3 best Canva alternatives for small businesses

In the dynamic world of digital marketing, compelling visuals are no longer a luxury but a necessity for small businesses striving to capture attention and build a strong brand identity. Canva has been a popular tool for some time now. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and vast library of templates have empowered entrepreneurs and small teams to produce professional-looking graphics without the steep learning curve of traditional design software.

However, as businesses grow and their design needs evolve, they may find themselves seeking features or functionalities that Canva’s free or pro plans don’t fully accommodate. Whether it’s the need for more advanced editing capabilities, a desire for more unique design assets, or a search for a more cost-effective solution, the landscape of graphic design tools is rich with powerful Canva alternatives. This article will explore the best of these alternatives, specifically tailored to the unique challenges and goals of small businesses, helping you find the perfect fit to elevate your brand’s visual contents. Here are the best alternatives for you to consider. 

Piktochart

Piktochart is one of the  viable Canva alternatives for small businesses. However,  its limitations often outweigh its specialized benefits, particularly for those needing diverse design capabilities. Although it excels in infographic and data visualization with interactive charts, its overall template library pales in comparison to Canva’s extensive range, often feeling restrictive for broader marketing and social media needs. Small businesses relying on the free tier will quickly hit significant roadblocks, with limited downloads, storage, and watermarked designs, pushing them towards paid plans that can be less cost-effective than Canva’s Pro offerings for similar feature sets.

Furthermore, Piktochart’s lack of a dedicated mobile app and less robust collaboration features hinder on-the-go design and seamless team workflows, which are crucial for many agile small businesses. While it offers some AI design tools and video editing, these are not as comprehensive or as widely applicable as Canva’s features.

The platform’s focus on data-heavy visuals, while a strength for specific use cases, can make it less intuitive for general graphic design, forcing users to adapt their creative vision to the tool’s confines rather than the other way around. Ultimately, for small businesses seeking a versatile, all-in-one design solution with ample resources and strong team functionality, Piktochart often falls short, leading to frustration and the need for supplementary tools. While it does offer AI images, these often don’t meet requirements. 

Visme

Visme positions itself as a robust alternative to Canva, especially for businesses requiring advanced features. However, iit often presents significant drawbacks for the typical small business. Its focus on highly interactive presentations, detailed data visualization, and comprehensive brand management means a steeper learning curve than Canva’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Small businesses with limited time and design experience may find themselves overwhelmed by Visme’s complexity, leading to slower design creation and frustration.

A major negative is Visme’s pricing structure. Its free plan is notably restrictive, often watermarking designs and severely limiting storage and export options, essentially forcing users into paid tiers much quicker than with Canva. Even the paid plans can be considerably more expensive, with valuable features like brand kits, advanced download formats, and substantial storage often locked behind higher-priced subscriptions. This makes Visme less cost-effective for small businesses operating on tight budgets who can find a broader range of usable features in Canva’s more affordable Pro plan.

Additionally, Visme’s template library, while high-quality for business-oriented content like presentations and infographics, lacks the sheer breadth and casual variety that Canva offers for social media, marketing collateral, and everyday design needs. Small businesses often require diverse content, and Visme’s more corporate aesthetic might not align with every brand’s tone. 

PosterMyWall

When it comes to small businesses seeking a dynamic and highly efficient design tool, PosterMyWall emerges as a compelling Canva alternative. This is because it offers a more specialized focus on promotional and marketing materials. Its strength lies in an extensive library of templates specifically tailored for events, promotions, and digital signage, which can be a significant advantage for businesses in retail, hospitality, or those frequently running campaigns. 

A key positive is PosterMyWall’s comprehensive integration of marketing tools, including the Content Planner. Beyond design, it allows direct publishing and scheduling to various social media platforms and includes robust email marketing capabilities with a substantial library of templates and audience management features. This all-in-one approach streamlines workflows, eliminating the need to juggle multiple apps for design, social media management, and email outreach.

Furthermore, its advanced video and animation features, including AI-powered background removal and subtitle generation, provide small businesses with powerful tools to create engaging video content without needing complex software. While Canva offers similar features, PosterMyWall’s curated, marketing-first content and integrated scheduling often make it a more direct and efficient solution for small businesses primarily focused on promoting their products and services. 

Choosing the best Canva alternative for a small business isn’t about finding a one-size-fits-all replacement, but rather identifying the tool that most closely aligns with specific needs and budget constraints. While Canva excels in its broad appeal and user-friendliness, alternatives like Piktochart, Visme, and PosterMyWall demonstrate that specialization can be a powerful differentiator. By prioritizing specific functionalities over a broad feature set, small businesses can find a design partner that genuinely enhances their marketing efforts and streamlines their creative processes.