Affinity Photo vs Photoshop: Can a Budget Alternative Compete?

Introduction

For over three decades, Adobe Photoshop has set the industry standard for photo editing, digital painting, and graphic design. From professional photographers and graphic designers to hobbyists and students, Photoshop has become synonymous with image editing. But in recent years, a powerful alternative has emerged: Affinity Photo.

Developed by Serif, Affinity Photo promises to deliver many of Photoshop’s key features—but at a fraction of the cost. With a growing user base, professional-grade tools, and a one-time purchase model, it has become an increasingly attractive option, especially for freelancers, independent creators, and budget-conscious users.

But can this budget-friendly alternative truly compete with Adobe's powerhouse? In this article, we’ll explore the core strengths and weaknesses of both tools, comparing their features, pricing, performance, and compatibility.

What Makes Affinity Photo Stand Out?

Affinity Photo’s main appeal lies in its professional-grade capabilities combined with a low one-time cost. It’s not just a stripped-down editor—it’s a full-featured photo editing tool suitable for both beginners and advanced users.

Key Features That Set Affinity Photo Apart:

• One-time purchase (no subscription)

• Non-destructive editing with real-time preview

• Live filter layers, blend modes, and adjustment layers

• RAW editing, HDR merging, and focus stacking

• PSD file compatibility

• High performance on both Windows and macOS (and a dedicated iPad version)

• CMYK and LAB color support for professional print workflows

Affinity Photo delivers a familiar interface for those used to Photoshop, yet introduces its own streamlined approach to image editing, making it intuitive without sacrificing power. It also excels in performance, with fast rendering and lightweight installation.

For many users, especially those not locked into Adobe’s Creative Cloud ecosystem, Affinity Photo offers everything needed to perform high-quality editing—from retouching portraits to creating composite images.

Why Professionals Still Use Photoshop

Despite Affinity Photo’s capabilities, Photoshop remains the dominant player for a reason. It’s more than a photo editor—it’s a digital design platform tightly integrated into Adobe’s broader Creative Cloud suite (which includes Illustrator, Lightroom, After Effects, etc.).

Why Photoshop Continues to Lead:

• Industry standard in professional environments

• Extensive plugin support and third-party extensions

• Integration with Adobe apps like Lightroom and Illustrator

• Advanced AI features (e.g., Generative Fill, Content-Aware Fill, Neural Filters)

• 3D and animation tools

• Greater support in tutorials, courses, and design communities

• Seamless cloud syncing and collaboration

Adobe has also incorporated artificial intelligence (Adobe Sensei) into many of Photoshop’s newer tools, such as sky replacement, object selection, and facial feature editing. These make complex edits much faster and more accessible.

In professional studios and creative agencies, Photoshop is often non-negotiable due to workflow expectations, compatibility, and team collaboration. While Affinity Photo is powerful, Photoshop’s ecosystem and AI-driven productivity tools keep it ahead for large-scale and collaborative work.

Key Feature Comparison for Photo Retouching

Let’s dive into how the two tools compare in one of their most critical use cases: photo retouching.

Verdict:For basic to intermediate photo retouching, Affinity Photo is more than capable. It even includes frequency separation tools natively, something Photoshop requires a plugin for. However, for advanced users who rely on content-aware tools, AI automation, or collaborative cloud-based workflows, Photoshop holds the edge.

Budget Considerations and Licensing

Perhaps the most striking difference between the two is the pricing model.

Photoshop:

• Subscription-based via Adobe Creative Cloud

• $20.99/month for Photoshop only, or

• $54.99/month for the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite

• Includes cloud storage and Lightroom access (depending on plan)

Affinity Photo:

• One-time payment of $69.99 (often discounted)

• No subscriptions, no upgrade fees

• Purchase once for your OS (Windows, macOS, or iPadOS)

Verdict: If cost is a concern—and for many freelancers, hobbyists, students, and small businesses it is—Affinity Photo is the clear winner. Over two years, Photoshop will cost over $500, while Affinity Photo remains a one-time, permanent license.

However, professionals working in collaborative or multi-app workflows may find Adobe’s ecosystem worth the subscription price, particularly if they also use Lightroom, Illustrator, or InDesign.

Performance and File Compatibility

Performance

Affinity Photo is well-optimized, often outperforming Photoshop in areas like rendering speed, startup time, and memory efficiency. It’s a lean application that runs smoothly even on modest hardware, which is a big plus for mobile professionals or users without high-end machines.

Photoshop, while more powerful in some respects, can be resource-heavy. Its startup time is longer, and on older machines, complex operations (especially those involving AI filters) can lag or crash.

File Compatibility

• Affinity Photo supports PSD, JPG, PNG, TIFF, PDF, and more. It can open and edit Photoshop files, but may not support certain smart objects, text styles, or adjustment layers with 100% fidelity.

• Photoshop, on the other hand, does not support Affinity’s .afphoto files, and users will need to export to PSD or another universal format.

Verdict: Affinity Photo performs faster on most devices and has impressive compatibility with common file formats. Photoshop is still king in complex compatibility scenarios, especially in team environments where files must move seamlessly across Adobe apps.

Conclusion

So, can Affinity Photo truly compete with Photoshop?

The answer depends on your needs, budget, and workflow.

• If you're a hobbyist, freelancer, or someone who doesn’t want to commit to a monthly subscription, Affinity Photo is an incredible alternative. It’s powerful, fast, affordable, and packed with the essential tools most photo editors and digital artists require.

• If you're a professional working in an agency, collaborating with clients, or relying heavily on Adobe's ecosystem and AI features, Photoshop remains the gold standard. Its integration, automation, and advanced functionality justify the price for those who need it.

The choice is yours—but it’s never been a better time to be a creator.