CompareStack/Affinity Designer vs GIMP
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Updated March 2026 · Independent Analysis

Affinity DesignervsGIMP

Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/mo; GIMP is free. Affinity Designer is rated higher at 4.6/5 vs GIMP's 4.3/5.

A
Affinity Designer

Professional vector graphic design software as an Adobe Illustrator alternative

★ 4.6/5Founded 201410M+ users users
Try Affinity Designer Free →
G
GIMP

Free open-source image editor as an alternative to Photoshop

★ 4.3/5Founded 199610M+ downloads users
Try GIMP Free →

⚡ Quick Stats

⭐
Avg Rating
Affinity Designer4.6/5
GIMP4.3/5
🏆 Affinity Designer wins
💰
Starting Price
Affinity Designer$69.99/mo
GIMPFree
🏆 GIMP wins
🔧
Features
Affinity Designer15
GIMP15
🏆 Affinity Designer wins
🎁
Free Plan
Affinity DesignerNo
GIMPYes ✓
🏆 GIMP wins

📊 Ratings Breakdown

A

Affinity Designer

4.6/5 avg
G2 Score4.5/5
Capterra Score4.7/5
Overall Avg4.6/5
G

GIMP

4.3/5 avg
G2 Score4.3/5
Capterra Score4.4/5
Overall Avg4.35/5

⚡ 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
Try Affinity Designer Free →
Choose GIMP if you need:
  • ✓ Photo Editing
  • ✓ Layer Support
  • ✓ Masks & Channels
  • ✓ Advanced Color Tools
  • ✓ Customizable Interface
Try GIMP Free →

🔧 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
✓
✗
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
15
15

💰 Pricing Comparison

Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/mo; GIMP is free.

A

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
Full Affinity Designer pricing breakdown →
G

GIMP Plans

Free tier available

Free
Free
  • • Full featured
  • • Cross-platform
  • • Open source
Full GIMP pricing breakdown →
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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