Canva Free Trial: How to Get 30 Days of Pro (And What You Actually Get)
Canva offers a 30-day free trial of their Pro plan. You'll get full access to all premium features - over 100 million stock assets, Magic Resize, background remover, Brand Kit, and their AI tools. But you need a credit card to sign up, and you'll get charged automatically if you forget to cancel.
Here's exactly what you need to know before starting the trial.
How to Start the Canva Pro Free Trial
Getting started is straightforward:
- Go to Canva's pricing page
- Click "Start Your Free Trial" under the Pro plan
- Create an account (or log in if you already have one)
- Choose monthly or annual billing
- Enter your credit card or PayPal details
- Click "Get your free trial"
Important: You need to enter payment information to start the trial. If you don't cancel before the 30 days are up, you'll automatically be charged for a subscription.
What You Get During the 30-Day Trial
The trial gives you full access to everything in Canva Pro. No feature restrictions, no watermarks (on Pro content), no usage caps on most tools.
Here's what unlocks:
- Premium stock library: Access to over 100 million stock photos, videos, graphics, and audio tracks. Compare that to the limited free selection, and the difference is massive.
- Brand Kit: Upload your brand's fonts, colors, and logos. Keep everything consistent across designs without manually entering colors every time.
- Magic Resize: Resize any design to different dimensions with one click. Made an Instagram post? Instantly turn it into a Facebook cover, Pinterest pin, or YouTube thumbnail.
- Background Remover: Remove backgrounds from images and videos with one click. Essential for product photos, headshots, or creating transparent PNGs.
- Premium templates: You get access to over 610,000 templates vs about 250,000 on the free plan.
- AI tools (Magic Studio): Full access to Magic Write for generating copy, Magic Eraser for removing objects, and other AI-powered features. Free users get around 50 total uses; Pro users get 500 monthly credits.
- 1TB cloud storage: Up from 5GB on the free plan.
- Transparent background exports: Download PNGs without backgrounds - not available on the free plan.
- Content scheduler: Schedule and publish directly to social media platforms from within Canva.
Canva Free Trial vs. Canva Free Plan: What's the Difference?
People often confuse these two. They're completely different:
The Canva Free Plan is a permanent, no-cost version of Canva. You can use it forever without paying anything or entering a credit card. It includes basic templates, some stock images, and the core design editor. It's genuinely useful for casual projects.
The Canva Pro Free Trial gives you temporary access (30 days) to all premium features. You need a credit card to start it. After 30 days, you either pay for Pro or your account reverts to the free plan.
If you're just testing the waters with Canva, start with the free plan - no credit card required. Only start the Pro trial when you're ready to seriously evaluate whether the premium features are worth paying for.
Current Canva Pricing (After the Trial)
Once your trial ends, here's what you'll pay if you continue:
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
|---|---|---|
| Canva Free | $0 | $0 |
| Canva Pro | $15/month | $120/year ($10/month) |
| Canva for Teams | $10/user/month | $100/user/year (3 user minimum) |
The annual plan saves you $60 compared to paying monthly - that's essentially two months free. If you know you'll use Pro long-term, annual makes sense. For a deeper breakdown, check out our full Canva pricing guide.
How to Cancel Before Getting Charged
If you decide Pro isn't worth it, you need to cancel before day 30. Here's how:
- Log into your Canva account
- Go to Account Settings
- Click on "Billing & Plans"
- Click the three dots next to your subscription
- Select "Cancel plan"
- Follow the prompts to confirm
After canceling, you'll keep access to Pro features until your trial period ends. Your designs don't disappear - they stay saved. You just won't be able to use Pro-specific features anymore, and any premium content in your designs will be watermarked.
Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder for day 28 of your trial. That gives you a buffer to decide and cancel if needed.
Can You Get the Trial Without a Credit Card?
In most regions, no. You typically need to provide a credit card or PayPal to start the Canva Pro trial. This is standard practice - Canva wants to reduce friction for converting trial users to paid subscribers.
Some alternatives if you're concerned about getting charged:
- Use PayPal: Some users prefer this for easier tracking of subscriptions
- Set a cancellation reminder: Immediately after signing up, set a reminder for 2-3 days before the trial ends
- Use the free plan instead: If you're not comfortable with auto-billing, just stick with Canva Free
Who Should Use the Canva Pro Trial?
The trial is worth it if you:
- Create content regularly - Social media managers, marketers, and content creators will use the premium features daily
- Need brand consistency - The Brand Kit alone saves hours of work if you're managing visual identity
- Work with lots of images - Background remover and premium stock access are game-changers
- Repurpose content across platforms - Magic Resize is incredibly useful for multi-platform content
The trial probably isn't necessary if you:
- Only make occasional designs
- Are happy with free templates and stock images
- Don't need brand management features
- Just want basic editing tools
Free Access for Education and Nonprofits
You might qualify for permanent free access to Canva Pro features:
- Canva for Education: Available free to K-12 teachers and students. Primary and secondary schools can apply for access that unlocks premium features at no cost.
- Canva for Nonprofits: Registered nonprofits and charities can apply for free premium access. Eligibility is at Canva's discretion.
If you qualify for either program, you get ongoing access to Pro features without needing the trial at all.
Is Canva Pro Worth It After the Trial?
For most regular users, yes. At $10/month (annual billing), you're paying less than what a single stock photo would cost on most stock sites. The premium template library, background remover, and Magic Resize alone justify the cost for anyone creating content regularly.
For a more detailed comparison, see our Canva review or check out alternatives to Canva if you want to compare options.
Bottom Line
The Canva Pro free trial gives you 30 days of full access to premium features. You need a credit card to start, and you'll be auto-charged if you don't cancel. Use the trial to genuinely test whether features like Magic Resize, Background Remover, and the premium stock library fit your workflow.
If you're on the fence, start with the free plan first. It's genuinely useful for basic projects. When you hit its limitations, that's when the Pro trial makes sense.