Blender is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.5. Blender wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Canva on 1.
3D artists, indie game makers and animators who want pro tools for free
Small businesses, students and creators making social posts, slides and flyers
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Blender | Canva |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Design & Creativity | Design & Creativity |
| Category rank | #2 of 10 | #7 of 10 |
| Developer | Blender Foundation | Canva |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | — | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | ✓ | — |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Blender better than Canva?
Blender is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.5. Blender wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Canva on 1.
Which is cheaper, Blender or Canva?
Blender: Free forever for any purpose, including commercial work. Canva: Free plan; Pro and Business add premium content, brand tools and more AI use. On value for money, Blender scores higher.
Do Blender and Canva work on the same devices?
Only Blender runs on Linux. Only Canva runs on Web, iPhone & iPad, Android.
Which is more private, Blender or Canva?
Blender scores higher on privacy (9.6/10). No account or registration needed. Blender doesn't go online by default: Allow Online Access stays off until you turn it on, and an offline mode locks it off.
Strengths and weaknesses
Blender
- Free and open source, even for commercial work
- No account, and it works fully offline
- One app covers modeling through final render
- Steep learning curve with a dense interface
- Mac version needs Apple silicon
- No iPad or Android tablet version yet
Blender is a complete 3D studio that costs nothing. Model, sculpt, animate, simulate, render with Cycles or real-time EEVEE, draw 2D animation with Grease Pencil and even edit video, all in one app. It's open source, needs no account and works offline, and version 5.2 added node-based cloth and hair physics. Be ready for a steep learning curve, and on Mac it needs Apple silicon.
Full Blender review
Canva
- Very easy for non-designers to get good results
- Free plan covers most everyday projects
- Works on web, phone, tablet and desktop
- Content may train AI unless you opt out
- App Store label lists tracking identifiers
- Paid AI features draw reliability complaints
Canva makes it easy to produce a good-looking flyer, slide deck or Instagram post when you aren't a designer. Pick from a huge template library, drag in your photos and let the AI assistant draft designs for you. It also covers docs, websites, sheets, video and forms. The free plan goes a long way. Mind the privacy defaults: Canva can train AI on your content unless you opt out.
Full Canva review
