Both Sketch and Affinity Designer are essential tools for businesses and designers, offering robust features for design, collaboration, and professional output. We'll compare these two to determine which one best meets the needs of creative professionals and organizations.

A Quick Overview of Sketch and Affinity Designer

What is Sketch?

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Sketch is a design platform that provides tools for creating, collaborating, prototyping, and handing off designs. It offers a Mac app for designers and a web app for team collaboration, feedback, and developer handoff.

Smart Animate allows users to bring movement to their prototypes. The integration of Mac and web apps offers a seamless experience between design and collaboration, setting Sketch apart from its competitors.

What is Affinity Designer?

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Affinity Designer, developed by Serif (Europe) Ltd, is a graphic design and illustration software. It caters to professional illustrators, web designers, game developers, and other creatives by providing tools for creating concept art, print projects, logos, icons, UI designs, and mock-ups.

One unique feature of Affinity Designer is its Vector Warp tool, which allows users to apply a non-destructive vector warp over any vector artwork or text. Additionally, the software offers live, responsive performance, handling complex documents with thousands of objects without lag.

Features of Sketch and Affinity Designer

Similarities

Sketch and Affinity Designer share several key features that make them both powerful tools for designers. These similarities ensure that users can achieve professional results regardless of which platform they choose.

  • Vector Editing: Both platforms offer robust vector editing tools, allowing for precise and scalable designs.
  • Color Management: Advanced color management features are available in both, ensuring accurate color profiles and consistency.
  • Typography: Support for modern typography, including variable and OpenType fonts, is a strong point for both tools.
  • Reusable Components: Both allow the creation and use of reusable design elements, such as symbols in Sketch and assets in Affinity Designer.
  • Performance Optimization: Both are optimized for high performance, with Sketch tailored for Apple Silicon and Affinity Designer known for its speed and efficiency.

Differences

Sketch and Affinity Designer each offer unique features that cater to different aspects of design. Here are the most significant differences between the two:

  • Real-Time Collaboration: Sketch allows multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously, a feature not available in Affinity Designer.
  • Prototyping Tools: Sketch includes advanced prototyping tools like Smart Animate, whereas Affinity Designer focuses more on vector and raster design.
  • Plugin Support: Sketch supports a wide range of plugins to extend its functionality, while Affinity Designer does not offer plugin support.
  • Vector Warp: Affinity Designer's Vector Warp tool allows for non-destructive warping of vector artwork, a feature not found in Sketch.
  • Payment Model: Affinity Designer offers a one-time purchase with no subscription fees, unlike Sketch, which operates on a subscription model.

User Interface and Usability

Sketch's user interface is designed to be intuitive, featuring customizable toolbars and an infinite canvas. The user experience is enhanced by seamless collaboration tools and real-time feedback options. However, the subscription model may be a drawback for some users.

Affinity Designer offers a responsive and fast interface, even with complex documents. The user experience benefits from versatile tools and the ability to work across different devices without compatibility issues. The one-off payment model is a cost-effective alternative to subscriptions.

Neither Sketch nor Affinity Designer has a clear advantage in user interface and usability.

Collaboration

Sketch offers robust real-time collaboration features, allowing multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously. The web app facilitates sharing, feedback, and handoff, making it easier for teams to collaborate without constant back-and-forth communication. Offline support ensures that work can continue uninterrupted, even without an internet connection.

Affinity Designer, on the other hand, maintains file format consistency across Windows, Mac, and iPad, enabling seamless collaboration across different devices. However, it lacks real-time collaboration features, which means team members cannot work on the same project simultaneously. This can be a limitation for teams needing instant feedback and updates.

Overall, Sketch is better suited for real-time collaboration needs.

Sketch and Affinity Designer Pricing

Sketch offers a subscription model with a Standard Subscription at $10 per month per Editor, billed yearly, or $12 per month, billed monthly. A Mac-only license is available for $120 per seat, including one year of updates. Business subscriptions cost $22 per month per Editor, billed yearly. Sketch also provides a 30-day free trial and discounts for nonprofits.

Affinity Designer uses a one-time payment model, with Affinity Designer 2 for macOS or Windows priced at $69.99 and the iPad version at $18.49. The Affinity V2 Universal Licence costs $164.99. There are no subscription fees, and a free trial is available for the Universal Licence. Affinity Designer's pricing is more straightforward and potentially more cost-effective over time.

Comparing Sketch and Affinity Designer 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

  • AI-Powered Design Generator: Piktochart's AI-powered design generator allows users to create stunning visuals quickly and efficiently, saving valuable time.
  • Extensive Template Library: With a vast library of templates for various use cases, users can easily find the perfect starting point for their projects.
  • Comprehensive Toolset: Piktochart offers a wide range of tools for creating infographics, reports, presentations, and more, making it a versatile platform for all visual communication needs.
  • Customization Options: Users can extensively customize text and view properties, ensuring their visuals are perfectly aligned with their brand.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Designed to be accessible to everyone, Piktochart's intuitive interface makes it easy for users of all skill levels to create professional-quality visuals.

Piktochart's Pricing

  • Free Plan: $0 (Free forever)
  • Pro Plan: $14 per member/month, billed annually
  • Business Plan: $24 per member/month, billed annually
  • Enterprise Plan: Custom Pricing

What Are Others Saying?

Sketch Reviews

Overall, users have given Sketch a rating of 4.5 out of 5. While they appreciate its ease of use and powerful vector editing capabilities, some find its macOS exclusivity and performance issues with large projects frustrating.

"The place where I started my career. The app which inspired thousands." - Verified User in Information Services, 2.5/5

"Good but limiting." - Poorva S., 3.0/5

"Very difficult to manage big projects." - Gianantonio V., 3.0/5

Find more of Sketch reviews on G2!

Affinity Designer Reviews

Overall, users have given Affinity Designer a rating of 4.6 out of 5. While they appreciate its affordability and intuitive interface, some find its tool limitations and learning curve frustrating.

"Affinity Designer is a professional tool for creating vector graphics." - Сергей ., 3.0/5

"The designer tool needs more improvement to design." - RAHUL V., 3.0/5

"Great alternative for Adobe Illustrator." - Jose R., 3.0/5

Find more of Affinity Designer reviews on G2!

Piktochart Reviews

Our users have given Piktochart an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5. They appreciate its ease of use, extensive template library, and powerful customization options.

  • "My Go-To for ALL Professional Presentations!" - Jennifer K.
  • "Easy to create content even if you're not a designer" - Jessica D.
  • "Incredibly intuitive design app" - Katie S.

Find more of our reviews on G2!

Why choose one over the other?

Why Choose Sketch:

  • Consumers who prioritize real-time collaboration and advanced prototyping tools will find Sketch to be an ideal choice. This platform is particularly suited for product designers, UX designers, and teams that need to work together seamlessly.

Why Choose Affinity Designer:

  • Affinity Designer is perfect for those who prefer a one-time payment model and need a versatile tool for both vector and raster design. Professional illustrators, web designers, and freelancers will appreciate its comprehensive toolset and cross-platform compatibility.

Why Choose Piktochart:

  • Piktochart is the go-to option for users who need an easy-to-use platform for creating a variety of visual content quickly. Educators, marketing professionals, and small teams will benefit from its extensive template library and powerful customization options.

Sketch, Affinity Designer, or Piktochart: Which is the best platform for you?

Whether you're a professional designer, a freelancer, or someone who just needs to create stunning visuals quickly, Sketch, Affinity Designer, and Piktochart each offer unique strengths. While all three are excellent choices, we believe Piktochart stands out for its user-friendly interface, extensive template library, and powerful customization options. Give Piktochart a try and see how it can transform your visual communication effortlessly.