Unlike Photoshop, Affinity Photo lacks any AI-powered tools. There's no generative fill, AI-powered object removal, or content-aware features. The inpainting brush uses traditional algorithms rather than AI, producing less realistic results for complex fills. Users expecting modern AI editing capabilities will be disappointed.

Affinity Photo has no built-in photo organization, cataloging, or asset management features. Users cannot browse, tag, or organize their image collections within the app. This forces photographers to use separate software like Lightroom or Bridge for library management, adding complexity to their workflow.

The mask layering system works differently from Photoshop and confuses many users. Users cannot put more than one gradient on a mask, and the overall masking workflow is non-intuitive. This creates a steep learning curve for those transitioning from Adobe products.

Creating and managing smart objects in Affinity Photo is more difficult than in Photoshop. There are no linked smart objects for collaboration, limiting non-destructive editing workflows that professionals rely on for complex composite work.

Affinity Photo lacks Photoshop's comprehensive 'Save for Web' feature. The only way to save as JPG or PNG is through the export menu, which doesn't provide the same optimization controls. Web designers miss the one-stop-shop for web image optimization.

Crucial keyboard and mouse shortcuts differ from Adobe products, causing constant frustration for users transitioning from Photoshop. While shortcuts can be customized, the default configuration trips up experienced Adobe users, extending the learning curve significantly.

Default text size is too small on Retina and high-DPI monitors, causing eye strain. Despite years of user requests, the development team has been criticized for not addressing UI scaling issues. Users must use system-level scaling workarounds.

Unlike Photoshop, Affinity Photo offers no animation timeline or video editing capabilities. Users wanting to create GIFs, simple animations, or edit video frames must use separate software, fragmenting creative workflows.

RAW file development is painfully slow compared to competitors. Users report the software maxing out CPU resources when processing RAW files, with some finding it unusable for batches of more than 10 images. While JPEG processing is fast, RAW workflows suffer significant performance penalties.

Affinity Photo lacks advanced AI-powered noise reduction found in competitors like DxO or Lightroom. The built-in noise reduction tools use traditional algorithms, potentially limiting effectiveness for high-ISO images that need aggressive denoising.

Affinity Photo's plugin support is far more limited than Photoshop's extensive library. Many professional photographers rely on specific plugins (Nik Collection, Topaz, etc.) that may not work as seamlessly. This can be a dealbreaker for workflows dependent on specialized third-party tools.

Users report crashes when importing RAW files, particularly on first attempt. Export operations can also trigger crashes. While importing the same file a second time often works, the unreliability disrupts workflow and causes data anxiety, especially for photographers processing large shoots.

Affinity Photo is not available on iPhone or Android mobile devices. The iPad version exists, but smartphone users hoping to edit photos on-the-go must use alternative apps. This limits the ecosystem compared to Adobe's cross-device approach.

In October 2025, Affinity made their forums read-only and moved community support to Discord. This upset many users who relied on searchable forum archives. Combined with Canva ownership, some worry about long-term support and community resources.