Serif Affinity V2 gets the iPad treatment – and an insanely good deal

If you use Adobe Creative Cloud or any of their individual applications like Photoshop, InDesign or Illustrator, you'll know that it now runs on a subscription model. That's fine for some people, but others prefer to buy once, rather than making eternal monthly payments. Sure, you could look for the best Adobe Creative Cloud deals, but you still wont escape paying monthly.

That's something that one brand has set out to change. Serif is a UK-based software developer, and has created a suite of apps designed to rival Adobe's offering. Affinity Designer, Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher go toe-to-toe with Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign, respectively, and do an almighty good job.

All three apps look and feel familiar without ripping off any design cues. There's a comprehensive range of support tools and guidance, too. Everything from well designed cheat sheets and user manual to comprehensive video start-up guides are on offer, making it as seamless as possible to get started.

Now, the company has released the second version of its suite of apps, including variants for the iPad. What's more, to celebrate the launch of Serif Affinity V2, there's an insanely good deal on right now. The Affinity V2 Universal Licence enables you to get access to all three apps on Mac, Windows and iPad for just £89.99 – saving an unbelievable £143.95! And, because Serif don't use a subscription model, that's all you'll ever have to pay.

If you decide you don't need the universal licence – though at this price, I'd suggest you probably do – there are savings to be had individually too. The iPad apps launch at £9.99, down from £17.99, while the desktop apps are currently £35.99, down from £59.99.

I've got to say, this excites me a lot. I've used the Adobe Creative Cloud suite – particularly InDesign – for a number of years now, and I hate the fact that it uses a subscription model. Beyond that though, the integration with the iPad is a masterstroke, and will make it a really attractive proposition for designers who want a low-cost, high-quality solution that doesn't bite back with recurring payments.