Which Design Tool Is Best for Entrepreneurs?

Canva and Stencil step into the boxing ring. The crowds roar and a mic lowers from the ceiling for the announcer.

“On my right, we have the drag-and-drop graphics editing heavyweight, Canva. Looks like someone’s got a reputation to defend. And on my left, we have Stencil, the scrappy, fast-swinging new(er) software with something to prove. Looks like it’s going to be a good fight.”

What is the best graphic design tool for entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurs are not your average straight-laced professional. We hustle harder, have exactly 2 gazillion business ideas per day (yes, I counted), and people rely on us to make sh*t happen.  

So we need tools that can keep up without stealing from our bottom line. This all begs the question: which online design tool caters best to entrepreneurs?

Features you’ll find in both tools

Let’s set a foundation. Canva and Stencil offer many similar features for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Before I dive into how they differ, it’s worth sharing the great features they have in common.

Canva and Stencil are internet-based graphic design tools. They both offer easy, basic graphic creation and photo editing capabilities. They are both very intuitive to use, unlike some Adobe products we all know (looking at you, Photoshop).

Both tools also offer a free version of their service. You don’t have to pay a monthly fee to start using them. Of course, to access the most features from each tool, you must become a paid member.

Here’s a bird’s eye view of what you get with both Canva and Stencil:

• Pre-made templates to create images that fit perfectly across common social media sites
• Ability to upload images or use royalty-free images offered by Canva or Stencil
• Drag-and-drop icons, text, or images over graphics and pictures for easy design
• Access to a bunch of fonts to overlay graphics with quotes or headlines
• Ability to download designs and use them immediately in either web or print media
• Optional app integrations