Graphic Design Software Comparison: Canva vs. PicMonkey
Graphic design software has become an essential tool in the modern world of marketing and branding. It is no longer just a luxury reserved for large companies with vast budgets; the rise of user-friendly, affordable design software means that anyone can create high-quality graphics for their business or personal use. Two of the most popular graphic design software on the market are Canva and PicMonkey. In this article, we will compare these two design tools to help you decide which one is right for your needs.
Ease of Use
One of the essential aspects of any design tool is its user-friendliness. Both Canva and PicMonkey are known for their intuitive interfaces, making it easy for even novice designers to create professional-grade graphics without any prior experience. Canva has several pre-built templates that you can use to design anything from social media posts to business cards. Plus, the drag-and-drop UI is very intuitive, which makes designing a breeze. PicMonkey is also user-friendly, but it doesn't offer as many templates or design elements as Canva.
Design Features
In terms of design features, it is difficult to compare Canva and PicMonkey since they cater to different design needs. Canva is more of an all-in-one design tool that allows you to create anything from simple graphics to complex designs, including logos, flyers, business cards, and even presentations. On the other hand, PicMonkey is more of a photo editor with design features for social media marketing. It is ideal for designing graphics for Instagram, Facebook, and other social platforms. PicMonkey offers features like touch-up, overlays, frames, and fonts for quick photo fixes.
Pricing
Pricing is another crucial factor to consider when choosing between Canva and PicMonkey. Canva offers both a free and a paid version. The free version offers a limited set of features and design templates. In contrast, the paid version offers full access to over 60,000 templates, more design elements, and advanced features like resizing and transparent backgrounds. Canva Pro starts at $9.95 per month. PicMonkey has a 7-day free trial and afterward offers two pricing plans, Basic and Pro. The Basic plan is $7.99 per month and includes basic design features and templates. The pro option is $12.99 per month and offers additional features, including brand management and team collaboration options.
Mobile App
Both Canva and PicMonkey come with mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. The apps are excellent for on-the-go-design and are easy to use, with the same drag-and-drop interface seen on the desktop version. Canva's mobile app features most of the desktop functionalities, allowing you to create designs from your smartphone or tablet. PicMonkey's app mainly focuses on photo editing and social media graphics, making it ideal for quick fixes on the go.
Community Support
Canva boasts the largest online community of designers, with an extensive range of tutorials, templates, and design ideas. The Canva community shares its creations with others, making it easy to take inspiration from others' designs and implementing them into your designs. PicMonkey community, on the other hand, is less vibrant than Canva's. However, there's a forum for design support that hosts a range of helpful articles and tutorials.
Conclusion
Canva and PicMonkey are both excellent graphic design software that caters to different design needs. Canva is an all-in-one design tool that offers a vast range of features for complex design jobs. It is an excellent choice for creating professional-grade designs and includes templates for different designs, including social media posts, infographics, and presentations. PicMonkey is an excellent photo editing and optimization tool that also offers design features to create social media graphics. It's ideal if you don't need the advanced design features of Canva and want to focus primarily on social media marketing. In conclusion, each software has its strengths and weaknesses depend on the user's needs and goals.