PaolaB

Sure, but if you are a professional designer, you probably won't use Canva.

I understand this is a good financial move for you guys at Serif, but for us designers, it's awful news. I've been a strong supporter and promoter of Affinity due to the quality of its products and the non-subscription model. I've bought both V1 and V2 and left Adobe behind for good. With this new Canva scenario, I have the feeling that all of that will be gone, since Canva is not a professional design tool; it's meant for people with no design skills or knowledge. I've seen this happen before when Adobe bought Macromedia; it killed a suite of great tools. And that was Adobe, for heaven's sake! I don't want to imagine what Canva would do to Affinity. So sad... 

For those of you who might be interested, there are couple of decent design software for mac users:
Amadine (an Illustrator-lite like) Pixelmator Pro (very decent Photoshop alternative)
And some decent open source tools:
Inkscape (alternative to A. Designer and Illustrator) Krita Gimp

I hate Canva so much. Sure, they "democratized" design, and now there's even more horrible design assaulting the eyes. They have an uphill battle to fight to win over professional, high-end designers.
I would honestly go to Adobe before admitting I use a Canva product. Fix that market perception, Canva. Adobe says professional (if stodgy and stuck up) and Canva says amateur and unconsidered. Change my mind, Canva.

I have been trained when ever I read "An exciting announcement" that bad news is coming as someone that depends on that thing. The truth is, we have seen this story time and time again and know it very rarely winds up being a good thing.

Honestly Ash this is not first time I am seeing this, and none of what you say now, really kept. All of the software that I use, and that were purchased like this, end up as only subscription model, and their development pace was cut half. Same talk. Same promises and wishes, and outcome is always the same. It would be huge surprise for me that different happens to Affinity.

Add me to the list who will drop Affinity like a hot potato if Canva turn it into a subscription model. I don't care how good the software is. The transition from Adobe to Affinity apps wasn't without pain but I did it on principle. I will do the same again.

There are genuinely no plans for us to remove the availability of our apps to purchase as a perpetual licence. I will say it is possible in the future there may be an optional way to have them via a Canva subscription plan (which could also include other integrations with Canva / cloud services which you would not get with the perpetual version). But it’s very early days and there isn't a firm plan on that.
I honestly think you'll all be pleased with the outcome of this. With the additional financial backing we have no pressure at all to release a V3 anytime soon, so can be 100% focused on ploughing all our efforts into free V2 updates for the foreseeable future - and we've got some great updates in the works. 
Realise this announcement has come as a surprise and I understand the feeling of uncertainty which is brings, but I do think it's all very positive for the company and our customers. 

Considering how many “funds” Canva has “raised” in the past few years and how many venture capital campanies are involved, I have a VERY bad feeling about this.
The forced marketing speech (“joining the family”, yeah, sure) in the announcement doesn’t halp.
I guess that it’s probably a good way for all Serif employees to get a nice retirement in 3 to 5 years, but it’s a buckshot in the face for me as a happy user and supporter of an independent company that makes professional software I use every day.

We’ve all been around the block and saw what happened to PaintShopPro when Corel acquired it (and how it turned into a bloated horrible mess). I feel sad that the Affinity apps will head in the same direction. Really is a sad day. 

I love you guys, and I have a big load of respect about you, being a big evangelist of Affinity, but I'm not having a good felling on this. Canva is not what I could name a "professional software" partner. They want to be Adobe, not an adobe alternative.
The first insinuation of subscription model will break any trust on Affinity, and for the love of the goddess, I hope Affinity apps don't become a dumpster of stupid and crappy AI and cheap design tools that Canva really is.
I've read the FAQs you published… they don't give me enough reassessment that nothing is gonna change. Your company and your project is not yours anymore.
I wish to be wrong.

The only question is whether Affinity will offer a subscription in the future? I have bought a lot of brushes for your software. Especially on the Ipad, I am not willing to pay any subscription fees. I have purchased your software twice (v1. & v2). You say there are no plans for subscriptions at this time. But just wait until the Canva bosses change their minds, because greed is a virus in upper management. RIP, Adobe Alternative. 

Hi All,

I am thrilled to announce that Affinity is joining the Canva family.
This is a moment of great excitement, anticipation, and profound gratitude for all of you who have been part of our story so far. 
We know that those of you who’ve put your faith in Affinity, some since we launched our very first Mac app, will have questions about what this means for the future of our products. Since the inception of Affinity, our mission has been to empower creatives with tools that unleash their full potential, fostering a community where innovation and artistry flourish. We've worked tirelessly to challenge the status quo, delivering professional-grade creative software that is both accessible and affordable. 
None of that changes today.
In Canva, we’ve found a kindred spirit who can help us take Affinity to new levels. Their extra resources will mean we can deliver much more, much faster. Beyond that, we can forge new horizons for Affinity products, opening up a world of possibilities which previously would never have been achievable. 
Canva’s revolutionary approach to design democratisation and commitment to empowering everyone to create aligns perfectly with our core values and vision. This union is a testament to what can be achieved when two companies that share a common goal of making design accessible and enjoyable for everyone come together. 
I want to express my deepest gratitude to our incredible Affinity team. Your passion, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence have been the driving force behind our success so far, and I can’t wait to continue this journey with you all. 
To our loyal users and the creative community, your support and feedback have been invaluable. You’ve inspired us to push boundaries and continuously improve, and we’re excited to embark on this new chapter together. 
The future is bright, and I am incredibly excited to continue our story together and create a world where design is within everyone's reach.
With heartfelt thanks,
Ash
For more information...
We have made four pledges to the Affinity community which you can read here. We have included some FAQs at the bottom of the announcement article here. A video message from me with some more background is on YouTube here. This announcement post is locked, but I have included a duplicate of it in the questions forum here which you can respond to.

I can't believe this bug hasn't been fixed since 2017... Come on guys this is basic feature for an illustration tool! I've been a long time user of Affinity Designer but I'm getting more and more frustrated (it's like the "select same color tool" that has been asked 4 years ago). So much that I've stopped recommending AD, without this bug patched it's just a broken illustration tool.
I hope you will change my mind and bring a fix asap.

Same here. I´ve purchased v 1.7 and that awful bug still there  Come on you Affinity Team! This is not a minor issue. We, the buyers, are designers. It´s very important that the expand stroke function works properly. I really love Affinity Designer, but I still have to stick to AI due to that bug.