Affinity Designer vs Lunacy — Which One Wins?
Pick Affinity Designer if: Designers who refuse to pay Adobe’s subscription tax and want pro-grade vector tools for a one-time fee
Pick Lunacy if: Designers on a budget who want a Sketch alternative that runs on any OS — completely free
Our take: Both are solid. Affinity Designer edges it for most people.
| Affinity Designer | Lunacy | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Affinity Designer 2 $69.99 one-time | Completely free |
| Features | Vector and raster in one app, One-time purchase (no subscription), CMYK and Pantone support, 1,000,000%+ zoom, PSD and AI file import | Sketch file compatibility, Built-in design assets, AI image generation, Vector editing tools, Works on Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Best for | Designers who refuse to pay Adobe’s subscription tax and want pro-grade vector tools for a one-time fee | Designers on a budget who want a Sketch alternative that runs on any OS — completely free |
| Learning Curve | Medium | Medium |
The Real Difference
Lunacy has a free plan; Affinity Designer doesn't. Budget-conscious? That's your answer.
Affinity Designer stands out with One-time purchase (no subscription) and CMYK and Pantone support. Lunacy counters with Sketch file compatibility and Built-in design assets.
Affinity Designer's Achilles heel: no plugin ecosystem — what ships is what you get, and the community is small compared to illustrator. Lunacy's: smaller community means fewer plugins and tutorials — you’re often on your own for troubleshooting. Pick whichever weakness you can live with.
Bottom Line
If you value one-time purchase (no subscription) and designers who refuse to, go with Affinity Designer. If designers on a budget matters more, Lunacy is your pick. Neither is a bad choice — but one will fit your workflow better.