Head-to-head · facts checked 21 Sept 2026
Affinity vs Corel PaintShop Pro
2 tools, 11 differing data points, mostly pricing and positioning.
From
Free (AI features need a paid Canva plan)
Free plan
Yes
The verdict
Affinity or Corel PaintShop Pro?
Section 01
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Affinity
Free
Free
Full Pixel, Vector and Layout tools; AI features need a paid Canva plan
CCorel PaintShop Pro
PaintShop Pro 2023
$79.99 one-time
PaintShop Pro 2023 Ultimate
$99.99 one-time
Section 02
Pros and cons
From each tool's full review, written from the same checked facts.
Affinity
Pros
- 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.
Cons
- 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.
CCorel PaintShop Pro
Pros
- Bought once as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription, and kept afterward.
- Native AI tools for upscaling, denoising, style transfer and background replacement ship in the base app.
- Imports and exports PSD files with layers for moving work to and from Photoshop.
- Supports third-party plugins including Adobe plugins and brushes, Topaz Labs and the Nik Collection by DXO.
Cons
- No permanent free plan, only a 30-day free trial.
- Windows only, with no Mac version.
- No working CMYK colour mode; editing stays in RGB with conversion only at export.
Side by side
| Company | ||
| HQ | — | Canada |
| AI model | Canva AI (needs a paid Canva plan) | — |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac | Windows |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | — | One-time purchase |
| Free plan | Yes, the whole app | No |
| Free trial | No | Yes, 30 days |
| Starting price | Free (AI features need a paid Canva plan) | $79.99 one-time |
| All plans | Free — Free | PaintShop Pro 2023 — $79.99 one-time PaintShop Pro 2023 Ultimate — $99.99 one-time |
| Positioning | ||
| Best for | Designers who want photo, vector and layout tools in one free desktop app, with AI features on a paid Canva plan | Windows photo editors who want raw editing, PSD support and AI tools in an app they buy once |
| Differentiator | Affinity puts pixel, vector and layout tools in one free desktop app, with Canva's AI tools on a paid Canva plan. | PaintShop Pro is a Windows photo editor bought once, with raw editing, batch processing and AI tools. |
| Competitors | Adobe Photoshop, Photopea, GIMP | Adobe Photoshop, Affinity, GIMP |
Section 03
Affinity vs Corel PaintShop Pro: common questions
Is Affinity or Corel PaintShop Pro cheaper?
Affinity's cheapest paid plan is Free (AI features need a paid Canva plan) and Corel PaintShop Pro's is $79.99 one-time. Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
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