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    Affinity Photo

    Professional photo editing, free since 2024.

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    ToolTrim verdict4.1/ 5Great

    Affinity Photo makes sense for photo retouchers seeking a free, robust Photoshop alternative; for the full Adobe ecosystem or simple editing, another tool may fit better.

    Affinity Photo, preview 1
    About

    In practice. What you can do with Affinity Photo.

    Affinity Photo is a professional photo editing application for photographers and designers. It covers layers, masks, RAW processing, color correction, and multi-image compositing. A serious Photoshop competitor for years, it became free in 2024 after Canva acquired Serif. For anyone looking to avoid an Adobe subscription, the pricing question is settled.

    Practical uses

    • Retouch a RAW photo gallery end to end.
    • Create an HDR merged image from multiple exposures.
    • Apply frequency separation for advanced skin retouching.

    Features & use cases

    Photo editing
    Photo enhancement
    Design tools

    Pros and cons

    What Affinity Photo does especially well and the limits to anticipate.

    Pros

    • Entirely free for professional features.
    • Interface comparable to Photoshop—easy transition.
    • No subscription; perpetual license.
    • Excellent RAW, HDR, and frequency separation capabilities.

    Cons

    • Less rich ecosystem than Adobe (no integrated Lightroom).
    • Third-party plugin support more limited than Photoshop.
    • Smaller community and fewer learning resources.

    Affinity Photo: when it makes sense.

    Affinity Photo makes sense for photo retouchers seeking a free, robust Photoshop alternative; for the full Adobe ecosystem or simple editing, another tool may fit better.

    Keep if

    You want a Photoshop alternative without subscription.. You do RAW or HDR photo retouching regularly.

    Challenge if

    You need the full Adobe ecosystem (Lightroom, Bridge, Sync, etc.).. You're new to photo retouching and want something simple.

    Pricing. What does Affinity Photo cost?

    Free$0

    Free since 2024 (Canva acquisition)

    Official pricing sourceverified on

    Alternatives. What could replace Affinity Photo?

    Current
    The AI angle

    Affinity Photo vs AI

    AI augments this tool
    Go further with AI

    Affinity Photo remains a manual editing tool with a one-time purchase, with no native generative AI — its differentiation remains price (no subscription) rather than AI features like Photoshop.

    Can AI replace it?

    Replace Affinity Photo with an AI? No, but it lags behind Photoshop's generative AI features (generative fill). Its value remains precise manual control with no subscription. Verdict: challenged on generative AI, but differentiated by its no-subscription business model.

    Affinity Photo Summary

    Category
    productivity tool.
    Price from
    Universal / one-time license (Universal / one-time license).
    Best for
    professionals.
    Avoid if
    You need the full Adobe ecosystem (Lightroom, Bridge, Sync, etc.).; You're new to photo retouching and want something simple..
    Alternatives
    Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, Luminar Neo.
    ToolTrim verdict
    Affinity Photo makes sense for photo retouchers seeking a free, robust Photoshop alternative; for the full Adobe ecosystem or simple editing, another tool may fit better.

    Our verdict. What to know about Affinity Photo.

    Why this verdict

    Great

    Affinity Photo is fairly easy to replace with an alternative, a free tier to test before paying, clearly documented use cases.

    Frequently asked questions.

    What to know before choosing Affinity Photo.

    What is Affinity Photo used for?

    Professional photo editing, free since 2024.

    How much does Affinity Photo cost?

    Affinity Photo is sold as a lifetime license with no subscription. See the official price. Price verified on 2026-06-15.

    Is Affinity Photo suitable for beginners?

    Affinity Photo suits most professionals. See the "Who is it for" section for details.

    Is Affinity Photo worth the price?

    Affinity Photo makes sense for photo retouchers seeking a free, robust Photoshop alternative; for the full Adobe ecosystem or simple editing, another tool may fit better.

    What are the best alternatives to Affinity Photo?

    The main alternatives to Affinity Photo are: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, Luminar Neo.

    What’s next?