Canva Acquires Affinity to Confront Adobe’s Creative Dominance

The acquisition deal between Canva and Affinity, encompassing Affinity’s Designer, Photo, and Publisher applications, remains undisclosed.

Canva, a web-based design platform, has made headlines by acquiring the Affinity creative software suite. The acquisition signals Canva’s intent to challenge Adobe’s stronghold in digital design.

This strategic move, announced by Canva on March 26, grants the company ownership of Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher. These three widely used creative applications are available for Windows, Mac, and iPad and offer functionalities similar to Adobe’s Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.

?? Big News Alert! ?? We’re super excited to share Canva has joined forces with @affinitybyserif the creative software suite loved by millions of designers around the world.

Get ready for an incredible fusion of creativity and innovation like never before. Together, we're… pic.twitter.com/KQqE1ldx8T

— Canva (@canva) March 26, 2024

While specific figures regarding the deal have not been unveiled, Bloomberg estimates its worth to be “several hundred million [British] pounds.”

This acquisition aligns with Canva’s ambition to appeal to a broader spectrum of creative professionals. It has boasted around 170 million monthly global users as of January 2024. However, Canva lacks dedicated design applications for professionals such as illustrators, photographers, and video editors, a gap that the Affinity acquisition seeks to address.

In a press release announcing the acquisition, Canva expressed its commitment to empowering designers at every level. The company emphasized the importance of catering to professional designers alongside its existing user base. Affinity’s suite, utilized by over three million global users, though modest in comparison to Adobe’s vast user base, has garnered significant attention for its one-time-purchase model, eschewing Adobe’s subscription-based approach.

Canva’s co-founder, Cameron Adams, affirmed that Affinity applications would retain their independence from Canva’s platform, albeit hinting at potential integrations in the future. While affirming plans for lightweight integration, Adams stressed that the products would maintain their distinct identities.

With Affinity and its team of 90 UK-based employees now part of Canva, the company stands better positioned to rival Adobe’s dominance in the creative software market. Canva aims to entice professionals disillusioned with Adobe’s subscription model, offering a compelling alternative in the increasingly competitive digital design landscape.