In a move that was totally not prompted by its subscriber base collectively saying “Are you @#$%^# serious?”, Canva has announced that it will retain its old pricing structure for the time being. It didn’t exactly put it in those terms but that’s what it comes down to.
Instead of “gradually transition[ing] Canva Teams subscribers to our current standard pricing of US$10/month per person starting at three people, or your local rate”, that won’t be happening at all. Not even to account for the “expanded value of our product over the past four years.”
Stop ripping Canva
Canva Teams subscribers were greeted with an email that walked back the price increase in one of the nicest ways possible.
Subscribers were told “…as a special thank you for your loyalty and continued support, we’re pleased to maintain your original pricing for your current team. You’ll continue enjoying your current rate, with no action needed on your part.”
It might all seem like a nice gesture if you’re not paying attention to the rather panicked tone of the pricing changes FAQ on the service’s website. Walkthroughs for how to undo a subscription cancellation and how to add paying members back onto accounts are the starting point but everything is geared at a) getting subscribers back or b) upgrading them back from Pro (single-user) to Teams (the more lucrative multi-user) offering.
This doesn’t mean there isn’t a price increase still in the pipeline. The service has stated that any new increases will have at least 60 days’ notice and will also “reflect local economic conditions”. This could well mean that South African Canva subscribers won’t see another gut punch like the one that just narrowly missed users.
