Yes, Affinity really is free. You can use every tool in the Pixel, Vector, and Layout studios, plus all of the customization and export features, as much as you want, with no restrictions or payment needed. If you’re on a Canva premium plan, you’ll also be able to unlock Canva’s powerful AI tools within Affinity.
Submitted 2 weeks ago by simple@piefed.social to technology@lemmy.world
Comments
SnoringEarthworm@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
…I want free hugs!
panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
I’ve been a paying affinity customer for years, and I’m not signing up for Canva.
I get it’s “free”, but I’m sketched out.
Cethin@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
I’m not buying that it’s free unless it’s FOSS almost ever. Maybe it’s just a “create an account so we can collect data on you” deal, but that still isn’t free.
BismuthYellow@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Yes, you have to create an account in Canva and turn off a bunch of tracking that is set on by default. There’s even a record setting that is off at the time of me discovering it, but that just made me nervous.
I recently downloaded it to try it out but i’m thinking of just torrenting adobe tbh.
SatyrSack@quokk.au 2 weeks ago
I was really hoping for Linux support some day. Now, I am totally fine sticking with GIMP.
tonytins@pawb.social 2 weeks ago
Krita is also another good alternative, imo.
danielton1@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Isn’t Krita more focused on digital painting than photo editing? I always end up going back to the GIMP because of that even though I use KDE.
Ugurcan@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I thought Affinity apps is one of those that works great with Proton/Wine.
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I was really hoping for Linux support some day.
I hope with easy access to Affinity V3, someone in the FOSS world will now reverse engineer the Affinity file format. The only 3rd party solution for Affinity files I’m aware of is Photopea but that may just as well be a version of Affinity Photo running in some VM on the server to convert the files to PSD to then edit the files from there.
BroBot9000@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Enshittification countdown begins now
Master@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
It started when they bought affinity.
isVeryLoud@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
Oh god, how are they financing its development? Selling my personal data? Training AI on my data? Nagware? Not giving us a Linux version, ever?
floofloof@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
The best possible scenario is that they’re just using it to entice people to pay for a premium subscription and will leave it that way. But the chances are that once they’ve pulled enough people in with the offer of free software, they’ll alter the terms of the deal.
EmilyIsTrans@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
Considering you can turn off telemetry and never need to connect it to the internet after activation, I’m assuming that - like how Adobe uses cheap education licenses to on-ramp people onto their platform - this is largely intended to drive professionals towards Canva and their various other products. They take a loss on this product to become the de-facto standard image/vector/publishing application.
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
They take a loss on this product to become the de-facto standard image/vector/publishing application.
For now they take the loss to break the Adobe monopoly.
kubofhromoslav@lemmy.world 1 week ago
I suspect that both they are using Affinity as a gateway drug For Canva Pro, and are super happy about taking even more customers from Adobe.
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Oh god, how are they financing its development?
Canva’s AI features are a subscription service. Existing Affinty features are now free.
isVeryLoud@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
What if not enough people pay for the AI features? Will Affinity enshittify?
Also, are these features going to be littered across the UI as greyed out buttons that show a popover prompting you to get a Canvas subscription when you hover them? That’s basically ads baked into the UI.
j5906@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Linux became so good at emulating windows apps, it now runs some of them better than windows itself (higher fps, lower power draw), so eventually their will be a port.
Given that these non native ports run in containers/bottles/whatever and internet access is often limited by default. However internet access is the key for their new business modell.
Basically Linux users will get the same or better product, without the drawbacks, which reminds me of pirated movies, where only the people actually buying it were made to sit through unskipable commercials.
philpo@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Sadly Affinity Studio isn’t one of them - it runs barely, if at all in emulators and believe me we tried. Especially for larger files it’s still unusable.
cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
never support anything by canva
atmorous@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Why not?
cupcakezealot@piefed.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
they’re a horrible ai slop company
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
never support anything by canva
Getting Affinity without ever paying is hardly supporting them. At least it’s a stopgap until Krita finally fixes their text tool which is honestly the sole reason why I bought Affinity 1 and 2. (In case anyone wonders: Yes, I also donated to Krita.)
xcjs@programming.dev 2 weeks ago
“Free”
tonytins@pawb.social 2 weeks ago
Lovely. \s They got brought by Canva and went down the Adobe rabbit hole.
infeeeee@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
I haven’t followed this software and company before, what do you mean, what is the catch?
Adobe doesn’t offer any of its software for free accept acrobat reader, where you get nagged about payed features constantly, but it’s easy to ignore.
tonytins@pawb.social 2 weeks ago
They used to be anti-Adobe and claimed they’d never stoop to their level. The new free version offers Canva Premium plan, which unlocks cloud content. It’s only going to get worse from here.
FireWire400@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
It’s weird that I can’t just login using my existing Affinity ID, also Canva’s privacy policy states clear as day under section 2 that they’ll use your data to train AI models and that policy applies to Affinity
FarceOfWill@infosec.pub 2 weeks ago
I see someone on masto saying its sending something out to them over ibternrt even when opted out
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Some switches were set to on for me under www.canva.com/account/privacy-preferences
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
If you’re on a Canva premium plan, you’ll also be able to unlock Canva’s powerful AI tools within Affinity.
So freemium, not free. Which is also fine, just saying.
voytrekk@sopuli.xyz 2 weeks ago
I need to make sure I have my old Affinity installers. I’m sure I won’t be able to activate in a few years because they decide to take down the authentication server.
garretble@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
This is a good point. I’m going to download all the installers they have today and ferret them away just in case.
mintiefresh@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
Enshitification is inevitable. Ugh.
Treczoks@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
So when will the ads start to pop up?
rob_t_firefly@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
It’s already functionally an ad for Canva’s premium services.
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
The “ad” is a single button that you can turn off. For now it’s fine.
Godnroc@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Top ten answers on the board; we asked 100 users “How will Canva cover the costs of the software development if Affinity is free?”
nasi_goreng@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
It has Ai features by subscription to Canva Premium.
baguettefish@discuss.tchncs.de [bot] 2 weeks ago
don’t believe companies when they tell you they don’t want all the money on the planet by any means possible
ICCrawler@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I use this at a center I volunteer at that works with the mentally disabled. Unsurprisingly, a lot of those people are old. Surprisingly, Canva is simple enough that I’ve been able to train the elderly, of all people, to use the program to make fliers or three-fold pamphlets for themselves. It’s a good program for what it does, and the center pays for a premium subscription. Honestly, I’m fine with this in terms of the program’s functionality, as long as Canva does’t fuck with its user interface. It is pretty simple and intuitive, and I’d argue that the UI is quite possibly one of its strongest assets, seconded only by the massive amounts of options/elements you can add. And it’s already apparent what AI is mostly used for within the program: making more graphic elements to slap onto your page, and more ready-made templates you can still go in and alter everything in at-will. And honestly, I’m fine with that.
localhorst@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
If they are a registered non profit they shouldn’t have to pay for premium, and be eligible for a free subscription
ICCrawler@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
We/they are. So maybe we don’t pay then. I’ve never asked. We just have the premium package, so I assumed we paid.
StitchInTime@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
So this is basically v3, and they’re trying to gain critical mass adoption vs Adobe.
I’m happy with my v2 for now, but I have a hunch if I migrate to “3” I’ll be modifying my hosts file in the future.
adespoton@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
This frustrates me so much.
I paid for v1 and v2 of the suite precisely because I’m willing to pay for a tool that works for me, predictably and reliably and with no compromise in goals. Now I’ll have to switch platforms yet again, because they’re going to monetize somehow, and if it’s not by taking my money, it’ll be by taking something else.
Is Inkscape a reasonable replacement for Illustrator yet? Is there an equivalent for InDesign?
I don’t want to get stuck in a Canvas walled garden, and I’m not going to pay rent to use software.
Broken@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
I hear you. I’m not as doom and gloom as everybody else, but its definitely a shift away from their model. I mean, technically they are keeping their word by keeping Affinity separate and not subscription based like Canva. But I still don’t like it nonetheless.
The problem though is that there isn’t an alternative. Affinity was the alternative. Inkscape and Gimp have their place, but they are not the same level of software. I guess I’m just going to run my v2 into the ground waiting for other software to step up.
garretble@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
At least V2 still works and won’t just disappear. You can still use those apps you bought.
But it’s just sad to see this new path. I used to buy all the apps just because I liked the business model. I don’t really ever use Publisher, but I bought it anyway.
Now…there’s nothing that’ll get me to use this “free” shit.
Marthirial@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
V2 files can be opened in Canva version but they are not backwards compatible.
EmilyIsTrans@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 weeks ago
Still no Linux support. As someone who purchased the Affinity Suite, I’m not sure I like this shift in model. If they keep to just fencing off AI in premium and keep investing in the whole app, fine, but I don’t have my hopes up.
warm@kbin.earth 2 weeks ago
Oh no. Affinity was a good paid alternative to the adobe shite, now this is going to turn down a subscription route after they get people hooked, isnt it?
sonofearth@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Still no Linux support.
I will stick with FOSS stuff and when needed, Black Flag Adobe in Windows VM.
bagelberger@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
ClydapusGotwald@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Once canva bought affinity it was going to just go downhill eventually.
fodor@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
Oh I think eventually will arrive fairly soon.
HiTekRedNek@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
If a business charges nothing for a product then it is not the product. You are.
Sometimes that’s harmless as in they’re wanting you to try their service. Your business for other projects is still the product in that transaction.
Other times it’s your personal data that is the product and they’re wanting to then turn around and monetize that data.
But in both scenarios, you, or something of yours, is the product.
sentient_loom@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
I have it installed on my laptop. I’m not using their AI web app.
nicerdicer@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
At first glance, this all sounds positive, especially for users without an affinity for AI.
However, time will tell whether the program will become less appealing if it turns out that the majority of Affinity users are not persuaded to sign up for a Canvas subscription for AI editing.
Either certain tools and functions will disappear behind a paywall, or compatibility will be restricted by no longer allowing free import and export to certain file formats.
rirus@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Not free as in freedom! 🙁
danielton1@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Honestly, this. This is exactly why people don’t trust Canva not to enshittify it. OnlyOffice is also owned by a company, but since it’s free as in freedom, people know they can trust it.
golden_zealot@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
Affinity is one of the things i lost in moving from windows to Linux, but I’ve been getting by.
I bought a license before canva acquired it and quite enjoyed the software.
Really sad to see canva doing what everyone knew they would do to it.
nicerdicer@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
I found this video today from Michael Janda: HOT TAKE - Affinity is NOT “Free”.
Although I do not agree with all the points he comes up with, he has some good explanation, while being speculative, why Affinity is going this route. In short: Affinty is now a loss leader, hoping that people will sign up eventually for a Canva subscriptipn for using AI tools in order to compete with Adobe who still is the leader in the professional field.
ijon_the_human@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I sent them feedback back when I heard the news about the Canva merger.
I knew this would happen but it still hurts.
I can only hope I can keep my current version as is without further updates.
MadMadBunny@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
Holy shit this is huge… I still have trouble believing it, but holy shit…
Like, a company that actually listens?!??
floofloof@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
It seems reasonable for now: you can use all the tools except the AI stuff for free, so it’s still (I assume) as full-featured as the last Serif version of Affinity was. But we don’t know what Canva plans to do with it. Will the tools be hollowed out while more and more features go behind a paywall? I don’t entirely trust them.
tonytins@pawb.social 2 weeks ago
I stumbled upon them years ago when I discovered they had online colour tools. However, they’ve gradually leaned into AI and seem to be racking up a portfolio to rival Adobe.
the_q@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
Hook line and sinker…
leriotdelac@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
I almost bought publisher last week, and postponed till Black Friday. Just wow!!!
VeryVito@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
You might have tried, but the company took all its products off the market for the last several weeks in anticipation of this announcement. You could use the trial, but you couldn’t purchase a new license.
leriotdelac@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
I didn’t try to do the purchase, but very nice to know the company blocked the purchase! I was also very happy with the product too. What a difference from the likes of Adobe.
fakeplastic@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
shyguyblue@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
AI training?
fakeplastic@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
woelkchen@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
When created a Canva account for Affinity 3, the setting “train AI using information about your general usage which includes fonts, colours, search queries and instructions you input. This does NOT include any of your uploaded images, videos, or designs” was on, “Allow your content to improve AI” was off.
For now it’s configurable at www.canva.com/account/privacy-preferences and I think they’ll have a hard landing on the face if they ever change it.