By: Isabel Merriman
You work in marketing and want to create eye-catching videos that people will love. But you do not have a design background. You will likely turn to either Canva or Adobe Express – formerly Spark.
Canva and Adobe Express are easy to learn. You can make captivating on-brand content with no previous design experience. The two platforms have similarities but are very different.
I have over two years of marketing experience. I have interned at Greg Murray Photography and Group Plan Commission. I am also in my fifth year at The Ohio State University School of Communication.
I used Adobe Express only for a year and a half. In the last few months, I switched to Canva.
Here are three reasons why Canva is better for videos.

- Audio Selection
Both platforms allow users to upload a music file, record a voice-over or use stock music.
Adobe Creative Cloud Express provides 34 options for stock music. Adobe organizes the stock music by the feelings they give the viewer.
The limited number of songs caused several frustrating conversations. I remember dozens of editing sessions with the same dreaded question.
Are there any other songs we could use?
This question vanished when I discovered Canva.
Canva has over 25,000 audios to choose from. The broader range of audio allows for more original content and less frustration. This post by Tech Times provides a guide on how to add audio and sound effects in Canva. Canva’s guide to using their stock music.

2. Animations
Captivating content needs personality. Animations are a great way to bring your content to life.
Adobe Express does not allow you to animate videos. The animation feature is only for photos and GIFs. How to make animations in Adobe Express.
Canva’s animation feature is not limited to GIFs and photos. You animate text and graphics in videos. This post by Website Builder Insider shows how to animate an individual element in Canva. Canva’s guide to animations.
I created a video with animated text and graphics to promote an event in Cleveland Public Square. The animations brought the video to life. My bosses loved it!
3. Video Templates
Having the correct format for your video is important. Many platforms call for vertical videos, while others call for horizontal ones. Sprout Social provides a guide to the updated social media video specs.
Adobe Express provides two shapes for its users – a square and a horizontal rectangle. There is no option for vertical videos. This format is fine for videos on LinkedIn, Facebook and long-form YouTube.
To reframe your video specs with Adobe, you will need Premiere Pro. This post by Adobe explains the reframing process.
Canva has video templates for reels, Facebook videos, LinkedIn and more. The platform is better suited for reels, TikTok videos and YouTube shorts. Canva makes resizing videos quick and easy.

Canva is a better platform for creating marketing videos. You can still make great content with Adobe Express, but you will face limitations for some features.
Disclaimer: All photos are from www.Pexels.com