Adobe Express vs. Canva

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Adobe Express
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
The vendor states Adobe Spark allows users to create beautiful graphics, web pages, and video stories in minutes, offering free themes, fonts, and images, as well as editing. Imagery assembled or created can be presented through Spark Post, Spark Page, and Spark Video. Adobe Spark is available through a Creative Cloud subscription, free with the Starter Plan, or on a single product license via the Team or Individual plan.
$0
Canva
Score 9.2 out of 10
N/A
Canva is a popular, simple online graphic design tool. Users can import images, use templates to design banners and logos, or pay to use Canva's premium stock images/paid templates (elements starting at $1).
$12.95
per month
Pricing
Adobe ExpressCanva
Editions & Modules
Free
$0.00
Premium
$9.99 / $99.99
Monthly / Annual, prepaid
Pro
$12.95
per month
Enterprise
$30.00
Per Month Per User
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Adobe ExpressCanva
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Adobe ExpressCanva
Considered Both Products
Adobe Express
Chose Adobe Express
Canva has more free templates than Adobe Creative Cloud Express. The content planner option in Canva makes it different from Adobe Creative Cloud Express. Canva has a more easy-to-understand interface. We can use Canva on any device but Adobe Creative Cloud Express Post is only …
Chose Adobe Express
Adobe Creative Cloud Express was chosen for us by somebody else in the organization, but I still really like it. Though I do like Canva, I'm so used to Adobe Creative Cloud Express now I'd never go back. We used to use Animoto (free version) and I do miss some of the …
Chose Adobe Express
While I think Adobe Creative Cloud Express and Canva are actually pretty similar, I find that kids tend to see Adobe Creative Cloud Express as a little more manageable and less overwhelming. Graphic design can be a little scary, and I think Adobe Creative Cloud Express does a …
Chose Adobe Express
They both have great ease of use. More recently, Adobe changed something in its interface that created a small but consistently aggravating inconvenience, so Canva may be better in that aspect. The platform for Canva has great UX in my opinion. Adobe Creative Cloud Express …
Chose Adobe Express
I prefer Adobe Creative Cloud Express to Canva for the back-end interface. To me, Adobe Creative Cloud Express is more user-friendly and provides greater options. You really do get what you pay for. I was also able to learn how to use Adobe Creative Cloud Express with little to …
Chose Adobe Express
Adobe Creative Cloud Express uses layers which is closer to the very widely used Adobe PhotoShop. Its integration with Adobe PhotoShop made it more familiar to use. But overall [in my opinion], Canva has more options of elements and effects.
Chose Adobe Express
I used Canva for a long time, but since we already had the Adobe Creative Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud Express was included, I went ahead and started using Adobe Creative Cloud Express, as it was more cost-effective. Unfortunately, Adobe Creative Cloud Express doesn't offer …
Chose Adobe Express
Adobe Creative Cloud Express offers greater versatility in creating, including video, images, and pages. Access to Adobe content will take your creativity to new levels and this alone makes Adobe Creative Cloud Express stand out and above the rest. Finally, the apps are …
Chose Adobe Express
Adobe Creative Cloud Express is easier to use than almost every other graphics program I’ve used. Those that are as simple, or simpler, do not produce creations with as professional and creative looks as Adobe Creative Cloud Express does.
Chose Adobe Express
We use Adobe Creative Cloud Express in addition to all of the above, depending on the project. It stacks up extremely well against all other products, except Premiere Pro on the video side (obviously). In the area that we use it most - for the on the fly social media - it is …
Canva
Chose Canva
Canva is cost Effective as compared to Adobe Express
Canva does not lag at all while Adobe Express frame rate drops sometimes
Canva has collaboration feature while adobe misses out with this
Chose Canva
Canva is faster and easy to use. There aren't complex menus like Adobe products and everything is generally intuitive. Menus are mostly open and visible or relatively small. Small changes to the program add to it's usability rather than detract. I also appreciate that Canva …
Chose Canva
Canva has a great interface with easier instruction. The software is loaded with tons of templates & features which helps to create great designs easily & super fast than the alternative tools available. Anyone with basic skills can be a Canva expert within a few days & access …
Chose Canva
Clear and objective interface, ease of use. A clear and objective interface provides the user with a lot of freedom to create the content they want and use their creativity to their advantage during the construction of the most diverse models of newsletters, cards, invitations, …
Chose Canva
Canva is much easier to use. I've never been able to figure out any of the Adobe products. They're just not user-friendly from my experience.
Chose Canva
I have InDesign but have struggled to become proficient with it. Canva is a more cost-effective and user-friendly alternative. Our designer still works in InDesign and for a designer, it has superior features, but to get some projects completed quickly with higher quality, …
Chose Canva
PicMonkey does not provide a free option, and its template library is less than Canva's. Both platforms have a simple user interface and are suitable for beginners. Canva, on the other hand, provides more comprehensive tools for producing graphics for social media, …
Chose Canva
Canva has a special niche when it comes to stacking up against the products that I listed above. When it comes to learning curve, with Canva, there is virtually no learning curve; the interface of Canva is easy for any user. Where I reach my limit with Canva is that it …
Chose Canva
Crello has more 3d templates [and] has more color gradients. It is [premium and] most of the features are the same as Canva, so it's not a hard thing [to use]. I am using one more tool to overcome the limited feature of Crello and it is [PhotoADKing]. [PhotoADKing] has more …
Chose Canva
Years ago, I used to use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. My old job paid for them and some basic design classes, but I was mostly self-taught. And there was a steep learning curve on those programs since they are used by professional designers. So, it made perfect sense when Ad…
Top Pros
Top Cons
TrustRadius Insights
Adobe ExpressCanva
Highlights

TrustRadius
Research Team Insight
Published

Customers for both Adobe Express and Canva frequently use these platforms for graphic design purposes. Reviewers have pointed out that both platforms are widely used in creating social media posts, website banners, infographics, and digital advertisements due to their vast selection of templates and easy-to-use interfaces. However, Adobe Express customers have also mentioned using this tool to edit and enhance photos with its range of photo editing features, while Canva customers have highlighted its use in designing presentations and printable materials such as flyers and posters.

 

The platforms’ features and tools often dictate their specific uses by the customers. Many Adobe Express users have pointed to the wide array of filters, effects, and advanced editing tools in using it for more sophisticated and professional graphic designs and photo editing. On the other hand, customers of Canva appreciate its drag-and-drop functionality and the diverse library of pre-made designs, images, and fonts which make it a preferred tool for those looking for simplicity, speed, and convenience in creating visually appealing content.

 

Regarding the user base, both products cater to a diverse set of customers. Adobe Express, with its advanced features, is consistently used by professional photographers, digital artists, and graphic designers. Canva, with its simplicity, appeals to a broader audience, including entrepreneurs, educators, students, and also professional designers who need to quickly generate creative content. While both tools can be used by experts and beginners alike, reviewers note that Adobe Express seems to lean more towards a user base with a certain level of technical expertise in photo editing and graphic design, whereas Canva is widely used by those who value convenience and speed for their design needs.

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Adobe ExpressCanva
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Descript
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Score 9.0 out of 10
CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
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Score 9.5 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
iMovie
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Score 9.1 out of 10
GIMP
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Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
Adobe Premiere Pro
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Score 9.0 out of 10
GIMP
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Score 9.1 out of 10
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User Ratings
Adobe ExpressCanva
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(29 ratings)
8.7
(173 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(7 ratings)
Usability
9.4
(10 ratings)
9.2
(12 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
7.9
(10 ratings)
6.9
(15 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
9.5
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Professional Services
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Adobe ExpressCanva
Likelihood to Recommend
Adobe
I would recommend Adobe CC Express, especially if the colleague were an established Adobe user. The interface is designed so that anyone familiar with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, or any other Adobe software products, will be familiar. This is a product that competes with Canva, but it's great to have the simplicity of Canva with an interface that feels familiar from day one.
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Canva
I would say that Canva is best suited for beginner and Novice level applications. If you're an experienced designer, there's definitely no point in using Canva as it's developed for designers entering the field. OR, if you want to experience that flexibility while you designing and let the creativity flow, You shouldn't consider Canva as your Choice. If you feel like delivering quick and not spend your time on deciding on 'How to Design', then you should go for Canva.
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Pros
Adobe
  • Out-of-the-box templates save a lot of time and effort for designers and new users.
  • Collaboration to share resources and monitor task status centrally.
  • Great design elements bring a wow factor to digital content.
  • Single design tool for all types of content design.
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Canva
  • Provides readily accessible approved fonts and colors for our university publications.
  • A great selection of templates to select from.
  • Lots of resources for design, like photos, clip art, backgrounds, and other design elements.
  • The ability to share your design with others at the university.
  • The ability to download your design as a png, pdf, jpg, svg, even MP4 video or gif.
  • Easy to edit and alter the design and not lose what you had by creating clones of previous designs and then make the changes.
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Cons
Adobe
  • Adobe Creative Cloud Express's video possibilities could be improved - I'd really like to see more options for animating text. Animoto is a great example of this. But the video is already improving, so perhaps these options are coming!
  • Sometimes images don't download properly from the web app and I have to download using the phone app and then transfer to my desktop for scheduling.
  • It would be cool if there was an approve / feedback option, so you could request feedback from a team member without having to share a link and send a separate email.
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Canva
  • Some pretty basic fonts are missing from the database, which proves to be annoying when trying to stay on brand
  • Pre-grouping sections of templates can be a hassle to figure out
  • Creating your own template from scratch can have it's hiccups, but that could be my lack of design experience.
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Likelihood to Renew
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Canva
The ease of use makes Canva a powerful tool for manipulating images, creating original content, and testing ideas without requiring the involvement of graphic design or more time-intensive image editing software such as Photoshop. While it doesn't have the full functionality of a mature software, such as Photoshop, The speed and simplicity of Canva makes it a necessity in a business of any size
Read full review
Usability
Adobe
The overall usability of the software was strong. The application, especially relative to other Adobe services like Photoshop that can demand a lot of knowledge and skill, was highly easy to use. At the same time, that also speaks to the somewhat limited amount of customization opportunities that allow content designers to truly create content that is dynamic, engaging, and different than the standard stuff that floods our vision every day.
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Canva
It is super easy to use, but it could be limiting if you're on a small device. It is easier on a bigger device because you can resize graphics and text easier than with your fingers on a small device. I do think it's perfect and easy for non-designers who don't have any training. As long as you have a good eye for visuals, Canva is a wonderful substitute for graphics programs on-the-go.
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Reliability and Availability
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Canva
I have yet to encounter Canva being offline in at least 6 years of using it regularly. They also announce well in advance if there may be upgrades to the code and the hours during which there may be issues accessing the service.
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Performance
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Canva
I haven't ever had issues with a slow-loading site and there haven't been any lag issues within the software. There have been maybe a handful of times over the past six years where I have tried to upload a large image and it will slow down as it loads the last megabyte, but I have yet to have the system time out or require any interference by me
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Support Rating
Adobe
Because adobe is so widespread the community support is amazing. I have never actually used adobe support short of their website, but I go to youtube a lot to get my questions answered. You can google any problem you have and not have any issues finding an answer. In my opinion, community support is much more meaningful and helpful than support directly from the company
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Canva
Overall, Canva is easy to use, easy to train others to use, allows for creativity with a professional look without enormous associated costs. The mobile apps works almost as easily, but at a minimum allows for easy review and downloading in a pinch. Really, anyone can learn to use Canva quickly and will immediately benefit from the results.
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Implementation Rating
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Canva
Remember to download the mobile app onto your phone for easy image manipulation on the go. Adding company colors, logos, and typefaces to your company account is an easy process. When images are uploaded, these can also be shared between accounts within a company, as can canvases you've created for easy editing among teams.
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Alternatives Considered
Adobe
I used Canva for a long time, but since we already had the Adobe Creative Suite and Adobe Creative Cloud Express was included, I went ahead and started using Adobe Creative Cloud Express, as it was more cost-effective. Unfortunately, Adobe Creative Cloud Express doesn't offer any content calendar and scheduling, so it was a difficult choice.
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Canva
Canva is faster and easy to use. There aren't complex menus like Adobe products and everything is generally intuitive. Menus are mostly open and visible or relatively small. Small changes to the program add to it's usability rather than detract. I also appreciate that Canva helps the user become more creative through use. By giving you editable examples through templates you can choose to re-design something ir create something from scratch w/ a similar concept or feel. Canva often gives me ideas that I can implement into my design or into the entire project even. I also like how Canva is intuitive in it's approach. The program gives you suggestions when it comes to graphics, etc. without getting in your way if you know what you already want
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Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Adobe
Adobe Creative Cloud Express is included with an Adobe Creative Cloud account. Our company has a corporate team membership so it is nice to have a professional and powerful tool that anyone on our team can use for free. The pricing structure of giving the tool away for free will be fundamental to users utilizing the tool. Similar tools, such as Canva, cost significantly more but do not offer the same features
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Canva
No answers on this topic
Scalability
Adobe
No answers on this topic
Canva
Very easy to add accounts and share content between them. Collaboration is also easy to manage and can be done on a project-by-project basis. The cloud-based software means it is incredibly fast to add a coworker and have them editing images within minutes. A live internet connection is required to access Canva so this is something to consider if expecting to use the software while on journeys without access to wifi etc
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Professional Services
Adobe
The professional services for Adobe Creative Cloud Express is top notch and should be highly commended. I am thoroughly impressed with how far Adobe has come. In the past, I had several issues with how something were handled, but in the past few years things have been better than ever and they get no complaints from me
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Canva
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Adobe
  • I started with the free version, but I soon found that I was unable to save my custom templates.
  • With the paid plan, The number of templates and art work are greatly increased.
  • Using this subscription was a timesaver, thus saving in creative time.
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Canva
  • As far as ROI is concerned, Canva has proven itself time and time again as having a positive impact for business.
  • Just yesterday, I had to prepare an hour-long presentation on the fly; the great reviews of the presentation and the materials (all made in Canva) only served to advertise for Canva and it proves that Canva is a smart investment.
  • I don't think in the time that I have been a Canva pro user that I can say that my ROI has been negatively impacted. Highest recommendation. The software more the casually pays for itself time and time again.
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ScreenShots

Adobe Express Screenshots

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