# Concepts vs Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad

Concepts and Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of Concepts's written reviews are positive against 47% of Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad's. Concepts also leads on ratings volume (26K vs 581) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Concepts sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Concepts against 4.6 for Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Concepts has 26K ratings behind it against 581, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Concepts's written reviews are positive against 47% of Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad's.

Concepts ships an update fortnightly, Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Concepts | Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concepts/id560586497/reviews)** | [4.6 (581 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/affinity-publisher-2-for-ipad/id1606942224/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 581 |
| Positive reviews | **77.1% of reviews** | 47.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#188** | — |
| Size | 258 MB | 1.7 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TopHatch, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/560586500) | [Serif (Europe) Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/536107177) |

## What reviewers say

### Concepts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concepts/id560586497)

**Currently charting:** #188 Top Free · Graphics & Design (US App Store)

This flexible vector-based sketchbook offers an infinite canvas for ideation and design. Easily sketch, take notes, and create detailed designs with editable strokes and powerful tools. Share your work in various formats for seamless collaboration and professional output.

**Highlights:** Infinite canvas, Vector-based sketching, Realistic pens, pencils, and brushes, Editable vector elements, Unlimited layers, Scale and measurement tools, Object libraries

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Everything Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Everything Monthly + Trial | $4.99 | per month |
| Everything Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Everything Yearly + Trial | $29.99 | per year |
| Shape Library | $1.99 | one-time |
| Pen Brush Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Body Forms | $1.99 | one-time |
| Make Your Own Objects | $3.99 | one-time |
| Essentials (iPhone Only) | $4.99 | one-time |
| PDF Essentials | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Pack  Legacy | $7.99 | one-time |
| 10 Object Packs | $14.99 | one-time |
| Essentials | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Infinite canvas
- 👍 Intuitive and customizable interface
- 🎨 Powerful drawing and sketching tools
- 💡 Versatile for various use cases (architecture, design, note-taking)
- 🔒 Responsive customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Steep learning curve for some users
- 💰 Subscription model can be expensive for casual users
- 🔧 Limited text handling and editing capabilities
- 🔀 Inconsistent behavior of certain tools (e.g., eraser, alignment)

**Reported bugs**

- Memory issues when working with large, complex drawings
- Inconsistent behavior of the eraser tool
- Inaccuracies in the snap-to-grid and measurement tools
- Exporting issues, such as loss of data or poor quality

**Requested features**

- Improved text editing and formatting options
- Better color selection and customization tools
- Collaboration and real-time sharing features
- Seamless integration with other design/productivity apps
- Syncing and backup capabilities across devices


### Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/affinity-publisher-2-for-ipad/id1606942224)

Create professional documents like books, brochures, and magazines on your iPad. This powerful app offers advanced layout, typography, and image editing tools optimized for touch and Apple Pencil. Seamlessly manage files and export in various professional formats.

**Highlights:** Optimized iPad gesture controls, Professional layout tools, Advanced typography controls, Image and graphics editing, Productivity features, Import/export options, Professional output formats

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free 7-Day Trial | Free | one-time |
| Publisher 2 for iPad License | Free | one-time |
| Affinity Collection for iPad | $36.99 | one-time |
| Affinity V2 Universal License | $164.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful, desktop-level design
- 👍 Seamless integration with other Affinity apps
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive on iPad
- 💡 Universal license for all platforms
- 👍 Intuitive and clean user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Stability and reliability issues
- 🐛 Compatibility problems with external keyboards
- 🐛 Glitches with linked images and text
- 🐛 Lack of precision and customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing when working with large files
- Corrupted layers and lost work
- Printing issues and scaling problems
- Inconsistent behavior with text formatting and layout
- Laggy performance and freezes when scrolling through font lists

**Requested features**

- Support for right-to-left text (Arabic, Persian, etc.)
- More templates and pre-designed layouts
- Improved file management and renaming capabilities
- Better support for large, complex documents
- Enhanced keyboard shortcuts and power user features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Concepts free?

Concepts is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad free?

Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Concepts or Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad?

Concepts is rated higher. Concepts averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad averages 4.6 from 581 ratings.

### Do Concepts or Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad have ads?

Neither Concepts nor Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Concepts or Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad?

Concepts ships an update fortnightly, and Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad every 6 weeks. Most recently, Concepts was updated on September 25, 2026 and Affinity Publisher 2 for iPad on September 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*