Affinity for iPad launches free with Canva account

Canva has launched Affinity for iPad, a free app that brings the creative suite’s tools for vector graphics, photo editing, illustration and page layouts to Apple’s tablet. The app is optimized for Apple Pencil and touchscreens.

A new Sketch Studio supports freehand drawing and sketch-to-vector workflows, including tools for masking and automatically converting rough sketches into cleaner geometric shapes. The app also supports Apple Pencil Pro features such as pressure sensitivity, tilt, barrel roll, squeeze and hover.

Projects for sketching, vector design, photo editing and page layouts can be saved in the same .af file. Affinity for iPad also supports major design file types. Canva’s AI Studio features include Generative Expand for extending backgrounds, automatic motion blur and noise reduction, and image resolution scaling.

The core tools are free for individuals, but require a free Canva account. AI tools are optional and require a Canva Pro subscription, which starts at $18 per month. Canva acquired Affinity developer Serif in 2024. The Verge reports that Canva and Serif had pledged not to force users to subscribe, and that this remains the case.