Canva is an online design and publishing tool that is one of the most talked about tools in the blogging world. If you are considering investing in a tool for your blog or business, Canva Pro is absolutely worth the cost.
I have been using Canva for over a year now, and after a few months of using it, I signed up for Canva Pro. Not once have I regretted that decision. If you’re curious as to what other tools I have invested in for my blog or business, you can read about them on my tools page.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
The 3 Versions of Canva
When you first sign up for Canva, you have 3 versions to choose from. The free version, is obviously free, and if you are just beginning to use the tool, or are just starting a blog, this is the best option. But, if you are looking for more, you are able to sign up for a trial period of Canva Pro. But, once you have the pro version, it is difficult to go back to the free version once your trial is up.
The third version available is Canva Enterprise. Unless you are running a business with multiple employees, you don’t need to worry about this plan.
Canva Pro Features
Canva Pro Features I Can’t Live Without
Remember how I said that once you try the pro version, it’s difficult to go back to the free version? I’m speaking from experience. Yes, the features available with the free version of Canva are great. But, it’s the little things that make the paid version worth the cost.
100 GB of Storage and Organization
If you are going to be using Canva for both business and personal use, organization is crucial. In the pro version, you have 100GB of storage for uploaded photos, and other projects.
Because at a minimum I make 5 graphics per blog post, on top of content for my clients, the extra storage makes a huge difference. But, to me the organization abilities make more of a difference. In the free version you are limited in how many folders and subfolders you can create. With the pro version, you can make as many as you’d like. This means I can be as specific as folders for each individual blog post, or platform. And, I can keep my blog pieces separate from my business’.
Editing Tools
The Magic Resize tool is such a simple thing, but it makes a huge difference for me. It just makes creating posts for multiple platforms more efficient. If I am working on a post for Instagram, I can make a copy of that post and resize it for another platform. And, you can do multiples in one click. Based on the new posts’ needed dimensions, you may have to adjust some elements, but you know you have the correct dimensions set. The Magic Resize tool is such a basic idea, but it saves you from one of the most tedious things about creating posts.
The background remover tool is a pro feature that enables you to (obviously) remove the background on any photo. The two images below are from my Instagram. To create them, I simply took a photo of my dog, and removed the background. Then, I applied it to a solid black post, and added the fun clip art to it. Are these posts cheesy? Absolutely. But, I can’t help but smile when I look at them.
Access to Templates, Designs, and Photos
With the pro version of canva, you gain access to over 420,000 templates and over 75 million stock photos, audio, video, and other graphic elements.
When you have the free version, you are still able to see all of these options, but are unable to use them. I admit, this does make a great selling tactic. I always saw templates and stock photos that I wanted to use, but couldn’t. Having the free version does give you a lot of options, but it does feel very limiting.
Obviously, I am all for the pro version. For me and what I use it for, Canva pro version is worth the cost. I highly recommend trying the free version for a month or two, and then using the free-trial month of the pro version. Make sure you are going to be getting your money’s worth.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
I absolutely love Canva. I went Pro two years ago even though I have Adobe Cloud because it just makes life so much easier. I love looking at all the templates for inspiration and then create something new. Thanks for sharing your insights!
It is such a great tool, plus it is so easy to use! Thanks for reading!
I signed up for Canva Pro after just one use of it because I knew it would be something I would use a lot, and I have used it almost every day since. So, I’ve been using it for years. I do have Photoshop and am adept with it but Canva Pro just makes everything so much easier and you save so much time. I really couldn’t be without it now! 😀
I completely agree! As soon as I used it for the first time, I knew it would be beneficial to pay for it. I didn’t do it immediately because I didn’t have the extra money at the time. When I did the pro trial I was hooked. Thanks for reading!
You read my mind! I have been debating investing in Canva Pro for quite a while now. I enjoy the free version and I use it all the time so I feel like it would probably be worth it, however, I am sooo particular with money. I am hesitant to spend any larger sum, even if it is on something I use frequently. I think my plan is to keep using the free version until I feel like I am running out of options (mostly with stock photos) and I need to go Pro. You are right, there are a ton of options with the free version too, but obviously, the paid has much more to offer. It is also super enticing seeing what I could be using if I had Pro- what a great sales tactic, as you said! Thanks for sharing this. You helped me understand why Pro is so beneficial.
Brianna – http://www.briannastrykerwrites.com
Thank you for such positive feedback! I really appreciate it!
I had a trial of Canva Pro & I loved it especially since I was able to use everything on the site, but I didn’t continue with the subscription since I felt like I wasn’t using it enough to get my money’s worth
That makes perfect sense. If I didn’t use it as much as I do then I would still be with the free version. It’s all about evaluating what works best for you. Thanks for reading!