Canva Free vs Pro in 2026: What You Actually Get
Canva Free is genuinely usable — but Canva Pro, at $18 a month or $144 a year, is where the time-saving tools live. The background remover, transparent PNG export, brand kits and the full Magic Studio AI set are all Pro-only, along with more than double the templates and 20 times the storage.
Here is every difference that matters, and who can happily stay free.
Canva Free vs Pro, side by side
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $18/month or $144/year |
| Templates | 1.6M+ | 3.6M+ |
| Photos, video and audio | Limited | 141M+ assets |
| Cloud storage | 5GB | 100GB |
| Background remover | No | Yes |
| Transparent PNG export | No | Yes |
| Brand kits | No | Up to 5 |
| Magic Studio AI | Limited | Full access |
| One-click resize | No | Yes |
US prices as of September 2026. See the full Canva Pro cost breakdown for plan history.
The Pro features people actually use
Background remover. The single most-used Pro tool. Cutting a product or person out of a photo takes one click instead of a separate app.
Resize. Turning one design into an Instagram post, a Story and a LinkedIn banner at once is the second big time-saver for anyone posting regularly.
Brand kits. Saving your fonts, colours and logos means every design starts on-brand, which matters most for small businesses with more than one person designing.
Who should stay on Free
Stay Free
You make an occasional flyer, invitation or post, you do not need transparent backgrounds, and 1.6 million templates already covers you.
Upgrade to Pro
You post weekly, cut out backgrounds, resize designs for several platforms, or need consistent branding. One saved hour a month covers the cost.
Need Business
More than one person edits. Pro is single-user — teams need Canva Business at $25 per user per month.
Try Pro before paying
Use the free trial. Canva runs a Pro trial, which is enough to see whether the background remover and resize change your workflow.
Pay yearly if you keep it. $144 a year against $216 on monthly billing saves $72.
Check education and non-profit access. Eligible schools, teachers and registered non-profits can get Pro-level access free.
Buy a discounted subscription. THEOTTDEALS lists Canva Pro below the direct rate. Live pricing is on the product page below.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Canva Free and Pro?
Pro adds the background remover, transparent PNG export, brand kits, one-click resize, full Magic Studio AI, 3.6 million templates and 100GB of storage. Free has 1.6 million templates and 5GB.
Is Canva Pro worth it?
If you design weekly, remove backgrounds or resize for several platforms, yes — one saved hour a month covers the $18. For occasional designs, Free is enough.
Does Canva Free have a background remover?
No. The background remover is a Canva Pro feature.
How much is Canva Pro?
$18 a month, or $144 a year on annual billing, in the US.
Can a team share Canva Pro?
No. Canva Pro is a single-user plan. Teams need Canva Business at $25 per user per month.
Is there a Canva Pro free trial?
Yes. Canva offers a Pro trial so you can test the premium tools before paying.
Related THEOTTDEALS guides
Get Canva Pro for less
View live pricing and order Canva Pro directly from its product page.