# Affinity Photo vs darktable

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Affinity Photo

| Attribute | Affinity Photo | darktable |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 83 (38% (low)) | 51.5 (60% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | - | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | - | 12,992 |
| deployment.options | - | `{"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | A free, feature-rich photo editor with non-destructive editing, RAW processing, advanced retouching tools, batch automation, and layer compositing. | Darktable is a free, open-source photography application providing non-destructive raw image development and editing. It functions as a virtual darkroom and lighttable, managing photos in a database with professional color management, GPU acceleration, and optional AI-powered features. |
| features.capabilities | `{"psd_ai_import":true,"free_available":true,"raster_editing":true,"digital_painting":true,"platform_breadth":"macOS, Windows, iOS"}` | `{"cmyk_print":true,"dtp_layout":false,"generative_ai":true,"pricing_model":"open_source","free_available":true,"raster_editing":true,"digital_painting":false,"platform_breadth":"Linux, Windows (10+), macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD","plugin_ecosystem":"Lua API for scripting and extensibility","vector_illustration":false,"realtime_collaboration":false}` |
| language.primary | - | C |
| license.spdx | - | GPL-3.0 |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"GB","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"ios":true,"mac":true,"windows":true}` | `{"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"free","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Affinity Photo","summary":"Completely free","features":["Non-destructive editing","RAW development with lens correction and noise reduction","Layer compositing","Advanced retouching and frequency separation","Liquify tools","HDR Merge, Focus Merge, Astrophotography Stacking","Batch processing","Macros","Unlimited layers","PSD import with layer fidelity","Live filters and instant previews","Brush library","Fine selection tools"],"contactSales":false}],"summary":"Completely free","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-03T12:04:35.509Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"darktable","summary":"Free and open-source","features":["Non-destructive raw image editing","Virtual lighttable and darkroom interface","Digital negative database management","Professional color management for print output","GPU-accelerated processing","AI-powered features: denoise, upscale, object masking","Editing modules: local contrast, contrast equalizer, retouch, liquify","Lua scripting API for customization"],"contactSales":false}],"summary":"Free, open-source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.darktable.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-16T21:32:58.849Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | free | open_source |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | - | 76 |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/nightly","date":"2026-08-26T00:49:58Z","type":"prerelease","version":"nightly"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-5.6.0","date":"2026-06-21T09:18:30Z","type":"stable","version":"release-5.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-5.4.1","date":"2026-02-05T17:01:49Z","type":"stable","version":"release-5.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-5.4.0","date":"2025-12-21T08:46:44Z","type":"stable","version":"release-5.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-5.2.1","date":"2025-08-06T06:18:52Z","type":"stable","version":"release-5.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-5.2.0","date":"2025-06-21T10:50:55Z","type":"stable","version":"release-5.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-5.0.1","date":"2025-02-12T12:30:14Z","type":"stable","version":"release-5.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-5.0.0","date":"2024-12-21T18:04:40Z","type":"stable","version":"release-5.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.8.1","date":"2024-07-24T20:03:39Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.8.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.8.0","date":"2024-06-21T15:51:19Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.8.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.6.1","date":"2024-02-17T14:16:07Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.6.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.6.0","date":"2023-12-21T18:18:49Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.6.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.4.2","date":"2023-07-22T17:28:22Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.4.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.4.1","date":"2023-07-01T06:18:27Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.4.0","date":"2023-06-21T15:28:29Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.4.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.2.1","date":"2023-02-22T18:45:50Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.2.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.2.0","date":"2022-12-21T11:48:14Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.2.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.0.1","date":"2022-09-17T09:36:54Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.0.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-4.0.0","date":"2022-07-02T16:50:21Z","type":"stable","version":"release-4.0.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/tag/release-3.8.1","date":"2022-02-11T13:18:05Z","type":"stable","version":"release-3.8.1"}]` |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | - | 5.3 |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fdarktable-org%2Fdarktable&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Design & Creative Software)

| Capability | Affinity Photo | darktable |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Discipline** |  |  |
| Raster / photo editing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vector illustration | - | ✗ |
| DTP / page layout | - | ✗ |
| Digital painting | ✓ | ✗ |
| **Platform** |  |  |
| Platform breadth | macOS, Windows, iOS | Linux, Windows (10+), macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD |
| **Output** |  |  |
| CMYK / print production | - | ✓ |
| **Interoperability** |  |  |
| PSD / AI import | ✓ | - |
| **Collaboration** |  |  |
| Real-time collaboration / cloud | - | ✗ |
| **AI** |  |  |
| Generative AI features | - | ✓ |
| **Extensibility** |  |  |
| Plugin / template ecosystem | - | Lua API for scripting and extensibility |
| **Pricing** |  |  |
| Pricing model | - | Open-source (free) |
| Free / open-source available | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:32:46.246Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*