Alan H.
AH
Alan H.
Artist
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Victorious Vectors"
4/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

I like I'm easily able to create seamless vectors. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

I dislike the little annoying things such as the program not drawing properly when connected to my tablet or vectors not welding correctly. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Naushad  K.
NK
Naushad K.
Fashion designer
Apparel & Fashion
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Super handy and very useful to all"
4.5/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

The most helpful thing is Vector + Raster flexibility, and the biggest upside is pro-level design without expensive subscriptions.

The ability to switch seamlessly between vector and raster modes (called Personas in Affinity).

We can create sharp, scalable vector outlines (perfect for logos, fashion flats, or clean illustrations).

Then instantly switch to pixel/raster mode to add texture, shading, embroidery detail, or fabric effects.

All in the same file, without needing two separate apps (like Illustrator + Photoshop).

This saves tons of time and makes it very flexible for both precision design and creative illustration. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

Compared to Adobe Illustrator and other high-end graphic tools, Affinity sometimes lacks features such as:

Image tracing / auto-vectorization.

Some complex warp/distort/envelope tools, blend-tools, or vector effects/filters.

No built-in “vector eraser” in some contexts, making corrections harder.

If I had to pick the biggest downside: that would likely be “feature gaps with respect to Illustrator / industry standard vector tools” (especially when clients expect certain file types or tools). Also, performance on Windows sometimes lags behind what users expect (especially with complex files). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Piyush P S.
PS
Piyush P S.
Educator
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"User-Friendly Design Tool with Non-Destructive Editing"
4/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

I use Affinity Designer for designing posters, flyers, and certificates. I love that Affinity Designer simplifies access to tools with a user-friendly interface, unlike other complex software. I also really appreciate the non-destructive editing, which keeps original layers and files alive. The selection of Affinity Designer was influenced by its user-friendly tools and its ability to collaborate with Canva. It was easy to set up compared to other design software. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

I have not found any dislikes so far, but the user interface could be developed to be much easier to handle. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Health, Wellness and Fitness
UH
Verified User in Health, Wellness and Fitness
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"Stable, Free, and Feature-Packed. Hard to Beat"
5/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

The software is very stable. It's free and feature packed. Hard to recommend another competitor. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

I wish it was available on Linux so I could use it personally. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Leisure, Travel & Tourism
UL
Verified User in Leisure, Travel & Tourism
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Powerful, User-Friendly Vector Design at a Great Value"
4.5/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

Affinity Designer offers a user-friendly interface and high-performance vector design tools that make it easy to create professional-quality graphics. The one-time purchase model is cost-effective compared to subscription-based alternatives, and the software runs smoothly even on mid-range hardware. Frequent updates and cross-platform support enhance its usability for both print and digital design. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

Affinity Designer lacks some advanced features found in other industry-standard tools, especially in terms of collaboration and third-party plugin support. There can be a learning curve for users transitioning from other platforms, and some export options are limited. Integration with other design software could be more seamless. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

BH
Brian H.
Brick Designer
Design
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Outstanding!"
5/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

I was looking for an affordable yet professional alternative to Adobe Illustrator, and this is the best of the best! Affinity Designer has a perpetual license for an affordable price, compared to Adobe that offers an expensive subscription. In my opinion, the interface is easier to use than Adobe Illustrator, and seems to have just about everything Illustrator has (if not more). How things are done will be slightly different than Illustrator, but in my opinion it's a perk because it makes my work more efficient. I highly recommend Affinity Designer, especially if you are a professional graphic designer on a budget. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

The only con is that it cannot export in Adobe Illustrator AI files. This makes it hard to share original files with clients and coworkers who only use adobe. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Aman V.
AV
Aman V.
Logo Animator
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Effortless Vector Design with Lifetime Value"
5/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

I use Affinity Designer for vector design and editing vector files like logos and banners. I like that it's easy and fast for vector editing and design. The lifetime deal aspect is great too. Also, I find the pen tool very easy to use compared to Illustrator. Setting it up was easy, and I'd definitely recommend it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

The export option is a bit confusing. I'd like it to be more simple and quick. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Franco C.
FC
Franco C.
Manager
Information Technology and Services
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Powerful Non-Destructive Editing Without Subscription fee and usable even on old PCs"
4.5/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

Strong non-destructive editing, with layers, masks, RAW support. It's great for retouching images and designing promo material in minutes. Fast performance on reasonable hardware and no recurring subscription fee. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

More limited when it comes to advanced photo manipulation workflows, plugins or asset management compared to full studio-level image editors. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

AH
Alvaro H.
CTO CISO CDO
Construction
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"The Cheapest way to be a Professional Creative"
5/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

Affinity Photo combines ease of use with a powerful feature set that rivals much more expensive software. The interface is intuitive and clean, allowing new users to quickly get started, while offering advanced tools like live filters, non-destructive editing, and professional-grade RAW development. The one-time purchase model makes implementation incredibly easy—no licensing hassles or subscriptions. I use it frequently, both for quick adjustments and complex compositions, and it consistently performs well. It’s a complete, dependable tool that adapts well to various creative needs, from photography to digital art, all without recurring costs or bloated software suites. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

Despite its strengths, Affinity Photo has some implementation quirks, especially for users migrating from Adobe tools—certain workflows take adjustment. While it's packed with features, a few key Photoshop-specific ones—like smart objects or more advanced automation—are missing. Also, the learning curve can be steep if you're new to image editing. I’ve also noticed that customer support, while helpful, isn’t as fast or comprehensive as that of larger providers. Still, these are minor trade-offs considering the value offered. With a bit of self-learning, Affinity becomes an everyday tool in my creative workflow. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Graphic Design
UG
Verified User in Graphic Design
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Game-Changer Integration with Canva, Plus Great Brushes and an Easy Interface"
5/5
What do you like best about Affinity Designer?

I love the texture and blending brushes, the interface is just as easy as illustrator and love that it is now integrated with Canva, which is game changer! Love that it has about all the same features as Illustrator. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Affinity Designer?

It would be awesome to have a font integration similar to adobe fonts. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.