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BestDesignTools

Adobe Photoshop vs Affinity Photo2026

Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and ratings to help you choose.

A

Tool A

Adobe Photoshop

Graphic Design

The industry standard for photo editing and digital art.

💰 Pricing: Subscription🔬 Free tier: Not availableVerified
VS
A

Tool B

Affinity Photo

Graphic Design

Professional photo editing without the subscription.

💰 Pricing: One-time🔬 Free tier: Not availableVerified

Our verdict

Photoshop vs Affinity Photo is the classic subscription-vs-ownership debate in photo editing. Photoshop leads on AI features, plugin depth, and industry presence. Affinity Photo wins on value, performance on Apple Silicon, and the absence of monthly fees.

Bottom line

For most photographers and designers, Affinity Photo delivers 90% of Photoshop's capability at a fraction of the cost. Choose Photoshop if you need Generative Fill, Neural Filters, or tight Creative Cloud integration — and you're comfortable with the subscription.

Side-by-side comparison

Green highlight = advantage on that metric.

Feature
A
Adobe Photoshop
A
Affinity Photo
Pricing
Pricing modelSubscriptionOne-time
Free tier
Ratings
User rating
4.7
4.5
Features & Capabilities
Tracked features32
AI-powered
Offline Mode
Version History
Listing
Verified listing

Key differences

Subscription
Pricing access
One-time
Not available
Free tier
Not available
3 tracked features
Feature breadth
2 tracked features
4.7 / 5
User rating
4.5 / 5

Best for

A

Adobe Photoshop is best for…

  • AI-powered
  • Offline Mode
  • Version History
A

Affinity Photo is best for…

  • Offline Mode
  • AI-powered

Pricing comparison

A

Adobe Photoshop

Subscription

The industry standard for photo editing and digital art.

Free tier
Open source
View Adobe Photoshop pricing ↗
A

Affinity Photo

One-time

Professional photo editing without the subscription.

Free tier
Open source
View Affinity Photo pricing ↗

Pricing information is verified periodically. Visit each vendor's pricing page for current rates.

Feature comparison

Only in Adobe Photoshop

Frequently asked questions

What is the main difference between Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo?

For most photographers and designers, Affinity Photo delivers 90% of Photoshop's capability at a fraction of the cost. Choose Photoshop if you need Generative Fill, Neural Filters, or tight Creative Cloud integration — and you're comfortable with the subscription.

Is Adobe Photoshop cheaper than Affinity Photo?

Both Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo are Subscription tools. Check each vendor's current pricing page for exact figures.

Can I switch from Adobe Photoshop to Affinity Photo?

Yes — most teams can migrate from Adobe Photoshop to Affinity Photo. Check whether your key files and integrations are supported before switching.

Does Adobe Photoshop or Affinity Photo offer a free tier?

Neither Adobe Photoshop nor Affinity Photo currently offer a free tier — both require a paid plan.

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