Affinity vs Pixelmator Pro
Affinity scores 6.9 to Pixelmator Pro's 6.4 among the photo editors we rate, and is the better pick for 2 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
Affinity wins, 6.9 to 6.4
Affinity is free, with AI features such as background removal and upscaling gated behind a paid Canva plan; Pixelmator Pro is bought once on Mac, or comes inside the $12.99 a month Apple Creator Studio bundle, with AI editing tools built in. Affinity opens layered PSDs but flattens them on export, while Pixelmator Pro opens and saves PSD files with layers intact. Affinity works in CMYK for print, which Pixelmator Pro does not.
Pick Affinity if you want a free app with CMYK support built in.
Pick Pixelmator Pro if you want layered PSD export and AI tools without a Canva plan.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
- Generative fill and expand: Affinity yes, Pixelmator Pro no
- Generates images from a prompt: Affinity yes, Pixelmator Pro no
- Works in CMYK for print: Affinity yes, Pixelmator Pro no
- But Pixelmator Pro leads on opens and saves layered Photoshop files: Pixelmator Pro yes, Affinity no
- Apps it connects to: 4 integrations against 0 integrations
- But Pixelmator Pro leads on file formats it exports: 6 export formats against 4 export formats
- Cheapest plan you can edit in, monthly: $0 against $12.99
- Commercial use allowed: Pixelmator Pro yes, Affinity does not say
- Does not train AI on what you upload: Yes against unless you opt out
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other photo editors we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. Affinity leads on 2 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 (11)
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Affinity
Pixelmator Pro
For everything else about each tool, read the full Affinity review and Pixelmator Pro review.
Affinity vs Pixelmator Pro: common questions
Which is better, Affinity or Pixelmator Pro?
Affinity scores 6.9 and Pixelmator Pro 6.4 out of 10 among the photo editors we rate. Affinity is ahead on what it adds beyond the basics and workflow and output. Pixelmator Pro is ahead on privacy and trust.
Is Affinity or Pixelmator Pro cheaper?
Affinity's cheapest paid plan is Free (AI features need a paid Canva plan) and Pixelmator Pro's is $49.99 one-time (Mac). Compare what each plan includes below before going on price alone.
What can Affinity do that Pixelmator Pro cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: generative fill and expand, generates images from a prompt and works in CMYK for print.
What can Pixelmator Pro do that Affinity cannot?
On the facts both vendors publish: opens and saves layered Photoshop files.
