FAQ – aFig

Getting started

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Confirm your email and get 1 free credit, for any generator you choose, and one free project in each studio. No card needed.

What can I make?

Scientific illustrations from your own text in aFig Visual Studio, plus graphs, statistics, flowcharts, icons, measured image results, bioinformatics figures, maps, panel figures and posters in the other studios.

Can I start from my own image?

Yes. Upload an image or a project file and keep editing.

Studios

Can aFig draw my PRISMA or CONSORT flowchart?

Yes. Paste up to 500 words or upload a .docx, .odt or .txt file. Flowchart studio offers designs filled with your own words and numbers, and checks that your counts add up. Download PNG, TIFF, PDF or SVG.

Can I turn a rough sketch into an icon?

Yes. Draw with your mouse, pen or finger, or type a word. Sketch studio offers clean aFig icons. Save your choice to your library to use it in every studio.

Can aFig measure my Western blots and cell images?

Yes. Scientific Image studio takes Western blots, gels, IHC, immunofluorescence and cell pictures, measures them and draws the graph with a methods paragraph. Your images stay on your computer. It is an add-on.

Does aFig choose the statistical test?

Yes. Statistical studio chooses the test, puts the stars on the graph and writes the methods sentence. It is an add-on.

Can I plot my RNA-seq results?

Yes. Bioinformatics studio makes volcano plots, heatmaps and enrichment figures from DESeq2, edgeR, limma, GO, KEGG or GSEA tables. It is an add-on.

Can I make prevalence maps?

Yes. Map studio makes study-area and prevalence maps with 95% CI, by country, province or district. It is an add-on.

Editing figures

Are the labels already in the figure?

Yes. Every label is written in and proofread.

What if a word is spelled wrong?

Use Fix text and type the right word. It matches the other labels. Free.

Can I change part of a figure?

Yes. Use Paint to redraw an area, or Repair to clean up a damaged part.

Export and publishing

Is the quality good enough for journals?

Yes. Choose High quality: twice the drawn pixels, sharpened, as PNG, TIFF, PDF or JPG.

Is the science checked?

Labels are proofread. Please check the science before you submit.

Can I use the figures in my article?

Yes. Each figure comes with a Rights to Publish PDF.

Plans and credits

What does the membership cost?

$9.99 a month with 15 credits, or $107.89 a year with 180 credits (10% off). It includes aFig Visual Studio, Graph, Flowchart, Sketch, Figure, Panel and Poster studio, and all editing.

What are add-ons?

Statistics, Bioinformatics and Maps at $2.99 a month each, and Image studio at $4.99 a month, on top of the membership. Choose them at checkout or add one later.

Can I buy more credits?

Yes. Credits cost $0.99 each, bought once. They never expire, with or without the membership.

What is the difference between monthly and annual?

Annual is 10% off and gives the year's credits at once: $107.89 a year for 180 credits ($8.99 a month).

What happens to figures I do not use?

Monthly: they roll over for up to 12 months. Annual: they end with the membership year.

Can I share credits with my lab?

Yes, credits from a purchased membership, until your membership period ends.

How do I cancel?

Anytime from your studio. You keep access until the paid period ends.

Privacy and sharing

Are my figures private?

Yes. Only you can see them, and you can lock folders with a PIN.

Can I work with co-authors?

Yes. Share a figure by email or with a view link.

Help and problems

What if a figure does not come out right?

Failed figures are free. Report a problem in the studio and we credit it back.

How do I get help?

Chat with our team inside the studio.

Questions researchers ask.