Both Affinity Photo and Photopea are crucial for businesses and designers due to their robust feature sets and accessibility. We'll compare Affinity Photo's professional-grade tools and one-off payment model with Photopea's browser-based convenience and free premium features to determine the best option for your needs.

A Quick Overview of Affinity Photo and Photopea

What is Affinity Photo?

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Affinity Photo is developed by Serif, a company that specializes in creating professional-grade software for creative and photography professionals. The company offers a suite of products, including Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher, which are integrated across macOS, Windows, and iPad platforms.

Affinity Photo offers real-time adjustment layers for non-destructive editing with immediate visual feedback. Its cross-platform compatibility allows users to work seamlessly on the same file across different devices, a feature not commonly found in other photo editing software.

What is Photopea?

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Photopea offers a free online photo editor that allows users to transform their photos with professional-grade tools directly in their browser without the need for downloads or installations.

Photopea runs entirely on the user's device, ensuring that files open instantly and never leave the device. It also supports a wide range of file formats, including PSD, PNG, JPG, and RAW, making it versatile for various editing needs.

Features of Affinity Photo and Photopea

Similarities

Affinity Photo and Photopea share several key features that make them both powerful tools for photo editing. Despite their different platforms, they offer similar functionalities that cater to professional and casual users alike.

  • Professional Editing Tools: Both provide a comprehensive set of tools for professional photo editing, including advanced retouching and layer management.
  • File Format Support: Extensive support for various file formats, including PSD and RAW files, ensures versatility in handling different types of projects.
  • Advanced Features: Both offer advanced editing capabilities such as AI-powered tools, adjustments, and filters, enhancing the editing experience.
  • Accessibility: While Photopea is browser-based, Affinity Photo is known for its cross-platform availability (Windows, macOS, iPad), making both accessible on multiple devices.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Photopea is free, and Affinity Photo is known for its one-time purchase model, making both cost-effective compared to subscription-based software.

Differences

When comparing Affinity Photo and Photopea, it's essential to highlight their unique features. While both are powerful tools, they cater to different needs and preferences.

  • Real-time Adjustment Layers: Affinity Photo offers real-time adjustment layers for non-destructive editing, a feature not available in Photopea.
  • Browser-Based Operation: Photopea runs entirely in the browser, eliminating the need for downloads or installations, unlike Affinity Photo.
  • Full RAW Development: Affinity Photo provides full RAW development capabilities, which Photopea lacks.
  • State-of-the-Art AI: Photopea includes AI features like one-click background removal and content replacement, which are not present in Affinity Photo.
  • Custom Brush Engine: Affinity Photo has a powerful brush engine with custom brush creation and .abr file import, a feature not found in Photopea.

User Interface and Usability

Affinity Photo's user interface is designed for a seamless experience with real-time adjustment layers and advanced selection tools. The software's cross-platform compatibility ensures a consistent experience across devices. However, the complexity of its features may present a learning curve for new users. Photopea, on the other hand, offers a browser-based interface that is accessible without installation. Its straightforward design and local operation make it user-friendly, though it may lack the depth of tools found in Affinity Photo.

In terms of user experience, Affinity Photo provides a robust set of professional tools, but its extensive features can be overwhelming. Photopea's simplicity and cost-effectiveness enhance its usability, making it suitable for quick edits and basic tasks. While both have their strengths, neither stands out as definitively better in user interface and usability.

Collaboration

Affinity Photo does not offer specific features designed for collaboration. Its cross-platform compatibility allows team members to work on the same files across different devices, but it lacks built-in tools for real-time collaboration or sharing. This can make it challenging for teams to work together seamlessly.

Photopea, being a browser-based tool, also does not provide explicit collaboration features. While it supports a wide range of file formats, making it versatile for different workflows, it does not facilitate real-time teamwork or sharing capabilities. This limits its effectiveness for collaborative projects.

Neither Affinity Photo nor Photopea stands out as better for collaboration.

Affinity Photo and Photopea Pricing

Affinity Photo offers a one-time payment model, with prices set at $69.99 for macOS or Windows and $18.49 for iPadOS, excluding tax. This subscription-free approach provides a cost-effective solution for users who prefer a single purchase over recurring fees.

Photopea, on the other hand, provides a free version with an optional Premium account. The Premium account is available through one-time payments, reverting to the free version once the premium period ends. For more extensive needs, the self-hosted version costs between $500 and $2000 per month, paid annually.

Overall, Affinity Photo's one-time payment model is more straightforward and potentially more affordable for individual users compared to Photopea's varied pricing options.

Comparing Affinity Photo and Photopea to Piktochart

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Piktochart transforms complex ideas into captivating visuals that inform and engage your audience. With Piktochart AI, you can create stunning infographics, reports, and presentations in seconds, perfectly aligned with your brand. No design experience required.

Pros of Piktochart

  • Ease of Use: Piktochart's intuitive interface allows users to create stunning visuals without any design experience, making it accessible for everyone.
  • Variety of Templates: With a wide range of templates for infographics, presentations, flyers, posters, and reports, users can quickly find the perfect starting point for their projects.
  • Content Repurposing: Piktochart's video editing tool enables users to create customized bite-sized clips from long videos, webinars, and virtual events, enhancing content versatility.
  • Automatic Subtitles: The platform automatically adds subtitles to videos, which can be customized for social media, ensuring accessibility and engagement.
  • All-in-One Tool: As a comprehensive visual communication platform, Piktochart caters to professionals who need to create visual content regularly without the complexity of traditional design software.

Piktochart's Pricing

  • Free Plan: $0 (Free forever)
  • Pro Plan: $14 per member/month, billed annually (or $29 per member/month if billed monthly)
  • Business Plan: $24 per member/month, billed annually (or $49 per member/month if billed monthly)
  • Enterprise Plan: Custom Pricing
  • Campus Plan: Custom Pricing (Minimum 3000 seats)

What Are Others Saying?

Affinity Photo Reviews

Overall, users have given Affinity Photo a rating of 4.5 out of 5. While they appreciate its ease of use and features, they find the learning curve and limited mobile compatibility frustrating.

  • "The software is powerful but has a steep learning curve." - John D., 3.5 out of 5
  • "Limited features compared to other professional tools." - Emily R., 3 out of 5
  • "Customer support could be better." - Michael T., 3.5 out of 5

Find more of Affinity Photo reviews on G2!

Photopea Reviews

Overall, users have given Photopea a rating of 4.8 out of 5. While they appreciate its free services and easy-to-navigate interface, they find the limited features and performance fluctuations frustrating.

  • "The software has limited features compared to other professional tools." - Tisagh C., 4 out of 5
  • "Performance can be inconsistent, especially with larger files." - Elijah M., 4 out of 5
  • "The initial image import process is complicated and time-consuming." - CA Dipika S., 4 out of 5

Find more of Photopea reviews on G2!

Piktochart Reviews

Our users have given Piktochart an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5. They appreciate its ease of use, variety of templates, and the ability to create professional visuals without any design experience.

  • "Piktochart is very easy and simple to use online graphics creation tool." - ASHESHWAR Y.
  • "Piktochart offers good looking pre-built templates for creating graphics." - SUNITA S.
  • "Easily Create Social Images and Infographics to Boost Business Services." - Rachel L.

Find more of our reviews on G2!

Why choose one over the other?

Why Choose Affinity Photo Over Photopea:

  • Affinity Photo is ideal for creative professionals and photography enthusiasts who need advanced photo editing tools and features like real-time adjustment layers and full RAW development. Its one-time payment model and cross-platform compatibility make it a cost-effective choice for those who prefer a subscription-free solution.

Why Choose Photopea Over Affinity Photo:

  • Photopea is perfect for social media enthusiasts and small business owners who need a convenient, browser-based photo editor with professional-grade tools. Its free premium features and full PSD support make it an attractive option for those looking for cost-effective and versatile editing capabilities.

Why Choose Piktochart Over Photopea and Affinity Photo:

  • Piktochart is ideal for educators, marketing professionals, and content creators who need to create stunning visuals without any design experience. Its user-friendly interface and specialized tools for infographics, presentations, and video editing make it a comprehensive solution for visual communication needs.

Affinity Photo, Photopea, or Piktochart: Which is the best platform for you?

Whether you're a creative professional, a social media enthusiast, or an educator, Affinity Photo, Photopea, and Piktochart each offer unique strengths to meet your needs. While all three tools are excellent choices, we believe Piktochart stands out for its ease of use, variety of templates, and ability to create professional visuals without any design experience. Give Piktochart a try and transform your complex ideas into captivating visuals effortlessly!