28+ must-have content marketing tools
Want to step up your content marketing? Then our guide has all the tools you need to help with everything from generating content ideas and competitor analysis through to content creation, promotion and analysis.
Affinity Designer: Create custom graphics & illustrations
Overview
Affinity Designer is one of the first Adobe Illustrator alternatives graphic designers will consider. One key advantage is that Serif doesn’t charge any subscription fees for its Affinity products so you simply pay a one-off fee for full access to the product.
The software itself has several benefits over Illustrator, too. It’s faster and lighter than Adobe’s product and you can design in both vector and raster, switching between workspaces seamlessly.
Key Features
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Vector illustrations:
Create vector illustrations from scratch or import editable elements.
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Raster design tools:
Apply raster techniques to vector art and retouch at the pixel level.
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Non-destructive editing:
Apply changes to any object, layer or group – whether vector or raster.
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Live blending & effects:
Apply adjustments and effects, seeing the results in real time, even when blending.
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Advanced grids:
Make it easier to create 3D shapes and patterns than Illustrator.
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Pro typography:
Extensive font support, live font previews and editing tools.
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Colour compatibility:
Extensive support for colour modes, colour matching and editing.
Semrush Fig. 1
Benefits & Costs
Pros
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One-time fee:
With no subscription fees, you simply pay a one-time fee for lifetime access to Affinity Designer.
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Ease-of-use:
Compared to equivalent tools like Adobe Illustrator, Affinity’s product is easier to pick up and learn.
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Lightweight:
Unlike its bulkier rivals, Affinity’s design software is lightweight, fast and easy on hardware.
Cons
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Limited features:
Affinity is a great alternative to Illustrator but it doesn’t offer the same depth of features.
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Patchy AI exports:
Files exported in the Adobe Illustrator format (.ai) may have missing or altered layers.
