
Megan Ellis / Android Authority
I’ve been utilizing Canva for years, largely for easy designs. So once I noticed that Canva had rolled out a brand new photograph modifying software, which is extra superior that the straightforward tweaks you may make in a design, I used to be interested by 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 truly exchange the free app’s place in my workflow. I attempted out the Canva app’s new software to see simply how efficient it might be at changing Snapseed, and whether or not a lot of its options had been locked behind a paywall.
What’s an important function in a photograph editor?
16 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 take pleasure in in terms 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.
Once I tried out Canva’s new photograph editor for the primary time, I used to be excited to search out that it had these computerized choice instruments. Not solely had been they out there at no cost, however they had been additionally actually correct. Snapseed doesn’t have the sort of computerized choice, whereas I’ve discovered Google Images’ modifying instruments to not be as correct as I would love when blurring the background.
Once 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 pictures much less on the whole as digicam smartphones have superior, particularly now that I’m attempting out the vivo X200 Professional. However in terms of pictures that I take advantage of for the web sites I work for, I generally want the background can be extra out-of-focus. The X200 Professional is fairly succesful at adjusting the main focus to hone in with regards to the photograph, however since I’m often dealing with two telephones on the similar time for a picture, I generally battle to get the digicam to focus appropriately.
That’s what made me actually interested by Canva’s photograph editor and after attempting it out, I used to be actually impressed by the choice accuracy. Not solely can I take advantage of it to scale back the sharpness of the background, however I can alter different features just like the distinction and saturation. This opens up an entire realm of inventive potentialities. Snapseed does have a lens blur function, however this is applicable extra of a vignette and blur across the edges slightly than making the foreground stand out from the background.
Nonetheless, if you wish to generate a brand new background or take away the background, you’ll need to subscribe to Canva’s premium plan.
Might Canva replicate the very best 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 lets you edit a spread of picture attributes. This consists of brightness, highlights, shadows, temperature, and sharpness.
Similar to Snapseed, Canva lets you edit a spread of picture attributes.
I desire having a lot of these fine-tuned controls, since they’re easy sufficient for a newbie to familiarize yourself with with out being as overwhelming as curve modifying. On the similar time, Canva additionally has loads of preset results and filters that make modifying a breeze for individuals who desire one-tap modifying.
That stated, Canva does lack a number of the extra superior options of Snapseed, like adjusting shade curves. However this isn’t a function that I take advantage of in Snapseed anyway, so its absence in Canva isn’t a difficulty. It’s also possible to do a shade edit in Canva, which I believe is a bit simpler to make use of than adjusting a curve.
I additionally like that Canva has a brush editor, so you’ll be able to particularly choose areas that you simply wish to fine-tune. I discover this convenient for choosing components of an object to spotlight, or decreasing the presence of shadows.
Canva fails in a single key space

Megan Ellis / Android Authority
With every little thing that works in Canva’s favor, there’s a significant caveat — since Canva is primarily used via the net platform, its cell app isn’t as optimized it must be. Don’t get me incorrect, Canva’s Android app has considerably improved through the years. There was a time I refused to make use of it, however this aversion isn’t as robust because it was.
That stated, I nonetheless discovered the usability of the app to be missing. Generally bugs would stop my contact enter from registering. In the meantime, urgent the again button on my smartphone typically exits the app slightly than merely exiting a function throughout the photograph editor.
I discovered the usability of the app to be missing.
One other factor I dislike in regards to the app is that even when it has entry to your digicam roll, it’ll re-upload a picture you choose to edit. This meant that once I unintentionally exited the app by urgent the again button, then chosen the photograph I needed to edit, it might re-upload the photograph once more. I needed to study to go to my Initiatives 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’d say that it nonetheless wants some enhancements — comparable to making it a lot simpler to entry present uploads.
Canva might be my go-to editor for PC
After attempting Canva’s photograph editor, I’ve determined to make use of it when modifying pictures on my PC. Since Snapseed doesn’t have a desktop model anymore, which means that it’s not changing the app’s place in my workflow, however slightly complementing it.
It really works out properly for me as a result of once I alter the photographs I take advantage of for web sites, I desire to edit them on my PC slightly than my smartphone. However Canva’s cell app quirks signifies that I gained’t be utilizing it to edit my social media pictures on my smartphone. For that objective, I’ll be sticking with Snapseed, which I nonetheless take into account probably the greatest photograph editor apps for Android.