Design · replacement recipe

Go from Adobe Creative Cloud to Affinity (by Canva)

The job: Photo and graphics editing (Photo editing and retouching (Photoshop), Vector illustration and logos (Illustrator), Opens and edits layered PSD files). Pick where you are today and where you want to land; the move below follows your pick.

From · what you pay for now
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop · $34.49/mo
Year one+$364modeled
To · your pickBest fit
Affinity (by Canva)
Free plan · $0 a month
Change where you land

The money

$34.49/mo today $0/mo

Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop

Year one, net+$364
Pays back in1.4 months

Modeled from public list prices, with your time at $50 an hour. Show the math

Does it do the job? 3 of 3 covered

  • Photo editing and retouching (Photoshop)
  • Vector illustration and logos (Illustrator)
  • Opens and edits layered PSD files

The work

Setup
About 1 h
Upkeep
None
Watch out
Check first: You only rely on: Photo editing and retouching (Photoshop), Vector illustration and logos (Illustrator)…

Make the move in four steps

  1. Export from Adobe Creative Cloud

    Files stored in Creative Cloud (cloud storage)

    Export steps

  2. Set up Affinity (by Canva)

    Free for anyone with a Canva account: photo editing, vector design and page layout in one app that opens PSD and AI files…

    Details

  3. Switch links and integrations

    Point links, embeds and integrations at Affinity (by Canva), then send a test through every one.

  4. Cancel Adobe Creative Cloud

    Turn off renewal before your renewal date, once the new setup works. Access runs until: The end of the current billing period.

    How to cancel Adobe Creative Cloud
Open Affinity (by Canva)How to cancel Adobe Creative Cloud
Modeled, not measured. Savings use public prices and planning assumptions: the bill you stop paying, minus the new tool, your upkeep time and your setup time at $50/hour, over the first 12 months. Paths marked Tested by Stackcut were run end to end by us on our own products. They're our tests, not customer results. Check the must-haves in each recipe before you switch.

The whole recipe: 4 ways out, best first

What you use

  • Photo editing and retouching (Photoshop)
  • Vector illustration and logos (Illustrator)
  • Opens and edits layered PSD files

Not covered

  • RAW photo development and library (Lightroom)
  • Digital painting brushes
  • Generative AI (Firefly, Generative Fill)
  • Page layout (InDesign, in the 20+ app plans)
  • Video editing (Premiere, in Creative Cloud Pro)

Check before switching

  • You only rely on: Photo editing and retouching (Photoshop), Vector illustration and logos (Illustrator), Opens and edits layered PSD files
  • Export your data from Adobe Creative Cloud before canceling

Agents: get_recipe("replace-adobe-creative-cloud") on the Stackcut MCP server.

4 ways out, best first

Switch vendorAffinity (by Canva) (free tier)Saves $364 in year one
$34.49/mo today → $0/mo · setup 1 h · then $414/yr · payback 1.4 mo
If your use fits the free tier (Every Pixel, Vector and Layout tool and all export features, free with a free Canva account; install on as many devices as you like. Canva AI tools (Generative Fill, background removal) need a Canva premium plan.).
Covers 100% of the core features
Free for anyone with a Canva account: photo editing, vector design and page layout in one app that opens PSD and AI files; suits most Photoshop and Illustrator users who don't need Firefly, Lightroom or video.
How we got this
You pay now: Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop$34.49/user/mo × 1 user$34.49/mo
New cost: Affinity (by Canva) (free tier)free plan$0/mo
Difference each month$34.49 − $0+$34.49/mo
Over 12 months+$34.49 × 12+$414
Setup, once1 h × $50/h−$50
Year one+$414 − $50+$364
  • Not counting your time (1 h in year one): saves $414 in year one.

Year one = 12 × (what you pay now − the new cost − upkeep) − setup, with your time at $50/hour. Prices are public list prices; hours are Stackcut’s planning estimates. Price it for your team

Sources: adobe.comcommerce.adobe.comaffinity.studioaffinity.studio
Switch vendorPhotopea (free tier)Saves $364 in year one
$34.49/mo today → $0/mo · setup 1 h · then $414/yr · payback 1.4 mo
If your use fits the free tier (All features with ads; 0.5 GB PeaDrive cloud storage; no account needed. AI credits come with Premium only.).
Covers 67% of the core features (not: Vector illustration and logos (Illustrator))
Free in the browser with ads and opens and saves PSD; suits occasional Photoshop edits (Premium, from EUR 8 for 30 days, removes ads).
How we got this
You pay now: Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop$34.49/user/mo × 1 user$34.49/mo
New cost: Photopea (free tier)free plan$0/mo
Difference each month$34.49 − $0+$34.49/mo
Over 12 months+$34.49 × 12+$414
Setup, once1 h × $50/h−$50
Year one+$414 − $50+$364
  • Not counting your time (1 h in year one): saves $414 in year one.

Year one = 12 × (what you pay now − the new cost − upkeep) − setup, with your time at $50/hour. Prices are public list prices; hours are Stackcut’s planning estimates. Price it for your team

Sources: adobe.comcommerce.adobe.comphotopea.comphotopea.com
Open sourceGIMPSaves $364 in year one
$34.49/mo today → $0/mo · setup 1 h · then $414/yr · payback 1.4 mo
Covers 33% of the core features (not: Vector illustration and logos (Illustrator), Opens and edits layered PSD files)
GPL desktop editor for retouching and compositing, free for commercial work and needs no server; PSD import is partial, so it suits teams that don't trade layered PSDs.
License: open_source
How we got this
You pay now: Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop$34.49/user/mo × 1 user$34.49/mo
New cost: GIMPruns on your own machine$0/mo
Difference each month$34.49 − $0+$34.49/mo
Over 12 months+$34.49 × 12+$414
Setup, once1 h × $50/h−$50
Year one+$414 − $50+$364
  • Not counting your time (1 h in year one): saves $414 in year one.

Year one = 12 × (what you pay now − the new cost − upkeep) − setup, with your time at $50/hour. Prices are public list prices; hours are Stackcut’s planning estimates. Price it for your team

Sources: adobe.comcommerce.adobe.comgimp.org
Open sourceInkscapeSaves $364 in year one
$34.49/mo today → $0/mo · setup 1 h · then $414/yr · payback 1.4 mo
Covers 33% of the core features (not: Photo editing and retouching (Photoshop), Opens and edits layered PSD files)
GPL vector editor (SVG, imports AI and PDF), free for commercial work; suits people who pay for Illustrator for logos and icons.
License: open_source
How we got this
You pay now: Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop$34.49/user/mo × 1 user$34.49/mo
New cost: Inkscaperuns on your own machine$0/mo
Difference each month$34.49 − $0+$34.49/mo
Over 12 months+$34.49 × 12+$414
Setup, once1 h × $50/h−$50
Year one+$414 − $50+$364
  • Not counting your time (1 h in year one): saves $414 in year one.

Year one = 12 × (what you pay now − the new cost − upkeep) − setup, with your time at $50/hour. Prices are public list prices; hours are Stackcut’s planning estimates. Price it for your team

Sources: adobe.comcommerce.adobe.cominkscape.org

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