The best Canva alternatives in 2026 (free and paid)
The best Canva alternatives for social graphics, presentations, infographics and AI design, including free options.
- Best overall alternative: Adobe Express. Templates, Adobe Firefly AI and Adobe Fonts in an easy editor with a free plan.
- Best for infographics and reports: Piktochart. Purpose-built templates for infographics, reports and visual data, with AI generation.
- Best free photo editor: Pixlr. Browser-based photo editing and design with AI tools and a free tier.
- Best for quick AI edits: Fotor. One-click AI photo enhancement, background removal and simple design templates.
- Best for presentations: Visme. Interactive presentations, charts and branded documents for teams.
Canva is popular for good reason, but it is not the best tool for every job. Some people want stronger photo editing, some need infographics and data visualisation, and some want more distinctive design than Canva's templates.
These alternatives cover those gaps. Most have a free plan, so you can try your next social post or presentation in two or three of them and keep the one that suits you.
Some links in this guide are affiliate links, so we may earn a commission if you sign up. It never affects which tools we recommend.
How to choose a Canva alternative
- What you make most: social posts, presentations, infographics, photos or print
- Template quality in your niche
- AI features: image generation, background removal, text-to-design
- Brand kit support for logos, colours and fonts
- Team sharing and approval if you work with others
The best Canva alternatives
| # | Tool | Best for | Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adobe Express | Small businesses | From $9.99/mo | 8.4 |
| 2 | Piktochart | HR and comms teams | From $14/mo | 7.4 |
| 3 | Pixlr | Students | Free plan | 7.4 |
| 4 | Fotor | Beginners | From $8.99/mo | 7.6 |
| 5 | Visme | Marketing teams | From $12.25/mo | 7.9 |
| 6 | Microsoft Designer | Small businesses | Free plan | 7.6 |
| 7 | Kittl | Print-on-demand sellers | Free plan | 8.1 |
| 8 | Picsart | Content creators | Free plan | 8.0 |
| 9 | VistaCreate | Small businesses | Free plan | 7.0 |
| 10 | Figma | Product designers | From $16/mo | 9.4 |
Adobe Express
Quick content creation with Adobe Firefly AI. Adobe Express is a template-based design app for social posts, flyers, videos and documents, featuring Firefly generative AI for images, text effects and editing. It is Adobe's answer to Canva for non-designers.
Why we like it: Integrates with Adobe assets and Firefly. Commercially safe generative AI.
Watch out for: Smaller template library than Canva.
Piktochart
AI infographics, reports and visual one-pagers. Piktochart is a visual communication tool for infographics, reports, presentations and one-pagers, with an AI generator that drafts visuals from prompts. It is used by HR, comms and nonprofit teams.
Why we like it: Easy for non-designers. Strong for internal comms visuals.
Watch out for: Limited downloads on free plan.
Pixlr
Browser-based photo editor with AI features. Pixlr is a free browser-based photo editing and design suite with AI tools such as generative fill, background removal and image generation. It is a lightweight alternative to desktop editors.
Why we like it: Runs in the browser with no install. Familiar Photoshop-like interface.
Watch out for: Ads on free plan.
Fotor
Easy online photo editor with AI tools. Fotor is an online photo editor and design tool with AI enhancement, background removal, object removal, AI headshots and image generation. It is designed for beginners and small businesses.
Why we like it: Beginner-friendly. Many AI tools in one place.
Watch out for: Ads and watermarks on free plan.
Visme
Presentations, infographics and documents with AI. Visme is a visual content platform for presentations, infographics, reports and interactive content, with an AI designer and writer. It is used by marketing, education and corporate teams.
Why we like it: Wide range of content types. Strong data visualisation.
Watch out for: Interface can feel busy.
Microsoft Designer
Microsoft's AI graphic design app. Microsoft Designer creates social posts, invitations and graphics from prompts, with AI image generation and editing tools. It is integrated with Microsoft 365 and Copilot.
Why we like it: Free with a Microsoft account. Quick results for simple graphics.
Watch out for: Limited advanced controls.
Kittl
AI-powered design for print, merch and brand graphics. Kittl is a browser-based graphic design platform with strong typography, templates and AI image and vector generation. It is popular for print-on-demand, merch, logos and illustration work.
Our take: A strong choice for distinctive typography and merch designs, where Canva's templates can look generic.
Why we like it: Great typography and illustration tools. Commercial-use templates.
Watch out for: Smaller ecosystem than Canva.
Picsart
All-in-one photo and design editor with AI tools. Picsart is a popular photo and video editing platform with AI features such as background removal, AI enhance, generative tools and templates. It serves creators, small businesses and casual users across mobile and web.
Why we like it: Huge range of tools and templates. Large user community.
Watch out for: Many features gated behind subscription.
VistaCreate
Template-based graphic design from VistaPrint. VistaCreate (formerly Crello) is a template-based design tool with AI features like background removal and image generation, tied to VistaPrint for printing. It is aimed at small businesses.
Why we like it: Large template library. Direct VistaPrint printing.
Watch out for: Less AI depth than Canva.
Figma
Collaborative interface design with built-in AI. Figma is the leading collaborative design tool for UI/UX, prototyping and design systems, with AI features such as First Draft, Figma Make for prompt-to-app prototypes, and asset search. It is used by product teams of all sizes.
Our take: More of a professional design tool than a Canva replacement, but ideal if you design websites or apps.
Why we like it: Industry standard for product design. Real-time collaboration.
Watch out for: AI features are credit-limited.
How we chose
We shortlisted tools by reputation, reader interest and real-world usefulness, then scored each one on output quality, ease of use, features and value, using the same review process we apply to every tool on the site.
FAQ
What is the best free alternative to Canva?
Adobe Express, Microsoft Designer and Pixlr all have useful free plans. Adobe Express is the closest match to Canva's template-led approach.
Is Adobe Express better than Canva?
It is better if you want Adobe Fonts, Firefly AI and easy hand-off to Photoshop. Canva has a larger template library and more collaboration features.
What is better than Canva for infographics?
Piktochart and Visme are built for infographics, reports and data visuals, with chart tools Canva lacks.
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