Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Aurora HDR VS Affinity Photo

Compare Aurora HDR VS Affinity Photo and see what are their differences

Aurora HDR logo Aurora HDR

A powerful HDR photo editing suite for Mac, created by Macphun and Trey Ratcliff.

Affinity Photo logo Affinity Photo

Affinity is the imaging and design suite for creative professionals exclusively for Mac.
  • Aurora HDR Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-14
  • Affinity Photo Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21

Aurora HDR features and specs

  • High-Quality Output
    Aurora HDR is known for producing high-quality HDR images with a great level of detail and vibrant colors.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software provides an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that is accessible for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Advanced Editing Tools
    It offers a wide range of editing tools and features such as layers, blending modes, and powerful tone-mapping technology.
  • Batch Processing
    Aurora HDR supports batch processing, which allows users to apply settings to multiple images simultaneously, saving time and effort.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    The software is available for both macOS and Windows, which makes it accessible for a broader audience of photographers.

Possible disadvantages of Aurora HDR

  • High System Requirements
    Aurora HDR may require a powerful computer to run smoothly, especially when working with large files or extensive batch processing.
  • Cost
    Unlike some competitors or free HDR applications, Aurora HDR is a paid software which may be a con for budget-conscious users.
  • Limited Plugin Support
    The software has limited support for third-party plugins, which might be a drawback for users who rely on specific plugins for their workflow.
  • Learning Curve
    While it is user-friendly, some users might find the plethora of features overwhelming initially and may need time to learn all its capabilities.
  • Occasional Performance Issues
    Some users have reported occasional performance issues or bugs, which can affect the editing experience.

Affinity Photo features and specs

  • Cost-effective
    Affinity Photo is available for a one-time purchase at a relatively low cost compared to the subscription model of Adobe Photoshop, making it a more affordable option in the long run.
  • Advanced Tools
    The software offers a wide range of advanced photo editing tools, including layer support, RAW editing, HDR merging, panorama stitching, and digital painting capabilities.
  • Non-Destructive Editing
    Affinity Photo allows for non-destructive editing with its powerful layers and mask features, ensuring that the original image remains unaltered.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    Available on both macOS, Windows, and iPad, it provides a seamless experience across different devices, allowing users to work on their projects anywhere.
  • Performance
    Affinity Photo is optimized for high performance and can handle large files and complex edits without significant slowdowns, leveraging modern hardware capabilities effectively.
  • User Interface
    The user interface is modern, clean, and highly customizable, allowing users to tailor their workspace to their needs.

Possible disadvantages of Affinity Photo

  • Learning Curve
    New users might face a steep learning curve due to the abundance of features and tools, which can be overwhelming for beginners who are not familiar with photo editing software.
  • Limited Plugin Support
    Affinity Photo has limited third-party plugin support compared to Adobe Photoshop, which means fewer external resources and extensions are available.
  • Less Industry Adoption
    Despite its powerful features, Affinity Photo is less widely adopted in professional industries compared to Adobe Photoshop, which might pose challenges for collaborative work or standardizing workflows.
  • Compatibility Issues
    There can be compatibility issues with some Adobe Photoshop files (PSD), especially those that use complex or newer features, leading to potential difficulties in opening or converting files.
  • Mobile App Limitations
    While the iPad version of Affinity Photo is powerful, it does not offer all the features of the desktop version and might be less suitable for very demanding tasks.

Analysis of Affinity Photo

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Affinity Photo is considered a highly capable photo editing tool that holds its own against more expensive competitors. It is regarded as a professional-grade solution that provides excellent value for its cost, making it a strong contender in the photo editing software market.

Why this product is good

  • Affinity Photo is widely praised for its comprehensive set of features that cater to professional photographers and graphic designers. It offers robust tools for photo editing, such as advanced color correction, RAW editing, and a range of filters and selection tools. The software is also known for its speed and efficiency, with non-destructive editing options, seamless PSD import/export capabilities, and support for multiple layers. Many users appreciate its affordability compared to other high-end photo editing applications, as it offers a one-time purchase model without subscription fees.

Recommended for

    Affinity Photo is recommended for professional photographers, graphic designers, and enthusiasts who require powerful editing tools without committing to ongoing subscription costs. It is suitable for users seeking a highly capable and cost-effective alternative to Adobe Photoshop.

Aurora HDR videos

Aurora HDR 2019 Demonstration + Review | 4K

More videos:

  • Review - How & Why I'm Using Aurora HDR in 2022 (Worth It?)
  • Review - Aurora HDR 2019 review - Is it any good?

Affinity Photo videos

Affinity Photo | Hands on Review | Photography, Graphic Design, Web Design, Software

More videos:

  • Review - AFFINITY PHOTO vs PHOTOSHOP 📷 How great is the 50$ Software?
  • Review - Affinity Photo Review (2018) - The #1 Photoshop Alternative

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Aurora HDR and Affinity Photo)
Graphic Design Software
Image Editing
7 7%
93% 93
Digital Drawing And Painting
Photography
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

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

Aurora HDR Reviews

Affinity Alternative
If you’re looking to create stunning HDR images, then Aurora HDR is much more effective than Affinity Photo. The reason is quite simple: Aurora HDR is a dedicated HDR editor and focuses on creating the best possible results from your merged photos. It boasts many tools to really get into the details of developing an HDR photo as well as multiple presets to help you get started.
Source: skylum.com

Affinity Photo Reviews

10 Best Photopea Software Alternatives in 2024 (Free & Paid)
Creative pros can easily edit photos with Affinity Photo software, one of the best Photopea software alternatives. Photographers can make pictures, add copyright information to keep them safe, change small details, and combine HDR pictures. It offers real-time editing and supports large image files without slowing down. The software also provides extensive RAW editing...
Best Photo Editing Software for Mac: 5 Pro Alternatives to Adobe
Affinity Photo is a powerful and affordable alternative to Adobe Photoshop for Mac users. It offers a wide range of features and excellent performance, with a one-time purchase model and deep integration into the Apple ecosystem.
Best Adobe Photoshop alternatives of 2024
Affinity Photo, from Serif, is positively packed with professional tools that make it a genuine rival to Photoshop for both Windows and macOS. There’s also a tablet version if you're looking for one of the best Photoshop alternatives on iPad. But best of all, there are no endless subscriptions, just a one-off cost, making it ideal when working to a budget.
Our 6 Favorite Free Photoshop Alternatives (2022 Update)
Affinity Photo can be used as a complement to Affinity Designer and is especially suited for visual edits such as relighting scenes, dramatic post-processing to really make an image pop, and very simple to use but amazing looking filters and effects that can bring your image to the next level.
Affinity Alternative
But while the app has garnered much praise over its short lifespan, it has also been criticized by many for not having enough to differentiate it from other editors like Photoshop. However, Affinity Photo does have one key thing going for it, and that is its price, which is lower than the price of Photoshop. Combine that with an interface and set of controls that are similar...
Source: skylum.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Affinity Photo seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 34 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.

Aurora HDR mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Aurora HDR yet. Tracking of Aurora HDR recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Affinity Photo mentions (34)

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Aurora HDR and Affinity Photo, you can also consider the following products

Photomatix Pro - Photomatix turns high contrast scene photos into stunning images, and is an indispensable tool for landscape and real estate photography.

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

Luminance HDR - Luminance HDR is a graphical user interface (based on the Qt5 toolkit) that provides a complete...

GIMP - GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool.

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.

Hugin - Hugin is an easy to use cross-platform panoramic imaging toolchain based on Panorama Tools.