StackShareStackShare
Follow on
StackShare

Discover and share technology stacks from companies around the world.

Product

  • Stacks
  • Tools
  • Companies
  • Feed

Company

  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 StackShare. All rights reserved.

API StatusChangelog
  1. Stackups
  2. Stackups
  3. Adobe XD vs Affinity Designer

Adobe XD vs Affinity Designer

OverviewComparisonAlternatives

Overview

Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer
Stacks162
Followers119
Votes11
Adobe XD
Adobe XD
Stacks1.3K
Followers947
Votes56

Adobe XD vs Affinity Designer: What are the differences?

Introduction

Adobe XD and Affinity Designer are both popular design tools used by professionals in the field of graphic design and web development. While they have some similarities, they also have several key differences that set them apart from each other. In this article, we will explore these differences in detail.

  1. User Interface and Workflow: Adobe XD offers a sleek and intuitive user interface that is easy to navigate, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced designers. On the other hand, Affinity Designer provides a highly customizable workspace, allowing users to personalize their workflow according to their preferences. This flexibility makes it a preferred choice for designers who want complete control over their workspace.

  2. Vector Editing Capabilities: One major difference between Adobe XD and Affinity Designer lies in their vector editing capabilities. While both tools allow users to create and edit vector-based designs, Adobe XD is more focused on prototyping and wireframing, with limited vector editing options. Affinity Designer, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive set of vector editing tools, making it a preferred choice for intricate and detailed illustrations.

  3. Integration with Other Adobe Products: Adobe XD seamlessly integrates with other Adobe products such as Photoshop and Illustrator, allowing users to work on their designs across multiple platforms with ease. Affinity Designer, on the other hand, operates independently and does not offer the same level of integration with other design software. This can be a deciding factor for designers who heavily rely on Adobe's suite of products.

  4. Pricing and Licensing: Adobe XD follows a subscription-based model, requiring users to pay a monthly or annual fee to access the software. Affinity Designer, on the other hand, offers a one-time payment option, making it a more cost-effective choice for designers who prefer not to commit to a continuous subscription. This difference in pricing models makes Affinity Designer a more budget-friendly alternative.

  5. File Compatibility: Adobe XD supports a wide range of file formats, making it easier for designers to collaborate and share their work with clients and colleagues. Affinity Designer, while it supports popular file formats, may encounter compatibility issues with certain Adobe-specific file types. This can be a limitation for designers who frequently work with clients or colleagues who predominantly use Adobe software.

  6. Community and Support: Adobe XD benefits from a large and active community of designers who actively contribute to the software's growth and provide support to fellow users. This extensive community ensures a wide range of resources, tutorials, and plugins are available for designers. While Affinity Designer also has a growing community, it may not match the scale and resources that Adobe XD's community offers.

In summary, Adobe XD provides an easy-to-use interface, seamless integration with other Adobe products, and extensive community support. Affinity Designer, on the other hand, offers more advanced vector editing capabilities, flexible pricing options, and a highly customizable workspace. The choice between the two ultimately depends on the specific needs and preferences of the designer.

Detailed Comparison

Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer
Adobe XD
Adobe XD

No bloat, no gimmicks, just all the tools you need, implemented how you always dreamed. It is a stripped back, pro-end workhorse that will always get your job done. It was created to thrive on the electric pace of the latest computing hardware. Live, responsive and incredibly fluid, it’s simply a joy to use.

A vector-based tool developed and published by Adobe Inc for designing and prototyping user experience for web and mobile apps.

-
Voice prototyping; Responsive Resize; Auto-Animate
Statistics
Stacks
162
Stacks
1.3K
Followers
119
Followers
947
Votes
11
Votes
56
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 3
    Easy of use
  • 2
    Love the UI
  • 2
    Feels like Illustrator
  • 2
    No subscription
  • 1
    Customizable layouts
Pros
  • 15
    Free
  • 10
    Interactive Prototypes
  • 8
    Vector
  • 8
    Clean Design
  • 8
    Reusable elements/components
Cons
  • 6
    No dark theme
Integrations
No integrations available
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop

What are some alternatives to Affinity Designer, Adobe XD?

Figma

Figma

Figma is the first interface design tool with real-time collaboration. It keeps everyone on the same page. Focus on the work instead of fighting your tools.

Sketch

Sketch

Easily create complex shapes with our state-of-the-art vector boolean operations and take advantage of our extensive layer styles.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop

It is the best in the world of graphic design and image processing software that will realize any of your ideas. Create and enhance photos, illustrations and 3D graphic objects.

Zeplin

Zeplin

Collaboration app for designers & developers. Supports Sketch and Photoshop (on beta!).

Blender

Blender

It is the free and open source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing and motion tracking, even video editing and game creation.

ProtoPie

ProtoPie

It is the easiest tool used to turn your UI/UX design ideas into highly interactive prototypes for mobile, desktop, web, all the way to IoT. ProtoPie runs on macOS & Windows and the player app is on iOS and Android.

Readymag

Readymag

Readymag—an online platform for website creation focused on design & creativity. Advanced typography. Powerful animations. Code injection & third-party tool integrations.

Inkscape

Inkscape

It is professional quality vector graphics software which runs on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. This software can be used to create or edit vector graphics such as illustrations, diagrams, line arts, charts, logos and complex paintings.

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo

It is born to work hand-in-hand with the latest powerful computer technology, it’s fully-loaded photo editor integrated across macOS, Windows and iOS.

Overflow.io

Overflow.io

Create interactive user flows and stunning design presentations to engage your audience in synchronous or asynchronous design critique.

Related Comparisons

HipChat
Slack

HipChat vs Mattermost vs Slack

Litmus
Email on Acid

Email on Acid vs Litmus

InVision
Proto.io

InVision vs Marvel vs Proto.io

Webex
Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams vs Webex

Slack
RocketChat

Mattermost vs RocketChat vs Slack