Can you legally use Canva to make a logo?

The short answer is yes, but there are some caveats to that yes that are necessary to know before you jump into the Canva logo maker and start going crazy. Canva has a lot of elements and shiny things to play with when DIYing your own logo, some of them are 100% fine to use and some might have you in a tense legal situation later down the road. 

Can I use Canva to make a logo for my business?

If you’re looking for a very simple logo using text and basic shapes only then YES. Canva can be really great for small businesses that are just starting their journey and need a free solution before they start making money. BUT if you’re looking for any of the following items to use in your branding, then Canva isn’t your best fit:

• Strategy Advice. In Canva logo maker, you’re on your own. When you work with a professional, they can give insights about your target market and what imagery would best appeal to your customers.

• Illustrations or Logomark. All the pre-designed clipart on Canva can not be used in a legal logo if you plan on copyrighting or trademarking your logo, this means you can never fully own your Canva logo. Don’t get me wrong, there’s lots of things that you can use Canva illustrations for in your business (like social media or event flyers) without owning them. BUT your logo? Yeah you need to own your logo.

• Web and Print Safe Color Palette. Picking your own colors in Canva is super fun, but when you get your business cards printed and they’re impossible to read, that’s not so fun.

• Typography Licenses. Lots of fonts on Canva are not free for commercial use. If you end up wanting to use your logo font on your website later on, you may be surprised to find out that the type foundry charges hundreds of dollars for a font file license.

Is a logo made in Canva copyrighted?

It is IF you do it right…or wrong? This question is kinda confusing, let me clear it up. Here’s how to avoid copyright with Canva.

You can copyright (or own) your logo if:

• You use basic shapes like circles and lines to form your own logo icon. Creating something original without using any precreated clipart is the only way to ensure your logo is able to be copyrighted by you.

• You double check that the typeface you choose is available for free commercial usage. To do this you’ll need to search the font name and find who created it and check their policies. You can also choose a font from Google to be extra safe.

You cannot copyright (or it is already copyrighted by someone else) if:

• You used illustrations or clip art provided by Canva. These elements are owned by their original creators and those creators make a little bit of money from Canva when you use one. What if I have a Canva Pro account or pay for the element directly? Nope, the creator still owns it, you are paying for a license to use that element but you will not own the rights to it.

• You used a font without a commercial license. Some fonts are okay to use for commercial purposes and others aren’t. Canva doesn’t tell you the difference, you need to look up the font yourself and see what the policy is from the type foundry that created it. Some fonts are free to use and others cost hundreds of dollars.

Here is an example of a logo made in Canva that is legally yours:

Here is an example of a logo made in Canva that you cannot own:

NOTE: Most of the logo templates provided by Canva are not able to be copyrighted.

The difference between a Canva logo and a custom designed logo.

The major difference between a Canva logo and a custom one is uniqueness and strategy. How important is it for your biz to stand out from others? And how serious are you about making your biz successful? Because if you’re serious about building something that will last (and hopefully pay all your bills) then blending in and lacking credibility isn’t an option. 

Take a moment to write down your goals and envision what your business looks like in five years. Where are you? Who are you selling to? Why are they attracted to you? 

If you have big ambitions and confidence in your offer, what’s stopping you from investing in your biz?

Maybe it’s time to ditch Canva and get a logo that you can be proud of. 

When you’re ready, I’m here.

Happy to Help,

Emaline Audra