The Best Canva Alternatives For 2024 (Comparison)
Are you looking for the best alternative to Canva?
Canva’s simplicity and ease of use make it one of the most popular graphic design tools today. However, it’s far from your only option.
And Canva’s habit of moving free features to its paid plan may cause you to reconsider your options.
There are other software available that you could use to create social media graphics or any other type of visual content.
Today, we’ll explore the best Canva alternatives, all the features they include, and how much they cost.
1. Visme
Visme is our favorite graphic design tool not just for social media images but for presentations, infographics, and other visual resources.
It’s one of the most complex tools available. It can handle video and audio content. The drag-and-drop editor makes it fun to create designs. The included animations add spice to your content.
It has all the advanced features you’ll need to make media content more engaging for your audience. Visme even comes with free-to-use stock images.
Admittedly, there is a bit of a learning curve when using Visme because it offers so many features. But after a few minutes of use, you should be able to work your way around the visual editor and use all the design elements like a pro.
There are also a ton of ready-to-use templates available so you don’t even have to start a design from scratch if you don’t want to. All templates are customizable. You can change just about everything — from background colors and images to animation settings.
It’s the ultimate alternative to Canva.
And here’s the best part:
Visme has a free version.
Of course, the free plan does have limitations. But it’s the best way to experience Visme and everything it could do for your business. It’s a great solution for novice and professional designers alike.
Key features
- Free stock images and videos
- Customizable templates
- Data visualization
- Team collaboration features
- Basic analytics
- Project export options
- Cloud-based content
- Animation tools
- Theme colors
Pros
- Simple, user-friendly UI
- Dynamic functionality
- Wide range of design elements
- Easy integration with other tools
- Highly versatile
- Affordable
- Free version available
Cons
- Limited features on a free plan
- Limited storage capacity
- No offline access
Pricing
Get started with a free account or upgrade to a paid plan. Paid plans start at $29/month but you get 6 months free if you pay yearly. This works out at half price monthly plans.
Learn more in our Visme review.
2. Placeit
Placeit is a no-fuss online graphic design tool so it’s suited for anyone that needs a straightforward way to create images for social media posts.
It comes with lots of templates that are constantly updated. All you need to do is to pick one and customize it as you see fit.
But where Placeit really excels is product mockups.
Normally, you’d have to do photoshoots and edit the images before you could share your product images with your target customers. But with this Canva alternative, all you need to do is to slap your design on top of the mockups available on the site.
Got a shirt idea? No problem. Just upload your design and place it on top of all the shirt mockups available on the site. You can also do mugs, hoodies, books, business cards, banners, hats, iPads, face masks, and more.
You can even do logos, gaming overlays, and social media videos.
It’s a great tool for online businesses in the apparel space or social media influencers with little to no graphic design experience. Now you can create stunning visual content to promote your product designs.
Key features
- Free design templates
- Mockup generator
- Customizable business logos
- T-shirt and apparel designer
- Social media graphics
- Print media templates
- Ready to use video templates
- Gaming overlays
- Unlimited subscription service
Pros
- Extensive template library
- User-friendly interface
- Largest collection of mockups
- Professional, high-resolution results
- No design software required
- Cost-effective pricing
Cons
- No free plan or trial
- Requires internet access
- Templates may lack uniqueness due to a wide user base
Pricing
Plans start from $9.99/month.
3. Easil
Easil is one of those drag-and-drop DIY graphic design tools that simplify the whole process so that anyone can create images through basic editing tools.
It is perfect for brand-oriented projects since it has a Brand Kit feature. What this does is it allows you to store and access design elements like colors, font, logos, and other assets that match your company branding.
Not only does it offer professional templates, but it also comes with more than a million stock images.
Easil has a team collaboration feature that includes the ability to add an approval workflow. The locking permissions feature lets you dictate which elements of the design a team member can edit, add, or remove. That way, those who are not supposed to make design changes can’t accidentally mess up your work.
You can perform a bunch of actions that will improve the look of your designs. If you want to add a drop shadow, glow, or curved effect to your text — you can. With the Text Mask tool, you can add text effects like metallic or glitter textures. You can even animate text and graphics.
There’s even a tool for removing the background from your images. You’d normally need advanced photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop to do this. But now you can use Easil instead.
Key features
- Professionally designed templates
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Resizable designs
- Brand kit feature
- Social media scheduling
- Team collaboration tools
- Organizational tools
- Stock photos library
Pros
- High-quality visuals
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface
- Free graphic elements
- Supports font, image, and video uploads
- Free graphic elements
- Supports real-time collaboration
- Promotes brand consistency
- Free plan and 1-month free pro trial available
Cons
- Free version is highly limited
- Less suitable for complex designs
- Is internet-dependent
Pricing
Paid plans start from $7.50/month. Free plan and free trial available.
4. Stencil
Stencil is here for social media marketers that need a quick way to create graphics for all of their social channels.
Its biggest strength is the number of stock photos in its library. You can choose from over 5 million royalty-free photos to use for your project. All of these images are high-resolution too. So you’re guaranteed to come up with super crisp graphic designs.
This product also lets you pick from presets that are ideal for social media. For example, if you’re posting on Facebook, Stencil will recommend the right image size to use so that your design will look great on that platform.
However, you’d still have the option to create a custom size if that’s what you need.
You can also preview your work right before you publish your projects on social media. And when you’re happy, you can share your work in seconds through the Buffer app integration.
Stencil might not be as complex as the other entries in this Canva alternatives list. But if all you do is post inspirational quotes on your social channels (or something along those lines), then this tool might be exactly what you need.
Key features
- Social media graphic templates
- Over 5 million royalty-free photos
- Custom image creation tool
- Premium icons and graphics
- Buffer integration
- WordPress intregration
- Instant image resizing
- Customizable logo maker
- Social media sharing
Pros
- High-resolution, professional-looking images
- Simple, fast, and easy to use
- A vast library of images and graphics
- Image sizes are preset
- Easy image search feature
- Easy content sharing
- Free plan available
- 7-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Limited features for complex designs
- Limited free access
Pricing
Plans start from $15/month. Free plan and free trial available. Discounts available if you pay yearly.
5. Venngage
Venngage is a tool you could use to create infographics for your website or social media accounts. It’s great for transforming boring data into visually appealing content that your audience would more likely share with their friends.
Non-designers would struggle to design infographics. But with Venngage’s professionally designed templates, you can design an infographic in minutes through its powerful editor.
The templates are extensive. There’s always a template that will match the type of infographic you’re trying to make. You can add logos, change colors, and make other edits to customize the infographic just the way you want it.
But make no mistake:
Venngage is also great for flyers, posters, ebooks, coupons, menus, organizational charts, social media posts, logos, certificates, banners, white papers, and more.
You can even add customizable icons to add life to your projects. For example, you can add human characters and change their skin tones to match your target audience. And if you need them, there are high-quality stock photos that you could use free of charge.
You can also invite your team to collaborate on projects. You can communicate as you work on your presentation or report in real-time. Sharing projects with your team is also possible so you can ask for input immediately.
Key features
- Beautiful infographic templates
- Smart data visualization
- Design customization options
- Real-time collaboration
- Different export options
- Data import ability
- Library of icons, images, and illustrations
- Templates for different types of content
Pros
- User-friendly editor and templates
- Highly effective data visualization
- Fast, powerful data editor
- Customize and personalize infographics
- Easy to share designs
- Free version available
Cons
- May not handle complex data sets
- More pricey than other alternatives like Stencil and Easil
Pricing
Paid plans start from $19/month. Free plan and free trial available.
6. PicMonkey
PicMonkey is a photo editor for creating social media images, ads, and logos. It can do so much more than your average photo editor though. It can insert effects to make your images stand out. And yes, it too can remove backgrounds from photos.
Other notable editing features include the Smart Resize tool that lets you resize an image for different social media accounts. The Color Changer Effect can change the color of objects or clothing in an image into another using a slider.
This tool has access to stock photos from Unsplash, iStock, and Getty so you can download images from within PicMonkey. You can also touch up images — whiten teeth, smooth skin, and even change hair color.
You can use the available templates for your projects. There are also over 9,000 graphics and icons available.
PicMonkey has a mobile app. That means you’ll be able to switch between the two whenever you want. You can start a project while you’re on the go and do the finishing touches on your PC when you get home. Or you can do it the other way around. You are in complete control.
You can also create collages using PicMonkey.
Key features
- Powerful photo editor
- Image design tools
- Free design templates
- Collage maker
- Touch-up tools
- Free presentation templates
- Text and graphics overlay
- Logo and business card designer
- Thousands of stock images, graphics, and icons
- Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest photo templates
Pros
- Simple and user-friendly photo editor
- Advanced editing tools available
- Various export options for edited images
- Easy integration with other tools (e.g. Dropbox)
- Photo editor accessible through mobile App
- A 7-day free trial available
Cons
- Limited vector support
- No free version
Pricing
Plans start at $7.99/month and a free trial is available.
7. Adobe Creative Cloud Express
Adobe Creative Cloud Express is an editor for creating and publishing graphics, web pages, and video stories.
It has different unique features that make it so much fun to use. For starters, you have a great selection of fonts to use. You can easily collaborate with other members of your team and edit a project together.
You can also personalize a project by adding your logo and company colors. Uploading images from your device or your cloud storage is also possible. But if you don’t have assets, you can use the free online images that Adobe offers.
There’s also a section called Trending Ideas that you could browse to find inspiration for your next social media post.
Adobe Creative Cloud Express has apps for both iOS and Android users.
Use Adobe Creative Cloud Express to make flyers, logos, banners, YouTube thumbnails, slideshows, posters, and more. There are different resource materials available to help you start your first project.
Key features
- Professionally designed image templates
- Generative AI features
- Free stock videos, images, and music
- Quick photo and video editor
- Video templates for YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram reels
- Photo and video format converter
- Team collaboration tools
- In-built content scheduler
- PDF editor
- Brand kits
Pros
- Fast and user-friendly image and video editor
- Easy customization and personalization
- Enhances brand consistency
- Suitable for social media marketing
- A vast library of high-quality visuals
- Free basic plan available
Cons
- A relatively complex user interface
- Video editor could be improved
Pricing
Premium plans start from $9.99/month. Try it free for 30 days. There’s also a limited free plan.
8. Snappa
Snappa is the last Canva alternative on our list. It’s a powerful graphics editor for social media posts, blogs, and ads. Like some of the other tools in this list, it already knows the optimal sizes for every social media platform. When you create an image, all you have to do is select a preset.
Then you could choose from the many templates Snappa has to offer. You don’t have to start from scratch if you don’t want to.
There are also plenty of stock photos available — over 5 million according to the site. It promises that none of the photos are cheesy like you’d find on some stock image sites.
Snappa is so simple to use. It definitely has beginners in mind. It allows users to add text, graphics, and effects in a few clicks. And it also has a tool that removes backgrounds from pictures.
You can schedule and share graphics from within the tool if you connect a Buffer account, saving you some time.
It’s a simple graphic design tool with all the basic features you’ll need to publish better social media posts.
Key features
- Basic image editor
- Photo background remover
- Social media content templates
- High-resolution stock photos and graphics
- Social media scheduling tool
- Custom design dimensions
- A library of graphics, icons, and stock photos
- Team collaboration tools
- Speech bubbles
Pros
- Variety of text and font options
- Easy to use
- Creates designs faster
- Supports Twitter, Facebook, and Buffer integration
- Provides video tutorials for beginners
- Responsive customer support
- Has a free starter plan
Cons
- Free plan is limited
- Relatively limited templates
- Less suitable for complex design projects
Pricing
Paid plans start at $15/month. There’s a free plan and discounts for yearly billing.
Choosing the best Canva alternative for your needs
That concludes our roundup of the best alternatives to Canva. As you can see, there are plenty of alternatives on the market.
But which online graphic design software is best for you? That depends on your needs.
If you’re looking for a direct alternative, Visme is likely the best option. It’s got plenty of templates, it’s easy to use and can also handle animations, graphics, and more. And there’s a free plan.
But if ease of use and saving as much time as possible is a priority for you, Placeit is well worth checking out as well.
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