Canva, the leading online design platform, has made a significant move in the competitive design software market by acquiring the Affinity suite of creative tools based in the UK.
This strategic acquisition aims to bolster Canva’s offerings and solidify its position against industry giant Adobe.
The integration of Affinity Designer, Photo, and Publisher into Canva’s repertoire positions the platform as a direct competitor to Adobe’s Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. This expansion broadens Canva’s appeal, catering to a diverse range of designers across different skill levels and stages of their design journey.
Canva stated that this collaboration aims to democratize design by providing affordable access to professional-grade tools without the steep learning curve associated with traditional software.
With a user base already exceeding 175 million, Canva seeks to empower designers worldwide with comprehensive and accessible design solutions.
The acquisition also entails the inclusion of Affinity’s 90-person team into Canva’s ecosystem, further enriching its talent pool.
Affinity CEO Ashley Hewson expressed optimism about the collaboration, highlighting its alignment with their mission of fostering creativity and innovation within the design community.
Affinity’s suite, compatible with Windows, Mac, and iPad, comprises Affinity Designer for vector graphics, Affinity Photo for advanced photo editing, and Affinity Publisher for creating visually stunning layouts suitable for publication.
Meanwhile, Adobe has responded to the competitive landscape by launching Firefly Services, a collection of over 20 new generative and creative APIs and tools. These services leverage AI capabilities from Adobe’s Creative Cloud tools like Photoshop, enabling enterprise developers to streamline content creation workflows or innovate new solutions.
Additionally, Adobe’s introduction of Custom Models allows businesses to refine Firefly’s AI models according to their specific requirements, enhancing flexibility and customization.
Adobe’s strategic manoeuvres in the design software market include its attempted acquisition of Figma in 2022, signalling its commitment to expanding its service offerings. However, the $20 billion bid was eventually cancelled in December 2023, underscoring the dynamic nature of competition within the industry.
