Adobe Spark vs Canva: Which Design Tool Is Perfect for You

Creatives don't need to rely solely on Photoshop for all their design needs in today's fast and happening world. Today, there are specialized apps for every use case, and graphic design has become increasingly popular among general consumers. Canva, based in Australia, currently leads the popularity charts, but Adobe Spark, offered as part of the Creative Cloud subscription, is not far behind. If you're struggling to choose between the two, let's explore the key differences between Adobe Spark and Canva.

Cross-Platform Availability

Both Canva and Adobe Spark are web-based, making them easily accessible on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Mobile availability is not an issue either, as both apps are available on Android and iOS. However, there is a slight difference: you can install Adobe Spark as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on Windows and Mac, while Canva does not offer this option.

User Interface

User interface plays a crucial role in any design software. Canva has perfected the fundamentals, with neatly organized menus, options, and editing elements. On the home screen, you'll find Canva recommendations and your recent designs, making it easy to start a project.

Surprisingly, Adobe Spark also has a clean and minimal UI, which is uncommon for Adobe software. Adobe Spark immediately presents you with social media covers and templates. However, the integration of articles on the homepage seems unnecessary and adds little value to the workflow.

Templates

Templates are essential in any graphics design tool, and Canva excels in this area. It offers over 420,000 templates to choose from, while Adobe Spark has around 37,000 templates, which is significantly lower. Canva's collection is not only larger but also better organized into relevant categories.

When it comes to template quality, Canva again outshines Adobe Spark. Adobe could have done a better job with categorization and overall template quality.

Editing Features

Canva's UI is smoother and more intuitive compared to Adobe Spark. Canva's visual drag-and-drop page editor allows you to easily and quickly drag and drop elements in your designs. On the other hand, Adobe Spark's editing functions are on the right side of the page editor, while the real-time editing preview is on the left side.

Both tools offer a wide range of editing features, such as stickers, elements, logos, animation options, and backgrounds. However, Canva focuses more on text styles, making it easier to find a suitable style from the library rather than searching for the perfect font.

Social Integration

Canva supports integrations with popular social media platforms, file hosting services, music hosting platforms, free-to-use stock media file websites, email marketing services, and CRM services, among others. It also offers a printing service called Canva Print.

In contrast, Adobe Spark only supports integrations with cloud storage services such as Dropbox and Google Drive.

Sharing and Folder Organization

Folder organization is a pro feature in Canva. With the pro version, you can arrange purchased photos in folders and create additional folders to organize your work. This feature is a productivity hack for power users, as it allows you to quickly locate specific designs without scrolling through the home page.

Both Canva and Adobe Spark allow real-time collaboration with team members, similar to Google Docs for design.

Mobile Apps

Both Canva and Adobe Spark offer mobile apps for iOS and Android. In testing, Canva's app performed better than Adobe Spark's, with smoother performance and a more user-friendly experience on small screens.

Pricing

Both tools offer free plans, but there are limitations. To unlock additional features, you'll need to pay for a subscription. Canva offers three plans, ranging from $9.95 to $30 per month. The Pro plan costs $9.95 per month (billed annually) or $12.95 monthly. Adobe Spark has a single plan, priced at $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. Adobe Spark is also included in Adobe's Creative Cloud subscription, which costs $52.99 per month.

Wrap Up: Adobe Spark vs Canva

Choosing between Adobe Spark and Canva depends on your specific needs. Canva is perfect for beginners, offering more value for money compared to Adobe Spark. However, if you are already paying for Adobe Creative Suite, choosing Adobe Spark is a no-brainer. It's important to consider your requirements and budget before making a decision.