price as owning this amazing software.

Review Source

SP

Srdan P.  
Operations Manager  
Apparel & Fashion  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "My essential UX, Vector Creating tool"

June 3, 2022

5.0

I am very satisfied with the performance the look, style and usability of Affinity Designer I am also using the Affinity Photo and Publisher.

Pros

It's built for Mac OS, an it works flawlessly with my M1 MacBook and my Dell 27" external screen. It has all the features and tools as Adobe Illustrator and then some more. I absolutely love it!

Cons

Nothing that I can think of at the moment, all is rainbows and smiles after few years of using it.

Alternatives considered

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

Pricing and plus I know the product for several years.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Seamless and without any regrets, wouldn't go back to Adobe in a million years.

Review Source

JT

Joshua T.  
Musician | Online Tutor  
Arts and Crafts  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Brilliant Application - Incredible Brand!"

November 21, 2019

5.0

My overall experience with the whole Affinity brand is supremely positive. Every aspect of their service: from the products they provide to the support, tutorials and workbooks they offer is of a supremely high standard. I'm incredibly excited to see how this brand evolves and will definitely be purchasing any product they add to their catalogue in the future.

Pros

Designer is an incredibly deep application that can satisfy just about everyone's demands for digital illustration. It has a phenomenal feature set and works on multiple devices, thus enabling the user to maximize their output and enhance their workflow. The accompanying Workbook is a brilliant way to familiarize the user to the capabilities of the software, and as the only viable alternative to Adobe Illustrator, anyone making the transition will feel right at home - you can even open up your Illustrator projects in Designer! Another great function is the seamless integration with Affinity's other applications - Publisher and Photo. I have only scratched the surface of this application but am astonished at what can be achieved. I can't recommend it highly enough and think that there is nothing on the market than can compete at this price range. Five stars! 🏆

Cons

Since making the transition from Illustrator, I've honestly not looked back once. There is nothing in my workflow that Designer isn't capable of performing. As such, I have no cons and can't think of any reason not explore Designer and its capabilities.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

I couldn't justify the exorbitant fees that Adobe charge and was desperate to find a feature-packed and affordable solution.

Review Source

JB

Jeremy B.  
Writer  
Writing and Editing  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Gotta Get Them All"

March 31, 2021

5.0

I should start by saying that I didn't think I'd need Affinity Designer when I bought it. The only reason I bought it (and its product sibling, Affinity Photo) was because the product I actually wanted (Affinity Publisher) has a component called "Studio Link" that allows owners of Designer and Photo to switch "personas," which is a fancy word for summoning the tool set for Designer or Photo, whenever they need to update an image, logo, vector, landscape photo, etc. within a print layout for magazines, books (my exact use case), posters, fliers, or any other printed publication for business. By having a copy of Designer, I can use its full feature set right inside Publisher (same with Photo). I never have to exit the program or swap the image file I need to work on. It's not just innovative, it's efficient: one of the functional reasons (outside the obvious cost benefit) to using Affinity Anything over Adobe Anything (including Illustrator, it's main competition). But the funny thing is that once I bought Designer (and Photo), I saw a need for it. It's now my go-to for designing vector images, which can help me to make a logo for my website or a character + scene or idea design for my book covers (in comedies and coming-of-age fiction). The hardest part is actually learning how to draw with vectors. Spoiler Alert: It's not hard, even if you're an amateur like me. Get the Affinity Designer textbook or watch expert tutorials, and you'll figure it out in no time.

Pros

The main reason I bought the program was because it integrates with Affinity Publisher, another tool from the same company that I needed for book design. This is probably more of a pro in Publisher's camp, but Designer's compatibility with Affinity's entire suite of products made it attractive. But it didn't take long for me to realize that I needed a program to design vector graphics, and Affinity Designer scratches that itch well. I can't compare its feature set to its competitor, Adobe Illustrator, because I don't use Adobe products, so I can't discuss what it lacks. But when it comes to essential layered shape designs and special effects (and creating patterns, and designing logos, and so on), it includes everything you need to get the job done well. It's also easy to use. The product's store page also sells a textbook that holds your hand through designing projects, so it's very learn-as-you-go. The video tutorials also offer quick tips and best practices, and you can get additional design ideas from Affinity's YouTube channel. The price is unbeatable. It charges an ownership fee, not a subscription fee, so you pay for the product once (and depending on your budget, you don't pay much) and keep it forever. The price includes all updates within that version, and it updates enough to maintain user confidence. Overall, my opinion is that if you care about graphics of any kind, this is a tool worth having. But you should get all of Affinity's products. They're worth it.

Cons

If I were a dedicated graphic design artist, I might have an opinion here. But as a writer and sometimes game designer, my graphic needs are governed by situation, and so far my situation has not revealed any frustrations that I wouldn't extend to all Affinity products. So, the only actual negative I have right now is trivial. I'd need to use the software consistently to become excellent, and I don't need it often enough to become excellent. But if I were to use it consistently, the tools it offers would help me become excellent. So, there's no real con to buying this program, especially at its price point. Keeping track of the art boards gave me a headache the first time I used them. I think I may have used them wrong. A true graphic designer probably wouldn't have that kind of problem. It would be like a non-writer trying to learn how to use the style sheets in Microsoft Word (or Affinity Publisher, for that matter). Not hopeless, but not easy on the first try. No, the only nitpick I have is the same about all of Affinity's products. To update them, you have to manually download and install the newest version. Each product is half a gigabyte in size. Multiply that by three (because all three share the same updates), and it can get expensive on your hard drive if you don't have that delete key ready. It would be nicer if they had an auto-updating option available (for those who trust the integrity of updates). But that's about it. Oh, and Affinity likes RAM. Lots of RAM.

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

When I saw what Affinity Designer (and Photo and Publisher) could accomplish as a complete design layout suite, and when I saw how little I had to spend to access such power, I couldn't justify leaving it behind. It was literally a case of "I don't know if I can afford to buy this, but I do know that I can't afford not buying it." So I bought it. And I could afford it.

Review Source

Jeremy D.  
Lead Designer  
Media Production  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "An Affordable Champion"

May 5, 2022

5.0

I've been looking for an alternative to Adobe illustrator for years now, and Affinity Designer is the one. The interface is much faster to open and lighter in feel, and it offers pretty much all the features one could want from a vector editor. You can jump between vector and raster quite easily too.

Pros

Affinity Designer is very inexpensive, but you wouldn't know it from using it. This is a full-on, best-in-class vector graphics application for designing logos, icons, UI, mock-ups and more.

Cons

While Affinity Designer is very similar to Adobe Illustrator, it does behave quite differently in some ways, and will take a little longer to adjust coming from Illustrator. That being said, it's still very easy to use.

Alternatives considered

[GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)](https://www.capterra.com/p/168960/GIMP/)

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

Much more professional interface than Gimp.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Very affordable, no monthly contract.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Designer  
Design  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A good Illustrator alternative, but far from perfect"

January 31, 2021

4.0

Overall, I recommend Designer, along with the other Affinity apps, but I have something of a love-hate relationship with them. I love that we have real alternative to Adobe's products. The tools are powerful, and in many areas they shine brighter than Adobe's tired old offerings. On the other hand, some basic usability issues seem to hang about forever.

Pros

It's almost impossible to judge any vector illustration software without drawing comparisons (excuse the pun) to Adobe Illustrator, and in many ways Affinity Designer compares very well. It certainly feels fast, as a modern, native Mac app should. And unlike Illustrator, you can buy the app for a very affordable one-time purchase—no monthly subscriptions. Affinity has done a great job of unifying (mostly) all their apps, and this has to be mentioned too—Designer exists as part of an ecosystem, which for many designers, makes it the first genuine alternative to Adobe's Creative Cloud.

Cons

I have not found the transition from Adobe apps to be an altogether easy one. In some part, that is just the nature of switching from tools that one has grown very familiar with over many years. But some of it goes beyond that. The Affinity apps (and Designer is no exception) exhibit some \*interesting\* UI behaviours. Some of the more frustrating ones: - poor windows management, making Separated Mode almost unusable - strange intermittent bugs like a background window somehow having focus (and receiving commands) - working with colour swatches (especially Pantone swatches and spot colours) is cumbersome - some non-destructive actions, like deselecting an object, are added to the undo/redo stack (making it impossible to redo other commands) - no option to globally turn off antialiasing of exported artwork - no info panel - no ability to save your workspaces - lots of other 'little' interface oddities, which aren't big in and of themselves, but which can contribute to a somewhat frustrating experience overall. Some of these issues have been raised over and over again on the user forums, but Affinity seems very slow to address them.

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Ronald P.  
Digital Media Coordinator  
Religious Institutions  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Affinity Designer for the win!!!!!!"

September 23, 2022

5.0

Affinity Designer has been great for vector graphics designing for print and digital. With the seamless integration between Designer, Photo, & Publisher our materials look much cleaner.

Pros

What do I like most about Affinity Designer? EVERYTHING!!! This software replaced an older version of Adobe Suite Desktop. No subscription plan and excellent updates were among the winning reason to switch.

Cons

If I had to pick something to not like, it would be that some of my presets and LUT functions could not be imported into Affinity. I do run into some minor issues with layers when importing AI files.

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)

Cost and no subscription

Review Source

pranav S.  
designer and animator  
Animation  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Best software for creating graphics and illustration for those who are new in this field"

April 26, 2020

5.0

but my experience with affinity is very very positive and it's my first designer software and it really worked well for me. many many thanks to them.

Pros

when i was starting my career as an animator, so i need a program in which i work to create vector designs and illustration to animate. so i have 2 options in front of me adobe illustrator which is very popular and affinity designer. i have seen the interface of both, and i find affinity designer very easy and simple to create these illustration. it is less confusing for beginners. affinity has a better interface than adobe illustrator. i like it's features and they provided 2 different sections like design persona and pixel persona. it is very helpful for me. yes using affinity i have started my career and now i am successfully running my firm.

Cons

there is nothing to dislike about but as the area which they need to focus is exporting and file compatibility with other software's. this is the only one thing which i find little hard to deal with using affinity as i am using adobe after effects for animations and only eps and png files are supported so it's increases the work while exporting and also there is one problem with export. when exporting and submitting to websites like shutterstock it is unapproved because of rasterization problem and if i select nothing will be rasterized then it will remove all the effects like if i have choosen the transparency effect so it will remove the effect and give me solid color. so that's something i can't figure out till now.

Review Source

Heidi S.  
Graphic Designer  
Design  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "A wonderful substitute for Adobe Illustrator"

July 11, 2018

5.0

Awesome alternative to Adobe products, clean interface and makes my project flow much more efficient.

Pros

I really like how intuitive the software is for designers who are familiar with any standard design platform. I've been using Serif products for 9 years now and have always been impressed with how affordable and functional their design software has always been. They made design accessible to anyone in a market where design software pricing made it out of reach for many struggling graphic artists and designers. This newest offering is, in my opinion, superior to the industry standard vector offering, Adobe Illustrator. At a base level Affinity Designer offers all of the functionality of it's competition, with more ease of use and a much more affordable rate.

Cons

As Affinity Designer is still fairly new there are some small bugs, however, the Affinity support team works hard to address those and update the software often. Also, while most of the features are super intuitive the more advanced offerings can be harder to figure out. More tutorials offered by the company and the design community would be beneficial to allow people to really get all of the value that they can. The software is capable of so much but learning about those advanced features can be frustrating.

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