Is It Legal to Make Something on Canva and Sell It? A Clear Guide for Bloggers

You spent hours designing a beautiful quote graphic on Canva. It looks perfect for your blog. You think, ‘I could sell this as a printable on Etsy.’ But then you pause. Is it legal to make something on Canva and sell it? The answer isn’t simple. It depends on what you used, how you used it, and whether you followed Canva’s rules.

Canva’s License Explained Simply

Canva doesn’t give you full ownership of everything on its platform. Instead, it gives you a license to use elements - like photos, fonts, icons, and templates - under specific conditions. Most free and Pro elements come with a Standard License. This lets you use designs for personal projects, social media, and even commercial purposes - as long as you don’t resell the design as-is.

Let’s say you take a free Canva template, change the text, swap one image, and sell it as a PDF poster. That’s a problem. You’re selling a modified version of something Canva licensed to you, not something you created from scratch. Canva’s terms say you can’t redistribute, resell, or sublicense their content as a standalone product.

But here’s the key: you can sell designs if you’ve turned them into something new. If you combine multiple elements, add your own illustrations, rewrite the copy entirely, and layer in your unique style, you’re creating an original work. That’s allowed.

What You Can and Can’t Sell

Not all Canva creations are equal when it comes to selling. Here’s what works - and what gets you in trouble:

• Allowed: Selling custom Instagram posts you designed using Canva’s free photos, fonts, and shapes - as long as you didn’t just copy a template.
• Allowed: Creating branded merchandise like T-shirts or mugs with your own original artwork built in Canva (using licensed elements as part of a larger design).
• Allowed: Selling digital planners where you wrote all the content, designed the layout, and used Canva’s elements as background accents - not the main focus.
• Not Allowed: Selling Canva templates as your own. That includes editing a Canva “Social Media Pack” and uploading it to Etsy as a ‘downloadable template’.
• Not Allowed: Selling stock photos, illustrations, or fonts you downloaded from Canva as standalone files.
• Not Allowed: Using Canva’s Pro elements (like premium icons or fonts) in products you sell unless you have a Canva Pro or Canva for Enterprise license.

Canva’s Pro license (which costs $12.99/month) expands your rights. With Pro, you can use premium elements in products you sell - but you still can’t sell the template itself. You’re selling the final design, not the building blocks.

Fonts and Photos: The Hidden Traps

Many people get caught on fonts and stock photos. Canva has thousands of fonts - some are free, some are premium. But here’s the catch: not all fonts on Canva are cleared for commercial use.

Check the font’s license before using it in a product. Click on the font in Canva, then click the ‘i’ icon. If it says “Commercial Use Allowed,” you’re safe. If it says “Personal Use Only,” don’t use it in anything you sell.

Same goes for photos. Canva’s free photos are usually licensed under Canva’s Standard License, which permits commercial use. But some photos come from third-party contributors. These might have extra restrictions. Canva will flag them with a “Model Released” or “Property Released” note. If you’re selling a product with a photo of a person or branded product in it, you need those releases - or you risk legal trouble.

Templates: The Biggest Mistake Bloggers Make

Canva templates are everywhere. They’re easy. They’re pretty. And they’re dangerous if you sell them.

Imagine you find a Canva “Blog Banner Template” and change the colors and text. You think, “I made it mine.” But legally, you didn’t. The structure, layout, and design elements still belong to Canva’s original creator. Selling that as a “blog banner pack” on Etsy or Gumroad is a direct violation of Canva’s terms.

What’s the fix? Start from a blank canvas. Use Canva’s elements to build something new. Don’t copy the template’s structure. Add your own icons, draw your own shapes, write your own headlines. Make it unmistakably yours.

Real-World Examples That Work

Here’s what successful bloggers actually sell using Canva:

• A blogger sells a “30-Day Gratitude Journal” as a PDF. She wrote every prompt, designed the layout from scratch, used Canva’s free icons as small decorative elements, and chose a Pro font that allows commercial use.
• A coach sells “Instagram Story Templates” for wellness professionals. She didn’t use Canva templates. She built each story from scratch using free photos, custom illustrations, and her own typography.
• An Etsy seller offers “Custom Name Art Prints.” She uses Canva to combine a hand-drawn illustration (created in Canva’s drawing tool) with a custom font and a background texture. She doesn’t use any pre-made templates.

These sellers didn’t just edit Canva’s work - they used Canva as a tool to create something original.

What Happens If You Get Caught?

Canva doesn’t go after every small seller. But they do monitor marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, and Shopify. If someone reports your product for copying a Canva template, Canva can issue a takedown notice. Etsy might remove your listing. You could lose sales. In rare cases, if the copyright holder (like a photographer whose image you used) sues, you could face legal fees.

It’s not common - but it’s not rare either. In 2024, Canva reported over 12,000 takedown requests from third-party platforms. Most were for template resales.

How to Stay Safe: A Simple Checklist

Before you hit “Publish” on your Canva-based product, run through this:

1. Did you create this from a blank canvas? Or did you start with a Canva template?
2. Are all fonts labeled “Commercial Use Allowed”?
3. Are all images free to use commercially? Check the license icon.
4. Did you add your own text, graphics, or layout changes that make this uniquely yours?
5. Are you selling the final design - not the template or file structure?
6. Do you have Canva Pro if you used premium elements?

If you answered yes to all six, you’re safe.

Alternatives to Canva for Selling Designs

If you’re worried about Canva’s rules, here are other options:

• Adobe Express - Similar to Canva, but clearer licensing for commercial use on Pro plans.
• Placeit - Offers templates with explicit commercial licenses for merchandise.
• Freepik - Download vectors and PSDs with extended licenses (pay per download).
• Unsplash + Canva - Use free, high-res Unsplash photos (no attribution needed) and build your own designs.

Many bloggers use Unsplash for photos and Canva for layout. That combo is 100% safe for selling.

Final Answer: Yes - But Only If You Do It Right

Is it legal to make something on Canva and sell it? Yes - if you turn it into your own work. Don’t sell Canva’s designs. Sell your designs made with Canva’s tools.

The line isn’t blurry if you remember one rule: You’re not selling a template. You’re selling your creativity.

Start fresh. Use Canva like a paintbrush - not a stamp. Add your voice, your style, your ideas. Then you’re not breaking rules. You’re building a business.