Canva

Used by millions worldwide and with an impressive number of downloads on mobile devices, Canva is an outstanding design tool. From simple photo editing to creating social media content, marketing materials or even videos, you can do it all with this application. Canva provides the templates, the visual support, the editing tools and the editor itself, all bundled in a single package, ready to help you deliver stunning visuals with a minimum effort.

While many like using Canva on the go on their mobile devices, there is also a desktop edition available for Windows. The working space and the environment of Canva for desktop is similar to the mobile one. The layout is intuitive and there is no need for prior experience to use it. You can easily swap between images, templates and fonts to create the perfect design for social media, personal projects or marketing campaigns.

The power of Canva relies in its extensive list of diverse templates, free photos, graphics and fonts, with an impressive number of alternatives even in the cost-free edition. If you opt for the Pro edition, you get even more templates, alongside access to premium stock photos and other media content. The support is there, all you have to do is add your own dose of creativity to make your design stand out.

Let’s talk a bit about the work flow and the user experience. You begin by choosing one of the many available design types: social media posts, videos, posters, logos, collages, presentations, cards and invitations, documents, covers, infographics, resumes, and the list does not end here. Of course, you can also opt for a custom-size layout.

If you are not sure what you want to create, you can perform a search in Canva’s library. Just type in a relevant keyword and enjoy browsing through the diverse list of results. Access to the Canva library is preserved even when you use the editor. There is a side panel that hosts dozens of design suggestions.

Objects can be freely manipulated using the mouse and the text can be edited or added effects and animations. New graphics, media content, elements (charts, backgrounds, audio, video), as well as text headings, subheadings and ready-made text with combined fonts can be easily inserted into your design. Moreover, media can also be uploaded from your computer and, thanks to various app integrations in Canva, you can also import content from third-party content sharing apps, such as YouTube, Pixabay, Google Maps, Instagram, Dropbox, and many, many more. And, if you need the support of your design team, know thata Canva allows collaboration on a design.

The designs you create in Canva are automatically stored in the cloud, with the free plan offering 5GB of storage. Alternatively, you can share them with others, post them online directly (e.g. on social media platforms), or save them locally. To resume editing, you need access to your Canva account, as there is no local file storage.

One interesting feature of Canva is its option to print your design on textiles, mugs and other objects that can be personalized, or on paper, directly from Canva.

Once you experiment for a while with Canva, you might simply fall in love with it. The amount of resources it offers even in the cost-free edition is impressive, especially for creating marketing content.

It very much seems like you do not need to have experience with using the application itself, but more to have an eye for stylish designs, color matching, combining elements and so on. In other words, creativity is the only limit with Canva at hand.