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Affinity Designer vs Balsamiq: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Affinity Designer and Balsamiq. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Affinity Designer starts at Custom pricing and Balsamiq starts at $12/mo. Compare all 4 pricing tiers side by side.

Last updated: March 16, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated March 16, 2026
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Affinity Designer vs Balsamiq: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureAffinity DesignerBalsamiq
Starting PriceCustom pricing$12/mo
Number of Plans22
Free TierYesNo
Pricing Modelflatflat
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Affinity Designer and Balsamiq are both priced at Custom pricing, making them equally accessible Design Tools. Together they offer 4 pricing plans with 20 features compared, so the best choice comes down to which features match your needs.

Affinity Designer stands out with a free plan for getting started.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Design Tools needs.

Pricing Plans
Affinity Designer
Affinity Designer
Try it free
Balsamiq
Balsamiq
Try it free
Tier 1
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Advanced graphic design software
  • Real-time editing
  • Customizable workspace
  • Non-destructive editing
  • Precision control over shapes
Start with Free
Business
$12/month
Includes
  • Up to 2 projects
  • Unlimited boards
  • Unlimited users
  • Fast customer support
  • Pause your plan anytime
Start with Business
Tier 2
Affinity DesignerPopular
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Full vector design capabilities
  • Raster brush textures
  • Image tracing
  • Custom typography
  • Advanced photo editing tools
Start with Affinity Designer
Enterprise
$18/monthCheapest
Includes
  • SSO with SAML
  • Legal/security form assistance
  • Enterprise SLA
  • Data storage in the US or EU
  • Pause your plan anytime
Start with Enterprise

Swipe to compare plans →

Affinity Designer

Professional vector graphic design app with one-time purchase

View all Affinity Designer plans

Balsamiq

Rapid low-fidelity wireframing tool for UI mockups

View all Balsamiq plans
Our Pick

Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer offers a free plan.

Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.

Best value: Affinity Designer

Try Affinity Designer free

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Affinity Designer if:

  • •You need a free plan with Advanced graphic design software, Real-time editing—Affinity Designer offers no-cost access with no credit card required
  • •Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Affinity Designer offers negotiated terms for large deployments
  • •You prioritize Affinity Designer's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)

Choose Balsamiq if:

  • •You prioritize Balsamiq's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)
  • •Balsamiq's flat pricing lets you match exact team size without tier gaps
  • •Balsamiq's feature bundling aligns with how Design Tools teams actually work day-to-day

Affinity Designer offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while Balsamiq requires paid subscription from the start. This gives Affinity Designer a significant advantage for teams with budget constraints or extended trial periods. Once you outgrow Affinity Designer's free tier, upgrading to a paid plan at approximately Custom pricing provides substantial additional functionality. Compare this pricing path against Balsamiq's tiering starting at $12/mo to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. Affinity Designer's 2 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while Balsamiq's 2 tiers structure may force you into higher-cost plans than necessary for your use case. If evaluation cost matters to your decision, Affinity Designer is the obvious starting point with zero financial commitment. Use the free tier to validate core functionality before committing to paid plans from either tool.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Affinity Designer vs Balsamiq

How many pricing plans does Affinity Designer have vs Balsamiq?
Affinity Designer offers 2 pricing plans, while Balsamiq offers 2 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Affinity Designer or Balsamiq offer a free plan?
Affinity Designer offers a free plan, while Balsamiq does not. If budget is a concern, Affinity Designer lets you get started at no cost.
What is the most popular Affinity Designer plan?
The Affinity Designer plan is Affinity Designer's most popular tier, priced at Custom pricing. Key features include Full vector design capabilities, Raster brush textures, Image tracing.
Does Affinity Designer or Balsamiq offer custom enterprise pricing?
Affinity Designer offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Balsamiq lists all its pricing publicly.
How do Affinity Designer and Balsamiq compare for Design Tools?
Both Affinity Designer and Balsamiq are Design Tools. Affinity Designer offers 2 plans starting at Custom pricing, while Balsamiq offers 2 plans starting at $12/mo. Review the feature breakdowns above to see which better fits your Design Tools needs.

Sources

  1. Affinity Designer Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
  2. Balsamiq Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page

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