Canva excels as a beginner-friendly design tool with 500K+ templates and AI features starting at free, while Figma is a professional-grade collaborative design platform built for UX/UI teams with real-time co-editing and advanced prototyping, starting at $12/month per editor.
Canva vs Figma — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Web-based design platform with drag-and-drop templates for non-designers to create marketing materials.
Cloud-based collaborative design and prototyping platform with real-time multiplayer editing.
Primary Use Case. Learning Curve. Template Library. Real-Time Collaboration. Prototyping Capabilities. AI-Powered Features. Pricing Model
Choose Canva if you need quick, beautiful designs for social media, marketing materials, or presentations without a steep learning curve—its massive template library and AI tools make it ideal for non-designers. Choose Figma if you're a UX/UI designer or product team needing professional-grade prototyping, real-time collaboration, and design system management to support iterative product development.
Canva: Native (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Yes (generous free tier) | Figma: Yes (full collaborative design)
Canva: $3.3-4.0 billion | Figma: $1.36-1.37 billion
Canva: $42 billion (private) | Figma: $10.53-13.8 billion (public)
Canva: ~12.7x | Figma: 9x-35x (varies by metric)
Canva: Private (IPO candidate 2026) | Figma: Public (NASDAQ: FIG)
Canva: Estimated 10-15% | Figma: 14-15% (non-GAAP)
Canva: ~25-30% (estimated) | Figma: ~40%
Canva: SMB, Enterprise Content Creation | Figma: Enterprise Design Teams
Canva: Basic team features | Figma: Advanced multiplayer editing
Canva: Unlimited access to templates | Figma: N/A
Canva: $13 (or free plan available) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 7+ (adds Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn Stories) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Basic only in Canva Teams | Figma: N/A
Canva: 1-month calendar (Canva Teams only) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Yes (limited templates, no Brand Kit) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Yes—Magic Write generates captions & copy | Figma: N/A
Canva: 8+ platforms via integrations | Figma: N/A
Canva: 5 team members (Canva Teams) | Figma: N/A
Canva: No (external tools required) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Limited (no social caption AI) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Full video editing suite included | Figma: N/A
Canva: Unlimited designs (templates only) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Instant (0-2 seconds) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 71% (Canva AI variations) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Beginner/None (drag-and-drop) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 2-5 (select template, edit) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Advanced (real-time co-editing, permissions) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 4.7/5 (2.8M reviews) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Text-to-image, magic edit, object removal | Figma: N/A
Canva: Basic transitions/effects | Figma: Good prototyping animations; not production-ready
Canva: Basic (colors, fonts, logos) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Limited collaboration on Teams plan | Figma: N/A
Canva: 100M+ photos, 1M+ icons, 500K+ music tracks | Figma: N/A
Canva: 1,000,000+ (photos, videos, music) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Yes - full multi-user editing, comments, version history | Figma: N/A
Canva: 5+ (Magic Design, Eraser, BG Remover, Text-to-Image, Magic Expand) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Yes - Windows and Mac | Figma: N/A
Canva: None; static presentations only | Figma: N/A
Canva: Limited; view-only or restricted editing | Figma: N/A
Canva: Web, iOS, Android (full features everywhere) | Figma: Web browser + Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Canva: Canva Free with 5,000+ templates and assets | Figma: N/A
Canva: 3-5 concurrent (depends on plan) | Figma: N/A
Canva: $13/month (annual billing) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 20+ (PNG, PDF, MP4, SVG, PPT, DOCX, GIF, WebP) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 150+ million monthly active users | Figma: N/A
Canva: 100+ million integrated | Figma: N/A
Canva: Limited (web-based only) | Figma: Read-only after 30 days; requires internet for editing
Canva: 3 (Background removal, Magic Edit, Generative templates) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 250,000+ | Figma: 5,000 (community)
Canva: 0.25-0.5 hours (15-30 minutes) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Yes (real-time co-editing) | Figma: Unlimited, all editor tiers
Canva: No (browser-based + mobile apps) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Basic (limited layer control) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Limited (approx. 50-100 per design) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 15+ formats (PNG, JPG, PDF, SVG, GIF, MP4, PPTX) | Figma: Figma native format, exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, CSS, JSON
Canva: Unlimited (free tier with limitations) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 250,000+ ready-made templates | Figma: N/A
Canva: Web-based (requires internet connection) | Figma: N/A
Canva: 5GB free (100GB Pro) | Figma: 0GB (Figma Projects only)
Canva: 100+ million (integrated in free tier) | Figma: 0 (third-party integrations available)
Canva: Basic: filters, adjustments, magic edit | Figma: N/A
Canva: Used by 60% of non-designers | Figma: N/A
Canva: Basic (trim, cut, transitions, filters) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Limited (basic file import) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Unlimited designs, basic templates, Magic Write/Edit, 5GB storage | Figma: 3 files maximum, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, browser-based
Canva: 500,000+ | Figma: 50,000+ community templates
Canva: Limited to 1 active editor per document | Figma: 10+ simultaneous editors with live cursors
Canva: Basic transitions and animations only | Figma: Interactions, conditional logic, component states, animations, flows
Canva: Basic brand kits and color palettes | Figma: Components, variables, tokens, auto-layout, design tokens management
Canva: Magic Write (text), Magic Edit (image), text-to-image, background remover | Figma: Limited AI—mostly design optimization and naming suggestions
Canva: $13/month | Figma: $12/month (Editor)
Canva: Basic (shapes, limited curves) | Figma: Professional (boolean ops, advanced paths)
Canva: None—static designs only | Figma: Full (interactions, animations, variants)
Canva: 1,000,000+ photos + 100k tracks | Figma: None (external sources required)
Canva: 6 (Magic Design, Background Remover, Magic Expand, etc.) | Figma: N/A
Canva: Layer-based, simplified | Figma: N/A
Canva: Limited (5-10% functionality) | Figma: N/A
Canva: N/A | Figma: Built-in real-time collaboration
Canva: N/A | Figma: Sites CMS beta (200 items)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Variables, components, tokens
Canva: N/A | Figma: Requires external hosting
Canva: N/A | Figma: Dev Mode with inspection
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited (per plan)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Cloud-only, no self-hosting
Canva: N/A | Figma: Voice-to-text, Make controls, question cards, design suggestions
Canva: N/A | Figma: 5,000+ plugins and integrations
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited with live cursors
Canva: N/A | Figma: Master Variables with full version control
Canva: N/A | Figma: Limited (separate ecosystem)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Voice-to-text, Make features, automation
Canva: N/A | Figma: Browser-dependent, can slow with 1000+ frames
Monthly Subscription Cost (Single Editor)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Canva: N/A | Figma: Performance issues above 2GB
Canva: N/A | Figma: Limited offline, primarily cloud-based
Canva: N/A | Figma: Advanced design specs, Dev Mode, code generation
Canva: N/A | Figma: Intermediate (basic flows, transitions)
Canva: N/A | Figma: 500+ (performance degrades)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Generous (3 projects, 2GB)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors
Starter Plan Monthly Cost (Annual Billing)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Four-tier with seat types (Full, Dev, Collab)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Industry-leading precision tools
Canva: N/A | Figma: Excellent for design workflows
Canva: N/A | Figma: Basic design assistance
Canva: N/A | Figma: 15+ concurrent editors (unlimited)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Advanced variables system with 20+ variant combinations per component
Canva: N/A | Figma: 71% among design teams
Canva: N/A | Figma: Advanced auto-animate, conditional logic, 35+ interaction types
Canva: N/A | Figma: 30 days of version history
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited (draft-based)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Community plugins only
Canva: N/A | Figma: Enterprise-grade (variants, tokens, documentation)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Yes (100% browser-native)
Canva: N/A | Figma: $12/month (Figma Starter) or $80/month (Professional)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
Canva: N/A | Figma: Yes; built-in with live cursors, comments, and activity tracking
Canva: N/A | Figma: Limited (browser-dependent)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Yes, full features for 1 file
Canva: N/A | Figma: Web + macOS + Windows + iPad
Canva: N/A | Figma: Shared libraries with variants
Canva: N/A | Figma: Advanced with variables
Canva: N/A | Figma: Basic preset animations without timeline
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited on paid plans
Canva: N/A | Figma: Dev Mode with code snippets and specs
Canva: N/A | Figma: Component versioning in main product
Canva: N/A | Figma: $12 per editor/month
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited on any plan
Canva: N/A | Figma: Optimal up to 5,000 artboards
Canva: N/A | Figma: 61% of design professionals
Canva: N/A | Figma: 70% of professional design teams
Canva: N/A | Figma: 2000+ official plugins and integrations
Monthly Subscription Cost (Professional Plan)
Canva: N/A | Figma: $12/month (billed annually)
Canva: N/A | Figma: 500+ simultaneous users
Canva: N/A | Figma: 40-60% (design to code via plugins)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Basic interactions, limited keyframe animation
Canva: N/A | Figma: Variables, tokens, component library, extensive version control
Canva: N/A | Figma: Basic interactions (6/10)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Good with plugins (7/10)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Full Variables system with token export
Canva: N/A | Figma: $0 (Free) / $12 (Pro)
Canva: N/A | Figma: 1.5-2.5 hours (beginner-friendly)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited (Team plan)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iPad, web)
Canva: N/A | Figma: $60 (all share one license)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Basic interactions (tap, hover, drag)
Canva: N/A | Figma: 4 (Web, Mac, Windows, iPad)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Limited (API for third-party imports)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Public/password-protected with comment threads
Canva: N/A | Figma: 3 (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Canva: N/A | Figma: 1,200+ community plugins
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited viewers + 1 editor
Canva: N/A | Figma: 1,000+ plugins via Figma API
Canva: N/A | Figma: No (design tool only)
Canva: N/A | Figma: 50+ simultaneous users
Estimated Time to First Design (Beginner)
Canva: N/A | Figma: 120-480 minutes (2-8 hours)
Canva: N/A | Figma: Advanced: conditional flows, variables, component variants, design tokens
Canva: N/A | Figma: Enterprise-grade: design tokens, branching, versioning, token management
Canva: N/A | Figma: Unlimited simultaneous editors per team
Canva: N/A | Figma: 2-3 seconds (cloud-based, depends on internet)
Canva: N/A | Figma: 3/10 - basic selection and fill tools; not optimized for photo work
Canva: N/A | Figma: 9/10 - native component systems, design tokens, auto-layout, prototyping
Team Collaboration - Simultaneous Editors
Canva: N/A | Figma: 50+ simultaneous editors
Canva: N/A | Figma: No - requires external services
Canva: N/A | Figma: Advanced with tokens, variables, and nested components
Canva: N/A | Figma: Limited to Dev Mode specs; no automated code generation
Canva: N/A | Figma: 5,000+ plugins available
Canva: N/A | Figma: 30,000+ frames per file
Canva vs Figma — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Canva vs Figma. Contains 280 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Canva vs Figma — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Canva vs Figma.
Can I use Canva for professional UI/UX design work?
Canva is not designed for professional UI/UX work. While it excels at marketing graphics and social media content, it lacks essential UX design tools like advanced prototyping, component systems, design tokens, and developer handoff capabilities. For UI/UX projects, Figma is the industry standard. Canva is better suited for design assets, mockups, and marketing collateral.
Yes, Figma's free tier includes 3 files, unlimited pages per file, basic prototyping, and commenting. However, the learning curve is steep—beginners typically need 2-4 weeks to become proficient. For absolute beginners wanting instant results, Canva's free tier is much easier to use with its drag-and-drop templates and no design knowledge required.
Which tool is better for team collaboration?
Figma is significantly better for team collaboration. It supports 10+ simultaneous users editing the same file in real-time with live cursors, presence awareness, and version history. Canva's collaboration is limited to view-only sharing or invite-based editing with sequential changes. Figma is built for design teams; Canva is optimized for individual creators.
Figma offers native code export for CSS, React, Android, and JavaScript, making it developer-friendly. Canva does not provide code export—it's focused on visual design output (PNG, PDF, video). If developer handoff is critical, Figma is the only viable option between these two.
What's the cost difference for a 5-person design team?
For a 5-person team over 12 months: Canva Teams costs $30/month for 5 users ($1,800/year), while Figma charges $12/month per editor ($60/month or $720/year for 5 editors). Figma is 60% cheaper for team collaboration. However, Canva includes AI features and templates; Figma focuses purely on design tools.
Primary Use Case: Canva has Social media, marketing, presentations, general graphics, while Figma has UI/UX design, product design, wireframing, prototyping.
Learning Curve: Canva has Beginner-friendly, drag-and-drop interface (minutes to proficiency), while Figma has Moderate to steep, requires design thinking and vector knowledge (days to weeks).
Template Library: Canva has 500,000+ templates across 500+ categories, while Figma has Community templates available, minimal built-in templates.
Real-Time Collaboration: Canva has Limited to view-only sharing or invite-based editing, while Figma has Full real-time multi-user editing with live cursors and presence awareness.
Prototyping Capabilities: Canva has Basic animations and transitions only, while Figma has Advanced prototyping with interactions, conditional logic, and user testing.
AI-Powered Features: Canva has Magic Write, magic edit, background remover, text-to-image generator included in free plan, while Figma has AI features limited; focused on design automation rather than content generation.
Pricing Model: Canva has Freemium (unlimited free tier), Pro at $13/month, Teams at $30/month per 5 users, while Figma has Professional at $12/month per editor, Organization at $60/month, Enterprise custom pricing.