Canva vs Adobe Express vs Figma: Best Design Tool for Non-Designers
Not a professional designer but need to create great visuals? Canva, Adobe Express, and Figma all cater to different needs. Here’s how to pick the right one.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Best For | Free Plan | Paid Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canva | Social media & marketing | Excellent | $15/mo |
| Adobe Express | Adobe ecosystem users | Good | $9.99/mo |
| Figma | UI/UX & collaboration | 3 projects | $12/mo |
Canva: The People’s Design Tool
Canva has over 150 million users for good reason — it makes professional-looking design accessible to everyone. With 250,000+ templates and drag-and-drop simplicity, anyone can create great visuals.
Canva Strengths
- Most beginner-friendly interface
- 250,000+ professional templates
- Magic AI tools (remove backgrounds, expand images)
- Excellent free plan (enough for most users)
- Brand kit management
Adobe Express: Creative Cloud Connection
Adobe Express is Adobe’s answer to Canva — simplified design with access to Adobe Stock, Fonts, and Creative Cloud integration. Best if you already use other Adobe products.
Figma: Professional UI Design
Figma is a professional design tool primarily used by UX/UI designers. It’s more powerful than Canva but has a steeper learning curve. Best for teams building digital products.
Verdict
- Social media managers: → Canva
- Adobe Creative Cloud users: → Adobe Express
- Product and UX designers: → Figma
- Best free design tool: → Canva
Should I use Canva or Adobe Express?
Canva is the better choice for most users — it has a larger template library, better free plan, and is easier to use. Adobe Express is only better if you’re already in the Adobe ecosystem and need Creative Cloud integration. For social media, marketing materials, and presentations, Canva wins.
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