Let’s face it, designing a logo in Canva at 11pm with a cup of tea (or a glass of wine) in hand feels empowering. You drag, drop, click… and boom! You’ve got a logo. Or do you?
With the rise of user-friendly design platforms like Canva, many start-ups and small businesses opt for the DIY route when building their brand identity. But what are you really getting and what might you be giving up?
Here’s a closer look at the key differences between designing your own brand assets using tools like Canva, versus hiring a professional designer.
Spoiler alert! it’s not just about the visuals.
Platforms like Canva have made design more accessible . You can create business cards, social posts, pitch decks and yes, even logos with no prior experience. For entrepreneurs on a budget, this feels like a no-brainer.
Why Canva is so tempting:
• It’s quick and easy:
You can have a logo in under an hour.
• It’s affordable:
Templates are often free, or included in Canva Pro (£10.99/month).
• You’re in control:
Tweak to your heart’s content without waiting on revisions.
Unsurprisingly, around 40% of small businesses use tools like Canva or AI generators to design logos and brand assets (Source: DesignRush, 2023).
But there’s a catch...
This is where things get a little tricky. Canva’s terms of use clearly state that while you’re allowed to use their content commercially, you do not own any of the licensed design elements you include, such as illustrations, icons, or fonts from their library.
“You may not register, use, or attempt to register any part of a design that includes Canva content as a trademark or service mark.” – Canva Terms of Use
In plain English, if your logo uses Canva’s graphics, you can’t legally trademark it. And without trademark protection, you can’t stop someone else from using a similar or identical design.
That might be fine for a weekend market stall, but for anyone planning to scale or go legit, it’s a serious limitation.
Professional designers don’t just make things pretty. They dig deep into your brand values, research your competitors, and craft bespoke visual identities with long-term impact.
Why it pays to go pro:
• Custom work:
No templates, everything is unique to your business.
• Full ownership:
You’ll own the rights to your logo and assets.
• Trademark-friendly:
Your identity is original and legally protectable.
• Strategic design:
Designers consider everything from colour psychology to user behaviour.
Research shows that 75% of consumers recognise a brand by its logo alone (Source: Lucidpress, 2021), and companies with consistent branding across channels see an average of 23% revenue increase.
Let’s look at a real-world example.
A small café in Bristol, launched with a DIY Canva logo. It looked decent, with a script font, a coffee cup icon and warm tones, but within months they spotted a similar logo used by another café up north. Worse, they couldn’t trademark it.
Cue frustration, rebranding costs and confusion among customers.
Fast forward, they invested in a professional brand designer. The result? A distinctive, ownable identity complete with signage, menus, and merchandise that actually felt like their brand. And yes, they now own the trademark.
While Canva and other tools have their place, here are a few areas where DIY often falls short:
1. Lack of originality
Templates are used by thousands of people. Your “unique” logo might already be in use in another industry, or the same one.
2. Scalability issues
Logos designed in Canva are often raster-based, not vector. This means they don’t scale well for large-format printing or signage.
3. No strategic foundation
DIY tools don’t ask about your customer journey, market position, or values. That context is critical in brand-building.
4. Legal grey areas
If your brand relies on Canva’s design library, you have no exclusive rights. That could spell legal headaches down the road.
There’s no shame in starting with a template, especially when budget is tight. But remember, your brand identity is more than just a pretty picture. It’s the emotional shorthand people use to remember, trust, and return to you.
Canva is a brilliant tool for testing ideas, whipping up quick visuals, or getting your concept off the ground. But if you’re serious about growth, recognition, and protecting your brand, you need a professional by your side.
Because a logo isn’t just a logo. It’s your first impression, your legal shield and your brand’s handshake with the world.
And if that handshake isn’t getting you in the right rooms, or sparking the right conversations, it might be time to reintroduce yourself.
Our team are always on hand for help, advise and design.
Ready to bring your brand to life? Why not book a virtual call and let’s chat about how we can make it happen.
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