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Darktable VS Affinity Designer

Compare Darktable VS Affinity Designer and see what are their differences

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Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Videos
  3. ยป Reviews
  4. ยป Alternatives

Darktable logo Darktable

darktable is an open source photography workflow application and raw developer.

Affinity Designer logo Affinity Designer

Professional creative software, exclusively for Mac.
  • Darktable Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-18
  • Affinity Designer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21

Darktable features and specs

  • Open Source
    Darktable is open-source software, meaning it's free to use and its source code is available for users to modify and improve. This can appeal to those who prefer community-driven projects.
  • Non-Destructive Editing
    The software ensures that the original image files are never altered. All edits are stored in a separate file, allowing users to revert to the original image at any time.
  • RAW Processing
    Darktable supports a wide range of RAW file formats from numerous camera manufacturers, offering high-quality RAW image editing capabilities.
  • Extensive Toolset
    Darktable offers a comprehensive set of tools for color correction, retouching, and other adjustments, comparable to other professional photo editing software.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, Darktable allows users to work on their preferred operating system without compatibility issues.
  • Active Community
    Darktable has an active community of users and developers who regularly contribute to forums, create tutorials, and develop plugins, providing robust support.

Possible disadvantages of Darktable

  • Learning Curve
    Darktable has a steep learning curve, which can be daunting for beginners who are not familiar with photo editing software.
  • Less Intuitive UI
    Compared to some commercial alternatives, Darktable's user interface is less intuitive, which may make it harder for new users to navigate and utilize all features efficiently.
  • Slower Performance
    Some users have reported that Darktable can be slower compared to other photo editing software, especially when working with very large files or complex edits.
  • Limited Integration
    Darktable does not integrate as seamlessly with other software in the Adobe ecosystem, which could be a drawback for those who rely on multiple Adobe products for their workflow.
  • Infrequent Updates
    Although the software is updated, it does not receive updates as frequently as some commercial alternatives, which can delay the release of new features or bug fixes.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there is a community and some documentation available, new users might find comprehensive guides and official tutorials lacking compared to more mainstream software.

Affinity Designer features and specs

  • Cost
    Affinity Designer is a one-time purchase, which is significantly cheaper in the long run compared to popular subscription-based alternatives like Adobe Illustrator.
  • Performance
    Affinity Designer is known for its smooth performance and stability, even when working with large files or complex designs.
  • Cross-platform compatibility
    The software is available on both macOS, Windows, and iPad, allowing for a seamless experience across different devices.
  • User Interface
    Affinity Designer features a modern, intuitive, and highly customizable user interface, making it easier for both new and experienced users to adapt.
  • Advanced Vector Tools
    Offers a wide range of vector editing tools, which are on par with industry standards, making it a powerful tool for professional designers.
  • Regular Updates
    Serif, the company behind Affinity Designer, frequently releases updates that add new features and improve performance.
  • Seamless Integration
    Affinity Designer offers seamless integration with other Affinity products such as Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher, enhancing overall workflow.

Possible disadvantages of Affinity Designer

  • Learning Curve
    New users, especially those transitioning from Adobe products, might find the interface and tools slightly unfamiliar, leading to a learning curve.
  • Limited Third-party Plugin Support
    Affinity Designer has limited support for third-party plugins compared to Adobe Illustrator, which can restrict additional functionalities.
  • Community and Resources
    While growing, the community and available resources for Affinity Designer are not as extensive as those for more established software like Adobe Illustrator.
  • Lack of Cloud-based Features
    Affinity Designer does not offer built-in cloud storage or cloud-based collaboration features, unlike some other industry-leading design software.
  • Interoperability with Adobe Files
    Although it offers some compatibility, Affinity Designer may struggle with fully maintaining formatting and layers when importing/exporting Adobe Illustrator (AI) files.

Darktable videos

+ Add

Free Lightroom Alternative: Darktable Review

More videos:

  • Review - darktable 3.0 How Good is it in comparison to other editing programs?
  • Review - Lightroom vs Darktable - the Key Difference ? 2019

Affinity Designer videos

+ Add

Illustrator vs Affinity Designer - Review and Comparison

More videos:

  • Review - Affinity Designer Review
  • Review - A DESIGNERS Review : Affinity Designer on iPad Pro 2018

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Darktable and Affinity Designer)

Darktable

Affinity Designer

Image Editing
40 40%
Image Editing
60% 60
Graphic Design Software
30 30%
Graphic Design Software
70% 70
Photos & Graphics
100 100%
Photos & Graphics
0% 0
Design Tools
0 0%
Design Tools
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Darktable and Affinity Designer

Darktable Reviews

Our 6 Favorite Free Photoshop Alternatives (2022 Update)
Darktable is a free, open-source photo editing software that is used by photographers and editors and is a wonderful alternative to the likes of Photoshop and Lightroom.
Source: www.cgdirector.com
5 Best Linux Photo Management Software
Darktable is more of a photo editing application than an organizer. Darktable stands out for its own user interface regardless of the desktop environment you might be using, and of course for its editing capabilities. The basic features include:
Source: itsfoss.com

Affinity Designer Reviews

Figma Alternatives: 12 Prototyping and Design Tools in 2024
Affinity Designer has recently released version 2 of the app for professional photo editing, illustrations, and graphic designs. Itโ€™s used by millions of designers worldwide for prototyping, mind mapping, and other visual content.
Source: mockitt.wondershare.com
5 Figma Alternatives for UI & UX Designers
And last but not least, the area in which Affinity Designer excels is its licensing system. You only pay for the software once ($60 + a free trial) and can use it on your Windows or macOS devices.
Source: stackdiary.com
10 Best Adobe Illustrator Alternatives
if you are looking for an editing tool that can switch between vector, export, and pixel modes, Affinity Designer is a perfect choice.
Source: www.ebaqdesign.com
The best digital art software for creatives in 2020
Not only that, last year's upgrade (here's our Affinity Designer review) saw Affinity add support for the Apple Pro Display XDR monitor, and tweak the program to run faster than ever on new Macs. While this is a dedicated vector tool, you can switch to a pixel environment if you wish. A new version (Affinity Designer 1.9) is currently in Beta so watch this space for a new...
Source: www.creativebloq.com
The best software for digital artists
Affinity Designer has everything you need to create custom designs and illustrations. With Affinity Designer, you have precise control over curves, brush stabilisation options, advanced blend modes, and best of all: one million+ per cent zoom. No, reallyโ€ฆ itโ€™s true! In fact, this might just be our favourite feature.
Source: atelierultimate.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Affinity Designer should be more popular than Darktable. It has been mentiond 47 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Darktable mentions (8)

  • Photomator for Mac
    I'm pretty new to photography. I understand a lot of the basics (ex-wife shot as a professional hobbyist for a few years) but never really paid much attention to her editing workflow. Adobe already gets me for $20/mo for Illustrator (because designers) and I looked at alternatives. I've been using darktable http://darktable.org since I got my camera about a month ago and it's nice enough for me. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Nudibranch (Nembrotha cristata), Verde Island, Philippines, April 2023
    Thank you! The shot was gently edited in darktable. More TG-5 / single strobe examples here. Source: over 3 years ago
  • I've seen it with Adobe
    No, unfortunately not. But check out the free Darktable app which is similar on darktable.org and also this list https://petapixel.com/best-free-raw-editing-programs/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Exporting a RAW file. Is it possible without the format changing? If I export to another folder on my mac it becomes a .jpeg, to Lightroom it becomes a .jpg, to Photoshop it becomes a .tiff. I want to be able to edit the RAW file, a .dng in another app that is not Apple proprietary.
    It sounds like you might want non-destructive editing. Look at something like darktable.org or Lightroom. You can edit your RAW files in multiple different ways, i.e., effectively keeping multiple copies of edited RAW files around. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Software to edit and enhance Photos (JPG and RAW).
    If you're looking to learn more complicated software without having to rent it while you do, there's Darktable. Rawtherapee is another app in the same category, and usually appeals to people who don't like Darktable's interface. Source: over 4 years ago
View more

Affinity Designer mentions (47)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Darktable and Affinity Designer, you can also consider the following products

Adobe Photoshop - Adobe Photoshop is a webtop application for editing images and photos online.

Sketch - Professional digital design for Mac.

GIMP - GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool.

Inkscape - Inkscape is a free, open source professional vector graphics editor for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

Krita - Krita is a professional FREE and open source painting program. It is made by artists that want to seaffordable art tools for everyone. Concept art. texture and matte painters, illustrations and comics.

Adobe Illustrator - Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor.

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