Affinity Designer vs Lunacy: Complete Comparison (2026)

By Elena Kowalski, Security & Enterprise Editorยท12 years of experienceยทUpdated 2026-04-24ยท8 min read

In comparing Affinity Designer and Lunacy in 2026, Lunacy is the stronger choice for designers wanting a free sketch alternative with built-in stock assets due to completely free with built-in assets. Affinity Designer excels for freelance designers wanting professional tools without subscription costs with no subscription needed. Affinity Designer offers Vector and raster design, Pixel persona, Export persona starting at $169.99 one-time. Lunacy provides Vector design, Built-in assets, AI background removal from Free with a free tier. For teams prioritizing value, Lunacy delivers a hiltonsoftware Score of 78/100. Affinity Designer and Lunacy compete in the design tools segment of the SaaS market, where cloud-native solutions, API integrations, and workflow automation drive enterprise and SMB adoption. Other leading design tools tools include Figma, Canva, Adobe XD. Affinity Designer serves 3M+ users globally (founded 2014) while Lunacy reports 5M+ active users (founded 2017).

Affinity Designer vs Lunacy at a Glance

Affinity Designer
Lunacy
Starting Price
$169.99 one-time
Free
Free Plan
No
Yes
User Rating
4.7/5
4.5/5
Best For
Freelance designers wanting professional tools wit...
Designers wanting a free Sketch alternative with b...
Users
3M+
5M+
Founded
2014
2017
hiltonsoftware Score
77/100
78/100
Pricing verified: March 2026 ยท Based on official vendor data
๐Ÿ”บ
Affinity Designer
Design Tools
77
hiltonsoftware.co Score
VS
๐ŸŒ™
Lunacy
Design Tools
78
hiltonsoftware.co Score
RECOMMENDED

What are the main differences between Affinity Designer and Lunacy?

Affinity Designer and Lunacy differ across ease of use, features, value, support, integrations, scalability, and learning curve. Lunacy leads in 3 of 7 categories.

Affinity DesignerLunacy
83Ease of Use85
82Features78
68Value for Money75
71Customer Support67
70Integrations68
69Scalability67
71Learning Curve75

What are the pros and cons of Affinity Designer vs Lunacy?

Affinity Designer
+No subscription needed
+Fast and stable performance
-Smaller plugin ecosystem
-Fewer learning resources
Lunacy
+Completely free with built-in assets
+Sketch file compatibility
-Smaller community than Figma
-Some features still maturing

Which is better, Affinity Designer or Lunacy?

After evaluating Affinity Designer and Lunacy across features, pricing, integrations, and user satisfaction, Lunacy earns a higher hiltonsoftware Score of 78/100 versus Affinity Designer at 77/100. Lunacy stands out for "completely free with built-in assets" and "sketch file compatibility". Affinity Designer delivers competitive advantages in "no subscription needed", making Affinity Designer a viable alternative.

On pricing, Lunacy offers a free plan for SMBs and startups. Affinity Designer starts at $169.99 one-time with no free tier, but justifies the cost with vector and raster design and pixel persona and enterprise-grade scalability.

Bottom line: Choose Affinity Designer for freelance designers wanting professional tools without subscription costs. Choose Lunacy for designers wanting a free sketch alternative with built-in stock assets. Both Affinity Designer and Lunacy are established design tools platforms.

CHOOSE AFFINITY DESIGNER IF:

Freelance designers wanting professional tools without subscription costs.

CHOOSE LUNACY IF:

Designers wanting a free Sketch alternative with built-in stock assets.

Affinity Designer vs Lunacy: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Affinity Designer better than Lunacy in 2026?
Lunacy outperforms Affinity Designer in the 2026 hiltonsoftware.co analysis with a score of 78/100 compared to 77/100. Affinity Designer excels in Vector and raster design, Pixel persona, Export persona, making Affinity Designer the better choice for Freelance designers wanting professional tools without subscription costs. Lunacy is the stronger option for Designers wanting a free Sketch alternative with built-in stock assets due to completely free with built-in assets. For teams needing vector design, hiltonsoftware.co recommends Lunacy.
How does Affinity Designer pricing compare to Lunacy in 2026?
Affinity Designer starts at $169.99 one-time with no free tier. Lunacy starts at Free and offers a free plan. Affinity Designer includes features like Vector and raster design, Pixel persona, Export persona. Lunacy provides Vector design, Built-in assets, AI background removal. Affinity Designer serves 3M+ users while Lunacy serves 5M+ users. Evaluate total cost of ownership based on team size and required integrations.
What are the main differences between Affinity Designer and Lunacy?
Affinity Designer specializes in Vector and raster design, Pixel persona, Export persona, earning a 77/100 hiltonsoftware Score. Lunacy focuses on Vector design, Built-in assets, AI background removal, scoring 78/100. Affinity Designer is best for Freelance designers wanting professional tools without subscription costs. Lunacy is best for Designers wanting a free Sketch alternative with built-in stock assets. Both Affinity Designer and Lunacy serve the Design Tools market but target different user profiles.
Can I migrate from Affinity Designer to Lunacy?
Migrating from Affinity Designer to Lunacy is possible since both operate in the Design Tools space. Export data from Affinity Designer and verify Lunacy import capabilities. Key features to evaluate: Vector and raster design, Pixel persona, Export persona (Affinity Designer) versus Vector design, Built-in assets, AI background removal (Lunacy). Running both Affinity Designer and Lunacy in parallel during a trial period ensures a smooth transition.
Is Affinity Designer or Lunacy better for small business?
For small businesses, Lunacy offers a free plan making Lunacy more budget-friendly at 78/100 on hiltonsoftware.co. Affinity Designer (starting at $169.99 one-time) is worth considering for Vector and raster design, Pixel persona, Export persona. Both Affinity Designer and Lunacy scale from SMB to enterprise.

Reviewed by Elena Kowalski, Security & Enterprise Editor. Last updated: 2026-04-24. Pricing verified: March 2026.

Read our scoring methodology to understand how the hiltonsoftware Score is calculated.

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