In this post I’m going to personally review the two most popular graphic design tools: Stencil vs Canva.
I dove deep into each platform to uncover the good, the bad, and the ugly. You’ll save countless hours (and dollars) on a product that may not work for you.
Within each platform I evaluated:
- Overall features
- Detailed features
- Pricing
- Efficiency
Make sure you read this review until the end so you can make the best decision for you and your business.
Stencil vs Canva: Product Overview
Before I get into the review itself, I want to quickly let you know some important info about each tool.
Similar Features You’ll Find in Both Stencil and Canva
Stencil and Canva are quite similar when it comes to offering an easy-to-use graphic creation tool with basic photo editing capabilities. They are both internet-based and offer free versions of their service. Other quick view of similarities are:
- Pre-made templates.
- Royalty-free images (plus upload your own).
- Drag-and-drop options (that can be used over images).
- Ability to download and immediately use creations.
- Access to tons of fonts.
- App integrations.
Because I started my blog on a shoestring budget, I started with Canva’s free plan. It didn’t disappoint, and overall I was pretty happy with it. But I quickly realized that the more advanced features only came with a paid Canva account, which made the investment jump worth every penny.
I opted in for the annual subscription, and you’ll see why below.
Stencil vs Canva: A Side-by-Side Comparison
Which Graphic Design Tool Do I Recommend?
In my honest and entrepreneurial opinion, Canva is the way to go. It’s only $.95 more expensive (annually) than Stencil and comes with a lot more templates, and image options.
There are quite a few editing and creative options for the free version; however, for less than a couple Starbucks coffees, you can have access to extra elements such as:
- Making a background transparent.
- Image resizing.
- Uploading fonts.
- Brand kits.
Overall, Canva is super simple to use for personal and professional use. You’ll enjoy being able to create a logo, match colors (thanks to its new ability to pull colors from a photo, too), and even create a cool GIF.
Canva allows for flexibility, creativity, and easy usability while complimenting your need for time management control and optimal productivity.
Which graphic design tool do you find to be most useful? Let me know in the comments below!
