Canva is the go-to online design app for non-designers, and for many people it has become the default way to make anything visual. You pick from millions of templates — social posts, presentations, videos, documents, websites, print and more — and customize them in a simple drag-and-drop editor that runs in the browser and on desktop and mobile apps.
Its AI features, grouped under Magic Studio, include:
- Text-to-image and AI design generation
- Background Remover and Magic Eraser
- Magic Resize to reformat designs for different platforms
- AI writing and editing tools
Canva also covers video editing, presentations, whiteboards, simple websites and printing, and it offers real-time collaboration, Brand Kits and a large library of apps and integrations.
The free plan is permanent and generous, with a large template library, one Brand Kit and a monthly AI allowance. Pro, at about $18 per month on monthly billing (less annually), unlocks the full premium library, Background Remover, Magic Resize and more AI credits. Business, at about $25 per user per month, adds shared brand controls and admin tools.
The downsides of popularity are that templates are widely recognized, and advanced designers may find it limiting compared with professional software. For all-round everyday design by non-designers, though, Canva remains the benchmark.
