Canva – what is it and what does it do

Canva is a very quick graphic maker, created for amateurs without graphics knowledge, which helps in creating a variety of graphic designs: from web banners, infographics, presentations through business cards, to posters and advertising leaflets for printing.

Canva – what is it and what does it do

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How Does Canva Work?

Canva’s strongest asset is that it is a very easy graphic editor and it’s intuitive to use. It works on the principle – select and drop. In addition, you use canva online – you do not need to install any software on your computer. All elements included in the project can be easily moved with the mouse and edited with the keyboard. The minimalistic interface is the greatest strength of the app – you can master it in just few minutes!

My experience with the app

I made three approaches to Canva – tried, gave up, came back. There was always something that did not fit my idea for an online image editor. And then finally, in mid-2019, I planned a full day for a brief affair with the app… and it blew my mind. The program is brilliant. I’m kicking myself for not trying it out faster. Now I am a happy owner of the Canva paid version and I cannot imagine my life without it.

Who will find Canva useful?

The most beautiful thing about Canva is that the solution can help a wide group of people, regardless their position, scope of duties, function or industry.

Canva will come in handy to:

• People who need to create simple online graphic designs quickly and do not want to delegate such things to a graphic designer
• Small business owners who want to design simple advertising materials (business cards, leaflets)
• Marketers in small and medium-sized businesses who have to deal with a number of different activities related to advertising and are responsible for the preparation of graphics and advertising materials
• People who conduct activities in social media and create social media graphics (Facebook, Instagram)
• Bloggers and influencers who are looking for a specific tool to quickly create beautiful infographics
• Employees of large companies who need to prepare pretty presentations 

Do I still need a graphic designer while using Canva?

Let me emphasize it at the very beginning – Canva is perfect for simple graphic projects. However, if the project is complicated, it requires a professional approach, unique style, precision and accuracy – it is better to rely on an experienced graphic designer.

On one hand designer’s experience is necessary then, and on the other when dealing with complicated challenges, Canva may end up being insufficient.

Which features are missing in Canva free version?

Although we can prepare interesting files in Canva free version, it only has the following features:

• Only two folders to organize files
• 5 GB for storing projects (100 GB in the paid version)
• Access to much smaller number of templates
• Fewer icons, illustrations to use
• No template saving
• No custom dimensions for projects
• You cannot make a background transparent

Which features does Canva offer

• Free version: YES

• Trial version: YES (30 days)

• Font library: YES

• Graphics library: YES

• Stock photo library: YES

• Commercial use of the graphics: YES (Canva stipulates, however, that it cannot guarantee that every stock photo can be used commercially)

• Export file formats: PNG, JPG, PDF, VIDEO MP4, GIF, SVG (in PRO version)

• Creating individual patterns and saving them as templates: YES

• Uploading your own photo, font, font, graphics: YES (images, video, audio)

• Adding filters to photos: YES

• Contrast and brightness modifications: YES

• Ready-made templates: YES

• Remove background from image: YES (in PRO version)

• Photo resizing: YES (in the PRO version it is possible to change the size of the finished project)

• Ready-to-use templates in the right size for social media: YES

• Graphics export to Facebook, Google Drive, Instagram: YES

• Cooperation on the same project: YES

• Organizing graphics into folders: YES (2 folders in the free version, unlimited in the PRO version)

• Flipping photos vertically and horizontally: YES

• Saving photos / graphics with a transparent background: YES (in the PRO version)

• Adding a watermark onto the photos: YES

• Multilingual iterface: YES

• Ways to contact the support: E-mail, chat,  phone: E-mail

• Animated graphics creation: YES

• Subscription-based license: YES

• Lifetime license option: NO

• Tutorials from the maker: YES

What you get in Canva free plan:

• Over 250,000 free templates

• More than 100 Canva design types

• Thousands of free Canva images

• You can collaborate on a project with members of your team

• 5 GB of cloud space and two folders to save ready graphics

What you get in the Canva paid version (PRO plan):

• Over 100 million stock photos, videos, audio files and graphics

• Over 610,000 ready-made templates

• Background removal

• Saving your own templates for shared use with your team

• 100 GB of cloud storage and unlimited folders

• Direct social content publishing on 8 platforms

Pros:

• The app is multilingual

• Free package available

• Relatively low price – $119.40 annually (Less than $10 per month!)

• A really rich library of templates, graphics and tutorials

• Simplicity of use

• 30-day PRO plan trial

• Recording screen or video and audio from your computer’s camera and uploading it directly to Canva

Cons:

• The free version does not offer access to all graphics, photos, and templates

• The free version does not offer background removal feature

• There is no guarantee that each photo can be used commercially

• The app makes it possible to create a logo from materials available in CANVA, but it prohibits its use as a logo or trademark of our company

Canva – the most interesting features

What is it about this app that I like it so much? Let’s quickly review the most interesting and practical features.

1. Low price

I believe that less than $10 a month for an app with such functionalities in the paid version is a particularly good price.

The monthly price for a middle variant is very OK and within reach of every entrepreneur.

2. You can save the project for future editting

You can save draft versions of projects – which makes future work significantly easier, if you want to create a new graphic based on previous work. Just remember to save the project – it doesn’t happen automatically!

You can store templates and work on them later – it’s a great feature!

3. Intuitiveness and simplicity of the interface – graphics creation speed

The biggest advantage of the app is that the interface is simple and very minimalistic. So, you can master it in less than 10 minutes. The app facilitates work mainly to the nonprofessionals who have never worked in any graphic programs.

The interface’ simplicity is one of Canva’s greatest strengths.

4. Over 610,000 templates available and 100 million icons, photos and illustrations 

I was captivated by the fact that you can search for ready-made templates of various and very detailed projects in no time at all by using keywords. So, if you don’t have an artistic sense or a ready concept – you can quickly create your own project based on a ready template. This is a colossal facilitation that beautifully shortens the time needed to prepare graphics.

We also have tons of icons, photos, and illustrations to choose from (you just need to be creative when searching) that will enrich your graphic designs fantastically.

Canva’s icons will enrich any design.

5. A wide range of file-export formats

The program allows a wide selection of export formats – such as PDF, PNG, JPG, saving with a transparent background and publishing directly in third party apps. For example, files can be sent directly to a Facebook group, Google Drive or Dropbox.

6. Preparation for printing

Canva provides a quick conversion to “printable” formats, not only in pixels, but also in inches and centimeters. If there is a difference between the online version and the printed version – you can easily and quickly move the elements and adapt them to the updated version.

7. Hints as to the template’ size

In addition to ready-made templates and saved designs, Canva offers cropped templates for specific use – YouTube background, Facebook posts, standard poster size or business cards … It significantly reduces the time to check the correct sizes.

The template hints in Canva are great – they save a lot of time. Instead of looking for sizes – you click and design!

8. Lots of features in the free version

Despite the fact that the most interesting features are in the paid version – Canva free version, with creative use, will allow you to prepare interesting projects that are completely sufficient for the needs of a small company (although you will probably decide to switch to the paid version sooner or later).

9. Pretty, professional fonts

This is the thing that I often missed in other free graphics programs (GIMP, Paint). If a layman works in them, well… even if he tries his best, you can see that the graphics are made in GIMP. Fonts always look “poor” and clunky. However, in Canva – their professional shape and a very large selection are immediately noticeable.

I fell in love with Canva fonts. They are wonderful!

10. Continuous development

Canva is constantly evolving, new templates, patterns, options appear very often. Existing sizes are updated if application producers and distributors set new standards.

11. Project sharing

Another fantastic option is that you can share projects with others, store files to ensure uniform corporate identity. This is especially useful when you want to entrust someone with the preparation of the graphics for your company in Canva. This saves time and means that you do not have to send everything by e-mail or put it on a virtual drive (Google, DropBox).

Canva saves all your uploaded files so you can use them quickly afterwards.

12. Complementarity and comprehensiveness

One of the most common accusations made against Canva is that it’s worse than other apps, when a specific field is considered. Most often it is shown that the program X does a given thing better (for example, in X you design best business cards, and in Y banners for Facebook are better).

It is worth remembering, however, that such comparisons are (unfortunately) often written by enthusiasts and marketing experts who are “in the know” – they follow news, applications, know lots of them, for whom working with these types of programs is the backbone of professional activity.

They seem to completely ignore the fact that a small business owner, freelancer, and medium-sized business marketer doesn’t have all day to choose tools and compare their functionalities. They cannot spend the next few hours registering, learning the interface, and then remembering which program is used for what.

They want a nice, correct, eye-catching project that they can prepare quickly. At one place, with one tool.

And that’s the most important point as to why Canva is one of the best programs of its kind for me. Maybe some things are not as good as in other apps, but Canva allows you to prepare everything you need in small business marketing in one place. And this saves a lot of time and money.

And that’s why I recommend it.

The multitude of elements to choose from means that with a little creativity, you will create truly unforgettable projects!

13. Cutting photos from the background quickly 

In 2020, Canva introduced the option to quickly remove background from image, which works fantastically well. So you don’t have to tinker with another photo editing software.

What I DO NOT like in Canva?

Just so you know that not everything is perfect, one feature irritates me most, and it is…

1. You can see that it’s from Canva…

The popularity of Canva makes it possible to talk about a package of the most-chosen designs and patterns, often repeated on various pages. And being monothematic may be a disadvantage. You look at a banner or a graphic and you think… I’ve seen it somewhere before. So let’s dig a little deeper sometimes.

2. Archaic projects 

It is a highly subjective feeling, but I have the impression that despite the fact that we have access to 610,000 patterns, many of them are quite archaic. They look like the designs were created 10-15 years ago. This is especially visible in the templates for posters, flyers and infographics. It reminds me a bit of the templates for newsletters and landing pages in Get Response. There, too, in some respects, time has stopped. I would prefer the proportions to be reversed – so that the majority of them are minimalist, designer-like, lighter and modern. But well… You have to work with what you have.

Canva – summary. Is it worth using?

If you are looking for a simple, intuitive app that will help you prepare both online graphics and printed advertising materials – in my opinion Canva is currently the best one on the market.

Its advantage is a minimalist and easy-to-use interface, ease of use, possibility to save and edit ready-made projects, relatively low price and, what I like the most, versatility – the program helps to prepare almost all advertising materials that a modern small local business or a person who runs business on their own needs. All of that happens in the Canva graphic design app.

How do I get started with Canva?

Click and create an account with Canva.

I will be glad if you decide to register from the link above – this is a referral link in the affiliate program and if you like the application – I will receive a small commission (and you won’t lose anything anyway). Thank you in advance!

And the affiliate program is one of our ways of making money. I loyally inform you about it, moreover, you will not find annoying advertising banners in the content of the blog.

Are you looking for instructions as to how to prepare something in Canva? Wrte in the comment!

If you are intrigued by the app, you managed to register, but you have a problem with preparing some simple graphic materials (poster, leaflets) – write about it in the comment! I will, within my modest capabilities, try to help and prepare an entry and video material on how to solve such an issue.

Be sure to also check out other useful list of application programs:

• Screen recorder with audio for Windows and Mac – capture screen video with just one click
• Best email marketing software – start sending emails to your clients absolutely free
• Easiest free video editing software – try to edit videos completely free with trial versions

Are you using Canva? Share your impressions!

Also write in the comment if you are already a Canva user – do you like the app or not, which features are cool, which are not, am I wrong and is it worth switching to a different easy to use image editor, even better app and why?

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