Affinity is finally coming to Linux, although we don't know when it'll arrive just yet

Published Nov 3, 2026, 12:41 AM EST Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary Affinity is coming to Linux and is in active development, but there’s no ETA yet. Closed-source but mostly free, a powerful Photoshop alternative many prefer. I’ll use it more if a native Linux build arrives, even though there are some good open-source alternatives out there. If I want an image editor that has a similar power level to Photoshop without actually using Photoshop, I tend to reach for Affinity. It's a shame that it's not open-source, but it is free, which is definitely a huge plus. However, it's not officially out on Linux yet; you usually need to use some workarounds before it will run. Well, there's some good news: Affinity is finally coming to Linux. We don't know when, or even if it will be soon, but it is being worked on, which is reason enough to be happy. Affinity is coming to Linux, but there's no ETA just yet Here's hoping they can get something out soon As spotted by OMG Ubuntu, Affinity posted on their X account showing off their new iPad integration. Some people in the comments lamented that there wasn't a Linux version of the app just yet, with one claiming they prefer Affinity over Adobe. In the replies, the Affinity account confirmed that it was working on a Linux version, but they couldn't say when it would be released. While I would have loved something a little more concrete as to when we'll get Affinity for Linux, I'm still very pleased to hear that it's in the works. Some users may opt not to use it due to its closed-source nature, but it's a powerful workhorse you can mostly use for free, and I'll definitely be using it more if it gets a native Linux version.