If you’ve spent any time online, you’ve probably come across Canva. It’s a popular design tool that makes creating graphics, social media posts, and even presentations incredibly simple. Recently, Canva has expanded into offering “website design.” But here’s the big question: can you really design a website on Canva, and should you?
The short answer is: yes, you can create a very basic website on Canva. But if you’re serious about your business, there are some important limitations you need to know before you decide to go down that road.
✅ What Canva Websites Can Do
- Quick and easy setup: Canva’s drag-and-drop interface is beginner-friendly. You don’t need coding knowledge.
- Great for simple projects: If you need a one-page event site, a digital CV, or a temporary landing page, Canva can get you something live in minutes.
- Beautiful templates: Canva offers attractive pre-made designs that look polished at first glance.
Can You Design a Website on Canva?
⚠️ The Limitations of Canva Websites
While Canva can be decent for graphics, it falls short when it comes to professional web design. We identified many more concerns than advantages of using Canva. Here’s why:
- Limited functionality: Canva sites are essentially static pages. You won’t get advanced features like eCommerce, booking systems, or integrations with your business tools.
- Poor SEO performance: Canva websites are not built with search engine optimisation in mind. That means your site is far less likely to rank on Google, which can cost you valuable traffic and customers.
- Scalability issues: As your business grows, your website needs to grow with it. Canva doesn’t offer the flexibility or infrastructure to support a professional, scalable online presence.
- Brand credibility: Customers can usually tell the difference between a DIY site and a professionally built one. A Canva site might look “okay,” but it won’t give your business the credibility and trust that a custom-built website provides.
- Ownership and control: With Canva, you’re tied to their platform. You don’t have full control over hosting, backups, or customisation. If Canva changes its policies or features, your site could be affected. If you compare that to a website made by us, we give you full control and ownership of the site we create once it’s completed.
- Confusing documentation: The help text is confusing. Some of the information suggests multi-page sites are coming, but we found the advice unclear and inconsistent.
Why a Professional Website Matters
The issue if you design a website on Canva
Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. A professional site:
- Builds trust and authority.
- Works seamlessly across devices.
- Is optimised for search engines.
- Can integrate with your marketing, sales, and customer service tools.
- Grows with your business instead of holding it back.
In short, Canva is fine for a small, personal project or a quick placeholder. But if you’re running a business, your website should be working for you, not against you.
Ready for a Website That Works as Hard as You Do?
If you’re serious about growing your business, don’t settle for a Canva template. Let’s create a website that’s tailored to your brand, optimised for performance, and designed to convert visitors into customers.
Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can build you a professional website that sets you apart.
Or, if you’re still exploring your options, schedule a free consultation with us – we’ll walk you through what’s possible and help you make the best decision for your business.