# Page 3 | Affinity Designer Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra

> Page 3 - 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

# Page 3 - Reviews of Affinity Designer

## Showing most helpful reviews

Showing 51-75 of 454 Reviews

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Rating

Company Size

Reviewer's Role

Length of Use

Frequency of Use

Abraham C.  
Social Media Manager & Administrative Support  
Mining & Metals  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best Alternative for Adobe Illustrator"

October 31, 2021

5.0

Overall, I am very happy with this app because I can finally work on vectors and graphic designs without worrying about monthly fees. It is so cheap and powerful. This is definitely the best alternative for Adobe Illustrator.

Pros

I was an avid user of Adobe Illustrator before they changed into a subscription model. When I learned about Affinity Designer, I grabbed it immediately without second thoughts. It works great and has all the features and tools I need for my work and business. You just have to pay once and you get all future updates for life! Also, their mobile app comes free after your purchase. How cool is that? The app can be used on desktops and/or tablets. I have tried it on my iPad Pro and it's really fun to use, though I'd still prefer working on a computer. The price is so cheap and hard to beat. I will never look back after using this software for almost 5 years. I am now a fan and I highly recommend this app.

Cons

There is nothing to dislike with this software. I never had any issues or crashes so far. I love it!

Switched from

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

I made the switch because of pricing. Adobe charges monthly while in Affinity Designer, you just have to pay once and it is yours for life! Also, everything is pretty the same, the functionality and tools. Switching to this app is pretty straightforward.

Review Source

Cindy C.  
Junior Software Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A really great alternative "

September 17, 2023

3.0

Pros

I really like the fact that Affinity is a one-time payment software. Unlike Adobe, it doesn't come with an annual subscription, and this factor plays a decisive role in my choice of software. Another of Affinity's strengths is their proximity to users. They attach a great deal of importance to user feedback.And of course, the software's functions are really intuitive and efficient.

Cons

On the other hand, what I don't like is the performance, which is really low on Windows, even with a good configuration. The software is not optimised for Windows and you can feel it. That's one of the software's only faults for me, the performance. Version 2 of Affinity has added a huge number of new features. I hope that this point will be improved in the future.

Switched from

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

The lifetime licence of Affinity and these features.

Review Source

JK

Jens K.  
Graphic Designer & Artworker  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "IMO the Best Vector Editing Software on the Market"

July 21, 2021

5.0

Fabulous. I bought the software in 2014 when it was first released and Serif has supplied free upgrades for almost seven years now (bringing it from version 1.0 to 1.9). It's super easy to learn when you come from competing software and because it's newly developed it doesn't carry the heft of many, many years of old code and compatibility issues around (looking at you, Illustrator!).

Pros

It's modern, FAST (in capitals), easy to use, affordable and regularly updated. Also, Affinity Designer (and it's companion applications Photo and Publisher) are available on both Windows and macOS with 100% file compatibility; In addition there is an iPad edition available, again with 100% compatible files and great drawing features for Apple Pencil.

Cons

The management of ,global colours' and 'normal colours' needs some getting used to. Once you know how it works, it works well, but it's a bit different than I expected.

Alternatives considered

[Sketch](https://www.capterra.com/p/171364/Sketch/)

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

The two reasons I chose Affinity Designer over other evaluated software: - There is two more products in the suite (Affinity Photo and Publisher) and "working seamlessly together" is an understatement (StudioLink basically melts the three applications into one) - Out of the three products I looked at Affinity Designer is the one with the best export options for print-ready PDF documents

Switched from

[Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/)[CorelDRAW](https://www.capterra.com/p/124823/CorelDRAW/)

I switched because Affinity Designer comes at a one-off price and the software I used before switched to a subscription model. The other software I used before that was not available on macOS (it is now, but runs really, really badly).

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.

Review Source

Alexandre T.  
Director  
Design  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The best design software ever"

December 26, 2021

5.0

\- Fast development for my customers - For any visit card design or else, it's very immersive

Pros

I've been using affinity for about 3 years. It's soooo easy so great and mostly, SO QUICK ! I love designing with this software ! User experience is very cool, the customization is amazing. And the price it's like we give it to you ! I can only recommend that software !

Cons

Sometimes, I need to go to Illustrator for some specific features such as color overall management or width modification. Anyway, there are a lot of innovative feature on Illustrator that i'd love to see on affinity.

Alternatives considered

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

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

Better UX Less expensive User friendly Immersive Beautiful Ease of use Very quick

Switched from

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

For the features listed above

Review Source

PC

Paul C.  
Associate Pastor  
Non-Profit Organization Management  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "The software Adobe doesn't want you to know about"

February 12, 2023

5.0

I think it far surpasses Adobe at a great price point. While there are some things that are convenient with Adobe, it does not warrant the price. While it may not be the most popular too for graphic design, it is still one of the best by far.

Pros

I started looking for something cheaper than Adobe. While Adobe has the market corned, the price is very high considering it is a subscription based service. I started looking into Affinity during the pandemic after downloading the iPad app. After some research, I decided to take the plunge and try it out. The price was only $50 with no subscription, which I could easily stomach. The price itself is a huge selling point. I began using Affinity designer and found it far more used friendly than Adobe Illustrator. Because there is no cloud services or extra software, your computer's power goes directly to the app. Plus, because there is an iPad app, you can easily switch between devices.

Cons

If you are used to Adobe products, it will be a learning curve moving to Affinity. you do not have access to Adobe fonts and will need to install font files from either another website or buying them from Adobe. You will also have to think about cloud storage for your projects. I use Google Drive and all of my projects and data sync perfectly.

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

Stated above

Switched from

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

Price and ease of use

Review Source

Melissa S.  
Director of Marketing  
Non-Profit Organization Management  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Great Illustrator Alternative"

October 10, 2022

5.0

When Adobe switched to subscription service I was very frustrated as I don't use Illustrator often enough to make it worth the cost...but I do occasionally need a full featured design program. I searched through many options, but finally settled on Affinity. It has been a great replacement and the one time purchase is a perfect solution for our company. If they had a replacement for Lightroom, I would be able to leave Adobe behind completely!

Pros

Affinity designer has all the priority features I look for in a design program. I hate switching to new software, but I found Affinity to be a fairly easy transition from Illustrator. Occasionally I can't find a tool I wanted in the spot I assumed it should be, but a quick search solves that problem. I love the way the tool bar is laid out and found all the main tools I wanted were easy to access. This is now my go to design program and I love that it is not a subscription based software.

Cons

While some designers fault Affinity for not having certain features I found that all of the vital features I needed are included.

Switched from

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

We primarily switched because of the subscription pricing at Adobe. Illustrator is a great software, but as we don't use it on a daily basis we couldn't afford the service and started looking for an alternative. Honestly I wouldn't go back even if we could afford it. Affinity works great and does everything we need.

Review Source

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

Alan Gerardo S.  
Director  
Marketing and Advertising  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "A great vector creation tool for iPad users"

July 27, 2022

5.0

It’s been great overall. One purchase and you jump right in without worrying about renewing payment plans. At first it was a bit of a shock having such a high quality app for a table because it does things that you might not expect it to to do while at the same time not behaving exactly how you would expect. However it’s more because it must compromise in some aspects due to the fact that it MUST take into account both touch only controls as well as mouse and keyboad.

Pros

\-Purchase once and use forever. You don’t need a monthly subscription fee to access every feature -Accesible price, you don’t need to break the bank to purchase this app -Rich interface and tools

Cons

\-Interface and interactions may be hit or miss since it’s software built for tablets and may not always play nice when using mouse and keyboard - Slight learning curve when coming from other options

Switched from

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

I switched my main work station from an older macbook pro the a new 12.9” iPad pro and Adobe’s options are not very well optimized plus have sometime outrageously high prices for the quality they offer.

Review Source

dE

dupau E.  
graphiste webdesigner  
Design  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Très bon rapport Qualité/Prix"

December 13, 2023

4.0

Très bon logiciel, mais n'est pas resté dans l'entreprise qui a conservé adobe. La licence a été offerte à un client commerçant. Avec un peu de suivi et de formation ce logiciel répond parfaitement à ces petits besoins.

Pros

Très abordable pour les petits budjets, une fois la prise en main passée c'est un très bon outils pour des petits ou moyens projets

Cons

Quelqu'un d'habituer à photoshop et illustrator préférerai tout le même la suite adobe. Moins collaboratif du fait de l'organisation des fichiers non respecté à l'import pour les logiciels tiers.

Review Source

Rogelio A.  
CEO  
Media Production  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "How not love it?"

March 12, 2022

5.0

I have the whole suite working together: Designer, Photo, Publisher and it helps me stay on a competitive level against other businesses offering the same services.

Pros

Affinity Designer is the best Adobe Illustrator alternative that will let you edit SVG, AI, EPS, PDF files with ease. The controls are very intuitive and easy to use, the results are way too good and so far, after all these years there's nothing I regret from using Affinity Designer If you buy a set of tools on the Serif store, you do not have to download them and install them on a certain folder, you just go into the panel, click, that's it. You have it ready to use and installed properly.

Cons

The only thing I cannot do in Affinity Designer so far is to get a PNG and trace it into a vector. For that, I have to use Inkspace but everything else: Affnity Designer. Another thing that you may feel limited is that you see templates for Illustrator everywhere but not for Designer. You can still open them but all the layers groups will be merged into a single giant group making you spend some time rearranging things.

Switched from

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

Adobe is way too expensive for small businesses like mine

Review Source

Victor S.  
Manger and Graphic Designer  
Design  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "My Affinity Review"

August 24, 2023

4.0

Pros

Affinity is one of the tools that has helped my graphic design agency it features and Fonts helped in making my graphics design making it organized and liked by my client . Affinity is one of the easiest tool with advanced features to make the design look beautuful.

Cons

The only thing i dont like is way the software has a dark background interface .

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

VR

Verified Reviewer  
CEO  
Online Media  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Affinity Designer is a Worthy Contender in the Design Software Space"

November 13, 2019

5.0

Affinity Designer feels like a friendlier vector design option as compared with some of the other usual suspects. While old-school designers and illustrators may prefer a more traditional approach, A.D. doesn't make you work quite as hard for basic shapes, text, etc. On the other hand, the departures may make it a harder transition for more experienced users. And, while this isn't a reflection on the software specifically, as a newer addition to the space, there are fewer tutorials available. I don't use it exclusively in design work, but I definitely favor it in many ways.

Pros

The interface is user-friendly, although there is definitely a learning curve coming from other vector design packages. I appreciate that there is a library of built-in shapes. When I'm trying to work through a design, I'd rather not have to draw a call-out or a cog or a heart. It's nice to be able to just pop them in. I also find that the basic text tool is friendlier than other packages.

Cons

There are some features that don't work as intended or are missing entirely, when compared against other vector design software. There doesn't seem to be an easy way to auto-trace a raster image, which would be helpful for my use.

Alternatives considered

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

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

It's significantly less expensive than Adobe Illustrator and doesn't require a subscription fee. But I also just like overall design.

Switched from

[Inkscape](https://www.capterra.com/p/178240/Inkscape/)

I haven't completely made a switch, but I use both packages. I find Affinity Designer to be easier to use and enjoy some of the added features, like the ability to easily create common shapes.

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

Ismaël Huberson C.  
founder  
Apparel & Fashion  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Affinity Designer"

November 18, 2022

5.0

The best vector graphics software.

Pros

Affinity Designer is a vector graphics software that allows you to do retouching, illustration and drawing. It is a great tool for designers and is compatible with most operating systems. The Affinity Designer software is easy to use with its intuitive tools and easy navigation. It is a great software for creating artwork for business, creating marketing materials, designing logos and more.

Cons

It's a nice software to use, suitable for beginners as well as for professionals.

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.

Review Source

HW

Hailey W.  
Owner  
Retail  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Great graphic design software"

February 11, 2022

4.0

Pros

Affinity Designer is a great one-time purchase software for graphic design. It has more features than the free program I was using previously and has allowed me to create more detailed designs for use in my business.

Cons

I don't have any formal training in graphic design so learning a new program can be difficult. I tend to turn to Youtube for tutorials and unfortunately there aren't a lot of tutorials for Affinity Designer compared to some of the other major design programs out there.

Alternatives considered

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

Reason for choosing Affinity Designer

At the time I installed Affinity Designer, they were offering an extended free trial. This made it easy to install and try out the software before purchasing and the lengthy trial period gave me time to learn more about how to use the software at my own pace. When my trial expired, Affinity was still offering a great deal on the purchase price of the software so I happily purchased. The main alternative I considered was Adobe who charge a subscription for use of their software. I prefer a one-time fee over a subscription as the subscription price quickly surpasses the cost of purchasing the software and becomes an ongoing business expense.

Switched from

[Inkscape](https://www.capterra.com/p/178240/Inkscape/)

I was looking for program with more features as my design needs changed in my business. I needed to be able to work with images as well as vector files and Adobe Designer seemed to be a good fit.

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

TAB

Tizio Alida B.  
Integrateur Web  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Affinity Designer pour les infographes"

November 2, 2023

4.0

Il présente un interface très intuitif et facile à manipuler

Pros

Affinity Designer est un logiciel permettant de créer des affiches et de faire des designs avec de très beaux rendu

Cons

Comme la plupart des outil de design Affinity Design est très gourmand en ressource

Review Source

TB

Tyler B.  
Digital Asset Manager  
Automotive  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "No need for Adobe Products "

November 20, 2023

5.0

Never had any problems with the software of the company at all

Pros

Get 99.9% of what you pay a gazillion dollars for Adobe products with AD. It is way more user-friendly, has all the same features for the most part and total cross-use with other affinity programs... and it's a one-time fee for the amazing software.

Cons

Every now and then you look for a feature you are used to with other platforms and its another key command or you have to dig for it a bit to get it done. a few features take a couple of extra steps that arent always necessary.

Switched from

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

Pretty much the same program for 1/1000th of the costs

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

Leighton F.  
Graphic Designer  
Graphic Design  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Excellent alternative to Adobe Illustrator"

July 18, 2021

5.0

With the exception of a few missing features and performance issues that would be nice to have, the experience has been excellent.

Pros

Affinity Designer is very affordable alternative that does most things as well as Adobe Illustrator (and a few things it does even better!) The UI is actually more intuitive than Illustrator in most ways, and those who come from Photoshop or Illustrator will have absolutely no problems adjusting to it. Affinity Designer is perfect for UI design, and illustration.

Cons

Unfortunately Affinity Designer is missing some of the more advanced features available in Illustrator, though none of these will be a deal-breaker for most users. The Affinity suite of apps also seems to have some (mostly non-critical) issues with memory management. Complex files can cause the software to become rather sluggish even on high-end computers. Adobe Illustrator is not immune to this, but this seems to happen with less complex files with Affinity Designer.

Alternatives considered

[Inkscape](https://www.capterra.com/p/178240/Inkscape/)[GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)](https://www.capterra.com/p/168960/GIMP/)

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Web Designer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Excellent graphics design tool, Illustrator alternative!"

October 15, 2019

5.0

Absolute pleasure! I couldn't afford the Adobe package but now I have Affinity Designer and Photo and it more than meets all my needs for website graphics and photo editing and design.

Pros

So much cheaper than Illustrator / Photoshop and packs all the features I need. Easy to use, easy to learn. Many tutorials from Affinity as well as other skilled users. Use it for simple projects or very in-depth. Replace expensive and subscription services with this one-time very reasonably priced vector graphics software. They also have an iPad app that is just as powerful and neither suck up resources!

Cons

If you are very used other software like Illustrator, it will take some time to adjust at first. You may have to find different ways to do the same task in Designer, but it is just a quick look-up away from learning.

Switched from

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

Price.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Account Services Representative  
Insurance  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "The Best Vector Program for your Money!"

October 26, 2018

5.0

My overall experience with Affinity Designer has been overwhelmingly positive. Seriously, there isn't a better vector/raster program for Windows, Mac, and iPad for the price. It's changed my design workflow for the better and I hope it disrupts the stranglehold a certain suite of tools has on the industry.

Pros

Affinity Designer has helped me cut the expensive cord that tied me to the Adobe suite of graphic design tools. The price is absolutely mind-blowing for what this software can do. It does everything programs like Illustrator can do--creating vector art and manipulating nodes on the fly. But it also adds raster tools allowing you to combine smooth vector designs with detailed bitmaps. There's so much Serif has packed into this amazing app at an insanely affordable price that there's no reason every designer and hobbyist should be adding to their toolbox today.

Cons

My only nitpicks about this software is that occasionally it will crash when you're handling large files with lots of layers and that new versions don't come out as quickly as I'd like. But Serif is a small team who's passionate about their product and I know they'll continue to develop it to be the best it can be.

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