Editor alternative
A Canva Video alternative with a real timeline
Drift is a free Canva Video alternative for people who want a real timeline, local files and no Canva watermark or Pro paywall.
Best for: People who started in Canva because it was easy, then hit Pro limits, watermarks, or a timeline that feels like a slideshow.
| Compared | Canva | CutWire Drift |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plus Canva Pro | Free, GPLv3 |
| Watermark / Pro wall | Common on free exports and assets | No watermark, no Pro tier |
| Account | Required | None |
| Timeline | Page- and template-first | Multi-track NLE |
| Files | Cloud project | Local .drift projects and bundles |
| Linux | Browser only | Native app |
| Open source | No | Yes (GPLv3) |
Where Canva still wins
- Canva is unbeatable for slide-like brand kits, Magic Studio, and one login across posters, docs and video.
- Huge template store if you think in “pages” more than “cuts.”
- No install — it runs in the browser.
Canva Video is a graphic design tool that also exports MP4. That is perfect for a talking-head over a branded slide. It is a poor substitute for trimming B-roll, mixing audio, or keying a green screen.
Drift is the other way around: a video editor first. You still get titles, shapes and stickers, but they live on a timeline next to waveforms — not in a marketing template.
Who should switch
- You searched for a Canva video editor alternative after a Pro upsell
- You need ripple edits, beat snap, or captions from speech
- You want the project to live in a folder, not only in a cloud account
Who should stay on Canva
Stay if the “video” is mostly a animated presentation and the rest of your team already works in Canva.
See the full Drift feature list or FAQ. Product names are used only to identify the software people already search for. Canva is a trademark of Canva Pty Ltd.
Download Drift — free, no watermark
Linux, Windows and macOS. GPLv3, no account, no subscription. What you preview is what you export.