Affinity Stops Selling its Photo Editing Software in Preparation for ‘Big Changes’

Affinity has announced that it is making “big changes” on October 30 and, in the lead-up to that date, has stopped selling its software altogether.

“We are not currently accepting new orders while we prepare for some big changes. This is only temporary, though. If you want to be one of the first people to find out about these changes, you can sign up here to know first,” the company writes on X, formerly Twitter.

Affinity’s store is completely offline and disabled, so it is not possible for any new customer to make any purchases.

“We’re making space for what’s next,” Affinity explains. “This short pause lets us transition cleanly without confusion between versions. Existing customers keep full access to their apps. This only affects new purchases and trials.”

The link to “know first” is a sign-up for a mailing list. Users who sign up are sent an email with the following:

“You’ve chosen to see the future first. Now you’re at the front of the queue for what’s next. This isn’t just another update. It’s the beginning of something new. A shift in how creative freedom is defined. Keep an eye on our social channels. We’ll be sharing glimpses of what’s about to unfold.”

At the time of publication, no additional information has been shared.

It is highly unusual for a software company to stop all purchases of its products, even before or during a major update, but given that Affinity was purchased by Canva last year, given the choice to shut down its online store, some pivot from the Adobe-competitor’s current offerings to something more akin to what Canva already offers is certainly a possibility. One of the factors that makes Affinity so appealing to its users is that it doesn’t operate on a subscription model. Canva does.

“Since the inception of Affinity, our mission has been to empower creatives with tools that unleash their full potential, fostering a community where innovation and artistry flourish,” Ashley Hewson, CEO of Affinity, said at the time.

“We’ve worked tirelessly to challenge the status quo, delivering professional-grade creative software that is both accessible and affordable. Canva’s commitment to empowering everyone to create aligns perfectly with those values. We couldn’t be more excited about becoming part of the Canva family and can’t wait to see what we will achieve together.”

When Canva acquired Affinity, the company said that it was “excited to unlock the full spectrum of designers at every level and stage of the design journey.” Canva already served entry to mid-level designers, so it was assumed Affinity would fill in the high-end to professional user. It remains to be seen if that will still be the case.