I Tested and Reviewed Canva vs Figma | eCommerce Website Design Gallery & Tech Inspiration

I get asked about Canva vs Figma all the time. These two popular design tools serve different purposes and are for different audiences.

Canva is great for quick template based designs for marketing materials, Figma is for collaborative UI/UX design for digital products.

Canva is for non designers who need to create nice graphics quickly, Figma is for professional designers working on complex projects.

I’ve used both extensively and they each have their strengths. Canva’s drag and drop is great for beginners, Figma’s features are great for precise control over design elements.

When choosing between Canva and Figma I consider the project requirements and my team’s skill level.

Quick Verdict: Pros and Cons

TL;DR: If you need quick, polished visuals without prior design expertise, Canva’s user-friendly platform and extensive template library is ideal.

It offers simple tools that get you up and running fast—perfect for social media posts, marketing materials, and presentations.

On the other hand, if you’re working on complex digital products that demand precise control, UI/UX prototyping, and seamless collaboration among designers and developers, Figma is the clear winner.

It’s built for professional teams who need advanced functionality and a collaborative, real-time design environment.

Canva Pros and Cons

Pros:

Extremely user-friendly with a gentle learning curve
Thousands of ready-made templates for quick design tasks
Robust library of fonts, illustrations, and stock images
Easily accessible across web, mobile, and various integrations
AI-powered features for automated layout suggestions and content creation
Excellent for branding consistency and rapid marketing asset production

Cons:

Limited advanced vector editing and prototyping tools
Less suitable for complex UI/UX or product design workflows
Collaboration is good but not as comprehensive as Figma’s offerings

Figma Pros and Cons

Pros:

Powerful vector editing and component-based design workflows
Real-time collaboration for seamless teamwork across large design teams
Advanced prototyping features to simulate rich interactions
Strong ecosystem of plugins and integrations for extended functionality
Ideal for building and maintaining design systems at scale
Cross-platform, browser-based access with no installation required

Cons:

Steeper learning curve compared to Canva, especially for beginners
Less focused on ready-made templates and quick content creation
Not as many native generative AI features (reliant on third-party plugins)

Quick Comparison: Canva vs Figma

Primary Use Case	Quick, templated graphic design and social media content creation	Interface design, UX/UI prototyping, and collaborative design workflows
Target Users	Marketers, small business owners, social media managers, non-designers	UX/UI designers, product teams, and developers working on digital products
Learning Curve	Very low; easy for beginners	Moderate; geared toward those familiar with design tools and workflows
Collaboration	Real-time editing and commenting; easy sharing of templates	Robust real-time collaboration, versioning, commenting, and design handoff features
Design Flexibility	Good for basic branding and marketing visuals; large template library	Highly flexible vector editing, advanced components, responsive layouts, and prototyping tools
Price Structure	Freemium with paid plans for Pro features	Freemium with paid plans for advanced features, team collaboration, and organization-level controls
Supported Platforms	Web-based, with mobile apps and integrations	Web-based (desktop first), with desktop apps; primarily cloud-based collaborative environment
Ideal For	Quick, non-technical designs and everyday marketing materials	Complex UI designs, interactive prototypes, and organized design systems for product development teams

Canva Overview

Canva is a graphic design platform that’s user friendly for creating visual content. For beginners and pros alike, it has a ton of templates and design elements.

What is Canva?

Canva is an online design and publishing tool that makes creating visual content a breeze. I find it super useful for those without graphic design experience.

The platform has a drag and drop interface so you can create designs for anything.

Canva has a huge library of templates, images, fonts and design elements. These resources let you create professional looking graphics without starting from scratch.

It’s web based so you can work on your designs from any device with an internet connection. Perfect for collaborative projects and on the go design work.

Canva Features

Canva has:

Template Library: Thousands of pre made templates
Design Elements: Huge library of images, icons and illustrations
Brand Kit: Tools to keep branding consistent across designs
Collaboration: Real time team collaboration on projects
Magic Resize: Resize designs for different platforms
Photo Editing: Basic image editing within the platform

I love Canva’s interface, it’s so easy to create designs quickly. They also have a mobile app so you can use it on your smartphone and tablet.

Use Canva For

Canva is for:

Social Media Graphics: Create beautiful posts for different platforms
Marketing Materials: Design flyers, brochures and posters
Presentations: Create visually appealing slides for business or education
Infographics: Make informative and engaging data visualizations
Logo Design: Create simple logos for small business or personal brands

I use Canva for quick social media content creation. The pre made templates save time and look professional.

For businesses Canva has tools to keep branding consistent across all marketing materials. This is super useful for teams working on multiple projects at once.

Figma Overview

Figma is a collaborative design tool that’s gained popularity in the design industry. It has features for creating user interfaces, prototypes and design systems.

What is Figma?

Figma is a cloud based design and prototyping platform that runs in web browsers but also as a standalone app. I find it super useful for teams working on digital products like websites and mobile apps.

Unlike desktop software Figma allows real time collaboration between designers, developers and stakeholders.

It’s easy to use and learn even for beginners. Figma uses vector graphics so designs look crisp at any size. It also has design components so you can create consistent user interfaces across projects.

Figma Features

Figma has:

Real time collaboration: Multiple users can work on the same file at the same time
Version history: Track changes and go back to previous versions
Design systems: Create and manage reusable components
Prototyping: Create interactive prototypes without leaving the design environment
Developer handoff: Generate CSS, iOS and Android code from designs
Plugins: Add more functionality with community created plugins

These make the design process more efficient and team productivity better.

Use Figma For

I use Figma for:

UI/UX Design: Create user interfaces for websites and mobile apps
Wireframing: Quick sketching and layout
Prototyping: Create interactive mockups to test user flows
Design Systems: Create and manage brand guidelines
Presentation Design: Create beautiful slides and presentations

Figma is great for remote teams and agencies working with clients. The browser based platform means it’s accessible on any device and operating system.

How I Tested Canva and Figma

At Ecomm.Design I work closely with our design team, using both Canva and Figma daily to help our ecommerce clients succeed.

While our designers handle the complex UI/UX work, I’ve worked alongside them and used both tools extensively to see how they serve different needs in our ecommerce projects.

I use Canva when I’m working with our designers on quick marketing needs for clients. When an online retailer needs seasonal banners or promotional graphics I can whip up drafts using Canva’s templates and then our designers refine and align with their broader design work.

I recently worked with our team on a fashion retailer’s holiday campaign and used Canva to prototype social media content while our designers worked on the more complex design elements in Figma.

Through working with our design team I’ve seen how Figma enables team collaboration on complex ecommerce projects.

While our designers create detailed wireframes and responsive layouts I can jump into the same Figma file to review, comment and make quick changes to things like copy placement or promotional sections.

This real-time collaboration has been super valuable when we’re working on full store redesigns.

A recent project showed how we use both tools. On a home goods store redesign our designers led the core UX work in Figma, creating a full component library for the store’s interface.

Meanwhile I used Canva to whip up supporting marketing materials, working in parallel to make sure all promotional elements aligned with the new design direction.

I’ve also worked on our design gallery which has given me a deeper understanding of both tools.

I work with our designers in Figma when we’re reviewing successful store layouts and I use Canva to create quick visual guides and comparisons for our gallery features.

Through this hands on experience working with our design team I’ve learned that ecommerce projects require both tools – our designers handle the UX/UI work in Figma and I support with Canva for rapid marketing asset creation. This is how we deliver value to our ecommerce clients at Ecomm.Design.

User Interface and Experience

Canva and Figma have different approaches to design interfaces and user experience. I use both and found both try to balance functionality with usability but in different ways.

Design Interfaces

Canva’s interface is simple and accessible. I see it uses a drag and drop system with pre made templates and elements. The layout is easy to use with tools and features clearly labeled and organized.

Figma’s interface is more robust and customizable. It’s a blank canvas approach so I have more control over the design process. The tools are more comprehensive for complex design needs.

Both have responsive designs for different screen sizes. Canva’s mobile app is the same as the desktop version. Figma’s mobile is more limited but still usable for on the go work.

Usability and Learning Curve

Canva is super user friendly. I find it perfect for beginners or those who need quick designs. The learning curve is gentle and most users get up to speed fast.

Figma takes more time to learn. The professional grade tools are deep but can be overwhelming at first. I’ve seen designers with experience adapt faster.

Canva has tons of tutorials and templates to help new users. Figma has documentation and community resources for advanced techniques.

Both have collaboration but Figma’s real time co-editing is more advanced. I can work with team members at the same time and be more productive.

Design Features

Canva and Figma have different design features for different users. I’ll look into their graphic design and prototyping features.

Graphic Design

Canva is great for quick, template based graphic design. I find the drag and drop interface easy to use for social media posts, presentations and marketing materials. Canva has a huge library of pre made elements and layouts.

Figma is more advanced vector editing. I can create complex illustrations and custom graphics from scratch. It has collaborative features for real time editing with team members.

Both have image editing but Figma’s is more advanced. I can apply filters, adjust curves and make precise color corrections in Figma.

Prototyping and Interaction

Figma is great for prototyping and interaction design. I can create clickable prototypes with complex animations and transitions. The auto layout feature helps me design responsive layouts fast.

Canva’s prototyping is more limited. I can add simple links between pages but not advanced interactions.

Figma’s components system allows me to create reusable design elements so I can have consistency across projects. This is super useful for larger design systems.

Canva is more focused on static designs but it does have some basic animation tools for social media content.

Collaboration Features

Canva and Figma have robust collaboration features to boost team productivity and workflow. Let’s look into their real time collaboration and feedback systems.

Real Time Collaboration

In Canva I can invite team members to work on a project with me at the same time. We can see each other’s cursor movements and changes in real time. This is great for quick iterations and brainstorming sessions.

Figma takes real time collaboration to the next level. I can create shared design systems and libraries that update across all projects. This is great for large scale designs.

Both have version history so I can track changes and go back to previous versions if needed. But Figma’s branching feature is better for larger projects.

Feedback and Commenting

Canva’s commenting system is simple. I can leave feedback on design elements and it’s easy to communicate ideas and suggestions. I can also resolve comments once changes are made.

Figma’s feedback system is more advanced. I can create comment threads, mention team members and even record audio messages. This is great for remote teams.

Both have annotation features but Figma’s presentation mode is better. I can create interactive prototypes and get feedback in context which makes the review process better.

Pricing and Availability

Canva and Figma have different pricing and availability for different users. Let’s look into how they compare.

Free vs Paid

Canva has a very generous free plan with access to many templates and design elements. I find this plan suitable for casual users and small businesses.

The paid plans Canva Pro and Canva for Teams unlock more features and content.

Cross Platform Availability

Canva is more accessible. I can use it on web browsers, iOS and Android devices. This flexibility allows me to design on the go or switch between devices seamlessly.

Figma is browser based so it’s compatible across operating systems. They also have desktop apps for Windows and macOS for a native experience. For mobile Figma Mirror allows me to view designs on iOS and Android but not edit.

Both have offline capabilities to some extent. Canva allows limited offline access through its mobile apps. Figma’s desktop app allows offline file access and editing and syncs changes when reconnected.

Integrations and Extensibility

Canva and Figma have many integration options and extensibility features to enhance their functionality. Let’s look into how each platform connects with third-party tools and allows users to add plugins and add-ons.

Third Party Integrations

Canva integrates with popular services like Dropbox, Google Drive and Instagram. I can import assets from these services directly into my designs.

Figma also has robust integrations with Slack, Jira and Asana. I can link design tasks to project management tools.

Canva’s social media integrations are more impressive, I can publish designs directly to Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Figma’s integrations are more developer focused, it has connections to GitHub and other coding tools.

Plugins and Add-Ons

Both Canva and Figma have extensive plugin ecosystems. Canva’s marketplace has a wide range of templates, stock images and design elements. I can add new fonts, illustrations and photo effects to my projects easily.

Figma’s plugin library is more impressive for UI/UX design. I can find tools for prototyping, accessibility checking and design system management.

Many of these plugins are community created which shows Figma’s strong developer following.

Canva’s add-ons are more focused on content creation with options for video editing and infographic design. Figma’s plugins are more towards design workflow and collaboration features.

Community and Support

Both Canva and Figma have great communities and support. I’ll look into the user communities and customer support for each.

User Community

Canva’s community is huge and diverse, across all skill levels. I found active Facebook groups where users share tips and showcase designs. Canva’s Design School has tutorials and challenges to engage users.

Figma’s community is more focused on professional designers and developers. I see a strong presence on Dribbble and Behance. Figma’s Community hub allows users to share templates and plugins to collaborate.

Both have dedicated forums where users can ask and share. I see Figma’s community more technical and Canva’s more design focused.

Customer Support Services

Canva has 24/7 customer support through email and live chat. I found their help center to be comprehensive with articles and video tutorials for most common issues. Pro users get priority support.

Figma has email support and a detailed help center. I see their response times to be generally quick. For enterprise customers Figma has dedicated account managers.

Both update their knowledge base regularly. I like Canva’s interactive guides that walk users through features step by step. Figma’s support documentation is more technical for their professional user base.

Canva’s AI Features and Generative Tools

One of the coolest things about Canva is the integration of AI powered design features including emerging generative AI.

These tools help you create amazing designs even faster by suggesting layouts, generating unique images and automating tasks.

Figma is for precise, hands on design work. Canva’s AI features are for those who want quick solutions without deep design expertise.

AI Design Suggestions

Canva’s “Magic Design” feature uses AI to analyze your input (text or uploaded images) and then generates full design concepts.

For example, after you enter a brief description of what you need, Canva will suggest themed layouts, color palettes and font combinations.

Perfect for those with limited design skills to get a polished starting point for social media posts, marketing materials or presentations.

Generative Imagery and Effects

Canva’s “Text to Image” tool uses generative AI to turn text prompts into unique illustrations, backgrounds or decorative elements.

Instead of searching through stock libraries you can type a few words (e.g. “watercolor sunset background” or “modern abstract pattern”) and Canva’s AI will create something new.

AI driven effects can also enhance photos or suggest stylistic tweaks so you spend less time on manual adjustments.

Magic Edit and AI Assisted Refinements

If you need to tweak elements in your design Canva’s AI features can help with tasks like removing backgrounds, refining image quality or adjusting layout components.

Instead of tediously editing each element the AI can recognize objects, suggest improvements or instantly remove unwanted parts of an image.

So non-designers can produce polished results that would have required specialized editing skills or software before.

Speeding up Content Creation

These AI and generative features speed up the creative process. Whether you’re a marketer short on time or a small business owner with multiple hats to wear, Canva’s smart suggestions and automated design tools let you get things done fast.

You spend less time searching for images or figuring out layouts and more time on your brand’s message and story.

Complementing Figma’s Precision with Quick AI Ideation

These AI driven tools don’t replace a professional designer’s skill (especially in complex UI/UX projects where Figma shines) but they fill a gap for those who value speed and ease of use over precise control.

For many businesses and individuals the ability to use generative AI to kickstart the design process is a game changer making Canva an even more powerful tool for visual creation.

Conclusion

Canva and Figma both have powerful design capabilities but they serve different needs.

I found Canva to be good for quick template based designs for marketing materials and social media content. Its interface is beginner friendly.

Figma is good for collaborative interface design and prototyping. I like its advanced features for complex designs and real-time collaboration tools.

For non-designers or those who need quick content creation I recommend Canva. For small businesses and marketers who want to look polished.

Professional designers and teams working on digital products will likely prefer Figma. Its toolset and workflow features are designed for complex design projects and team collaboration.

Ultimately it depends on your design needs, team structure and project complexity. I’ve seen both used in different contexts. Try both and see which one fits your needs and workflow.