Canva has revealed the acquisition of three of our favorite graphic design software – and we don’t know what to think about it.
In a twist announcement, the company behind some of the best graphic design software for marketers and non-designers announced that it has purchased Affinity’s Photo, Designer, and Publisher apps.
But what does this mean for Affinity and Canva users, and does this threaten to become another Adobe-Figma debacle?
Canva and Affinity are in a tree
Canva has been on a serious mission for several years: to become an all-in-one visual communication platform and increase its presence in Europe. Like the company’s previous purchases of data company Flourish and stock photo sites Pexels and Pixabay, the Affinity acquisition meets both of Canva’s goals.
However, it is currently unclear what changes Affinity or Canva users can expect with this announcement. In any case, we expect very few changes in the meantime.
Discussing the new partnership, Ashley Hewson, CEO of Affinity, said: “Since Affinity’s founding, our mission has been to provide creatives with tools that unleash their full potential, and foster a community where innovation and artistry thrive. Canva’s commitment to empowering everyone to create aligns perfectly with these values.”
“From sales and marketing to brand and creative teams, the need to create effective and engaging visual content is increasing. The Affinity team has an incredible caliber of talent and technology and we are excited to welcome them to Canva as we enter our next phase together,” said Cliff Obrecht, Co-Founder and COO of Canva.
While acquisitions don’t always go as planned (we’re looking at the ill-fated $20 billion Adobe-Figma fallout), we’re cautiously optimistic about this merger. Serif’s offerings of Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher are easily some of the best alternatives to Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign available.
And in our experience, Canva offers one of the best design experiences for non-designers (or for those who keep their design software simple and uncluttered). At first glance, this could be a match made in Heaven.
But we’re sounding a warning. One of the reasons the Affinity trio of apps gets an Editor’s Choice is the inclusion of a one-time fee, so you don’t have to subscribe. Will we see Serif’s software move in the same direction as Canva pushes its Pro subscription into the free design app?
For more. check out our Affinity Designer 2 review, Affinity Publisher 2 review, and Affinity Photo review.