Comparisons
create-ebook vs Canva for making an ebook
Canva is where many people “make an ebook” for the first time: pick a template, paste text, export a PDF. It is a design tool. create-ebook is a writing and publishing tool. They overlap on exactly one thing, the cover, and differ on everything else.
| create-ebook | Canva | |
|---|---|---|
| Writes the text | From your approved plan | You bring the text; Magic Write helps with snippets |
| Cover design | AI background, title typeset automatically | Manual, thousands of templates |
| Interior layout | Automatic, typeset PDF with contents and page numbers | Manual, page by page |
| EPUB for Kindle | Yes | PDF only; KDP converts PDFs poorly |
| DOCX for editing | Yes | No |
| Best for | Text-heavy ebooks: guides, workbooks, courses, novels | Visual PDFs: lookbooks, planners, lead magnets with lots of graphics |
| Pricing | 29 € per book | Free tier; Pro from about $15 per month |
The verdict
If the ebook is mostly pictures and you have the text, Canva. If the ebook is mostly words and you do not have the text yet, create-ebook. If you want both, write and export with create-ebook, then open the DOCX or PDF in Canva for a highly designed edition. Many authors use Canva only for the cover and let create-ebook handle the rest.
Why a PDF from Canva is not a Kindle ebook
Kindle wants reflowable text (EPUB) so the reader can change the font size. A PDF from Canva is a fixed-layout document: KDP accepts it for print and tolerates it for ebooks, but the reading experience on a phone is poor and reviews say so. create-ebook produces the EPUB from the same manuscript as the PDF.
Where Canva wins clearly
- Visual control. Every element where you want it.
- Brand kits, fonts, photos, templates for social posts to promote the book.
- Price, if you already pay for Pro.
A workflow that uses both
- Describe the book on create-ebook, approve the plan, let it write and review the chapters.
- Read and edit in the app; add your examples.
- Export EPUB for Amazon and PDF for direct sales as they are.
- Open the DOCX in Canva Docs, or place the PDF pages in a Canva design, only if you want a visual edition for Etsy or a lead magnet with illustrations.
- Make the promotional graphics (social posts, mock-ups) in Canva from the cover JPEG.
Time: an afternoon for the book, an hour for the visuals.
Cover specifications, whichever tool you use
Amazon KDP wants a JPEG or TIFF, ideal 1600 × 2560 pixels, ratio 1:1.6, under 50 MB, with text readable at thumbnail size. create-ebook exports exactly that. In Canva, start from a 1600 × 2560 custom size, not from a “book cover” template in another ratio, and keep the title in the top or bottom third where the image is calm.
Frequently asked questions
Can I edit the create-ebook cover in Canva?
Yes. Download the cover JPEG (1600 × 2560) and use it as a background or a starting point.
Can Canva write my ebook?
Magic Write produces short pieces of text inside a design. It does not plan a book, keep chapters coherent or export EPUB.
Is a Canva PDF acceptable on Etsy?
Yes. Etsy sells PDFs directly, which is where Canva-made ebooks belong.
Do I need both?
Only if you want a bespoke visual edition. Most text ebooks ship fine straight from create-ebook.