I very much resent SAAS (Software as a Service) products, these days, even though I’m chained to using two of them.
Microsoft 365 and Adobe Acrobat, since you ask. I just can’t get away from them. Similar products (Open Office, Google Office, and many PDF makers) just don’t offer the same features that I consider essential and use on a regular basis.
But I keep a watchful eye on potential contenders, all the same.
This watchful mode let me get rid of Adobe Photoshop with a great sigh of relief, a few years ago. That monthly fee curdled my guts every time they sent a receipt.
I found, instead, Affinity Photo.
It has all the features that Photoshop has, is as easy to use (once you figure out where Affinity keeps tools, which isn’t the same as where Adobe puts them), plus it’s a one-time payment.
Just over a year ago, Affinity had a 50% off sale, and this time, I bought their universal license, which gives me three programs:
- Affinity Photo (a Photoshop lookalike)
- Affinity Designer (an Adobe Illustrator lookalike)
- Affinity Publisher (Adobe InDesign lookalike)
I use Photo and Publisher all the time. I’m eyeing Designer and check out their videos every now and then, but I’m still figuring out how I might use it. I know some authors who use Adobe Illustrator to make their book covers, not Photoshop. That is a potential use for Designer, but I use Photo for covers right now.
I also design marketing materials, social media graphics and a lot more.
I use Publisher to build the interiors of all my print editions. It is every bit as good as InDesign, which is the industry standard for book design.
There’s lots of support and teaching videos to help you get oriented, too.
Two things to know about Affinity
The reason I’m mentioning this now is twofold.
The first reason is that right now, Affinity is having a 50% off everything sale. That includes the licenses for any of their three applications, and any supporting add-ons and packages (I’ve never bought any of the extras. I’ve never had need to.)
The second reason is that Affinity just announced that they’re moving to a six month free trial. Which is just…wow!
They want people to well and truly test their products and they figure that six months gives a user time to get used to the program and come to like it.
I don’t qualify for the six month trial, but I thought that you might appreciate it. If you’re still hunting for a solution to building your marketing materials or your own books, this is it.
By the way, I am not affiliated with Affinity. I earn nothing from mentioning them.
I am a customer, and I like their products a lot. Enough to be happy to plug them in a post dedicated to their software.
Check out Affinity and their apps here.
Write More, Faster Than Ever Before