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I’ve been searching for more wallet-friendly alternatives that offer one-time payments ever since Adobe switched to a subscription-based model for its picture editing suite. Until now, I’ve been unable to find anything that meets my needs. In my most recent experience, I experimented with Picktorial 3, and right now I’d like to discuss my feelings with Serif Affinity Photo.
Affinity Photo is Serif’s first foray into the Mac ecosystem, despite the fact that many people may know the company with PhotoPlus X, a Windows-based image editor developed by Serif. In my own experience, I’ve discovered that Affinity Photo is a worthy alternative to Adobe Photoshop. It is not intended for users with little to no editing experience; rather, it is a robust and capable editing suite that satisfies the requirements of individuals with greater experience.
Affinity Photo Specifications
Affinity Photo is a powerful and reasonably priced option to Adobe Photoshop. Photographers and graphic artists love it because it has a lot of powerful tools and lets you edit without losing any data.
Feature | Affinity Photo |
---|---|
PSD File Support | Yes |
RAW Support | Yes |
Layering | Comprehensive layer management |
Masking | Advanced masking capabilities |
Retouching | Extensive retouching tools |
Blemish Removal | Tools for easy blemish removal |
Curving | Curves adjustment for precision |
Filters | Full set of 16-bit filters |
Price | Affordable compared to rivals |
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Affinity Photo review: Familiar interface

If you are familiar with Photoshop, the move to Affinity Photo will be very smooth for you. The default structure of the user interface is nearly identical, with a few minor differences in the icons located on the left toolbar; however, these icons are, for the most part, easy to understand. The vast majority of the core keyboard shortcuts have been preserved, which makes the process of acclimation much simpler.
In my own experience, I’ve found that Affinity Photo performs better than Photoshop in several respects, despite the fact that this assessment is up to interpretation. For instance, I like how the alignment options (both pixel alignment and magnetic alignment) are located in the top toolbar. This places them in a convenient location where they can be accessed without having to navigate the menus. This decision to create a design that is user-friendly makes the experience overall better for me.
Affinity Photo review: Remarkable range of functions
My own use of Affinity Photo has led me to the conclusion that the software provides an outstanding number of tools for image editing and composition, and that it is on par with Photoshop in many respects. It contains a broad variety of functions, including a variety of layer types, live filters, tonal value correction, contrast adjustment, effects such as shadows and glows, masks, colour gradients, brushes, and plenty more. “Inpainting” is the name of another feature that can be found in Affinity Photo that is analogous to the content-based filling found in Photoshop.
On the other hand, the AI-related tools are where you’ll notice significant variations from Photoshop. For example, Adobe recently released a feature that is powered by AI and enables the complete replacement of the sky in landscape photographs. Affinity Photo does not possess this capability. In a similar manner, Photoshop can now recognise items in photographs and make exact selections, frequently employing AI for enhanced precision. This is yet another area in which Affinity Photo differentiates from Photoshop.
Affinity Photo review: Tools

My experience with Affinity Photo has been great because it has so many great features for improving and changing photos and projects. It has a lot of tools that are on par with or better than those in even more expensive programmes like Photoshop. Amazingly, it does all of this at a price that most people can pay.
It has a lot of features, such as the ability to work with PSD and RAW files, masking, layering, retouching, removing flaws, curving, and a full set of 16-bit effects. I could name them all, but I’d rather talk about how great it is to use these tools to make photos better. Having used other programmes that did similar things, I found that Affinity Photo was very familiar and easy to use. Being familiar with it is a big plus, especially if you know how its rivals work.
Final Words
From my own experience, I can say that Affinity Photo is truly amazing. It has a lot of useful features and is very affordable. People who have never used the software before may need some time to get used to it, but people who have used it before will find that it’s easy to use. Because it is so good at photo editing, masking, and retouching, Affinity Photo is a trusted tool for making pictures better. It’s important to note, though, that when compared to paid software, it lacks some advanced features and support for third-party plugins. Still, Affinity Photo is a great choice for editing photos for a wide range of reasons and is a great deal for the money.
Affinity Photo review: The good and The bad
Affinity Photo features many of the editing capabilities that are associated with Photoshop, but it retails at a price that is more appealing.
The Good
- Multi-platform
- Excellent tools
The Bad
- Could overwhelm newcomers
Questions and Answers
Affinity Photo is loved by professional shooters all over the world because it is fast, powerful, and accurate.
Looking for a great way to edit photos but don’t want to pay the monthly fee for one of Adobe’s plans? Look no further than Affinity Photo 2.