Affinity Publisher
Claim this toolProfessional desktop publishing software for creating stunning layouts and designs.
Free, no paid tier Visit WebsiteThe Bottom Line
- Price
- Free, no paid tier. Compare plans
Key facts
- Professional desktop publishing app now free after acquisition
- Advanced layout, typography, and StudioLink integration with Photo and Designer
- Available on macOS, Windows, and iPad with no subscription
Pros
- Now completely free with no subscription or purchase required
- Professional-grade features competitive with Adobe InDesign
- StudioLink provides photo and vector editing within the layout app
- One-time file format with no cloud dependency
- Runs natively on macOS, Windows, and iPad
- No recurring costs or feature-gated tiers
Cons
- Smaller plugin ecosystem compared to InDesign
- No native scripting support for automation workflows
- Fewer third-party templates and resources available
- Future development roadmap uncertain after acquisition
- No built-in IDML import for seamless InDesign migration
What is Affinity Publisher?
Ratings Across the Web
Affinity Publisher holds an aggregate rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 77 reviews across G2 and Capterra, last checked September 17, 2026.
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Preview
Key Features
- Advanced page layout with master pages and facing spreads
- Full OpenType typography with variable font support
- Linked text frames with auto-flow across pages
- StudioLink integration with Affinity Photo and Designer
- Professional PDF export with bleed and crop marks
- EPUB, SVG, TIFF, JPEG, and PNG export formats
- Tables with custom formatting and styles
- Footnotes and endnotes with style control
- Data merge for personalized documents
- Available on macOS, Windows, and iPad
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Sep 29, 2026. Source: affinity.studio/get-affinity, read Sep 29, 2026
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Affinity by Canva | $0 |
+2 more Show less
|
Is Affinity Publisher worth the price?
Affinity Publisher as a paid Serif SKU is gone.
Affinity by Canva is $0 for the full desktop app. You sign in with a free Canva account.
Canva AI inside Affinity is the paid add-on, and it needs a Canva premium plan. This is best for designers who want Photo/Designer/Publisher-class tools without a Creative Cloud bill.
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
The download is $0. A Canva account is required (affinity.studio/get-affinity, official FAQ).
Canva AI tools inside Affinity need a Canva premium plan (Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Education). They are not in the free Canva account.
Affinity V1/V2 cannot open files saved in the new app. New desktop files will not round-trip to V2 on iPad until the new iPad app ships.
Serif keeps V2 activation servers online. Those apps get no future updates.
Affinity Publisher by the numbers
| Metric | Affinity Publisher | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | 74% have one | n/a |
| User rating | 4.7/5 (across the web, 77 ratings) | 4.4/5 | #7 of 95 (joint) tools with 20+ reviews |
| Toolradar page visits, last 30 days | 81 visits | 89 | #7 of 11 tools with 50+ visits |
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. All Graphic Design data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source.
Cite this: Toolradar, “Affinity Publisher by the numbers”, Oct 2026.
Reviews
Review Affinity Publisher, get a free AI guide
Share your experience and we will send you Improve Your Thinking Patterns Using ChatGPT, free.
Across 77 verified user reviews on Capterra, G2
Add your hands-on experience using the offer above to help the next buyer.
Best Affinity Publisher Alternatives
Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.
High-quality graphic resources for creative projects.
Discover and purchase professional WordPress themes, website templates, and CMS products.
The smart way to serve images with easy management, manipulation, and delivery.
Discover over 7,300 landing page designs and 15,000+ website screenshots for design inspiration.
Still deciding?
Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.
Explore More
Affinity Publisher FAQ
How does Affinity Publisher facilitate the creation of marketing materials?
How does Affinity Publisher compare to Envato Market?
What are the main limitations of Affinity Publisher for advanced users?
Which teams would benefit most from using Affinity Publisher?
How is Affinity Publisher priced?
Can users edit photos and vector graphics directly within Affinity Publisher?
Does Affinity Publisher support cross-platform usage?
Source: affinity.serif.com