Decklab vs Canva
Canva is excellent for one-off designs and has a huge template and asset library. For a deck, though, you need Bulk Create, which is on paid plans and caps a run at 300 rows. Decklab is built for decks: data, rules, print sheets and Tabletop Simulator, free.
At a glance
| Feature | Decklab | Canva |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Your browser on desktop (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari 17+). Works offline once signed in. | Your browser, and its apps. |
| Price | Free forever. Pro is $9 a month or $99 a year, for AI credits and more cloud space. | Free, with paid plans for Bulk Create and more. |
| Free plan | The full editor and every export, with unlimited local projects and 3 cloud projects. | Design, without Bulk Create. |
| How you design | A visual editor measured in millimetres, with text styles, inline icons, variables and rules. | A drag-and-drop canvas with a large template and asset library. |
| Card data | A built-in data grid. Import and export CSV and Excel, or paste from a spreadsheet. | Bulk Create on paid plans: CSV or Excel, up to 300 rows and 150 columns, on desktop. |
| Print-and-play PDF | Free. Letter, A4 or A3, with cut marks, bleed, and double-sided or fold-and-glue backs. | PDF export; you arrange cards on the sheet yourself. |
| Images | Free. PNG per card up to 600 DPI, with bleed and sprite sheets. | PNG and JPG. |
| Tabletop Simulator | Free. Deck sheets and a saved object, with import notes. | Not built in. |
| Playtesting | A free solo table that deals your real cards. | None. |
| AI | Optional. Each step is a proposal you accept or discard, paid with credits. | Yes, across the product. |
The main differences
A deck is data
In Canva, Bulk Create turns rows into separate designs on paid plans, up to 300 rows at a time. In Decklab, the rows live in your project: change a cost once and every card that uses it updates, and rules switch a card’s look by its data.
Print sheets
Decklab lays cards out on Letter, A4 or A3 at their real size, with cut marks, bleed and backs that line up, plus a test page to check your printer’s scale.
Collaboration and assets
Canva has real-time collaboration and a vast library of templates, photos and graphics. Decklab’s stock library is focused on game icons and textures, with credits handled.
Choose Canva if
- You’re making a handful of cards, not a deck
- You want real-time collaboration
- You need a big library of photos and graphics
Choose Decklab if
- Your game has dozens or hundreds of cards
- You want print-and-play sheets that line up front to back
- You want Tabletop Simulator export
Questions
Can I make a card game in Canva for free?
You can design cards one at a time. Filling cards from a spreadsheet uses Bulk Create, which Canva’s help page lists for its paid plans, on desktop.
Sources
Facts about other products were checked against their own sites in November 2026. Prices and features change, so check before you decide.
Other comparisons
Try it with your own game
It’s free, every export included, and your first deck is about an evening away.
Free forever. No card needed.