Canva has released its rebuilt Affinity app for iPad, bringing the free, all-in-one creative suite to Apple’s tablet a year after the same overhaul landed on Mac. The release, which went live on November 2, finally closes a gap that left designers working across both platforms stuck between incompatible versions.
That compatibility problem was the most practical frustration of the past year. When the redesigned desktop app arrived in 2025, it couldn’t work with files and workflows tied to the older Affinity apps, which meant anyone who relied on an iPad as part of their process had little reason to move to the new platform. With the iPad version now caught up, Affinity runs under a single name across Mac, Windows and iPad.
The bigger shift is structural. Rather than three separate apps, Affinity now folds the capabilities of Designer, Photo and Publisher into one workspace, letting users move between vector illustration, photo editing and page layout without jumping between programs. Canva says the iPad version offers the same professional feature set as the Mac release, a claim that will be tested once working designers push it with complex, multi-page projects on tablet hardware.
There are some iPad-specific touches. On first launch, users can choose whether the interface is tuned for touch controls or Apple Pencil input, and a new Sketch Studio adds a dedicated space for freehand drawing. That puts Affinity a little closer to illustration-first apps like Procreate, while still offering the layout and photo tools those apps lack.
Pricing is where the story gets interesting. Affinity is free for individual users, with core creative tools available without a subscription. Canva makes its money through optional extras, including AI tools and templates tied to Canva Pro at $18 a month or $143.99 a year, while business subscriptions for Affinity cost $250 annually. For a brand that built its reputation as a pay-once alternative to Adobe, and that Canva acquired in 2024, the free-plus-upsell model marks a clear change in direction.
Compatibility is fairly broad. The app requires iPadOS 18 or later and supports the seventh-generation iPad, fifth-generation iPad mini, third-generation iPad Air and newer, along with every 11-inch iPad Pro and supported 12.9-inch and 13-inch models.
The open question is whether free is enough. Adobe still dominates professional workflows, and studios rarely switch tools on price alone. But a capable suite that costs nothing to try on hardware many creatives already own makes Affinity a much harder option to ignore.