Comparison · Digital painting software
Affinity vs Krita: which is better in 2026?
Krita ranks higher in our list of digital painting software (#2 against #4, score 91.5 against 84.5).
- 84.5Editorial score91.5
- 2Platforms3
- YesFree to useYes
- NoOpen sourceYes
Which should you choose?
Choose Affinity if you want
Illustration in a free desktop app.
A free illustration app with vector and pixel tools in one document, on Windows and macOS. It is built for design and layout as much as painting, and an iPad version is still in development.
Choose Krita if you want
Free open-source digital painting.
A free GPL-3.0 desktop painter with a brush engine and painting assistants on Windows, macOS and Linux. Its interface is dense for beginners, and it has no iPad or Android app.
The main differences
- Only Krita runs on Linux.
- Krita is open source; Affinity is not.
Side by side
 Affinity |  Krita | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 84.5 | 91.5 |
| Rank in list | #4 of 6 | #2 of 6 |
| Price | FreeFree with a Canva account; Canva AI tools need a premium plan | Free and open sourceFree and open source under GPL-3.0 |
| Free to use | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Platforms | WindowsmacOSWindows, macOS | WindowsmacOSLinuxWindows, macOS, Linux |
| Made by | Canva | Krita Foundation |
| Best for | Illustration in a free desktop app | Free open-source digital painting |
| Strengths |
|
|
| Limits |
|
|
| Links | Visit site | Visit site |
Questions about Affinity vs Krita
- Is Krita better than Affinity?
- Krita ranks higher in our list of digital painting software (#2 against #4, score 91.5 against 84.5). Affinity is best for: illustration in a free desktop app. Krita is best for: free open-source digital painting.
- Which is cheaper, Affinity or Krita?
- Affinity: Free with a Canva account; Canva AI tools need a premium plan. Krita: Free and open source under GPL-3.0.
- Do Affinity and Krita run on the same platforms?
- Affinity supports Windows, macOS. Krita supports Windows, macOS, Linux.