Blender is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.9. Blender wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Affinity on 1, with 1 tied.
3D artists, indie game makers and animators who want pro tools for free
Designers and photographers who want a free alternative to Adobe's desktop apps
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Blender | Affinity |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Design & Creativity | Design & Creativity |
| Category rank | #2 of 10 | #4 of 10 |
| Developer | Blender Foundation | Canva |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Blender better than Affinity?
Blender is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.9. Blender wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Affinity on 1, with 1 tied.
Which is cheaper, Blender or Affinity?
Blender: Free forever for any purpose, including commercial work. Affinity: Free for individuals; Canva AI tools inside Affinity need a Canva premium plan. On value for money, Blender scores higher.
Do Blender and Affinity work on the same devices?
Only Blender runs on Linux.
Which is more private, Blender or Affinity?
Blender scores higher on privacy (9.6/10). No account or registration needed. Blender doesn't go online by default: Allow Online Access stays off until you turn it on, and an offline mode locks it off.
Strengths and weaknesses
Blender
- Free and open source, even for commercial work
- No account, and it works fully offline
- One app covers modeling through final render
- Steep learning curve with a dense interface
- Mac version needs Apple silicon
- No iPad or Android tablet version yet
Blender is a complete 3D studio that costs nothing. Model, sculpt, animate, simulate, render with Cycles or real-time EEVEE, draw 2D animation with Grease Pencil and even edit video, all in one app. It's open source, needs no account and works offline, and version 5.2 added node-based cloth and hair physics. Be ready for a steep learning curve, and on Mac it needs Apple silicon.
Full Blender review
Affinity
- Pro-level design, photo and layout tools for free
- Files stay on your device and work offline
- One app instead of three separate programs
- Requires a Canva account to activate
- Canva AI features need a paid Canva plan
- No iPad version yet
Affinity used to be three separate apps you bought. Now it's one free app with Vector, Pixel and Layout studios, so you can draw a logo, retouch a photo and set a magazine page without switching programs. The September 2026 update added a Blend Tool, scripting and native InDesign file import. You need a Canva account to activate it, the AI tools cost extra, and there's still no iPad version.
Full Affinity review
