14 Best Canva Alternatives to Transform Your Design Workflow

TL;DR: Looking for Canva alternatives? This guide highlights 15 top design tools for 2025, including professional services like Penji, open-source options like Penpot, and popular picks like Adobe Express, Figma, and VistaCreate. You’ll find options for every budget and skill level.

The top Canva alternatives include Penji for professional unlimited design services, Adobe Express for Adobe Creative Cloud integration, Figma and Penpot for UI/UX design, VistaCreate for social media content, Visme for data visualization, and Desygner for budget-friendly options. Each offers unique features, from advanced photo editing to collaborative team workflows, catering to different design needs and budgets.

Canva has changed the game for millions of people who want to create beautiful graphics without hiring a designer. It’s simple, fast, and packed with templates that get the job done.

Canva is great for many people, but it doesn’t suit everyone. Maybe you’ve run into limits on the free plan, or you notice competitors using the same templates. You might also need better photo editing, team features, or more specialized tools.

The good news is that there are tons of amazing graphic design tools available in 2025, each with its own strengths. Some are completely free and open source, others offer professional design services, and many sit somewhere in between, with features that might suit your needs better than Canva.

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur on a budget, a marketing team needing collaboration, or a designer looking for more creative freedom, this guide will introduce you to 14 strong Canva alternatives that might become your new go-to design platform.

Why Look for Canva Alternatives?

Before we jump into the options, let’s look at why people are exploring other tools. Canva is fantastic, but it has some limitations worth considering.

The free version is pretty restricted. You’ll quickly bump into premium-only features, especially when you want access to better stock photos, advanced editing tools, or more template options. The premium plans start at $15 per month, and for teams, costs can add up quickly at $10 per user with a minimum of three users.

Templates are another common frustration. Having millions to choose from sounds great, but everyone else can use them too. Your Instagram post could end up looking just like your competitor’s if you both pick the same popular template.

If you work on complex projects that need advanced photo editing, detailed vector work, or UI/UX design, Canva’s tools might feel too simple. Many professional designers need more control than Canva offers.

Canva does have team collaboration features, but they’re not as strong as those on some other design platforms. Also, if you care about data ownership or want to host your own tools, Canva’s cloud-only setup may not be right for you.

The good news is that there are solutions for every challenge. Some Canva alternatives focus on professional quality, others are more affordable, and many offer features you won’t find in Canva.

1. Penji

1. Penji: When You Need Professional Designers, Not Just Tools

Here’s something different from the usual design software: what if you didn’t have to create designs yourself at all?

Unlike Canva, where you create designs yourself, Penji gives you access to a team of professional graphic designers who do the work for you. You submit a project brief explaining what you need, and within 24 to 48 hours, experienced designers deliver the finished work.

Most design tools, like Canva, give you the ingredients and the kitchen. Penji, on the other hand, is like having your own personal chef. Each design is made just for you, so you don’t have to worry about copyright issues or using the same templates as everyone else.

This approach works well if you’re running a business and need consistent, high-quality designs, but either don’t have the time to create them yourself or want designs that look more polished than what you can produce with templates. You get unlimited design requests and unlimited revisions, all at a fixed monthly rate.

The main difference is the price. Because you get real designers, Penji costs more than Canva. However, if you need designs regularly and want your brand to stand out, having a design team on hand can save you money compared to hiring freelancers or doing the work yourself.

Best for: Businesses and entrepreneurs who value their time and want consistently professional, original designs

Pros:

• Professional designers with real expertise
• Unlimited revisions until you’re satisfied
• Fast turnaround times
• You own all licenses to your designs
• No learning curve required
• Designs are unique to your brand

Cons:

• Higher investment than DIY tools
• Not the right fit if you only need occasional designs
• Requires clear communication about what you want

Want to see what Penji’s designers can do? Take a look at their portfolio or learn more about how their service works.

2. Adobe Express: Professional Power Made Simple

Adobe Express is a strong Canva alternative that puts Adobe’s pro tools into a simple, template-based package. If you want something more powerful than Canva but easier than Photoshop, this could be just what you need.

You can connect Adobe Express with other Adobe tools like Firefly AI, Adobe Fonts, Adobe Stock, and Photoshop. This gives you more creative options than Canva, but the editor is still easy enough for beginners to use.

Best for: Users who want professional-grade tools without the complexity of full Adobe Creative Cloud

Pros:

• Superior photo editing features
• Massive library of professional fonts
• AI-powered design with Firefly
• Works with Adobe products
• Powerful yet intuitive editor

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve than Canva
• Limited features on the free plan
• Higher price point

3. Figma: The UI/UX Designer’s Dream

Figma is the top choice for professional design teams, with about 70% of the market and over 4 million users. It’s not a direct Canva replacement, but if you design websites, apps, or digital products, Figma is hard to beat.

In 2025, Figma added new features like Figma Sites, which lets you publish websites straight from your designs, plus AI-powered prototyping and even better real-time collaboration.

Best for: Professional UI/UX designers and teams working on digital products

Pros:

• Real-time multiplayer collaboration
• Advanced prototyping capabilities
• Huge plugin library
• Cross-platform compatibility
• Industry-standard tool

Cons:

• Figma announced significant price increases in 2025, with jumps of approximately 33% for Professional, 22% for Organization, and 20% for Enterprise plans.
• Requires an internet connection
• Focused on UI/UX, not general graphics

4. Penpot: Open-Source Freedom

Penpot has emerged as the first truly viable open-source alternative to Figma, experiencing 300% year-over-year growth and reaching over 1 million registered users by 2025. This is significant for designers who value data ownership and want to avoid vendor lock-in.

Built using native web standards like SVG, CSS, and HTML, Penpot now covers approximately 85% of Figma’s core functionality, up from just 60% in 2023. Plus, it operates on a “free forever” model with no artificial limitations or user restrictions.

Best for: Teams that want professional design tools without subscription costs, or those requiring data sovereignty

Pros:

• Completely free and open-source
• Self-hosting option available
• No user limits or file restrictions
• Web standards-based
• Real-time collaboration

Cons:

• Component system feels primitive compared to Figma’s variants, and there’s no equivalent to Figma’s auto-layout feature
• Performance issues with projects containing more than 10 screens
• Smaller plugin library

5. VistaCreate (Formerly Crello): Quick Social Media Graphics

VistaCreate has helped over 10 million users create blog, marketing, social media, and advertising designs with access to 150,000+ ready-made animated and static templates.

The platform is backed by VistaPrint, which means you can easily print your designs on physical products like business cards and flyers. This print integration makes it stand out from other digital-only tools.

Best for: Social media managers and entrepreneurs who need fast, affordable design solutions

Pros:

• More affordable than Canva Pro
• More generous free stock images and templates than Canva’s free version
• Animation capabilities
• Direct VistaPrint integration
• User-friendly interface

Cons:

• Smaller asset library than Canva
• Better suited for solo users than teams
• Limited advanced features

6. Visme: Data Visualization Powerhouse

Visme excels at creating complicated designs like infographics, marketing documents, charts, and widgets with powerful tools for data visualization. If your work involves presenting data beautifully, this is a top choice.

Visme’s Dynamic Fields feature allows you to update information across multiple projects simultaneously, and its Slide Library and My Blocks features let you save and reuse elements for brand consistency.

Best for: Marketing teams, educators, and businesses that create data-heavy presentations and reports

Pros:

• Exceptional chart and graph customization
• Interactive elements and animations
• Strong collaboration features with role permissions
• Presentation recording capabilities
• Advanced data visualization tools

Cons:

• More expensive than Canva
• Steeper learning curve
• It can feel overwhelming for simple design needs

7. Desygner: Budget-Friendly All-Rounder

Desygner is regarded as a great alternative to Canva, offering a simpler, more affordable option with competitive pricing and premium features available on the free plan.

One standout feature is the ability to edit PDFs the same way you would modify a Word document, which is incredibly useful for repurposing existing content.

Best for: Small businesses and individuals seeking a cost-effective Canva alternative

Pros:

• Very affordable pricing
• PDF editing capabilities
• Broader free stock asset options
• One-click resizing for multiple formats
• Mobile app available

Cons:

• Fewer templates than Canva
• No animation or video editing
• Limited AI-powered features

8. Snappa: Fast and Simple

Snappa offers 100% royalty-free graphics for both non-commercial and commercial projects, with access to over 5 million free high-resolution stock photos. The platform prides itself on speed and simplicity.

With over 6,000 templates, one-click background removal, and the ability to schedule graphics to automatically share on social media channels, Snappa streamlines the entire content creation process.

Best for: Social media marketers who need quick turnarounds

Pros:

• Extremely user-friendly interface
• Affordable pricing
• Built-in social media scheduling
• Generous stock photo library
• Fast creation process

Cons:

• Smaller template selection and fewer advanced features than Canva
• Web-only (no offline work)
• Limited collaboration tools

9. Piktochart: Infographic Specialist

With 11 million users, Piktochart specializes in creating reports, videos, infographics, pitch decks, posters, and graphs, making it one of the best alternatives for brands and marketing teams.

The platform excels at data visualization, allowing users to import data from spreadsheets and create appealing charts and graphs with ease.

Best for: Social media marketers who need quick turnarounds

Best for: Teams focused on data storytelling and infographic creation

Pros:

• Specialized infographic templates
• Easy data import from spreadsheets
• Professional chart and graph tools
• Report creation features
• Clean, modern templates

Cons:

• Niche focus limits versatility
• Fewer social media templates
• Not ideal for general design work

10. Microsoft Designer: AI-Powered Simplicity

Microsoft Designer uses AI to assist users in generating professional-quality designs, making it particularly well-suited for marketing professionals, small business owners, and social media managers.

The tool integrates with other Microsoft 365 applications like PowerPoint, allowing for smooth workflows if you’re already in the Microsoft environment.

Best for: Microsoft 365 users who want AI-assisted design

Pros:

• AI-powered design suggestions
• Free for Microsoft 365 subscribers
• Easy integration with Microsoft apps
• Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
• Fast AI image generation

Cons:

• Requires a Microsoft account
• Limited features compared to dedicated tools
• Smaller template library
• Still relatively new

11. Stencil: Speed-Focused Design

With over 1,350 unique templates, 5 million stock photos, 5,700 Google web fonts, and 3.1 million royalty-free icons, Stencil is designed for quick, on-the-go image creation.

Its minimalistic interface lets you design without distraction, with browser add-ons and integrations that make creating social media graphics incredibly fast

Best for: Social media marketers who prioritize speed

Pros:

• Extremely fast workflow
• Clean, distraction-free interface
• Browser extensions for quick creation
• Very affordable
• Huge icon library

Cons:

• Lacks advanced features like animation, video editing, and complex layouts
• Limited collaboration tools
• Basic editing capabilities

12. Pixlr: Photo Editing Focus

Pixlr has five apps, including Pixlr Editor, Pixlr Express, Pixlr Designer, Remove bg, and Batch Editor, making it a comprehensive image editing suite. If photo editing is your primary need, this is one of the most affordable options.

Pixlr Designer is the most Canva-like app, letting you choose templates and customize them, but you can also open projects in Pixlr Editor or Express for advanced editing.

Best for: Users who need advanced photo editing more than template-based design

Pros:

• Incredibly affordable
• Advanced photo editing tools
• Multiple specialized apps
• Many features are free without restrictions
• Web and mobile apps

Cons:

• Focuses on photo editing rather than pre-made templates
• No collaboration features
• Fewer stock resources than Canva

13. Fotor: AI-Powered Photo Enhancement

Founded in 2009, Fotor has evolved from an all-in-one photo editing suite to an AI editing tool with features like AI background remover, AI photo enhancer, and AI image generator.

The platform has received recognition from BBC, WebAwards, and Windows Central, establishing credibility in the photo editing space.

Best for: Photographers and creators focused on photo enhancement

Pros:

• Advanced AI-powered photo tools
• One-tap enhancements
• Powerful retouching capabilities
• Background removal
• Affordable pro plans

Cons:

• Limited design features beyond photos
• No collaboration options
• Focused tool, not all-purpose

14. BeFunky: Collage and Photo Combo

BeFunky splits its tools across Photo Editor, Collage Maker, and Graphic Designer apps that work together, making it ideal for creating photo collages and social media graphics.

Images you edit in one app are automatically available in the others, creating a smooth workflow for projects that combine multiple elements.

Best for: Creating photo collages and edited images for social media

Pros:

• Excellent collage-making tools
• Wide range of artistic filters
• More affordable than Canva
• User-friendly interface
• Good photo editing features

Cons:

• Limited design templates and no collaborative features
• Fewer branding tools
• Not suitable for complex designs

How to Choose the Right Canva Alternative for You

With so many Canva alternatives available, picking the right one depends on your specific needs. Here’s a simple framework to help you decide:

If you don’t want to design at all, Services like Penji handle everything for you. You provide direction, professional designers create the work, and you get unique designs without touching any software. This works well for businesses that need consistent quality and would rather focus on their core work than learn design tools.

• If you’re a UI/UX designer or work on digital products, go with Figma for robust features and industry-standard tools, or try Penpot for a free, open-source option with similar capabilities.
• If you’re on a tight budget, Penpot (completely free), Desygner (affordable premium), or the free versions of Pixlr, Stencil, or BeFunky will serve you well.
• If you primarily edit photos, Fotor, Pixlr, or BeFunky offer superior photo editing compared to Canva’s basic tools.
• If you create data-heavy content, Visme or Piktochart excel at infographics, charts, and presentations with complex data visualization.
• If you’re already in the Adobe or Microsoft environment, Adobe Express or Microsoft Designer will integrate well with your existing workflows.
• If you need speed for social media, Snappa, Stencil, or VistaCreate are designed for quick turnarounds with social media scheduling built in.

Most of these platforms offer free trials or free plans, so test a few that match your criteria before committing. Pay attention to which interface feels most intuitive to you, because if a tool feels clunky, you won’t use it consistently.

Making the Switch: What to Expect

Moving from Canva to a new design platform might feel daunting, but most modern tools make the transition smooth. Here’s what you should know:

Most graphic design subscription services let you import your brand assets like logos, fonts, and color palettes right from the start. Set up your brand kit first so you can maintain consistency across all your designs.

Expect a learning period, even with user-friendly tools. Give yourself a week or two to get comfortable with a new interface. Watch tutorial videos specific to your chosen platform to speed up the process.

Don’t delete your Canva account immediately. Run both platforms in parallel for a month to make sure your new choice meets all your needs. This also gives you time to transfer important designs.

Look for export compatibility. Most tools let you export designs in common formats like PNG, JPG, PDF, and sometimes SVG, which means you can always move files between platforms if needed.

If you’re switching to a professional service, the transition is actually easier since designers handle the technical work. You’ll just need to communicate your brand guidelines and project requirements clearly, then review and approve the work they create for you.

Conclusion

Canva revolutionized design by making it accessible to everyone, but it’s no longer the only game in town. The 15 Canva alternatives we’ve explored offer everything from professional design services to open-source freedom, advanced photo editing to specialized data visualization.

Your perfect design tool depends on your unique situation. Budget-conscious startups might love Penpot’s free, unlimited approach. Professional designers could find Figma’s advanced features worth the investment. Busy entrepreneurs who’d rather delegate than DIY might appreciate having professional designers handle their visual content. Social media managers may prefer VistaCreate’s speed and affordability.

The beauty of 2025’s design landscape is choice. You’re not stuck with one-size-fits-all solutions anymore. Whether you need basic graphics for Instagram posts or complex UI designs for a mobile app, there’s a tool built specifically for your needs at a price point that works for you.

Take advantage of free trials, test different interfaces, and don’t be afraid to use multiple tools for different purposes. Many successful creators and businesses use a combination of platforms to handle various design needs.

Remember, the best design tool is the one that actually fits your workflow and helps you create designs that connect with your audience. Some people thrive with DIY tools. Others would rather invest their time elsewhere and let professionals handle the visual work. Both approaches are valid.

Explore Your Options

The world of design tools offers more choices than ever. Whether you want to create designs yourself with powerful software or work with professional designers who handle everything, 2025 has an option that fits your needs.

For those interested in seeing what professional designers can create: Check out Penji’s portfolio to see examples of custom work, or compare different design approaches to understand which model works best for your business.

The right design solution can transform how your brand shows up in the world. Take time to explore what works for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free alternative to Canva?

Penpot is the best completely free alternative with no limitations on users, files, or features. It’s open source and offers professional-grade design tools at no cost. For simpler needs, Desygner and VistaCreate also offer generous free plans.

Which Canva alternative is best for beginners?

Adobe Express and VistaCreate are extremely beginner-friendly with intuitive interfaces similar to Canva. Snappa and Stencil are also great for beginners who need to create social media graphics quickly, with a minimal learning curve. If you don’t want to learn design software at all, services like Penji let you work with professional designers instead.

Can I use Figma instead of Canva?

Figma works differently from Canva and is better suited to UI/UX design than to general graphic design. If you’re designing websites, apps, or digital products, Figma is superior. For marketing graphics, social media posts, and general designs, stick with tools like Adobe Express or VistaCreate.

What’s the cheapest Canva alternative?

Penpot is completely free. Among paid options, Pixlr Plus costs only $2.49/month, making it the most affordable. Stencil at $9/ month, Snappa at $10/month, and Fotor at $10.99/month are also very budget-friendly compared to Canva’s $15/month.

Is Adobe Express better than Canva?

Adobe Express offers more powerful photo editing tools, better font selection, and works well with Adobe’s products. However, it has a steeper learning curve and fewer templates than Canva. If you need professional-quality editing and already use Adobe products, Adobe Express is a better choice. For ease of use and variety of templates, Canva still wins.

What design tool do professional designers use instead of Canva?

Professional designers typically use Figma for UI/UX work, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator for detailed design work, or work with graphic design services for specialized projects. Canva and its alternatives are generally used by non-designers or for quick, template-based designs.

Can I import my Canva designs to other platforms?

Most platforms don’t directly import Canva files, but you can export your Canva designs as PNG, JPG, or PDF files and then import those images into other tools. To recreate designs from scratch, you’ll need to rebuild them in your new platform.

Which tool is best for creating infographics?

Visme and Piktochart are specifically designed for creating infographics with powerful data visualization tools, chart customization, and specialized templates. Both significantly outperform Canva for data-heavy content and complex infographic designs.

Should I use a DIY design tool or hire designers?

It depends on your situation. DIY tools like Canva, Adobe Express, or Penpot work well if you enjoy design, have time to learn, and need occasional graphics. Professional design services make sense if you need consistent, high-quality work, want to save time, or need designs that look more polished than templates. Consider how much your time is worth and how important unique, professional designs are to your brand.