You have been considering the possibility of using Canva for some of your graphic design and web needs but have heard that it can be a difficult platform to use. Now you are wondering why Canva is so hard to use and if you should still keep it on the table as a viable option to promote your business or brand.

Keep reading to learn what professional graphic designers say about Canva and the reasons why it can be so hard to use in some situations.

Why Use Canva?

Before we begin it is important for you to know that Canva is a great design platform if you:  

• Do not have a lot of graphic design experience, especially with web-based platforms

• Do not have a lot of time to spend creating new designs and need something quick

• Are not concerned about creating a look that completely sets you apart from others

In ways, the Canva platform is easy to use with its drag-and-drop method of design. It can be useful for social media, educational content, or start-up businesses trying to gain a following.

Many people use the Canva design platform because it can be used to quickly bring awareness to a business, brand, or particular charity.

Beyond that, it can be a true designer’s nightmare and the following section will explain why.

Reasons Why Canva Is So Hard To Use

If you ask a professional graphic designer what they think about the Canva design platform you may be met with a few eye rolls. Most professional graphic designers have worked very hard to reach their level of success in their profession.

Now multiple easy-to-use web-based design platforms are popping up adding to the competition with Canva being one of the top rivals. Although it claims to be user-friendly the list below explains why it can be so hard to use Canva.

1. Vector-Based Vs. Raster Graphics

One of the main reasons why it can be so hard to use Canva is that they do not use vector-based graphics.

Canva uses raster graphics which means that images created in this format are not scaleable. The more you enlarge a raster graphic the more pixelated it becomes so it loses its original quality and makes your design look unprofessional.

If you are creating original logo designs it is important that you use a vector-based program so it can be scaled to any size. Creating your logo using the Canva templates means you are limited on its size and usage. 

2. Limited Access Reduces Productivity

A large reason it can be so hard to use Canva is that it is a completely web-based design platform. This means that if they are performing maintenance on the website or if it is down for whatever reason you are locked out.

When Canva is not working, neither are you; this can be extremely frustrating and cause issues with deadlines or timely posting of content. With Canva you cannot save any of your designs on your hard drive.

They are all saved to the Canva cloud where they are closely monitored. Additionally, if you are working on a design and have not backed it up to the Canva database it can be lost if they encounter any issues and you have to start all over.

The lack of local file storage gives Canva more control over the ownership and usage of each design that is created via their services. Good for them, not so much for the designer, especially if they wish to share it more broadly to gain recognition.

3. Difficult To Be Distinctive

The main part of being a designer is that you want to stand out from the crowd. You want to be distinctive so that people recognize your work the second they look at it. With the Canva design platform, it is almost impossible to exude any individuality.

The reason for this is that there are a certain number of designs to choose from. Although there are many combinations of colors, templates, and ways of positioning images on the page you will notice that after a while, everyone’s websites start to look the same.

The lack of scalability of the images also makes Canva harder to use because trying to enlarge images will reduce the quality of your overall design.

4. Limited Photo Editing Options

Canva does offer some basic tools for making minor adjustments to photographs however they fade in comparison to other vector-based programs like those created by Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

If you are serious about the quality of photographs in your design it is hard to edit them using the Canva web-based design platform.

5. Legal Issues – Ownership and Usage Limitations

When you take the time to create a design whether it be a business log or graphics for a webpage you expect that the design belongs to you. Since Canva is a free design platform if you are not using the Pro version it gives them more rights to your work.

Free is great if you are on a tight budget, but it can cost you in the long run if you are not careful. If you are using the Canva platform think again; anything created on the Canva platform is subject to ownership rights by the website. Many rules and restrictions must be followed closely or they take legal action.

You also need to be careful of how where you share the content you have created on the Canva platform and how many times you share it with others. If you exceed their limit you will also be subject to legal implications.

Level of Difficulty is a Matter of Perspective

When it comes to Canva, it is not necessarily hard to use for simple drag-and-drop design tasks as mentioned above. For truly professional and unique designs that are scalable and can be shared without fear of legal action, it is best to use a vector-based program where you have control of what is happening with your design.