Affinity vs darktable Comparison 2026
Affinity and darktable are both free, but built for opposite jobs. Affinity is a general pixel, vector and layout editor for macOS and Windows, useful for anything from a raw touch-up to a print layout. darktable does one thing, developing raw files non-destructively in a database-backed library, and it runs on Linux as well, which Affinity does not. Neither charges anything, so the decision comes down to whether the work is raw processing specifically or something broader.
At a glance
- Both have a genuinely free tier.
Side by side
Affinity | darktable | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | One-time purchase | Not stated |
| Free trial | None | Not stated |
| API | Not stated | Not stated |
Affinity
Photo, vector and layout, free for individuals
Affinity is three professional applications in one window: a pixel editor, a vector editor and a page layout tool, with no round trip between them. Canva bought it and made it free, which is the largest thing to happen to paid creative software in years. Files from the Adobe applications open with their layers intact.
Our note
This is the most significant thing to happen to paid creative software in years, and there is no catch that we can find. If you edit photos or lay out documents and have been renting the ability to do it, install this before renewing anything.
Only on this side
- Covers design & graphics
darktable
A raw developer that costs nothing
darktable manages a photo library in a database and develops raw files without ever altering the original, which is the same arrangement Lightroom sells a subscription for. Colour management runs the whole way to print and the processing uses the graphics card. It is open source and there is no paid tier, no account and no upload. The interface was built by photographers for photographers and it shows in both directions, so expect to read the manual.
Why people weigh these two
- darktable instead of Affinity
- darktable is a free raw developer only, narrower than Affinity's photo, vector and layout apps but built specifically around the raw file.
- Affinity instead of darktable
- Affinity covers photo, vector and layout in one and is free for individuals, broader editing where darktable stays a raw developer and library.
Which one should you pick
Choose darktable if the work is raw photo processing and nothing else, especially on Linux, where Affinity is not available at all. It manages a library, never touches the original file, and uses the graphics card for processing. The cost is a genuine learning curve: the interface was built by photographers for photographers, and the manual is worth reading rather than skipping.
Choose Affinity if the job spans photo editing, vector drawing or page layout, or if a steep raw-only tool is more than the job needs. It is free for individuals across all three studios and opens PSD, AI and IDML files with their structure intact. Anybody who wants to open a raw file and press one button rather than learn a processing pipeline will find darktable actively unpleasant and should stay with Affinity instead.
Common questions
- Does darktable run on Linux?
- Yes, alongside macOS and Windows, which is where it has an advantage over Affinity: Affinity only runs on macOS and Windows and has no Linux build at all.
- Is darktable really free with no paid tier?
- Yes. There is no pricing page because there is no price: no paid tier, no hosted version and no account, released under the GPL 3.0 and funded by the people who write it.
- Can darktable do vector drawing or page layout like Affinity?
- No. It is a raw developer only, built around a non-destructive processing pipeline and a database-backed photo library. Affinity covers vector and layout work in separate studios within the same free application.
- Which one is easier to learn?
- Affinity, for most people, though both take real time. darktable rewards an evening of learning with control few paid tools offer, but it expects you to read the manual rather than guess.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.