05 September 2024 | 08.45
READING TIME: 2 minutes
Canva, known as an affordable graphic design platform, is about to dramatically increase the price of some of its subscriptions as it aggressively introduces generative AI features. Global users of Canva Teams, its enterprise subscription that allows for multiple users, could see a price increase of more than 300% in some cases. Canva is justifying the increases with its “enhanced product experience” and the added value that generative AI tools bring.
In the US, some Canva Teams users are reporting a price increase from $120 per year for up to five users to a whopping $500 per year. A 40% discount will be applied to bring the price down to $300 for the first 12 months. In Australia (where Canva was born), the flat rate of $39.99 AUD (about $26) per month for five users will increase to $13.50 AUD (about $9) per user. That means a team of five will pay at least 68% more, before any other discounts are factored in. Increases for Europe have not yet been announced, but it’s safe to assume they will follow this pattern.
Some of those accounts had been locked into lower pricing that Canva no longer offers. In April, the company changed its offering for new Teams subscribers to $10 per user per month, with a minimum requirement of three users. Now, Louisa Green, Canva’s communications manager, says existing users will also be moved to this structure in September, “to reflect the current plan pricing and the value of our expanded product experience.”
Canva has released a number of generative AI features in recent years, such as the Magic Media image-from-text generator and the Magic Expand background extension tool. These additions have transformed the platform from a tool for design and marketing professionals to a broader workspace offering. While Canva has publicly announced similar pricing changes in the past, these latest increases were communicated exclusively via email to customers. Other subscription levels for Pro and Enterprise users do not appear to be affected.
The premium pricing represents a dramatic shift for Canva, which was once seen as a simple, affordable alternative to Adobe’s more expensive graphic design software. Canva users online have decried the increases, with some announcing they will cancel their subscriptions and switch to Adobe’s apps. The huge price increases also follow Canva’s reported acquisition of the company behind the Affinity creative software suite, for a reported several hundred million euros, ahead of a potential public listing in the US in 2026.
