Why you should never make your business logo in Canva
If you’re an entrepreneur, there’s a high chance you either use or have considered using Canva to create graphics for your small business, whether that be social media graphics, or your logo.
We get it.
It’s free. It’s convenient. It’s popular… but it’s also hurting your brand, and potentially setting you up for legal issues.
3 Reasons NOT to use Canva for your business
You Don’t Own Your Logo
We’re just going to dive in with the biggest reason why we don’t recommend using Canva to make your business logo. According to Canva’s own licensing agreement, available to review on their website, by making your logo in Canva you forfeit the copyright. In other words, you don’t own your logo. Canva would legally own your logo. This is a big freaking deal when it comes to running a business, especially if you have plans to grow or scale your brand, as Canva explicitly states users are prohibited to trademark graphics created within the program. Your logo is a huge part of your brand identity. Don’t open yourself to the potential risk and legal complications by creating such an important brand element in Canva.
Your logo isn’t unique to your business
Do a reverse image search of Canva logos. The results are every business owners worst nightmare! You might think you’ve made a unique logo for your brand, but the reality is Canva is template-based with limited customizations, and those templates are used by thousands of businesses. Actually, let’s correct that — there were 135 million active Canva users as of Q4 2023, and that number is only growing. So that template you modified to create your logo?Just think about how many other businesses are also using it. To put it simply, your Canva-made logo isn’t unique to you, and it will get lost in a sea of other brands using the exact same design. The harsh truth, is that’s not a professional look. A designer, on the other hand, uses tools like Adobe Illustrator which allow for limitless creativity, and works with you to build a one-of-a-kind logo that builds brand recognition, positions you as an expert that can be trusted, and tells potential customers you take your business seriously (so they should too).
You cannot create vectors in Canva
Canva is not professional software, and lacks one of the most important features when it comes to your brand elements — the ability to export in vector format. Canva’s free version limits file type you can export, which is less than ideal for printing or enlargement and could result blurry or pixelated graphics that you wouldn’t want to represent your brand with. Even transparent backgrounds are not supported unless you upgrade your plan. One of the benefits of working with a professional brand designer is that they will provide your logo in a vector format (among other file types), which allows your logo to be resized without losing quality (you could even put it on a billboard!) and makes swapping out brand colors for your graphics much easier! Learn more about file formats here.
Our alternative to Canva
Canva is not the software to make logos or branding elements. In these cases, we’ll always recommend working with a professional designer — even if it’s not us!
While the platform can certainly be useful, we believe that there’s a better option for businesses looking to create website or social media graphics. That’s Adobe XD — and we even teach our clients how to use it!
Just like Canva, Adobe XD is free. It’s a high-quality program where you can store social media templates, swap out colors or fonts, update text and imagery, and it even supports vectors! From Adobe XD can export as PNG, JPEG, SVG, or PDF, which means you’re more likely to use the correct file type needed for any given scenario.
If you’re looking for a software that you can feel safe and confident using for your business, we’ve shared a few reasons why we recommend Adobe XD here!
Logo Design Experts, at Your Service!
Are you looking for a strategic, intentional logo design that reflects your brands values, mission, and unique personality? Look no further! Our team of expert brand designers will work closely with you to develop an original brand identity that sets your business apart.
