Affinity vs DxO PhotoLab Comparison 2026
Both cover photo editing. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
Photo, vector and layout, free for individuals
Raw processing bought once, not rented
At a glance
- Only Affinity has a free tier.
Side by side
Affinity | DxO PhotoLab | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | From $149.99 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free | One-time purchase |
| Free tier (they differ) | Yes | No |
| Billing | One-time purchase | One-time purchase |
| Free trial | None | Not stated |
| API | Not stated | Not stated |
| Data export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Their cut | None | None |
| Runs on | macOS, Windows | macOS, Windows |
Shaded rows are where the two answers disagree and both listings have answered. A row where one side has not stated a fact is left plain, because silence is not a difference.
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
DxO PhotoLab
Raw processing bought once, not rented
DxO PhotoLab is a raw converter with a reputation built on two things: noise reduction that recovers frames other software gives up on, and optical corrections measured from the actual lens rather than estimated. It is sold as a licence you own, which is why it keeps turning up in conversations about leaving Adobe. The library side is thinner than Lightroom's, and anybody whose workflow depends on catalogues should test that first.
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.