Penpot vs Canva: Privacy Comparison
Here we put Penpot head-to-head with Canva across the six privacy factors that matter most: their data collection practices, encryption implementation, third-party data sharing, user privacy controls, transparency, and historical track record. While both products address similar requirements, the philosophies they bring to protecting users diverge sharply. Our assessment finds that Penpot provides a noticeably better overall privacy experience, although neither service is without trade-offs that deserve a careful, detailed look.
The Headline Finding
The most useful starting point is the overall tally and the single dimension that decided it. Across the six privacy dimensions we score, Penpot finishes ahead of Canva, 44/60 to 38/60. That total reflects a side-by-side review in which one service is consistently the more privacy-respecting choice, even though both cover the same functional ground.
The largest single-dimension gap is in Data Collection, where Penpot leads by 1 point -- Penpot 9/10 to Canva 8/10. Data Collection is where they come closest, a mere 1-point gap (9 vs 8 out of 10). Continue for the full reasoning behind each category score.
How Each Service Collects Data
Every privacy assessment starts with data collection. How much a service gathers, stores, and processes about its users is what ultimately drives the privacy risk of using it. Penpot takes a leaner approach here, capturing only the data strictly required to make the service work. Its rival pulls in a wider net of information -- behavioral patterns, device identifiers, and usage analytics that go well past what the core features actually need. Our marks were Penpot 9/10 and Canva 8/10 in this area. What separates them is not merely how much is gathered but why it is gathered and whether it is truly needed.
Encryption Implementation
Whether data is moving or resting, encryption is what keeps it safe, and the quality of that work swings widely across services. Penpot brings more capable encryption to the table, pairing more resilient protocols for data in transit with better protection for data at rest. Where the two differ is in coverage (exactly which data is encrypted), in strength (the algorithms and key lengths chosen), and in whether end-to-end encryption is used at all (which stops even the service operator from seeing user content). On encryption, Penpot scored 5/10 and Canva scored 4/10.
Who Else Gets Your Data
One of the most important privacy questions is how freely a service passes data along to others. The list of recipients can run from advertising networks and analytics providers to business partners and government requests. Penpot draws firmer limits around third-party access to user data. Such practices matter for security and not only privacy, because each new entity with access is another door through which a breach could occur. Scores: Penpot 6/10, Canva 5/10.
What You Can Manage Yourself
The availability and effectiveness of user-facing privacy controls determine how much agency individuals have over their own data. This includes settings for data collection opt-out, download and deletion capabilities, granular permission controls, and the ease with which users can exercise their rights under applicable privacy regulations. Penpot provides more comprehensive and accessible privacy controls. Scores: Penpot 7/10, Canva 6/10.
Transparency
At its core, transparency is about how clearly a service tells users what happens to their data. That means how understandable the privacy policy is, whether transparency reports exist, how promptly privacy inquiries are addressed, and whether changes to policy are flagged proactively. Penpot is the stronger performer on transparency overall. Without clear and accessible privacy communication, informed consent and trust are impossible. Scores: Penpot 8/10, Canva 7/10.
Track Record Over Time
The record of privacy incidents, regulatory run-ins, and how a service answers vulnerabilities offers context you cannot ignore. Penpot holds the stronger track record here, with a smaller count of incidents and a more responsible response to the problems that did surface. More often than not, what a service did in the past is the best guide to its future privacy conduct. Scores: Penpot 9/10, Canva 8/10.
Overall Verdict
Adding everything up, our full analysis lands Penpot at 44/60 and Canva at 38/60. For privacy, the overall winner is Penpot. The two cover much the same functional ground, but the winner takes a more privacy-respecting stance across the dimensions that count for the most. Even so, no service is flawless, and whichever option you pick, you should always tune its privacy settings deliberately. We suggest pairing your choice with extra privacy tools, a VPN, DNS-level ad blocker, and privacy-focused browser, so you end up with a well-rounded privacy posture. And if your threat model demands the very highest level of privacy, it is worth asking whether an even more privacy-focused alternative exists in this category beyond the two compared here.