10 Best Canva Alternatives 2026: Free & Professional Design Tools
By Itai Varochik | Updated February 19, 2026 | 3 min read
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1. figma: best for ui/ux design
Figma is the industry standard for interface design, prototyping, and design systems. Far more powerful than Canva for digital product design but requires design skills. Free for individuals, $15/editor/month for teams.
2. Adobe express: best Adobe ecosystem option
Adobe Express offers templates, stock photos, and brand management similar to Canva, with access to Adobe's creative cloud assets and Firefly AI image generation. Free tier available, Premium from $9.99/month.
3-10. more alternatives
Piktochart: Best for infographics ($14/month). Visme: Best for presentations and data viz ($12.25/month). Snappa: Best for quick social graphics ($10/month). VistaCreate: Best free Canva-like alternative. GIMP: Best free open-source image editor. Photopea: Best browser-based Photoshop ($5/month ad-free). Stencil: Best for blog graphics ($9/month). Pixlr: Best quick photo editing ($7.99/month).
How to choose
For professional UI/UX: Figma. For infographics: Piktochart. For free editing: GIMP or Photopea. For a Canva-like experience with different templates: VistaCreate. For Adobe ecosystem users: Adobe Express.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some free alternatives to Canva for graphic design?
Several excellent free alternatives to Canva include GIMP for photo editing, Inkscape for vector graphics, and Photopea, which offers a familiar interface similar to Adobe Photoshop directly in your browser. Krita is another strong contender, especially for digital painting and illustration.
Are there professional design tools similar to Canva but with more advanced features?
Yes, professional designers often turn to tools like Adobe Creative Cloud applications, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, for their advanced capabilities. Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo also provide powerful, one-time purchase alternatives that rival Adobe's offerings.
Which Canva alternative is best for creating social media graphics?
For social media graphics, Snappa and Crello (now VistaCreate) are strong alternatives to Canva. They both offer extensive libraries of templates, stock photos, and easy-to-use drag-and-drop interfaces specifically tailored for various social media platforms.
Can I find a Canva alternative that focuses on video editing?
While Canva has some video features, dedicated video editing alternatives include DaVinci Resolve, which offers professional-grade editing, color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production. Lightworks is another robust option for video editing projects.
What is the best Canva alternative for vector-based designs?
For vector-based designs, Inkscape is a powerful free and open-source alternative to Canva, offering professional-grade vector editing tools. Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer are premium options that provide industry-standard features for creating scalable vector graphics.
Are there any Canva alternatives that don't require a subscription?
Yes, some excellent Canva alternatives operate on a one-time purchase model or are completely free. Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo offer powerful tools with a single purchase, while GIMP and Inkscape are free and open-source software.
How does Photopea compare to Canva for photo editing?
Photopea is a robust online photo editor that closely mimics the interface and functionality of Adobe Photoshop, making it a powerful alternative to Canva for advanced image manipulation. It supports a wide range of file formats and offers sophisticated editing tools directly in your web browser.
Which Canva alternative is good for beginners in graphic design?
For beginners, tools like VistaCreate (formerly Crello) and Snappa offer user-friendly interfaces and abundant templates, making them easy to pick up and use for graphic design. Their drag-and-drop functionality and pre-designed elements simplify the creation process, similar to Canva.