Affinity by Canva is Now Free: A New Challenger to Adobe’s Design Tools

If you’ve ever dabbled in graphic design, chances are you’ve come across Adobe’s suite of apps—Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign. And while they’re powerful, they don’t come cheap. But what if you could get professional-grade design tools without the hefty price tag?

That’s exactly what’s happening now.

Canva, the popular graphic design platform known for its user-friendly tools, just made a big move. It recently acquired Affinity, a respected alternative to Adobe’s more expensive software—and here’s the best part: Affinity is now completely free for educators, students, and nonprofits.

Let’s dive into what this means, why it matters, and whether it could change how we design forever.

What Is Affinity by Canva?

Affinity is a trio of professional graphic design apps developed by the UK-based company Serif. These apps include:

• Affinity Photo – A pro-level photo editing tool.
• Affinity Designer – Great for vector illustrations and UI/UX designs.
• Affinity Publisher – Ideal for layout designs like books, magazines, and brochures.

These tools have long been praised as reliable alternatives to Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, respectively. They offer a one-time purchase model (a breath of fresh air compared to Adobe’s relentless subscription fees) and are available on macOS, Windows, and even iPad.

Now, after being acquired by Canva in 2024, Affinity is reaching a wider audience—especially educators, students, and nonprofit organizations—by going free for these groups.

Canva’s Latest Move: Making Affinity Free

Canva might be known for quick and easy drag-and-drop designs, but with the Affinity acquisition, it’s expanding into the professional design space in a big way.

Starting immediately, Canva is offering Affinity’s entire suite of apps for free to the following users:

• Teachers and Professors
• Students
• Nonprofit Organizations

This offer is global and available for all eligible users, whether you’re on Mac, Windows, or iPadOS.

Why This Is a Big Deal

Let’s be real—high-quality design software can be expensive. Adobe’s Creative Cloud pricing starts at around $20 a month per app, and accessing the full suite can cost upwards of $50 per month. That’s a financial burden for students and cash-strapped nonprofits.

With Canva offering Affinity tools at no cost for certain groups, it’s:

• Leveling the playing field – Now, more people can access professional design tools without breaking the bank.
• Increasing opportunities – A student studying graphic design or a nonprofit creating outreach materials can now do so with the same power used by big-budget companies.
• Challenging Adobe’s dominance – This could pressure Adobe to rethink its pricing model or offer more flexible solutions.

Example: A Nonprofit with a Big Vision

Imagine a small nonprofit working on environmental education. Before, they might’ve used free tools or basic software due to budget limits. Now, they can use Affinity Designer to create professional brochures, Affinity Photo for compelling imagery, and Affinity Publisher for detailed reports—all without spending a dime.

That’s not just a money-saver. It’s a game-changer.

What Makes Affinity Special?

People love Affinity for a few key reasons:

• No subscriptions – Most software charges you monthly. Affinity doesn’t (unless you’re using the free version).
• One-time payment – Pay once, and it’s yours to use forever. That’s rare in today’s SaaS world.
• Pro-grade features – Whether it’s advanced brush tools, live previews, or non-destructive editing, these are tools used by professionals.
• Cross-platform support – You can use the same software on Mac, PC, and even iPad.

In other words, Affinity isn’t just Canva’s “fancy side project”—it’s one of the most powerful competitors to Adobe out there.

Canva’s Master Plan: Covering Everyone

With this move, Canva is signaling that it’s no longer just for casual users making Instagram posts or birthday party flyers. By acquiring Affinity, Canva is saying:

• “We’ve got your back whether you’re a beginner or a pro.”

That means individuals, businesses, nonprofits, students, and even design professionals will find tools that suit their needs—all under one umbrella.

It’s Canva’s way of creating an all-in-one design ecosystem—whether you want to slap together a school poster in five minutes or spend hours perfecting a digital masterpiece.

The Bigger Picture: Are We Witnessing an Adobe Alternative Rising?

For years, Adobe has been the giant in the creative industry, and rightly so. Its tools are robust and used across thousands of companies and creative agencies. But not everyone needs (or can afford) that level of sophistication or pricing.

Canva’s Affinity offering is a direct response to that. By making these tools free to certain groups and maintaining a no-subscription payment model for others, they’re undercutting Adobe in both pricing and accessibility.

And it looks like users are taking notice.

Will Affinity Replace Adobe? Probably Not—But That’s Not the Point

Adobe isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It has too much market share and industry momentum.

But the point here isn’t about replacing Adobe completely. It’s about offering a serious, affordable, professional alternative that opens doors for people who would’ve been priced out of the design world otherwise.

Think of it like this: not everyone needs a Tesla Model S. Some of us just need a reliable, electric option at an affordable price—and with Canva’s new move, that option is finally here.

Who Should Jump on This Free Offer?

If you’re wondering whether you qualify or if it’s worth the hassle, ask yourself:

• Are you a student learning design or digital media?
• Do you teach design, art, or visual communication?
• Are you a nonprofit trying to stretch every dollar?

If you answered yes, this is your chance to grab a powerful set of tools—completely free.

How to Access Canva’s Free Affinity Suite

Getting started is simple. Visit Canva’s official site or the Affinity website, and look for the section about free plans for education and NGOs. You’ll usually need to provide some proof of eligibility—like a school email address or nonprofit ID.

Once verified, you get full access to all three Affinity apps.

Final Thoughts: Design Just Got More Accessible

Designing used to require expensive software and years of training. But those barriers are falling fast.

With Canva making Affinity’s powerful tools free to students, educators, and nonprofits, it’s opening a brand-new chapter in design accessibility.

This could be the start of a major shift—where professional design is no longer a luxury, but a tool anyone can use.

So, whether you’re a teacher looking to spice up your materials, a student with dreams of becoming a graphic designer, or a nonprofit making a difference, now you have powerful, pro-grade tools at your fingertips—for free.

Time to unlock your creativity.

Ready to see what Affinity by Canva can do for you? Head over to Canva or Affinity’s website and explore the new possibilities—without spending a penny.