· Alternatives · 7 min read
Canva Button vs Templated Image SDK: The Better Alternative After Canva Button Shutdown
With Canva retiring the Canva Button in Dec 2025, businesses lose the embedded editor they depended on. Since Canva Connect isn’t a true replacement, Templated fills the gap with a fully white-label, no-login editor that works inside your platform.
Canva has announced that the Canva Button will be shut down on 30th December 2025. After that date, all API keys will cease to function, and no new integrations can be created.
This leaves thousands of businesses that depended on Canva Button without a direct replacement, and now they must find an alternative.
Although Canva is encouraging developers to migrate to Canva Connect, it's important to understand that Canva Connect is not a like-for-like replacement for the Canva Button.
Canva Connect is a completely new integration model that:
requires each user to sign in with their own Canva account
opens the full Canva editor outside your platform
stores all designs in the user's Canva account
does not support embedded, white-label editing
It adds enterprise features like Brand Kit and deeper collaboration, but it does not replace the simple "embedded editor" experience that Canva Button offered.
So, as a business, should you switch to Canva Connect? Or is it worth exploring other alternatives now that the Canva Button is going away?
Before you decide, it's important to understand who Canva Connect is actually built for and who it leaves out.
This will help you figure out whether Canva Connect fits your use case, or whether you need an embedded, white-label editor instead.
| Who CAN Use Canva Connect | Who CANNOT Use Canva Connect |
|---|---|
| Users who already have a Canva account and are comfortable editing in Canva | Platforms that need an embedded, in-app editor (SDK/iframe style) |
| Apps where redirecting users to Canva is acceptable | Businesses that require a white-label editor with no Canva branding |
| Products that simply need to sync designs between their app and Canva | Platforms where users should not be forced to sign up for Canva (guests, customers, shoppers, students) |
| Tools built for teams who already work inside Canva | Marketplaces, print shops, or product customizers needing frictionless/anonymous editing |
| CRMs, workflow tools, or social schedulers that want to open Canva externally | Web-to-print companies needing locked templates, print-safe exports, and strict design control |
| Businesses that don’t need to store designs inside their own platform | Apps that require designs to be saved on their own servers, not inside Canva |
| Platforms okay with Canva’s UI, login flow, and branding | Any product that needs custom UI, custom permissions, or server-side rendering |
The GAP Canva Button Leaves in the Market
With Canva Button shutting down and Canva Connect targeting a very different use case, many businesses are left without a way to:
embed an editor directly inside their product
Let users create or edit graphics without logging into another platform
maintain a fully white-label design experience
control templates, permissions, and exports
Keep all design files inside their own system
This is the gap that the Canva Button is used to fill, and what Canva Connect does not replace.
So if your product depends on native in-app editing, custom branding, frictionless onboarding, or web-to-print style customization, you will need an alternative solution.
And that's where a white-label editor becomes essential.
Templated's Embedded Image Editor (A Canva Button Alternative)
Templated's editor provides the same "embedded editor" experience that Canva Button offered - but with far more flexibility and control.
Here's what Templated gives you that Canva Connect doesn't:
✔ Fully embedded inside your app (no redirects)
Users edit directly within your product experience.
✔ No Canva account required
No login screens, no account creation, no friction.
✔ 100% white-label You can control:
branding
theme
layout
available tools
permissions
Your users never see another company's UI.
✔ Your templates, your assets, your storage Everything stays inside your product - not inside Canva's systems.
✔ Perfect for web-to-print and customization flows Lock elements, enforce dimensions, set bleed margins, and generate print-safe outputs.
✔ Works for every type of user Customers, guests, students, shoppers - anybody can edit without external accounts.
If your goal is to embed a design editor inside your platform, just like Canva Button allows, then Canva Connect cannot fill that role.
Templated, however:
works in the browser
drops into your app with a simple embed
gives full control and zero friction
offers a scalable API for automation
is built for SaaS platforms, marketplaces, and web-to-print tools
This makes it the closest and most reliable replacement for the editor experience businesses lost with Canva Button's sunset.
Feature Comparison: Canva Button vs Templated Image Editor
| Feature | Canva Button | Templated Image Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Account Requirement | ⚠️ Requires Canva login for all users | ✅ No account required (anonymous, frictionless editing) |
| Editing Experience | ⚠️ Opens a Canva pop-up/modal, redirects user to Canva | ✅ Fully embedded inside your app (native experience) |
| White-label Branding | ⚠️ Canva-branded UI, no customization | ✅ 100% white-label (colors, UI, tools, logo — fully customizable) |
| Template Flexibility | ⚠️ Only Canva’s templates; limited control | ✅ Full template control (your templates, lock layers, enforce rules) |
| Billing Structure | ✔️ Free, but users may need Canva Pro | ✔️ Transparent subscription-based pricing for businesses |
| End-user Costs | ⚠️ Users may need Free/Pro/Teams/Enterprise account | ✔️ None — users never see pricing or subscriptions |
| Customization Control | ⚠️ Very limited — fixed Canva UI | ✅ Developers can toggle features, restrict tools, customize behavior |
| Speed & Load Times | ⚠️ Depends on Canva servers and pop-up loading | ✅ Fast in-app performance (no external redirects) |
| Privacy & Data Handling | ⚠️ Designs stored in Canva accounts; user data tied to Canva | ✅ Designs stored inside your system; privacy-first, no external accounts |
| Export Options | ✔️ Standard exports (PNG/JPG/PDF) | ✅ Advanced exports (print-ready PDF, custom sizes, server-side rendering) |
| Documentation & SDK Support | ⚠️ Deprecated after Canva Button shutdown; no new updates | ✔️ Actively maintained docs, API, examples, and support |
| Core Strengths | ✔️ Easy way to open Canva inside partner apps | ✔️ Full white-label editing, enterprise control, modern embedded editor |
| Who It’s For | Users who already use Canva and don’t mind logging in | SaaS apps, marketplaces, web-to-print tools, product customizers |
Integration: How Easy Is It to Add Templated's Image Editor?
One of the biggest advantages of Templated's editor is how quickly it can be added to any product. Unlike Canva Connect, which requires OAuth, redirects, and user accounts, Templated keeps the integration extremely lightweight.
Step by Step Process To Integrate:
Add a single embed snippet to your page
Pass the template ID or blank canvas settings
Optionally listen to webhooks like onSave, onExport, or onClose
Start letting users edit inside your platform instantly
You can fully customize:
Which tools appear in the editor
What users can or cannot edit
color theme, layout, and branding
where exports are saved
size, DPI, or print-specific settings
Here is the documentation of the embed feature that could help you better understand the integration, customization & the webhooks you can use.
Templated Pricing Overview:
Free plan available for testing
Monthly subscription based on usage volume
Credits-based model for rendering or advanced exports
Scale plans for high-volume apps and enterprise teams
No additional fees for your end-users - they never need a paid account
No Pro/Teams/Enterprise requirement like Canva Connect
Here's to what to keep notice of:
You pay for the product. Your users never pay anything. And you control the entire experience.
What else can you do with Templated | Take It A Level Further
If by now you have somehow made up your mind to use Templated's Image Editor, here's what else you can do with this platform.
Once your users start generating images, they can take the whole process even further by automating it.
Like one of our customers, fastpost.es. Their users first generate programmatic images using the API, and once those images are created, they can open our editor to make changes in the post.
Fastpost.es is a social media tool that helps businesses create and schedule posts more efficiently. (Read Case Study Here)
Now there can be endless use cases when you combine the image editor with the image generation API. Together, they empower your users to create visuals automatically and then fine-tune them within your platform with just a few clicks.
If you think this combo can work for your product and you need any help setting it up, I am always available on chat. Just drop a "Hi" and I will be there to assist you.
Conclusion
With the Canva Button officially shutting down, businesses now face a simple yet urgent question: how do you continue to offer seamless in-app editing without disrupting your product or your users?
Templated's Image Editor fills that gap and, in many ways, goes far beyond what Canva Button was ever designed to do. You get full control, a fully white-label editor, and a smoother, frictionless experience for both developers and end users.
Additional Resources
Polotno vs Img.ly vs Templated: Comparing White-Label Image Editors
5 Best Image Editors That You Can Embed in Your App & Website
Automate your content with Templated
