Plot twist! Canva just made another premium tool completely free for creators — I didn't expect this one, but I'll take it

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Canva strips out from its newly acquired professional motion platform, and gives Affinity some big love, too

Screenshot of Canva, Affinity, and Cavalry
(Image credit: Canva)
  • Cavalry's pro-motion tools are free for all
  • Affinity now lets you send designs direct to your Canva Brand Kit
  • Plus new Affinity integrations with Capture One and DaVinci Resolve

I didn't expect this, but Canva has just announced a major piece of creative software is to be free for everyone.

Following the decision to make Affinity, the popular photo editor and layout designer, free for everyone forever (I covered the news here), the parent company has pulled the same trick twice.

This time, it's pro-motion software Cavalry that's stripping out subscriptions. All users will now have access to the full range of features for free.

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Free creative tools and new Affinity updates

If you haven't heard of Cavalry before, it's 2D animation software loaded with a host of professional tools covering everything from advertising to game design.

Canva acquired the company in February 2026. So, unlike Affinity, which appeared in stasis for fifteen months after being bought by Canva while the company built the new version, the 'buy-out to free model' pipeline has been rapid with this one.

The service previously offered a free Starter version and a Professional paid-for subscription, which has been scrapped.

On the new launch, Canva's CEO Pro Design, Duncan Clark, said: “Motion isn't a nice-to-have anymore, it's a core element of effective design. We're excited to offer every creative access to Cavalry's powerful procedural tools, not just those with a dedicated studio behind them.”

And it's not all, with Affinity getting more love.

The headline feature for the free software is a new Claude connection, delivering new AI and automation tools.

Clark promises these AI-powered extras will "free creatives from incredibly tedious work, the kind of thing that used to eat up an afternoon, so they can spend more time on the creative decisions that actually matter.”

Affinity will now support Brand System. This workflow upgrade lets users create designs using the software, before sending them direct to the Brand Kit in Canva.

Support for Affinity's .af files are also expanding, with Capture One and DaVinci Resolve integrations.

The moves represent a major shift towards offering a full-stack creative service alongside what's being dubbed 'Canva AI 2.0'.

Screenshot of Canva, Affinity, and Cavalry

(Image credit: Canva)

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Steve Clark
Steve Clark
B2B Editor - Creative & Hardware

Steve is B2B Editor for Creative & Hardware at TechRadar Pro, helping business professionals equip their workspace with the right tools. He tests and reviews the software, hardware, and office furniture that modern workspaces depend on, cutting through the hype to zero in on the real-world performance you won't find on a spec sheet. He is a relentless champion of the Oxford comma.

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