Canva Boosts Its Position in the Design World with the Acquisition of Affinity to Compete with Adobe
In an unprecedented move signaling a significant shift in the creative software domain, Canva, a leading provider of online graphic design tools, has announced its acquisition of Affinity, a well-known creative software platform.
This announcement marks a major step for Canva in expanding its influence, targeting not only the general public of users but also professionals in the graphic design field. With this acquisition, Canva adds Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Publisher to its portfolio, thereby enhancing its position as a formidable competitor against Adobe, the giant in this sector.
Affinity offers software solutions compatible with various systems like Windows, Mac, and iPad, serving as an ideal alternative to famous Adobe programs such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. This move is expected to broaden Canva’s user base to include more professional designers and creatives seeking powerful and flexible tools.
Though the financial details of the deal were not disclosed, estimates suggest it was worth several hundred million pounds sterling. This acquisition reflects Canva’s clear intent to attract a wider segment of professionals in the creative world, complementing its successful journey that has already drawn more than 170 million active monthly users worldwide.
Affinity's applications, used by over 3 million users globally, present an attractive single purchase model, as opposed to Adobe’s recurring subscription system, making it a preferred choice for creatives looking for reliable and cost-effective alternatives.
With the inclusion of Affinity’s team, which consists of 90 employees, into Canva, the latter’s competitiveness in the broadened creative software market is further enhanced. This move clearly shows Canva’s desire to solidify its position as a strong and reliable alternative to Adobe, not only among amateurs and regular users but also among professionals in the creative industry.
Canva’s new vision, through this acquisition, promises to bring about a significant change in the creative software market, offering designers and creatives more choices and flexibility in realizing their creative projects. This shift also reflects the ongoing evolution in designers’ expectations and needs worldwide, as they seek tools that allow unlimited creativity at an affordable cost, a promise that Canva and Affinity aim to fulfill in the post-acquisition world.