Is the art you make on Canva really yours ?

Published in

resolutio

5 min readApr 27, 2023

Over 110 million people use Canva each month! This includes artists, businesses, social media managers, etc. But, have you ever wondered if you have copyright over the work you create on Canva ? Or if you make money from the designs your create on Canva ? Well, we’ve got you covered.

Before we start, here are a few things you should know:

Canva’s Content License Agreement, the Canva Privacy Policy and Canva’s Terms of Use apply to any Canva design you export, which contains Content from Canva’s library.
If the agreement does not explicitly grant you a right ( including copyright or any other IP right) then it belongs to Canva.
Canva may make changes to the agreement from time to time. While this article provides a general overview based on the current form of the Agreement, counter check with the Agreements listed above for subsequent amendments.

What You Create it Yours

Generally, designs you create on Canva are yours. Even if you create them using Canva’s tools, if the design is 100% yours, you have copyright over it and can use it commercially. But since Canva provides templates, stock media and other design elements you can use to create your work, things get tricky. To help you navigate this, we have divided the article in the following manner:

Selling your Canva Designs: On how you can commercially use the designs you create on Canva
Creating and Using Templates: On how you can use and generate profits from the templates you create on Canva
Using Templates: On how you can and cannot use existing templates on Canva
Using Canva Content: On how you can use Canva’s free & pro Content
Restrictions on Designs made for Client: Conditions you must meet before you can to transfer your work to Clients
Things you Just Cannot Do: Restriction on the use of Canva Content and Template

Selling your Canva Designs

Designs made by you on Canva are yours to use, and can be commercially used and sold for profits. You can put these designs on physical products like books, bottles and other merchandise, and also on digital products like e-books, and generate revenue from it. However, there are some exception to it. For instance, cannot put an existing image or template from Canva on a product and sell it. It has to be your creation, and not an existing creation on Canva.

Creating and Using your Template

When creating a template using Pro Content, the template has to stay on Canva.You can sell the template as a shareable link on Canva, which the buyers can then access only on Canva. You cannot download the template and sell it outside Canva.This is so that creators of the pro content get royalties for its use.

Using templates

You cannot use existing templates or stock media on a product and sell it. It is not you art. You cannot also make minor alterations and call it your art.For the design to be qualified as your work, it must be a unique composition made by you. You must have made significant changes to templates. If you have any doubts as to whether if qualifies as unique work, you can reach out to Canva here for their approval.

Depending on whether you’re using pro or free content on your design, there will be additional restrictions. This has also been addressed below.

Using Content on Canva

Your ability to use designs you create on Canva, using its content ( free or pro ) are contingent on the conditions set forth in Canva’s Content License Agreement ( hereafter referred to as the Agreement). Here’s a brief overview of the same:

When using Content on Canva, first hover over the Content and click the info (i) icon in the toolbar, to understand what license applies ( aka, how you can legally use the content). For instance, for free Pixabay content, you’ll have to refer to Pixabay License. For CC0 content, you’ll have to refer to what CC0 entails.
Your ability to use your design on Canva shall be determined by whether it is a permitted or prohibited use or whether it has been made using Free or Pro Content or Canva’s template.

Using Free Content

You can use the free Content on your Canva designs, perpetually, for permitted use cases. Permitted Use cases are listed in Points 5 and 6 of the Agreement.

Using Pro Content and Templates

You can use Pro Content or Pro Template, in a single Canva Design, in a perpetual manner, provided it falls within the permitted use cases as defined in Sections 5 and 7 of the Agreement. You cannot not copy, download or distribute the Pro Content as a standalone item.

Each time you wish to use a Pro Content or Template in a new Design, you must pay for it, unless you already have a subscription on Canva. Even if you need to make variations of the design ( eg. in different ratios), you have to purchase a license for each new variation.

Restrictions on Designs made for Clients

The transfer of design to others are governed point 4A of Agreement. When transferring a Canva design containing free/pro Content to a client, you have to consider the following points.

You have to enter into a written agreement with your client that stipulates that the client’s use of the Canva Design must be only for their use and must be in accordance with Canva’s Content License Agreement;
You will remain solely responsible and liable for your client’s compliance with these terms;
A Canva Design incorporating Content can only be transferred to a single client.

This means that you cannot transfer or sub-license Content to your client for use outside of a Canva Design, or on a standalone basis (unless the license terms allow this).

Things you just CANNOT Do

On use of Stock Media

If use of Canva content in your design may be considered offensive, don’t use it!
If images include people, don’t feature your design with the images in a manner which depicts them in bad light, or in a way they may find offensive. You cannot also use it for pornography, to sell products like tobacco, escort services, medical products, or in connection with political endorsements.
Use of an image of a person should not be used as a testimonial ( indicating that they are a real customer/client of your brand)

Other restrictions

Irrespective of whether the media you’re using is free or pro or based on templates, you cannot create a logo or trademark on Canva using their templates or other content from their library.
A design you make using their content, cannot be registered as a trademark.
You cannot use music from Canva’s library for paid media advertisements or commercials. You cannot remix or alter their tracks. Also avoid using the music in traditional channels like TV, cinema, radio etc.
You may use the music on social media, like YouTube, Instagram and Tick Tock

Refer to Point 9 in the Agreement for a full list prohibited uses.

Resources for a Deep Dive

Applicable Agreements

Other Resources

Note: It’s advisable to consult the specific laws of your jurisdiction and seek legal advice for accurate and up-to-date information on copyright and related issues.

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