Affinity Responds With 4 Bold Pledges After Facing Backlash For Canva Acquisition
Following the acquisition of Affinity design software by Canva, concerns emerged over the possibility of a shift from its one-time purchase pricing model to a subscription-based format. In response, the two entities have made a commitment, reassuring their user base that the transition to a subscription model will not be mandatory.
On Wednesday, a joint statement was released by Canva and Affinity, in which they vowed to maintain the integrity of Affinity software by ensuring it remains “fair, transparent, and affordable.” This includes the continuation of “the perpetual licenses that have made Affinity special.”
Affinity’s suite of design tools is recognized as a significant competitor to Adobe’s subscription-oriented Creative Cloud offerings, such as Photoshop and Illustrator. The initial announcement of Canva’s acquisition on Tuesday was met with skepticism by Affinity’s users, particularly due to ambiguous language in an FAQ suggesting that the pricing model would remain unchanged “at this time.” This language led to speculation about a potential future shift towards Canva’s monthly subscription model.
The companies have now clarified their stance, committing to the ongoing provision of perpetual licenses for Affinity’s future releases. They stated that any subscription options would be provided merely as an alternative to the perpetual model, catering to those who prefer it. The announcement also confirmed that Affinity would continue to receive support as an independent product suite, even though certain features might be incorporated into Canva’s design platform. Here are the four pledges released by Affinity.
Pledge 1
Pledge 2
Pledge 3
Pledge 4
The joint pledge highlighted the anticipation for the introduction of eagerly awaited features, such as variable font support and a series of other enhancements, all set to be rolled out as free updates within the next year.
While the pledge did not address every concern—such as the potential incorporation of Canva’s generative AI technology into Affinity—the teams behind the software are open to receiving feedback and feature suggestions from the user community. Although Affinity has previously indicated no plans to develop its own generative AI technology, the direction it will take under Canva’s leadership remains to be seen.
