Affinity for iPad is now available on the App Store, as per the latest update from Affinity. The all-in-one app is free for individuals, and only the Canva AI tools need a paid Canva plan.
It brings Sketch Studio, vector design, photo editing and page layout into one .af file, so an Apple Pencil sketch can become vector artwork without leaving the document. Affinity calls it a fully fledged creative experience built for touch, though several desktop tools are not in the iPad version yet.
Affinity for iPad puts sketching, vectors, photos and layout in one file
Sketch Studio has more than 350 editable brushes that respond to Apple Pencil pressure, tilt and barrel roll. Once the drawing is done, you switch to Vector Studio and build curves, paths and nodes directly over it.
Photo editing is non-destructive and covers RAW development, composites, intelligent selections and live retouching, so your original files always stay intact. Every adjustment, filter and effect updates live as you work.
Page layout runs from short brochures to 500-page books, with grids, guides, text and images placed by touch or Apple Pencil. The same .af files open on the desktop version that Canva released for Mac and Windows in October 2025.
Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign files open with some flattening
Affinity positions the app as a no-subscription alternative to Photoshop, Procreate, Illustrator and InDesign, and it opens PSD, AI, INDD, IDML, PDF and SVG files. Layered PSDs keep their masks, groups and adjustments in most cases, while smart objects and advanced filters may flatten.
Illustrator files need PDF compatibility enabled, and appearance stacks, masks and advanced effects may flatten or simplify. INDD and IDML files from InDesign keep their page structure, text frames and basic styles, but GREP styles, anchored objects and tables may need manual adjustment.
Exports cover JPEG, PNG, WebP, PDF, SVG, EPUB and INDD, by object, slice, artboard, page or full document. Projects can also be sent straight to Canva.
Core tools are free, but you need a Canva account
Individuals get every tool in the Sketch, Pixel, Vector and Layout studios, plus all customization and export features, with no restrictions or payment. A free Canva account is required to sign in, and content in the app is not used to train AI features.
The Canva AI Studio is the only paid part, and it handles jobs such as clearing grain, rescuing a blurry shot and cutting out a background. It needs a Canva premium plan, which can be bought in the app.
The app covers the work that Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher handled as separate apps. The free download is 1.9GB and runs on iPadOS 18, 26 and 27, on iPads from the 7th-generation iPad and 5th-generation iPad mini up to the iPad Pro with M5. The machine learning tools need an iPad with an M chip.
Books, Batch and Data Merge are not in the iPad app yet
The iPad app leaves out these desktop features at launch. The company says it is bringing more over time and announces additions in its release notes, and the gaps matter most if your work depends on batch jobs or macros.
- Books
- Batch
- Data Merge
- Quick Adjustments
- The Info and Scope panels
- Macro recording
- Astrophotography Studio
Download Afinity from App Store
