Etsy has ‘ethical expectations’ which are at the core of their business. Their users expect handmade or vintage products and Etsy must maintain that image or risk becoming another eBay.
Likewise, while Canva is pretty liberal with its content library, they don’t want people selling their ready-to-use content as-is.
A quick read of Etsy’s rules and a snoop around at what is already offered on their platform gives you a pretty good idea of what kind of content from Canva you can sell.
Stuff’s about to get pretty legal as both Canva and Etsy have rules in place for this sort of situation, so take a seat and read on.
But don’t worry, we’ll keep to the point and cut the jargon! The basic idea that both Canva and Etsy adhere to is that if the design is unique or modified enough, you won’t have an issue selling it.
Are Canva Images Copyright Free?
No, while you can incorporate the images that freely come with a Canva account into your designs, alone they are not copyright free.
Canva’s page on ‘Content licences and using Canva for commercial purposes’ explains that you can:
Sell your design on merchandise (e.g. t-shirts, stickers, books, etc.) or as digital products (e.g. e-books, magazines, newsletters, etc.).”
But you cannot “Resell Canva templates or stock elements as-is.” Meaning, if you simply export a stock photo or Canva element, you cannot sell this.
The content you use on Canva needs to be modified enough to consider it unique. This also goes for Canva templates and elements (including stickers and graphics).
Does Canva Own My Designs?
You own your Canva designs if they are unique enough to be considered your own. As Canva’s Content licences and using Canva for commercial purposes further explains:
[If] you’re the creator of an original design, you’re also its copyright holder. But if you used third-party content (e.g. stock media from the Canva library) in your design, your ownership is subject to those third-party rights.”
And when it comes to trademarks and logos, “you can’t use any Free or Pro content from Canva’s media library in a trademark (except for fonts, basic shapes and lines).”
Often, you will see sites, like Maker’s Aid, that combine two or more components in feature images—a stock photo, an element like a shape, and perhaps a logo.
Used together these components create something that we can use. But alone, they belong to Canva.
Is It Legal to Sell Canva Designs on Etsy?
Yes, you can sell your Canva designs on Etsy. A lot of Canva designs are already sold on Etsy. You can buy these designs and then use them on your own Canva account.
A quick search of ‘Canva’ on Etsy will bring up similar results to the one below.
Many are packages that include a variety of designs, elements, and fonts that you can use. Some target specific platforms like Instagram, while others target industries like real estate.
Just like Canva, Etsy has its own rules on what you can sell. Etsy’s handmade rules (for some reason written in British English) explain:
Simple customisation, such as selecting colours, shapes, or choosing from ready-made options is not considered design on Etsy.”
And:
Our marketplace is built on trust. Providing false, inaccurate, or misleading information is prohibited by our Terms of Use. If we find that you’re not being open and honest with us, we may suspend or terminate your account.”
And then looking into Etsy’s Intellectual property rules, which are to be updated on December 1st, 2022, they say:
When Etsy removes or disables access in response to a report, Etsy makes a reasonable attempt to contact the affected member, provide information about the report and removal, and, in cases of alleged copyright infringement, provide information about how to submit a counter notice.”
And then:
Etsy terminates selling privileges of members who are subject to repeat or multiple notices of intellectual property infringement.”
To sum up the above:
- If someone reports that their intellectual property has been stolen, Etsy will act on it.
- You may have a counter notice, where you can counter these claims, but if Etsy judges that you are in the wrong, it will remove the content.
- If Etsy finds that you have repeatedly infringed on copyright, you can be banned.
And lastly, you should also check up on what Etsy prohibits. The short of it is any nudity must be considered non-pornographic. Similarly, items that promote violence or hatred are not allowed either.
Can You Sell Canva Elements, Designs, and Templates on Etsy?
If you have created unique elements, designs, or templates using Canva, you can sell them on Etsy. You cannot sell Canva materials that come free or with a pro account on their own—these are owned by Canva, and Etsy will also not allow it.
Here’s a breakdown of what you can and can’t sell from Canva on Etsy:
Can sell:
- Unique images and designs that you have made using Canva.
- Unique elements that you have made using Canva.
- Unique fonts that you have made using Canva.
- Unique templates that you have made using Canva.
- Unique videos that you have made using Canva.
Can’t sell:
- Canva stock images.
- Canva stock elements.
- Canva stock designs.
- Canva stock templates.
- Canva stock videos.
Many of the top sellers on Etsy who sell their works from Canva usually sell them in one large bundle with a variety of designs and templates that they can then edit in Canva.
Some contain over a thousand components customers can use, and it appears to pay off targeting a specific niche.
Finally, it’s also worth mentioning that you can sell your creations as a contributor to Canva itself. Some examples include photos, stickers, graphics, and videos.
Contributing to Canva could be an easier solution than selling through Etsy and you will earn fees every time someone uses one of your contributions.
