Your email signature is more than just a name at the bottom of a message—it’s a branding tool that leaves a lasting impression. While Canva is a popular choice for designing beautiful email signatures, is it the best option for your needs?
In this guide, we’ll break down the pros and cons of using a Canva email signature versus other alternatives that offer more flexibility. By the end, you’ll know exactly which option is best for you or your business.
Pros of Using a Canva Email Signature
Easy to Design (No Coding Needed)
Canva is perfect for non-designers who want a sleek, professional signature without the hassle of HTML coding. You can simply drag and drop elements, add your logo, and customize fonts/colors in minutes.
Visually Appealing
Canva allows for full design freedom, so your signature can look polished, modern, and on-brand—especially useful for creative professionals, small businesses, and solopreneurs.
Works Across All Email Clients
Since Canva signatures are image-based, they work in virtually any email client (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.), without formatting issues.
No Risk of Formatting Errors
With HTML signatures, fonts, images, and layouts can sometimes display incorrectly on different devices. Canva solves this by exporting the entire signature as a single image, preventing misalignment.
Cons of Using a Canva Email Signature
Not Clickable (No Hyperlinks)
One of the biggest downsides of a Canva email signature is that it’s an image, meaning you can’t add clickable links to your website, social media, or contact information. This can be a dealbreaker for businesses that rely on engagement.
Can Appear Blurry in Some Email Clients
Since Gmail and Outlook sometimes compress images, a Canva signature may lose quality if not uploaded properly. (Check out our guide to fixing blurry Canva signatures in Gmail to avoid this issue.)
Not Mobile-Optimized
On mobile devices, large image-based signatures may shrink too much, making text unreadable. Some email apps may also block images altogether, leaving your signature blank.
File Size Can Be Large
If your Canva signature includes detailed graphics or high-resolution images, the file size may be too big, increasing email load times and potentially triggering spam filters.
Alternatives to Canva Signatures (With More Flexibility)
If you want a more functional and flexible email signature, here are three great alternatives:
1. HTML Email Signatures (Best for Businesses & Professionals)
Pro: Allows clickable links (website, social media, phone number)
Pro: Works on both desktop and mobile
Pro: Can include images, icons, and branding
Con: Requires HTML knowledge or a signature generator
Recommended Tools:
2. Outlook & Gmail Built-In Signature Editors (Best for Simplicity)
Pro: Easy to create directly inside Gmail or Outlook
Pro: Supports text, links, and simple images
Pro: Works well on mobile
Con: Limited design flexibility
Best for: Users who don’t need fancy designs but want a functional, clickable signature.
3. Canva + HTML Hybrid (Best of Both Worlds)
Pro: Design the signature in Canva, then convert it into an HTML version
Pro: Keeps your visual style while allowing clickable links
Con: Requires extra steps (manual HTML coding or an external tool)
- How to Do It:
Create your signature in Canva - Use Email Signature Rescue or similar tools to convert it into an HTML signature
- Copy the code into Gmail or Outlook