Affinity Designer

Create logos, icons, and artwork with custom brushes, vector tracing, and a library of customizable shapes and elements.

Freemium
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macOS, Windows, iPad
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DesignIcon GeneratorsImage Generation

Try Affinity Designer free

Free plan available
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What is Affinity Designer?

Affinity Designer is a vector graphics application for creating logos, icons, illustrations, and other artwork. It offers a range of drawing tools, including custom brushes and vector tracing capabilities, plus a library of shapes and design elements you can modify to suit your needs. The tool works on a freemium model, making it accessible to beginners and casual users, whilst offering a paid version for professionals who need the full feature set. It's particularly useful if you want a more affordable alternative to subscription-based design software, with a focus on precision and vector-based work rather than photo editing.

Key features

Vector tracing

convert raster images to editable vector paths automatically

Custom brushes

create and save your own brush styles for consistent artwork

Shape library

access pre-made customisable shapes and design elements

Dual persona workflow

switch between vector and raster editing within the same file

Artboard support

organise multiple designs in a single document

Non-destructive effects

apply effects that you can edit or remove later

Pros & cons

Advantages

One-time purchase option available, so you're not locked into a subscription
Handles both vector and raster work, reducing the need for multiple tools
Strong performance on detailed, complex designs without lag
Intuitive interface that's relatively easy to learn for designers new to vector work

Limitations

The free version has limitations; full functionality requires purchasing the paid version
Smaller community and fewer third-party plugins compared to Adobe or other established tools
Steep learning curve if you're new to vector design, despite the interface being cleaner than some alternatives