Oooh Canva. With your 3,000,000 graphics, 1000 design types… and your 1 million templates for everything from Gantt charts to restaurant menus. No wonder some people drown in your ocean of bottomless choices.

SketchWow? We do things a bit different around here. As you’ll see below, while Canva is the master of “design 1000 different things”, SketchWow has emerged as the easiest way to create simple diagrams to explain anything using fun, hand drawn style visuals that get attention.

In this blog post, we’ll compare SketchWow and Canva, exploring each of their strengths, features, and individual use cases to help you decide which tool aligns better with your individual or organizational wants and needs.

SketchWow: Embracing the Hand-Drawn Aesthetic

Pros:

• 1. Hand-Drawn Style
  
  SketchWow sets itself apart with its distinctive hand-drawn look-and-feel, offering users the ability to create unique looking visuals that carry a personal touch. Animated diagrams are also supported.
  
• 2. Sketching Flexibility
  
  SketchWow provides a quick and easy way to sketch out ideas, concepts, and diagrams without the need for advanced design skills.
  
• 3. Fast and Simple
  
  Built for speed, SketchWow simplifies the process of creating and explaining ideas, concepts and solutions… making it an excellent choice for those who want to convey their thoughts rapidly.
  
• 4. Versatility
  
  Ideal for brainstorming, mind mapping, storyboarding, and creating conversation-starter visuals or presentations. SketchWow allows you to play around with your layout and delivery.
  
• 5. Export Options
  
  SketchWow supports various export formats, including jpg, svg, png, pdf, and animated gif, allowing users to use their creations across different platforms.
  
• 6. Install on Multiple Computers
  
  Users can install SketchWow on all the Windows and Mac computers they own or use, providing flexibility in different work environments.
  

Cons:

• I. Not an “All-in-One” Solution: SketchWow is ideal for creating diagrams, workflows, presentations and visual content. For users who want to create a larger variety of different types of visuals (greeting cards, printed posters, worksheets, etc.), SketchWow is not the best suited for this broad use case.
  
  II. Specific Icons & Templates: SketchWow is designed for simplicity –  both in how the app is designed and how you create visuals using it. Some users may be used to 3 million icons and templates. While thousands of choices are helpful to some, this can also be overwhelming and time-consuming for others when trying to explain simple concepts, ideas or plans in a clear and casual way.
  
  III. Collaboration & Team Support: SketchWow is not a SaaS (software as a service) solution and does not run in the cloud. Therefore, SketchWow is not ideally suited for teams who are looking to collaborate in real-time on design projects. SketchWow does support a variety of file export formats. As an alternative, teams can share SketchWow designs using a virtual drive such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneBox.

Use Cases:

• Creatives: Perfect for non-designers and creative thinkers who want a unique way to express their ideas into sketches and visuals that stand out.
  
• Educators: Ideal for teachers and trainers who wish to engage their audience with visually appealing hand-drawn content in lesson plans and presentations.
  
• I/T: SketchWow is ideal for explaining complex concepts or solutions in a clear and casual way using hand-drawn style diagrams and workflows.
  
• Business Professionals: A valuable tool for professionals looking to add a unique and memorable touch to their business diagrams, strategies, and internal communications.

Canva: The All-in-One Design Platform

Pros:

• 1. Template Variety
  
  Canva boasts an extensive library of templates, catering to a wide range of design needs, from social media graphics to business presentations. From birthday invitations to parade banners, Canva can accommodate them all.
  
• 2. Drag-and-Drop Interface
  
  Its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface makes it accessible for beginners, allowing users to create their first designs with ease.
  
• 3. Collaboration
  
  Canva is set up for collaboration, allowing teams to work on projects together in real-time, making it suitable for group projects and creative teams.
  
• 4. Brand Kit
  
  Canva’s Brand Kit feature enables users to maintain brand consistency by storing logos, colors, and fonts for easy access across various designs.
  
• 5. Print and Download Options
  
  Users can seamlessly print their designs or download them in various formats, making Canva versatile for both digital and print media.
  
• 6. Integration
  
  Canva integrates with various platforms, including social media and productivity tools, streamlining the workflow for content creation and sharing.

Cons:

• I. Difficult to Personalize: While Canva’s strength is boasting thousands of templates and icons, this is also seen by some users as a weakness. Canva’s preset designs make it difficult to personalize or add warmth to a design.
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  II. Online-only Solution: Canva is SaaS (software as a service). Some users claim that Canva can be “laggy” at times, and work can be lost when a WiFi connection times out. While SaaS offers some advantages for collaboration and teams, relying on a constant, reliable Internet connection is not a requirement of SketchWow.
  
  III. Cost: Canva offers a free account plan with limited assets available. The advanced features are locked behind a paywall. Some users complain that all the “good” assets and features are only included in Canva’s Pro plan (priced at $12.99 per month. $155.88 per year as of 1/1/2024). This is understandable as Canva uses the free account tier for lead generation with hopes that users will upgrade to a paid plan for more options and flexibility.
  
  IV. Similar Looking Designs: In contrast to SketchWow’s casual, sketch-effect style, many Canva designs have a certain rigid look and feel. As a result, some users have commented that Canva designs are “too corporate” and can often contain similar designs found on other websites or posted to social platforms.

Use Cases:

• Marketers: Canva is a go-to platform for marketing professionals looking to create visually appealing social media graphics, flyers, and promotional materials.
  
• Small Businesses: Ideal for small businesses that want to establish a consistent and professional brand presence without the need for extensive design expertise.
  
• Content Creators: Canva is widely used by content creators for designing blog graphics, YouTube thumbnails, and other visual elements to enhance online content.

SketchWow vs. Canva: Making the Choice

Considerations:

• Casual or Corporate Preference
  
  If you prefer a unique hand-drawn aesthetic and want to add a personal touch to your visuals, SketchWow might be the right choice.
  
• Ease of Use
  
  SketchWow’s simple user interface and layout, makes it an ideal choice for quickly communicating ideas and explaining concepts, visually. Canva’s strength is supporting numerous power-features and flexibility. Canva is a solid choice for those who want access to a wide variety of design options without compromising on design quality.
  
• Collaboration Needs
  
  If you’re working in a collaborative environment, Canva’s real-time collaboration features might be a deciding factor.
  
• Specific Use Cases
  
  Consider the specific use cases you have in mind. SketchWow is excellent for quick and creative sketching, while Canva excels in offering a broad spectrum of design possibilities.

Why Not Use Both?

Since Canva and SketchWow offer unique capabilities, some Canva users enjoy adding SketchWow’s unique hand drawn style visuals to their Canva designs. This can be easily done by simply using copy and paste between the two apps.

Finding Your Creative Ally

In the SketchWow vs. Canva comparison, the choice ultimately depends on your creative goals, preferences, and the nature of your projects. SketchWow appeals to those who appreciate a more personal looking, hand-drawn style and seek a flexible, creative outlet. On the other hand, Canva provides an all-encompassing design platform with an extensive range of professional-looking templates and collaborative features, making it suitable for diverse design needs.

Whichever tool you choose, both SketchWow and Canva empower users to bring their creative visions to life, offering unique features that cater to a variety of design preferences. If you are interested in learning more about SketchWow, and how it could serve you, reach out to our team or consult our list of resources. If SketchWow isn’t right for you, we offer a 30-day moneyback guarantee –  no hassle, no exit surveys.