We do get it—Canva is quick, ‘free’, and kind of fun to use (in the beginning). For many small businesses, it can feel like a smart way to save money on design. But here’s the truth: Canva can also be a false economy.
Time Is Money
Here’s an example: Let’s say you need a flyer or a social media graphic. You’ll probably spend 2 or 3 hours (minimum) watching YouTube videos, choosing templates, adjusting fonts, changing colours, resizing bits… only to end up with something that looks “fine”. What if you have to do this three or four times a month? That’s over a day of your working time gone—time you could’ve spent actually on, or growing, your business. How much could you earn in that time?
The Hidden Risks
- Generic visuals: Do you really want your brand to look unmistakably ‘Canva’ed’?
- Inconsistent branding: Canva templates aren’t specific to your brand, so every time you adapt them to your visuals, you run the risk of them looking higgledy-piggledy.
- Licensing issues: Some Canva elements are not free to use commercially, so if you use the wrong one, you could face copyright problems.
- Print disasters: Do you know your CMYK from your RGB? What are bleed settings? Does resolution matter? Canva doesn’t always output its files properly for print, so there’s a chance of needing reprints, or of having pixelated images.
Longer-Term Value
Working with a designer means you get branding and materials that are consistent, thought through and attractive to your audience. You’re not just paying for a pretty layout—you’re investing in how your business is seen.
So yes, Canva might be ‘free’ now—but is it really saving you anything?
Grafica by the Sea can help you get it right the first time—saving you time, stress, and money in the long run.
Let’s create something brilliant together.