Adobe Photoshop vs Affinity
Adobe Photoshop scores 8.5 to Affinity's 6.9 among the image editors we rate, and is the better pick for 3 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
Adobe Photoshop wins, 8.5 to 6.9
Affinity is free to use, but every AI feature, generative fill, background removal, upscaling, needs a paid Canva plan behind it. Photoshop's Photography plan, which includes Lightroom, costs $19.99 a month and bundles those same AI tools without a second subscription. Affinity opens layered PSDs but exports them flattened; Photoshop opens and saves PSDs with layers intact. Canva trains on your uploads by default unless you switch it off, while Photoshop says it never trains on yours.
Pick Adobe Photoshop if you want AI tools built in without a separate subscription.
Pick Affinity if you want a free app and don't mind Canva for AI.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
- Opens and saves layered Photoshop files: Adobe Photoshop yes, Affinity no
- Template library: Adobe Photoshop yes, Affinity does not say
- Third-party plugins: Adobe Photoshop yes, Affinity no
- Where it runs: 5 platforms against 2 platforms
- File formats it exports: 5 export formats against 4 export formats
- But Affinity leads on apps it connects to: 4 integrations against 3 integrations
- Cheapest paid plan, monthly: $0 against $19.99
- Does not train AI on what you upload: Yes against unless you opt out
- Ways to reach support: 3 support channels against 2 support channels
- SOC 2: Adobe Photoshop yes, Affinity does not say
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other image editors we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. Adobe Photoshop leads on 3 of 4 criteria.
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Published by only one of them
Where they match (9)
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Adobe Photoshop
Affinity
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
Adobe Photoshop
- Supports a full CMYK working space for print, not just soft-proofing.
- Non-destructive editing through adjustment layers and masks.
- Native PSD support that preserves every layer and effect.
- Batch command, Image Processor and droplets automate edits across many files at once.
- Sold only by subscription, with no perpetual license option on any plan.
- The full desktop app has no free tier; only the feature-gated mobile app is free.
- Generative AI features are capped at 25 monthly credits on the single-app plan.
Affinity
- The whole app, its Vector, Pixel and Layout studios together, is free to use with no restrictions or payment needed.
- Exports from the free app carry no watermark.
- Editing is non-destructive across layers, filters and adjustments, and RAW files get full editing with tone mapping and lens correction.
- It includes batch processing with recordable macros and print-ready CMYK output with spot colours, preflight and bleed support, all in the free app.
- Every AI feature, including generative fill, background removal, upscaling and image and vector generation, requires a separate paid Canva plan and does not work on the free app alone.
- Canva trains its AI models on your account content and activity by default, and you have to turn this off yourself in your Canva privacy settings.
Adobe Photoshop vs Affinity: common questions
Which is better, Adobe Photoshop or Affinity?
Adobe Photoshop scores 8.5 and Affinity 6.9 out of 10 among the image editors we rate. Adobe Photoshop is ahead on what it adds beyond the basics, workflow and output and privacy and trust. Affinity is ahead on pricing.
Is Adobe Photoshop or Affinity cheaper?
Adobe Photoshop's cheapest paid plan is $19.99/mo (Photography plan, includes Lightroom) and Affinity's is Free (AI features need a paid Canva plan). Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
What can Adobe Photoshop do that Affinity cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: opens and saves layered Photoshop files and third-party plugins.
