
Megan Ellis / Android Authority
I’ve been utilizing Canva for years, principally for easy designs. So once I noticed that Canva had rolled out a brand new photograph modifying software, which is extra superior that the easy tweaks you can also make in a design, I used to be inquisitive about attempting it out.
I stumbled throughout a helpful function that’s not in my favourite photo-editing app Snapseed, so I puzzled if Canva may really substitute the free app’s place in my workflow. I attempted out the Canva app’s new software to see simply how efficient it could be at changing Snapseed, and whether or not lots of its options have been locked behind a paywall.
What’s an important function in a photograph editor?
11 votes
My favourite Canva photograph editor function is one Snapseed doesn’t have

Megan Ellis / Android Authority
I don’t trouble with generative AI on my smartphone, however there may be one AI function I get pleasure from in the case of picture modifying: background choice and removing. I like Snapseed and its selective modifying instruments, however I generally want I may simply choose the background or foreground with one click on.
After I tried out Canva’s new photograph editor for the primary time, I used to be excited to search out that it had these automated choice instruments. Not solely have been they out there free of charge, however they have been additionally actually correct. Snapseed doesn’t have this kind of automated choice, whereas I’ve discovered Google Photographs’ modifying instruments to not be as correct as I would love when blurring the background.
After I tried out Canva’s new photograph editor for the primary time, I used to be excited to search out that it had auto-select instruments.
I’ve discovered that I’ve needed to edit images much less usually as digicam smartphones have superior, particularly now that I’m attempting out the vivo X200 Professional. However in the case of images that I exploit for the web sites I work for, I generally want the background could be extra out-of-focus. The X200 Professional is fairly succesful at adjusting the main target to hone in as regards to the photograph, however since I’m often dealing with two telephones on the identical time for a picture, I generally wrestle to get the digicam to focus accurately.
That’s what made me actually inquisitive about Canva’s photograph editor and after attempting it out, I used to be actually impressed by the choice accuracy. Not solely can I exploit it to cut back the sharpness of the background, however I can regulate different elements just like the distinction and saturation. This opens up an entire realm of inventive prospects. Snapseed does have a lens blur function, however this is applicable extra of a vignette and blur across the edges fairly than making the foreground stand out from the background.
Nevertheless, if you wish to generate a brand new background or take away the background, you will want to subscribe to Canva’s premium plan.
May Canva replicate the perfect Snapseed options?

Megan Ellis / Android Authority
With my curiosity formally piqued, I made a decision to discover different options in Canva’s photograph editor to see if it may excel in the identical areas as Snapseed. Similar to Snapseed, Canva permits you to edit a spread of picture attributes. This consists of brightness, highlights, shadows, temperature, and sharpness.
Similar to Snapseed, Canva permits you to edit a spread of picture attributes.
I desire having some of these fine-tuned controls, since they’re easy sufficient for a newbie to become familiar with with out being as overwhelming as curve modifying. On the identical time, Canva additionally has loads of preset results and filters that make modifying a breeze for many who desire one-tap modifying.
That mentioned, Canva does lack a number of the extra superior options of Snapseed, like adjusting colour curves. However this isn’t a function that I exploit in Snapseed anyway, so its absence in Canva isn’t a problem. It’s also possible to do a colour edit in Canva, which I feel is a bit simpler to make use of than adjusting a curve.
I additionally like that Canva has a brush editor, so you may particularly choose areas that you just need to fine-tune. I discover this handy for choosing components of an object to spotlight, or lowering the presence of shadows.
Canva fails in a single key space

Megan Ellis / Android Authority
With all the pieces that works in Canva’s favor, there’s a serious caveat — since Canva is primarily used by way of the online platform, its cellular app isn’t as optimized it ought to be. Don’t get me flawed, Canva’s Android app has considerably improved over time. There was a time I refused to make use of it, however this aversion isn’t as robust because it was once.
That mentioned, I nonetheless discovered the usability of the app to be missing. Typically bugs would forestall my contact enter from registering. In the meantime, urgent the again button on my smartphone typically exits the app fairly than merely exiting a function throughout the photograph editor.
I discovered the usability of the app to be missing.
One other factor I dislike concerning the app is that even when it has entry to your digicam roll, it’s going to re-upload a picture you choose to edit. This meant that once I by chance exited the app by urgent the again button, then chosen the photograph I needed to edit, it could re-upload the photograph once more. I needed to be taught to go to my Tasks tab, then the Uploads folder, to edit a picture I had uploaded.
The modifying workflow is a little more intuitive within the Canva internet app, however I might say that it nonetheless wants some enhancements — similar to making it a lot simpler to entry current uploads.
Canva shall be my go-to editor for PC
After attempting Canva’s photograph editor, I’ve determined to make use of it when modifying images on my PC. Since Snapseed doesn’t have a desktop model anymore, because of this it’s not changing the app’s place in my workflow, however fairly complementing it.
It really works out properly for me as a result of once I regulate the photographs I exploit for web sites, I desire to edit them on my PC fairly than my smartphone. However Canva’s cellular app quirks implies that I gained’t be utilizing it to edit my social media images on my smartphone. For that objective, I’ll be sticking with Snapseed, which I nonetheless take into account among the best photograph editor apps for Android.