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In October 2025, Canva made some bold moves by relaunching Affinity (previously Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher) as a single, unified application that is now completely free for everyone…. an interesting development worth paying attention to.
What has changed
Canva has rebranded and rebuilt the Affinity suite as one combined application. The familiar separate tools for vector work, photo editing and layout have been folded into distinct “studios” within the same app. It is now available to download and use free of charge on both Windows and macOS (with an iPad version expected to follow).
All the core features remain, while some advanced options, such as AI tools or integrations with Canva’s premium services, are optional. Canva has stated that work created in Affinity will not be used to train AI models, an assurance that will reassure many design professionals, and the opposite of Adobe’s stance.
Why this matters
For architecture practices, this announcement could have real practical value. Software licences are a recurring cost, and the ability to access professional-level design tools for free could reduce expenditure on presentation and graphics work.
The combination of vector, raster and layout tools within one workspace may also simplify the production of visuals and printed material. You can move from a photo edit to a vector overlay to a full presentation layout without switching programmes. This smoother workflow could save time and improve consistency across outputs.
It could also make creative experimentation more accessible. With no licence cost to consider, teams might feel freer to develop richer presentations, more expressive diagrams or internal graphics.
Points to consider
There are, of course, a few caveats.
Affinity is not a replacement for BIM or CAD tools. It is better viewed as a complementary platform for presentation, documentation and communication materials.
Interoperability should be tested before widespread adoption. Check whether the files export cleanly to your existing systems and print workflows, particularly for PDFs, CMYK print and any DWG references used for overlays.
The phrase “free forever” sounds appealing, but it is sensible to remain cautious about long-term pricing and feature access. Optional features may expand over time and could introduce new costs. For a practice managing long projects, tool stability and file longevity could matter far more than headline pricing.
Introducing a new platform also brings training and adjustment. The interface, while approachable, will be unfamiliar to teams used to Adobe or other creative suites. Time invested in short training sessions will help avoid frustration.
Finally, consider long-term file support and versioning. Architecture practices often need to retain project files for many years. Before adopting Affinity, confirm how future updates will handle older files and what happens if the “free” model evolves.
How practices might approach adoption
A sensible starting point is to run a small internal trial. Choose a current marketing or presentation task and use Affinity to produce it. Evaluate how well the workflow fits with your existing systems and how team members respond.
Rather than replacing existing tools, Affinity could initially be used for tasks like photo editing, visual diagrams or client presentations. This allows the team to become familiar with the interface while keeping core production tools untouched.
Check output quality early on, particularly when exporting to print or PDF. You may find it helpful to compare the results with those from your current software to ensure consistency.
Holding a short training session for your team can help establish good habits and uncover any workflow issues. The new “studio” system (where you can switch between different work modes) is worth exploring as it can be tailored to individual roles or tasks.
Finally, keep an eye on how Canva develops Affinity over the next year. The introduction of new AI tools and potential cloud collaboration features could influence how useful it becomes for team-based workflows.
What this says about the wider software market
The shift also highlights a broader change in the creative software landscape. It increases pressure on subscription-based models and offers an alternative for professionals who are tired of rising costs (see our latest article on the Vectorworks subscription shift). It also reflects a trend towards tools that bridge graphics, layout and publishing, mirroring the increasingly fluid nature of design work in architecture and beyond.
Canva’s decision to release a professional-grade tool for free suggests a clear ambition to reach further into the professional market. It may signal more competition across the creative industry, ultimately giving practices greater choice and flexibility.
Conclusion
For architecture practices, the new free Affinity app represents an opportunity. It provides access to powerful, professional design tools without licensing costs, and may streamline the creation of presentations, diagrams and visual materials.
Adoption, however, should be measured. Check compatibility, train your team and keep an eye on how Canva develops the platform. Affinity could become a valuable part of your toolkit, provided you treat it as an addition to your existing systems rather than a replacement.