Affinity’s Adobe-rival creative suite is now free for six months

Design software developer Serif has launched a new six-month free trial for its Affinity creative suite, which is considered one of the few viable alternatives to Adobe’s professional design apps. The ofert is available for Affinity Photo, Affinity Designer, and Affinity Publisher starting today on Mac, Windows PC, and iPad.

Affinity uses a one-time purchase pricing model that has gained a loyal fan base among creatives who are tired of paying for recurring subscriptions. Prices start at $69.99 for individual Affinity desktop apps or $164.99 for the entire package, with a separate deal currently offering customers 50% off all perpetual licenses.

This discount, along with the six-month free trial, aims to potentially allay concerns that Affinity would change its pricing model after being acquired by Canva earlier this year. “We’re saying ‘try everything and pay nothing’ because we understand that making a change can be a big step, especially for busy professionals,” said Ashley Hewson, CEO of Affinity. “Anyone who takes the test is under absolutely no obligation to purchase.”

On a Decoder In an interview published today, Canva CEO Melanie Perkins declined to describe her offering as a complete alternative to Adobe’s Creative Cloud. However, she said the design market “has been a one-horse race, and I don’t think that works well for anyone… I think being able to have another alternative in the market for professional designers benefits everyone.”