Why I Switched from Canva to Adobe Express | Canva VS Adobe Express!

Andrew Kan
24 Mar 202305:14

TLDRAndrew Kan shares his personal journey from using Canva to Adobe Express for graphic design. He highlights the seamless integration of Adobe Express with the Creative Cloud Suite, which he has been using for years. Andrew appreciates the ease of access to his libraries and fonts, and the convenience of Adobe Express for both free and paid versions, which are often already included in his clients' Creative Cloud subscriptions. He also praises Adobe's innovative features such as the scheduler, font suggestions, and color options. Kan contrasts this with Canva, which he found less personalized and more cumbersome to use, especially when starting new projects. He acknowledges Canva's larger template library but finds Adobe Express's templates more to his liking. Andrew also values the diversity of Adobe Stock images, which he sees as a better representation of the global community. Lastly, he emphasizes Adobe Express's learning pathway and the potential to upgrade skills from basic to advanced levels, which he finds more appealing than Canva's offerings. Andrew concludes by encouraging viewers to choose the tool that best fits their needs and shares his excitement for graphic design with Adobe Express.

Takeaways

  • 😀 Andrew Kan, a former TubeBuddy employee, transitioned from using Canva to Adobe Express for graphic design.
  • 🎨 Canva is a free graphic design tool available on mobile and desktop, similar to Adobe Express.
  • 🌐 Andrew is an Adobe Express Ambassador and has been creating content with Adobe products for years.
  • 🔄 One of Andrew's main issues with Canva was the lack of integration with his existing Adobe Creative Cloud Suite.
  • 📚 Adobe Express offers seamless integration with Adobe's libraries, fonts, and saved assets, making it more convenient for Andrew.
  • 💼 Andrew found Canva tiresome to use repeatedly, especially when working on new projects or with new teams.
  • 🆓 Adobe Express has both a free version and a paid version included in the Creative Cloud, which many of Andrew's clients already had.
  • 🛠️ Andrew appreciates Adobe Express's features like the scheduler, font suggestions, and color options, which he finds more user-friendly than Canva.
  • 📚 Adobe Express provides access to a vast and diverse Adobe Stock Library, which is important for representation in design.
  • 🌟 The diversity of Adobe Stock images, including various backgrounds and ethnicities, was a significant advantage for Andrew.
  • 📈 Adobe Express offers a clear upgrade path for users, allowing them to learn basic skills and then transition to more advanced Adobe tools.
  • 🎉 Andrew's excitement for creating graphics with Adobe Express has been reignited, which he considers invaluable.

Q & A

  • Why did Andrew Kan switch from Canva to Adobe Express?

    -Andrew Kan switched from Canva to Adobe Express because he found Canva wasn't the right tool for him. He appreciated the integration of Adobe Express with the Creative Cloud Suite, which he had been using for years, and found it more aligned with his design needs and workflow.

  • What is Andrew Kan's background in relation to graphic design and YouTube?

    -Andrew Kan used to work at TubeBuddy, where he grew their YouTube channel from about 6,000 subscribers to over half a million. During that time, he used various software to create YouTube thumbnails, including Canva and Adobe Express.

  • What is the role of Adobe Express Ambassador in this context?

    -Andrew Kan is an Adobe Express Ambassador, which means he promotes and advocates for Adobe Express. However, his decision to switch to Adobe Express was made before he became an ambassador, based on the software's features and his personal preferences.

  • How does Adobe Express integrate with the Creative Cloud Suite?

    -Adobe Express is well integrated with the Creative Cloud Suite, allowing users to access their libraries, fonts, and other saved elements from within Adobe Express. This seamless integration was one of the main reasons Andrew Kan preferred Adobe Express over Canva.

  • What are some of the benefits of Adobe Express that Andrew Kan appreciates?

    -Andrew Kan appreciates the free version of Adobe Express, the inclusion in the Creative Cloud subscription, the scheduler tool, font suggestion features, palette tools, and free color options that Adobe Express provides.

  • How does Adobe Express compare to Canva in terms of templates?

    -While Canva has been around longer and has more templates, Andrew Kan finds that the templates provided by Adobe Express are more to his personal liking and usage.

  • What is Andrew Kan's opinion on the diversity of stock images in Adobe Stock Library?

    -Andrew Kan appreciates the diversity of stock images in the Adobe Stock Library, noting that it includes a wide range of people from different backgrounds and ethnicities, which is important to him for creating inclusive designs.

  • Why did Andrew Kan find Adobe Express more suitable for his clients?

    -Many of Andrew Kan's clients were already using the Adobe Creative Cloud, and Adobe Express met all their graphic design needs more comprehensively than Canva. The inclusion of Adobe Express in the Creative Cloud subscription was also a deciding factor.

  • What does Andrew Kan think about the learning pathway provided by Adobe Express?

    -Andrew Kan believes that Adobe Express offers a clear learning pathway for users, from beginners to advanced users. He appreciates the built-in ways to learn skills in Express and then transfer those to more advanced Adobe products.

  • What was the final reason Andrew Kan stopped using Canva?

    -The final reason Andrew Kan stopped using Canva was the comprehensive capabilities of Adobe Express, which was included in the Creative Cloud. It covered all the needs of his clients who were not using Canva for anything more than graphics.

  • How does Andrew Kan feel about creating graphics with Adobe Express?

    -Andrew Kan is excited about creating graphics with Adobe Express, stating that the ability to use the software has reignited his passion for graphic design, which he considers priceless.

  • What advice does Andrew Kan give to others regarding the choice of design software?

    -Andrew Kan advises others to use the tool that works best for them, whether that's Adobe Express or Canva. He emphasizes the importance of personal preference and the specific needs of each individual or project.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Personal Transition from Canva to Adobe Express

Andrew Kan, a former TubeBuddy employee who significantly grew their YouTube channel, shares his personal journey of switching from Canva to Adobe Express for graphic design needs. He explains that while Canva is a popular free graphic design tool, it wasn't the best fit for him due to his existing integration with Adobe's Creative Cloud Suite. Andrew appreciates Adobe Express's seamless integration with his Adobe libraries and fonts, and the convenience of not having to manually transfer assets for new projects. He also mentions being an Adobe Express Ambassador and highlights the benefits of Adobe's tool for both free and paid users, including its diverse stock library and the potential for skill development and transition to more advanced Adobe products.

05:03

🚀 Embracing Adobe Express for Creative Empowerment

Andrew concludes his video script with a motivational note, expressing his enthusiasm for using Adobe Express, which has reignited his excitement for creating graphics. He encourages viewers to choose the tool that works best for them and offers a resource for beginners to start using Adobe Express. Andrew's personal success with Adobe Express in creating YouTube art serves as an affirmation that others can achieve similar results. His closing statement, a playful twist on his name 'Kan,' embodies the spirit of empowerment and possibility in design using Adobe Express.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Canva

Canva is a free graphic design platform that allows users to create a variety of visual content for different media channels, such as social media posts, presentations, and YouTube thumbnails. In the video, Andrew Kan mentions that he used Canva for design purposes but eventually switched to Adobe Express due to personal preference and compatibility with his workflow.

💡Adobe Express

Adobe Express is a design software that is part of Adobe's Creative Cloud Suite. It enables users to create graphics, social media posts, and other visual content, similar to Canva. Andrew highlights that he prefers Adobe Express because it is well-integrated with the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, which he has been using for years, and appreciates its features and the diverse Adobe Stock Library.

💡YouTube thumbnails

YouTube thumbnails are the small, clickable images that represent a video on the platform. Andrew Kan discusses his experience using various software, including Canva, to create thumbnails for YouTube videos, which are crucial for attracting viewers to click and watch the content.

💡Creative Cloud Suite

The Adobe Creative Cloud Suite is a collection of software and services offered by Adobe Inc. that cater to video editing, graphic design, photography, and web development. Andrew appreciates Adobe Express for its seamless integration with this suite, which makes it easier to access his libraries and fonts without manual transfer.

💡Templates

Templates in design software like Canva and Adobe Express are pre-designed layouts that users can customize to create their own content quickly and efficiently. While Canva has been around longer and offers more templates, Andrew finds that he personally uses the templates provided by Adobe Express more.

💡Adobe Stock Library

The Adobe Stock Library is a collection of high-quality images, videos, templates, and other assets that can be used in creative projects. Andrew points out that he values the diversity of the Adobe Stock Library, as it includes a wide range of images representing various backgrounds and ethnicities, which is important for inclusive design.

💡Integration

Integration refers to the process of combining different software or systems to work together seamlessly. Andrew emphasizes the importance of Adobe Express's integration with the Creative Cloud Suite, which allows him to access his existing resources without the need for manual transfer, making his design process more efficient.

💡Diversity

Diversity in the context of the video refers to the range of different types of images, particularly stock photos, that represent various ethnicities, backgrounds, and cultures. Andrew appreciates Adobe Express for its diverse Adobe Stock Library, which allows him to create designs that reflect a wider audience.

💡Upgrade path

An upgrade path is the progression from using basic features of a software to more advanced ones, often moving from a free version to a paid one with more capabilities. Andrew mentions that Adobe Express provides a clear upgrade path, allowing users to learn the basics and then transition to more advanced features within the Adobe ecosystem.

💡Personal preference

Personal preference refers to an individual's choice based on their own tastes and needs. Andrew states that while Canva is a great software, it wasn't the right fit for him personally. His preference for Adobe Express is based on its integration with the Creative Cloud Suite, the diversity of the Adobe Stock Library, and the ease of use that aligns with his design workflow.

Highlights

Andrew Kan, a former TubeBuddy employee, shares his personal transition from using Canva to Adobe Express for graphic design.

Canva is a free graphic design tool available on mobile and desktop, while Adobe Express is similarly accessible and offers integration with the Creative Cloud Suite.

Andrew discloses his role as an Adobe Express Ambassador and his initial attraction to Adobe Express after seeing an ad on Twitter.

A long-time Photoshop user, Andrew appreciates Adobe Express's seamless integration with his existing Adobe Cloud libraries and fonts.

In contrast to Canva, Adobe Express eliminates the need to manually transfer assets for each new project or team.

Many of Andrew's clients were already using Adobe Creative Cloud, which influenced his preference for Adobe Express.

Adobe Express offers a free version and a paid version included in the Creative Cloud, aligning with Andrew and his clients' needs.

Andrew praises Adobe Express for its innovative tools such as the scheduler, font suggestion feature, and advanced color options.

Adobe Express provides a more diverse selection of templates that Andrew finds more personally useful than Canva's.

The use of the Adobe Stock Library in Adobe Express is highlighted for its vast and diverse image collection.

Andrew values the diversity in Adobe Stock images, noting the representation of various ethnicities and backgrounds.

The inclusion of Adobe Express in the Creative Cloud was a deciding factor for Andrew over Canva for his clients' graphic design needs.

Adobe Express offers a clear learning pathway for users to develop and elevate their skills over time.

Andrew suggests that the upgrade path from learning Express to using more advanced tools like Photoshop is more intuitive with Adobe Express.

Canva users often ask when to transition to Photoshop, a question Andrew prefers not to encounter with Adobe Express.

Andrew encourages viewers to choose the tool that works best for them, whether it's Adobe Express or Canva.

Adobe Express has reignited Andrew's excitement for creating graphics, which he considers invaluable.