Last Updated: December 17, 2023
Struggling to choose the right option between Canva vs Adobe Spark?
In just a few minutes, you’ll have a much better idea of choosing the right one for your specific needs.
Almost a year ago one of my blog readers asked me, which tool is better between Canva and Adobe Spark but I didn’t know the exact answer at that time.
So I dove deep into both tools to uncover the good, the bad, and important differences to give you the best insight possible into these two market leaders so you can make the absolute right decision.
Based on my research, I am going to compare both tools in terms of the things that matter the most, and here they are:
In case you’re short on time or want a quick overview, here’s a comparison at a glance with a quick verdict.
Quick Comparison At a Glance
1. Ease of Use: Both Canva and Adobe Spark are extremely easy to use and were created with beginners in mind. However, Canva wins this round because of its better performance than Spark. Adobe Spark is laggy and slow in performance which ultimately affects the ease of use and usability.
Winner: Canva
2. Templates: Canva offers significantly more and better-looking templates with a broader variety of categories than Adobe Spark.
Winner: Canva
3. Features: Canva and Spark have many common features but Canva has a longer list of features and has a greater selection of available content than Spark does.
Winner: Canva
4. Pricing: Adobe Spark beats Canva for the price. Spark cheapest plan costs $9.99 per month, while Canva cheapest paid plan is $12.99 per month.
Winner: Adobe Spark
5. Integrations: Adobe Spark is nowhere close to Canva when it comes to integrations. Canva has integrations with hundreds of third-party apps and services, while Spark is integrated with few a platforms.
Winner: Canva
6. The Editor Interface: Both Canva and Adobe Spark have a clean and intuitive interface. Also, the interface of their editor looks very similar to each other.
Winner: Tie
Canva vs Adobe Spark: Short Verdict
Canva is best suited for designing graphics, while Adobe Spark is a great option for creating web page designs or short videos. Overall, Canva is a better choice than Adobe Spark because it provides significantly more content, integrations, and has a longer list of features.
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Now let’s continue with our in-depth comparison, starting with ease of use and then compare all the important factors.
Ease of Use
Let’s be very clear here: both platforms are extremely easy to use.
Both Canva and Adobe Spark have drag-and-drop editors, all you’ve to do is choose one of the many pre-designed templates, and start moving things around with your mouse.
You can choose and drag elements, icons, boxes, photos, music, videos, animations, charts, etc., and ‘drop’ them anywhere on the web page editor to create stunning designs in minutes.
But the question is, which one is more beginner and user-friendly when the decision is between Adobe Spark vs Canva.
Firstly, let’s talk about Canva in terms of ease of use and user-friendliness.
Having used Canva for more than 2 years now, I can confidently say that it is well optimized and user-friendly.
I’ve designed graphics on Canva’s editor with countless elements and notice little to no dips or lags in performance when adding tons of elements, animations, photos, videos, music, or anything else, Canva handled everything with no problem.
It’s fuss-free, it’s quick, and in my testing, it scored 4.9 out of 5 for ease of use.
Adobe Spark, on the other hand, is also very easy to use but I found it to be a bit laggy and not really well optimized across different browsers.
Its loading time isn’t as good as Canva’s loading time when grabbing a template or dragging any element to the editor, as you can see:
You might be wondering, this might be due to your laptop performance.
But I tested Adobe Spark on different computers and browsers and I found that it still struggles to perform better than Canva in terms of performance which ultimately affects the ease of use and user-friendliness.
Overall, in my testing, Adobe Spark scored 4.7 out of 5 when it comes to ease of use.
Ease of Use – The Verdict:
This is a close one. Both are extremely easy to use but Canva just edges this one. Overall, I recommend both when it comes to ease of use but my go-to tool would be Canva because it is well-optimized and doesn’t lag.
Is Ease of Use Your Top Priority?
Canva is slightly easier to use than Adobe Spark since it doesn’t lag and performs better in performance than Spark. Test it yourself by signing up for a free 30-day trial.
Which One Has More & Better Looking Templates?
Most of us rely on Canva or Adobe Spark because they come with ready-made templates, right?
But the question is: which one has more and better-looking templates?
First of all, let’s compare both tools in terms of volume.
Canva offers more than 420,000+ templates whereas Adobe Spark has 41,000+ templates. All the templates are categorized by industry and you can get templates for almost every industry you can possibly think of whether you’re looking for your social media accounts, presentation, logos, and much much more.
Furthermore, Canva has a broader range of categories than Adobe Spark since it offers significantly more templates.
Now the question is, which one has better-looking templates?
Based on my experience using both tools over the last few years, I have found that Adobe Spark’s templates are not as stunning as Canva’s templates.
Wanna see yourself? Let me show you each platform’s templates.
As an example, I am going to show you the Facebook Post templates from both Canva and Adobe Spark.
Firstly, let’s take a look at the templates from Canva:
Now let’s review the Facebook Post templates in Adobe Spark:
As you’ve seen, Canva has better-looking templates than those offered by Adobe Spark.
In case you are wondering, we can’t compare the templates of both platforms based on just one category (Facebook post), but I tried templates from other categories as well and found that Canva’s templates are more professional-looking than those of Adobe Spark.
Don’t just take my word for it, see and compare the templates yourself by visiting Canva’s templates or Adobe Spark’s templates page.
Templates – The Verdict:
Canva is the clear winner when it comes to templates. Not only does it offer far more templates but it also has better-looking ones than Adobe Spark.
Want Far More & Better Templates?
If so, Canva is the perfect option for you because it easily beats Spark in terms of template volume as well as designs. Take a free trial to see and use all of its free and premium templates for free.
Features
Features play the most important role in choosing between Canva and Adobe Spark because the better a tool’s features are, the easier it will be to make a stunning design.
Both tools have many common features but there are some you may need which one of them gives you, while the other does not.
So, let’s see which one has the features you need and has a longer list of features.
Before I dig deeper, have a look at the side-by-side comparison of Canva vs Adobe Spark in terms of features.
| Canva | Adobe Spark | |
| Common Features: | ||
| Background remover | ✓ | ✓ |
| Resize designs | ✓ | ✓ |
| Collaboration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Create folders | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transparent background | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instant animation styles | 13 | 13 |
| Supported download file types | 6 | 4 |
| Upload photos, videos, audio, and fonts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Features Canva Has But Spark Doesn’t: | ||
| Content planner | ✓ | ✕ |
| Design and comment In real-time | ✓ | ✕ |
| Set-download quality | ✓ | ✕ |
| Download designs as vectors (SVG) | ✓ | ✕ |
| Features Spark Has But Canva Doesn’t: | ||
| Create web pages | ✕ | ✓ |
| Record audio while editing videos | ✕ | ✓ |
| Content Features: | ||
| Templates | 420,000+ | 41,000+ |
| Photos | 71M+ | N/A |
| Videos | 2.5M+ | ✕ |
| Fonts | 3,000+ | 80+ |
| Audio tracks | 25,000+ | 34+ |
| Try Canva | Try Spark |
Now, I am going to cover each of their features in detail with a quick overview.
Canva vs Adobe Spark – Common Features:
Canva’s background remover:
Spark’s background remover:
Resizing designs in Canva:
Resizing designs in Spark:
Collaboration in Canva:
Collaboration in Adobe Spark:
Adobe Spark only allows you to invite others via email or a link to give them access to edit the design.
Custom branding (Brand Kit) in Canva:
Custom branding in Adobe Spark:
Creating folders in Canva:
Creating folders in Adobe Spark:
Downloading designs with transparent background in Canva:
Downloading designs with transparent background in Adobe Spark:
Animation styles in Canva:
Animation styles in Spark:
Features Canva Has But Spark Doesn’t:
Features Spark Has But Canva Doesn’t:
Content Features:
Features – The Verdict:
Canva outperforms Adobe Spark in the features department. Both tools have many common features but Canva has an impressive range of features and provides you significantly more content to choose from than Spark.
Do You Need More Features?
If yes, then Canva is the right option for you because it is more powerful than Adobe Spark when it comes to features – try it free for 30 days to get access to all of its premium features for free.
Pricing
Aside from all the features, pricing would be the major factor to consider when choosing between Canva and Spark.
Let’s compare the pricing plans of each to find out which one is more affordable.
Canva Pricing
Canva has 2 pricing plans:
- Canva Pro: $12.99 per month or $119.99 yearly
- Canva Enterprise: $30 per month
A 30-day free trial is also available to test out these premium plans completely for free. You can cancel your free trial at any time before the trial expires and you’ll not be charged.
Canva has a free plan as well but it comes with limitations. Also, most of the features we discussed above are included in Canva Pro or Enterprise plan (not in the free plan) except few ones.
Are you thinking, which pricing plan should I choose? If so, then:
You Should Choose Canva Pro Plan If:
- You’re an individual or have a small team and want advanced features and access to premium content then Canva Pro will be a perfect option for you. I highly recommend this plan.
RELATED ARTICLE: Is It Worth Upgrading To Canva Pro?
Choose Canva Enterprise Plan If:
- If you have a large business seeking an integrated tool to keep your brand consistent then the Enterprise plan is the right option for you.
- You don’t mind the limitations that come with the free plan of Canva.
To learn what are the limitations of free plan, what’s included in each plan, and more details, check out my detailed Canva Review guide.
Adobe Spark Pricing
Adobe Spark offer 2 pricing plan:
- Adobe Spark Individual: $9.99 per month or $99.99 yearly
- Adobe Spark Team: $19.99 per month or 99.99 per year
Like Canva, they also offer a free trial, which lasts for 30 days but only for the Individual plan. You can access the free trial here.
In terms of the differences between Spark plans, you should note that:
Spark Free plan (starter plan) includes:
- Watermark on designs
- Background remover
- Resize designs
- Download designs with transparent background
- Invite others
- Create web pages, edit videos, designs
- Create folders
- Get access to only free fonts and templates (not access to all 41,000+ templates)
- Choose from thousands of free images and icons
- Upload photos, videos, audio, and fonts
Spark Individual plan includes, everything free plan has plus:
- All the features I mentioned in the features section above
- Invite others to participate in your branded projects and easily tag-team edits
- Get rid of Adobe Spark’s watermark – forever
Spark Team plan includes, everything Individual plan has plus:
- The ability to consolidate ownership and billing of multiple individual licenses
- Reassign licenses at any time
- Access dedicated 24/7 technical phone support, email, chat, and forums
For more details, check out Adobe Spark pricing page.
Pricing – The Verdict:
Adobe Spark is the winner in terms of cost. There is not much of a difference in price between Canva and Spark, but Spark is slightly cheaper than Canva.
Do You Have a Tight Budget?
Adobe Spark is a better choice for you if you are on a very tight budget, as it costs a little bit less than Canva.
Integrations & Apps
Canva is integrated with hundreds of third-party apps and services to help you add even powerful features to your designs.
It is integrated from social media platforms to file hosting services, email marketing tools, CRM, editing extensions, embeds, and much much more. To discover all Canva’s apps and integrations, click here.
Accessing the integrations on Canva is very easy, all you’ve to do is scroll down the left toolbar and click on “More” from Canva’s Editor and from there you can integrate with other third-party apps and services.
Adobe Spark, on the other hand, didn’t have any type of inside-app integration options except Google Drive, Dropbox, and Google Photos.
However, it gives you the option to share your designs on Facebook, Twitter, Google Classroom, and Microsoft Teams.
Integrations – The Verdict:
Canva easily wins this round because it offers tons of integrations and apps with ease of use, often requiring just a single click. In contrast, Adobe Spark is nowhere close to Canva when it comes to integrations and apps.
Need Far More Integration & Apps?
Canva is a perfect option for you because it offers a great selection of integration options with third-party apps and services.
The Editor Interface
No matter whether you choose Adobe Spark or Canva, you will spend most of your time in the editing section, right?
Let’s compare both in terms of editor interface and layout, starting with Canva.
In Canva, the main editing functions that can be used to create your designs are on the left side of the editor while on the right side of the page editor, you can see the real-time editing preview of your designs.
Besides, you can either download your design, publish, share the design on your favorite social media platforms or you can invite others to view or edit your design from the top right corner.
Now on the other hand, we have Adobe Spark.
The editor interface and functions of Adobe Spark are quite similar to Canva.
Most of the editing functions are on the left side and few are on the right side of the Spark’s editor while the real-time editing preview is on the center.
And just like Canva, you can either download, share, or invite someone to edit or view your designs from the top right corner of the editor.
As you have seen above, their editing interface looks and feels very similar and both Canva and Adobe Spark have a clean and intuitive interface.
The Editor Interface – Verdict:
It’s a tie! The editor of both Canva and Adobe Spark offer very similar editing options with a clean and user-friendly interface.
Conclusion
After comparing Canva and Spark over five important categories, my testing found Canva to be the overall winner.
Canva beats Spark in 4 rounds, while Spark only beats Canva in terms of pricing but still there might be a use case for Spark yet.
Before wrapping up this guide, here are my final thoughts that will help you in making the right decision when choosing between Spark and Canva
Why choose Canva instead of Adobe Spark?
- If you’ve to create mostly graphic designs
- Want significantly more and better-looking templates, millions of premium photos, and videos to choose from for free.
- Need fast, stable, and smooth editor that doesn’t lag
- Impressive range of features and significantly more integrations
- Better collaboration and sharing options
- More file formats to download your designs
Is Canva Your Perfect Match?
If Canva was ticking all your designing needs and sounds right for you, why not try it for yourself? Don’t forget it’s totally free for 30 days!
Why choose Spark instead of Canva?
- If you’ve to create mostly web page designs or short video stories
- Need slightly cheaper option than Canva
Does Adobe Spark Sounds Right For You?
If yes, jump on its 30-day free trial and see what you can create!
If you have any other questions that aren’t answered in this guide, please feel free to leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.
Great review! I have use Canva for 3 years now and have the pro plan for our org. I am now using Adobe CCexpress, but definitely think it doesn’t have as many or quality features as Canva.
One thing that I can’t figure out is if Adobe CC Exp has an option for multiple pages within a project. Am I missing that by chance?
Fantastic comparison. Thank you!
Glad you found this comparison helpful 🙂
Hi Arslan, I am looking for a a program that I can start with a blank template and draw and create my own characters and designs. The templates I have seen just don’t cut it. I want to create from scratch. Do either Canva or Spark allow this? If not, are there programs that do allow this? Thanks in advance.
Yes, both allow you to create designs from scratch 🙂
I’ve actually preferred Adobe Spark Post at first for making social media content and YouTube thumbnails. Recently, I’ve been doing more with creating printed material, lower thirds, short videos and other media for our church ministry and with my business. I realized that I had not used sparkpost in several weeks, and that Canva had replaced everything I was doing in Adobe. I also noticed that my templates in Adobe were not loading and fonts were not available. Similar to Canva, it’s best used on a desktop or laptop versus a mobile phone or even an ipad. Canva is the winner for me.
Absolutely! Adobe Spark is not really well-optimized across different browsers and has glitches as well which affects the usability.
BTW, Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
I can see that Canva is a great program. However, I already have an Adobe subscription, so I get the full version of Spark for free. Otherwise, I would probably use Canva.
Yes, you are right. Anyone who purchases an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription will get access to Adobe Spark as well.
Thanks for your comment 🙂
Reread your article so have a better question. Is it possible to overlay a subject over the backgrounds using a green screen or a similar technique?
Hey Misty, I didn’t get your question, can you please explain your question?
Why do you recommend Spark for videos vs Canca?
I recommend both for creating videos but I highly recommend Spark over Canva when it comes to creating web page designs because Adobe Spark has a separate editor for designing stunning web pages.
However, when it comes to videos, both have some ins and out.
I would say, you should go with Adobe Spark if you’ve to create short story videos or ads, while for longer videos, you should choose Canva.
Canva is a professional design app, you can easily create stunning designs with photos and videos even if you’re not a design expert!
Whether you need to design an Instagram story, logo design or birthday invitations, create all of these graphic design needs and more on Canva. It’s available on iPhone, iPad, and desktop so you can rewrite your designs anytime, anywhere.
I have no intention of switching to another application, because Canva is really cool.
Absolutely 🙂