Choosing between Carrd and Canva? Dive into our detailed analysis to make an informed decision for your design and frontend needs.
Irvin Zhan
•
2025-01-13
When it comes to creating websites or landing pages, Carrd and Canva are two popular tools. Both offer unique features and cater to different needs. In this article, we'll compare their key features, pricing, limitations, and user reviews to help you make an informed decision.
Carrd: Overview and Key Features
Carrd is a simple, one-page site builder designed for creating responsive websites quickly and efficiently.
Responsive Design: Carrd ensures websites look great on any device, automatically adjusting layouts for mobile, tablet, and desktop views.
Custom Domains: Users can connect their own domain names, providing a professional touch to their websites without additional hassle.
SEO Tools: Carrd includes essential SEO features like meta tags, custom URLs, and alt text for images, helping improve search engine rankings.
Form Integration: Carrd supports forms for collecting user information, with options to integrate with services like Mailchimp and Google Sheets.
Template Library: Carrd offers a variety of pre-designed templates, catering to different styles and purposes, from portfolios to landing pages.
Custom Code: Users can add custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, allowing for advanced customization and functionality beyond the built-in features.
Analytics: Carrd integrates with Google Analytics, enabling users to track visitor behavior and site performance effectively.
Affordability: Carrd provides a free tier with basic features and affordable paid plans that unlock additional capabilities, making it accessible for all budgets.
Carrd's Reviews
Overall, users appreciate Carrd for its simplicity and affordability, though some note limitations in templates and design flexibility.
G2: 4.5/5
Vijay S. (4.0 out of 5): "Carrd is the best in terms of making portfolio websites and one-page landing pages. It is super awesome in its free plan and if you buy the pro plan, you unlock some really good templates."
Maddy E. (5.0 out of 5): "The CUSTOMER FIRST policy, and the product is GREAT too! It was effortless to start, finding my way around, using, and implementing with out-of-this-world customer support!"
Girish C. (4.5 out of 5): "Drag-and-drop builder, affordable pricing for pro plans. Ability to add subpages could've been useful."
Jenne S. (5.0 out of 5): "I like how well designed it is. It's easy to add your links in and have a link page that is beautiful without having to do any design work."
Aesha J. (4.0 out of 5): "Carrd is an amazing software because it's easy to use. Even though I have little web development experience, it offers a huge range of customizable templates and it's super mobile-friendly."
Positive Aspects:
User-friendly and intuitive interface
Affordable pricing, especially for pro plans
Good customer support
Simple and responsive design
Mobile-friendly and supports custom domains
Common Concerns:
Limited templates in the free plan
Lack of ability to add subpages
Some users find the design interface slow and clunky
Limited WYSIWYG editor tools
Formatting multiple sections at once is not possible
Canva: Overview and Key Features
Canva is a popular design tool known for its user-friendly interface and extensive template library.
Template Library: Canva offers thousands of templates for various design needs, including social media posts, presentations, and marketing materials. Users can easily customize these templates to fit their brand.
Drag-and-Drop Editor: Canva's intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows users to create designs without any graphic design experience. Elements like text, images, and shapes can be easily added and adjusted.
Stock Photos and Graphics: Canva provides access to a vast library of stock photos, illustrations, and icons. Users can search for specific images or browse categories to find the perfect visual elements for their projects.
Collaboration Tools: Canva enables team collaboration by allowing multiple users to work on the same design in real-time. Comments and suggestions can be added directly to the design, facilitating seamless teamwork.
Brand Kit: Canva's Brand Kit feature helps maintain brand consistency by storing brand colors, fonts, and logos in one place. This ensures that all designs adhere to the company's branding guidelines.
Export Options: Canva supports various export formats, including PNG, JPG, PDF, and even print-ready files. Users can also share designs directly to social media platforms or via email.
Design School: Canva offers educational resources through its Design School, which includes tutorials, courses, and articles on design principles and best practices. This helps users improve their design skills over time.
Canva's Reviews
Overall, users find Canva to be user-friendly and versatile, though some note limitations in advanced features and the need for a paid subscription.
G2: 4.7/5
Hasan T. (3.0 out of 5): "Canva is a good tool for non-professional editors. Easier to use than other professional platforms, but lacks some important features like box shadows."
Anuja S. (5.0 out of 5): "Most recommended. Best app for designing everything from posters to wedding invitations. Easy to use with a variety of templates."
Arjun H. (5.0 out of 5): "Flexible, helpful, quick fix for creatives. No need to depend on the design team for short timeline projects."
Rafeh S. (5.0 out of 5): "Using Canva is typically a smooth and intuitive experience. Accessible for everyone, but some advanced features are locked behind a paid subscription."
Nihal S. (5.0 out of 5): "My go-to app for graphic design. Simple and easy-to-use with thousands of elements and templates. Integrates well with social media."
Positive Aspects:
Ease of use
Wide variety of templates
Accessibility for non-professional editors
Useful features and integrations
Availability of a free version with substantial features
Common Concerns:
Limited advanced features
Reliance on an internet connection
Some features locked behind a paid subscription
Limited customization options for complex tasks
Occasional drop in quality when exporting designs
Feature Comparison: Carrd vs. Canva
Similarities
Despite targeting different user bases, Carrd and Canva share several important features:
Template Libraries: Both offer a variety of templates to help users get started quickly, catering to different styles and purposes.
Custom Domains: Users can connect their own domains, adding a professional touch to their websites.
Responsive Design: Websites created on both platforms look great on any device, automatically adjusting layouts for mobile, tablet, and desktop views.
Drag-and-Drop Editors: Both platforms feature intuitive drag-and-drop editors, making it easy for users to create and customize their sites without any coding knowledge.
Collaboration Tools: Canva and Carrd support team collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same project in real-time.
Analytics Integration: Both platforms offer integration with analytics tools, enabling users to track visitor behavior and site performance.
Differences
Critical differences between Carrd and Canva will likely influence your choice.
Primary Focus:
While Carrd focuses on creating simple, one-page websites, Canva offers a broader range of design tools, including a website builder.
Customization Options:
Canva provides extensive design elements like images, text, graphics, and animations, whereas Carrd allows for custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for advanced customization.
Collaboration Tools:
Canva supports real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work on the same design, a feature not available in Carrd.
Integration Capabilities:
Canva integrates with various apps like Bitmojis and Giphy, while Carrd focuses on form integrations and custom code embedding.
Export and Publishing Options:
Canva offers multiple export formats and direct sharing to social media, whereas Carrd primarily focuses on publishing responsive one-page sites.
Pricing Comparison: Carrd vs. Canva
Carrd Pricing
Understanding Carrd's pricing structure is essential for choosing the right plan for your needs. Here’s a clear breakdown of the available pricing plans and what each includes:
Pro Lite: $9/year
3 Sites
Premium URLs
No Branding
High Quality Images
Large Images and Videos
No Element Limit
Premium Templates
Custom Templates
Video Uploads
Slideshows
Site Icons
Share Images
QR Codes
Site Transfers
Sharing
Pro Lite 10: $14/year
10 Sites
All features of Pro Lite
Pro Lite 25: $29/year
25 Sites
All features of Pro Lite
Pro Standard: $19/year
10 Sites
Custom Domain URLs
All features of Pro Lite
Forms
Widgets
Embeds
Google Analytics
Meta Tags
Local Fonts
Pro Standard 25: $39/year
25 Sites
All features of Pro Standard
Pro Standard 50: $69/year
50 Sites
All features of Pro Standard
Pro Standard 100: $119/year
100 Sites
All features of Pro Standard
Pro Standard 250: $249/year
250 Sites
All features of Pro Standard
Pro Standard 500: $399/year
500 Sites
All features of Pro Standard
Pro Standard 1000: $599/year
1000 Sites
All features of Pro Standard
Pro Plus: $49/year
25 Sites
Custom Domain URLs
All features of Pro Standard
Advanced Forms
Advanced Settings
Download Sites
Redirects
Password Protection
Variables
Site Files
Update Frequency
Canonical URL
Pro Plus 50: $89/year
50 Sites
All features of Pro Plus
Pro Plus 100: $159/year
100 Sites
All features of Pro Plus
Pro Plus 250: $349/year
250 Sites
All features of Pro Plus
Pro Plus 500: $599/year
500 Sites
All features of Pro Plus
Pro Plus 1000: $999/year
1000 Sites
All features of Pro Plus
Canva' Pricing
Canva offers a range of pricing plans to cater to different user needs, from individuals to large organizations.
Canva Free: $0/year
Easy drag-and-drop editor
1M+ professionally-designed templates
1000+ design types (social posts and more)
3M+ stock photos and graphics
AI-generated writing and designs
Design printing and delivery
5GB of cloud storage
Canva Pro: $120/year for one person
Everything in Free, plus:
Unlimited premium templates
100M+ photos, videos, graphics, audio
1000 Brand Kits to manage your brand
Quickly resize and translate designs
Remove backgrounds in a click
Boost creativity with 20+ AI tools
Plan and schedule social content
1TB of cloud storage
Online customer support
Canva Teams: $100/year per person (minimum 3 people)
Everything in Pro, plus:
Scale your brand and centralize assets
Ensure brand consistency with approvals
Edit, comment, and collaborate in real time
Generate on-brand copy with AI
Team reports and insights
Pay as you grow
1TB of cloud storage
Online customer support
AI Admin Controls
ISO 27001 certification and SOC 2 Type II compliance
Canva Enterprise: Contact support for pricing
Everything in Teams, plus:
Centrally manage multiple teams and brands
Set individual or group design approvals
Manage access to the Canva content and template library
IP indemnity content control
SSO
Automate license provisioning with SCIM
Custom apps and integrations
Priority customer support
Design support from Enterprise Studio creative team
Dedicated customer success manager
Subframe, a Better Alternative to Carrd and Canva
Subframe is a UI design tool that makes building user interfaces quick and easy. We combine a drag-and-drop editor with real, component-based design, giving you precise control for pixel-perfect, responsive layouts. Our platform instantly translates designs into clean, production-ready React and Tailwind code, eliminating the need for handoff and speeding up your workflow.
Subframe's Features
Subframe is the UI design tool for the AI era, offering a seamless blend of design and code.
Component-Based Design: Create user interfaces with real, reusable components instead of static mockups, ensuring precise, production-ready layouts.
Pre-Built UI Templates: Access a library of customizable templates inspired by established design patterns, built with reusable components to speed up the design process.
Code Export: Generate clean, production-quality React and Tailwind code, allowing designs to be copied directly into a codebase, reducing time spent on handoff and manual CSS adjustments.
Free to Get Started: Enjoy free access to visual design tools with no credit card required, making it easy to start designing immediately.
AI-Powered Design: Leverage AI to quickly transform ideas into interfaces, adapting to user designs and sharing real prototypes effortlessly.
Subframe's Pricing
Subframe pricing is designed to cater to different user needs:
Free Plan: $0 per user/month
1 project
Up to 3 page designs
Up to 3 team members
100s of UI templates
Limited AI features
Pro Plan: $29 per user/month
Up to 3 projects
Unlimited page designs
Unlimited team members
Custom components
100s of UI templates
Full AI beta access
Custom Plan: "Let's talk"
Unlimited projects
Unlimited page designs
Integrate your components
Dedicated Slack support
Figma plugin
Unlimited AI
For more details, visit the Subframe pricing page. Book a demo with Subframe to see how it can transform your design workflow.
Subframe's Reviews
Users have shared positive feedback about Subframe, noting its user-friendly interface, time-saving tools, and the quality of the UI designs it produces. The platform has earned a 5/5 rating on Product Hunt. Customers especially value the visual editor, drag-and-drop functionality, and AI features that help refine designs based on user input.
"Without Subframe, the frontend build of this tool would've taken a lot longer and a lot more financial resources." - Erin Kim
"Subframe helped us make a super clean UI for our console without designers." - Carl Peterson
"Huge shoutout to Subframe guys! Super easy to create UI, and the support is great. Highly recommend!" - Amartya Jha
Carrd, Canva or Subframe? Which is The Best Tool For You
Each platform has its unique strengths. Carrd excels in creating simple, responsive one-page websites, making it ideal for personal profiles and landing pages. Canva offers a broader range of design tools, perfect for those who need versatile templates and real-time collaboration for various design projects.
Subframe stands out by seamlessly integrating design and code, offering real component-based design and AI-powered features. It generates production-ready React and Tailwind code, making it the best choice for those seeking both design flexibility and efficient code generation in a single platform.
If you prioritize simplicity and affordability, Carrd is a great fit. For extensive design options and collaboration, Canva may be the better choice. But for those looking for a comprehensive solution that combines design and code seamlessly, Subframe stands out. Get started on Subframe for free to see how it can streamline your workflow.
Join thousands of happy builders.
Subframe lets you build stunning UI with beautifully crafted components and a drag-and-drop visual editor.