You Can Now Test Drive Affinity Photo Free for 6 Months, No Strings Attached

Serif Affinity, recently acquired by Canva, is giving away access to its entire suite of creative apps for six months. While free trials for software like this isn’t unusual, the length of this one means photographers will be able to give the Adobe alternative a solid try without feeling rushed.

Adobe, for example, gives access to its Creative Cloud for free to new users, but that only lasts a week. Serif’s offer is significantly more compelling and provides creative professionals with enough time to really test the tires on Affinity Photo, Affinity, Designer, and Affinity Publisher before laying down any investment.

“We know it’s daunting to switch your creative software, so we want to give you plenty of time to test out Affinity before you commit,” Affinity says. The deal isn’t just for new sign-ups either:

“And for those of you who may have tried it before but didn’t buy for whatever reason, we’ve reset all trials so you can give it another go for a longer period of time.”

As reported by The Verge, the extended free trial may be a way for Serif to soothe fears that its new owner, Canva, would change how the company monetizes its software. Canva, a subscription-based software company, acquired Affinity earlier this year and many were concerned this would cause the company to change from its one-time purchasing model to one they assumed Canva would feel more comfortable with.

“We’re saying ‘try everything and pay nothing’ because we understand making a change can be a big step, particularly for busy professionals,” Affinity CEO Ashley Hewson tells The Verge. “Anyone who takes the trial is under absolutely no obligation to buy.”

That language is backed up on Affinity’s website, where the company says no payment details are required to sign up and try the software.

Affinity’s one-time purchase, perpetual software model starts at $69.99 for each of Affinity’s individual desktop apps or $164.99 for the entire suite. There is also currently a deal for 50% off all perpetual licenses that is separate from these prices. That means, until Affinity decides to end the deal, Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher together costs $82.99 while Affinity Photo alone costs $35.

The news comes following an interview where Canva’s CEO says that it believes Adobe is due for some real competition. Getting more people to try and switch is, therefore, an excellent place to start.