Singapore — Canva has announced the launch of Affinity, an all-new professional design application that combines photo editing, vector design, and page layout tools in a single integrated platform. The update introduces a refreshed brand identity and marks a new chapter for Affinity under the Canva portfolio.
According to Canva, the latest version of Affinity lets users personalise their workspace, mix and match creative tools, and share customised studios tailored to different workflows. The software will now be available to all users at no cost.
“When Affinity joined the Canva family last year, we made a promise to preserve its power while expanding what’s possible,” Canva said in the announcement. “Today, that vision comes to life with the all-new Affinity: a studio-grade creative app that brings vector, photo, and layout tools together in one high-performance platform. Fully featured. Lightning-fast. And completely free.”
The software will now be completely free, with the full version available to everyone.
“Affinity is now completely free, forever. The full, professional-grade Affinity experience, available to everyone,” Canva said. “There’s no catch, no stripped-back version, and no gotchas. The same precise, high-performance tools that professionals rely on every day are now open to all, because creative freedom shouldn’t come with a cost.”
The company also stated that the release aims to address concerns within the professional design community about the limited choice of tools available in the market, alongside frustrations with slow software and subscription-based pricing models.
“Across the creative community, we’ve heard the same frustrations: a call for speed, for power, for freedom. Designers have been asking for the tools they love, so we listened, and we built something better,” the statement read.
Moreover, the new version of Affinity has been developed in close collaboration with the brand’s community of creators and shaped by input from Canva’s Designer Advisory Board. The release reflects feedback prioritising performance, reliability, and creative flexibility.
“For ten years, Affinity has been the tool of choice for professionals who care deeply about craft,” Canva said. “Now, that legacy enters a new chapter.”
Meanwhile, the upgraded application integrates professional-grade vector, photo, and layout tools within a single workspace. It includes GPU acceleration for faster processing, non-destructive editing features, and new tools such as Smart Selections, live filters, and batch processing to streamline workflows.
Affinity’s layout functions have also been enhanced to allow live editing of text, graphics, and images within the same document. Smart Master Pages and advanced typographic controls are designed to maintain consistency across projects.
The redesign introduces fully customisable studios, enabling users to tailor and share their own toolsets and layouts. This functionality allows creatives to adapt the interface to different project types or team workflows.
Canva said that despite the major overhaul, the new version retains familiarity for existing users, preserving the precision and workflows that long-time professionals value.
Affinity’s integration with Canva follows the latter’s acquisition of the software suite in 2024. According to the company, the move aligns with its broader mission to make professional design tools accessible to all creators.
“Affinity has always been built for people who care deeply about design,” the company added. “Professionals who notice the details others might miss, who stay up late perfecting the final pixel, and who take pride in their craft.”
Canva, most recently, has also launched a ‘Creative Operating System’ that unifies design, AI, and brand management tools. At the centre of the new platform is a redesigned Visual Suite, which includes new and enhanced tools such as Video 2.0, Canva Forms, and Canva Email Design.
