A widespread outage struck Canva on 20 October 2025, leaving millions of users locked out of the popular design platform amid a sweeping Amazon Web Services (AWS) failure. From login errors to download blocks, the disruption exposed the fragility of cloud-dependent tools in an increasingly digital-first world.
With over 220 million active users worldwide, the platform’s downtime—peaking at 10,000+ DownDetector reports—has halted marketing campaigns, social posts and school projects, exposing vulnerabilities in cloud-reliant tools.
As the platform’s status page flagged unresolved access issues, frustrated creators scramble for backups, spotlighting the need for versatile alternatives to safeguard workflows in 2025’s digital hustle.
Unpacking the Canva Outage: AWS Ripple Effect
Canva’s troubles erupted around 08:00 GMT on 20 October 2025, coinciding with an Amazon Web Services (AWS) failure that cascaded across platforms like Snapchat, Roblox, Fortnite and Asana. DownDetector logged spikes in complaints for app crashes (45 per cent), server errors (35 per cent) and loading delays (20 per cent), with users in India, the US and Europe hit hardest.
Canva’s official status page confirmed ‘users may encounter issues with accessing or using Canva’, urging patience as engineers probe the root cause. The glitch echoes a March 2025 incident affecting 50,000 users for hours, but this AWS-linked blackout amplifies risks for the Sydney-based firm, which relies on cloud infrastructure for its drag-and-drop editor.
Sahil posted on X : ‘Looks like AWS decided to take a little nap today! With Snapchat, Coinbase, Canva, and Asana all down.’
No estimated time for resolution has been given, leaving pros and hobbyists alike in limbo.
User Fallout: From Freelancers to Fortune 500 Disruptions
Freelancers decry stalled client deadlines, with many users saying they are unable to access the app. Small businesses, reliant on Canva’s vast template library, report halted campaigns and workflow disruptions, as complaints surged on DownDetector during the outage. Educators faced added disruption, as Duolingo also went down, compounding lesson prep woes.
Corporate fallout was significant: Marketing VPs at firms like Unilever cite Canva for 70 per cent of visuals, per Gartner 2025 data, risking £10,000 in rushed agency fees.
Global spikes hit Asia hardest, with 40 per cent of outage reports originating from there, underscoring Canva’s 30 per cent APAC user base. Recovery hinges on AWS fixes, but the incident has made backup tools a non-negotiable.
Design Lifelines: Top Canva Alternatives Right Now
Amid the Canva outage, users turned to robust alternatives like Adobe Express, offering premium templates and AI tools from £6.51 ($9.99) monthly, ideal for seamless integration with Photoshop.
Snappa provides unlimited features on its free plan, upgrading to £9.78 ($15) per month for pro downloads, suiting occasional creators with simple interfaces. Pixlr stands out for photo editing at £1.62 ($2.49) monthly, while BeFunky excels in collages from £9.78 ($14.99).
VistaCreate, at £8.47 ($13) for pro, integrates print services; Desygner offers team plans from £8.45 ($12.95); and Clipchamp focuses on video at £7.82 ($11.99). These options ensure continuity, with many featuring AI enhancements and free tiers to mitigate disruptions from Canva-down scenarios in 2025.
As of writing, the Canva outage remains unresolved, with engineers actively working to restore services swiftly. In the interim, creators are urged to explore listed alternatives to maintain productivity and efficiency. Keep an eye on Canva’s official updates for resolution timelines.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
