Updated March 2026 · Independent Analysis
Affinity DesignervsGIMP
Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/mo; GIMP is free. Affinity Designer is rated higher at 4.5/5 vs GIMP's 4.3/5.
Affinity Designervs GIMP
★ 4.5/5+0.2 vs GIMP
Only in Affinity Designer
- ✦ Vector Design
- ✦ Raster & Vector Hybrid
- ✦ PSD/AI Import
From $69.99/mo10M+ users · est. 2014
Try Affinity Designer Free →
GIMPvs Affinity Designer
★ 4.3/5-0.2 vs Affinity Designer
Only in GIMP
- ✦ Photo Editing
- ✦ Layer Support
- ✦ Masks & Channels
✓ Free plan10M+ downloads users · est. 1996
Try GIMP Free →Ratings Breakdown
Affinity Designer
4.5/5 avg
G2 Score4.5/5
Capterra Score4.7/5
G2 Rating4.5/5
GIMP
4.3/5 avg
G2 Score4.3/5
Capterra Score4.4/5
G2 Rating4.3/5
Quick Stats
Feature Comparison
Affinity Designer uniquely offers Vector Design, Raster & Vector Hybrid, PSD/AI Import. GIMP uniquely offers Photo Editing, Layer Support, Masks & Channels. Both share 0 features.
Feature
Affinity Designer
GIMP
Vector Design
✓
✗
Raster & Vector Hybrid
✓
✗
PSD/AI Import
✓
✗
Pen & Node Tools
✓
✗
Typography
✓
✗
Color Management
✓
✗
Non-destructive Effects
✓
✗
Artboards
✓
✗
Symbols
✓
✗
Grids & Guides
✓
✗
Export Personas
✓
✗
iPad Version
✓
✗
GPU Accelerated
✓
✗
Pixel-perfect Zoom
✓
✗
Master Pages
✓
✗
Vector Shapes Library
✓
✗
Advanced Layer Management
✓
✗
Shape Building Tools
✓
✗
Gradient Map Editor
✓
✗
Texture Brushes
✓
✗
Customizable Keyboard Shortcuts
✓
✗
Live Shapes
✓
✗
Align and Distribute
✓
✗
Snapping Controls
✓
✗
Shape Boolean Operations
✓
✗
Vector Crop Tool
✓
✗
History Panel
✓
✗
Photo Editing
✗
✓
Layer Support
✗
✓
Masks & Channels
✗
✓
Advanced Color Tools
✗
✓
Customizable Interface
✗
✓
Filters & Effects
✗
✓
Scripting (Python/Script-Fu)
✗
✓
Plugin Support
✗
✓
PSD Support
✗
✓
Brushes & Gradients
✗
✓
Path Tool
✗
✓
Clone & Heal
✗
✓
Batch Processing
✗
✓
Cross-platform
✗
✓
Export Formats
✗
✓
Total Features
27
15
Quick Verdict
Independent analysis based on features, pricing, and user ratings
Choose Affinity Designer if you need:
- ✓ Vector Design
- ✓ Raster & Vector Hybrid
- ✓ PSD/AI Import
- ✓ Pen & Node Tools
- ✓ Typography
Choose GIMP if you need:
- ✓ Photo Editing
- ✓ Layer Support
- ✓ Masks & Channels
- ✓ Advanced Color Tools
- ✓ Customizable Interface
Pricing Comparison
Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/mo; GIMP is free.
Affinity Designer Plans
Paid plans only
Affinity Designer V2
$69.99/one-time- • Desktop app
- • No subscription
Affinity V2 Universal
$169.99/one-time- • Designer + Photo + Publisher
- • All platforms
Canva SubscriptionBest Value
$14.99/mo- • Full Affinity suite via Canva Teams
GIMP Plans
Free tier available
Free
Free- • Full featured
- • Cross-platform
- • Open source
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