Canva vs. BookBolt: Which Software is Best for Creating Low and Medium Content Books?

Introduction

When it comes to creating low and medium content books for platforms like Amazon KDP, two names often come up: Canva and BookBolt. But which one is better for your needs? In this article, we’ll dive into the features, pricing, strengths, and weaknesses of each platform to help you make an informed decision.

Why Compare Canva and BookBolt?

As someone frequently asked about the best software for publishing low and medium content books, I’ve covered both Canva and BookBolt extensively in my previous content. Today, I want to break it all down so you can decide if you need one or both of these tools.

When I say low and medium content books, I’m referring to products like:

Low Content Books: Notebooks, journals, etc.
Medium Content Books: Coloring books, activity books, and puzzle books.

High-content books, like novels or non-fiction titles, aren’t the focus here.

What Do Canva and BookBolt Offer?

Both platforms have unique features and overlapping functionalities. Sometimes, people wonder if they need both to create and publish these books. The truth? You don’t need both unless there are specific features you want from each. Let’s break it down.

1. Canva

Canva is primarily a graphic design platform known for its user-friendly interface and pre-made templates. Originally created for designing social media graphics and presentations, Canva has evolved into a versatile tool for creating documents, digital products, and even books.

Why Canva Stands Out:

Beginner-Friendly: No prior graphic design knowledge is required.
Cloud-Based: Access your projects from any device.
Templates: Thousands of templates for book covers and other designs.
Flexibility: Supports various graphic design projects beyond book creation.

Cost:

Canva offers a free version, but most users will benefit from upgrading to Canva Pro for access to all features, including its image and element libraries.
Canva Pro Price: $12.99/month (at the time of writing).

2. BookBolt

BookBolt, on the other hand, is specifically designed for low-content book publishing. While it started as a tool for niche and keyword research, its BookBolt Studio now allows users to design and create books, including interiors and covers.

Why BookBolt Stands Out:

Ease of Use: Automatically generates the correct sizes for Amazon KDP books, including trim sizes and bleed.
Pre-Made Templates: Includes a variety of book interior templates, with additional puzzle templates for Pro users.
Research Tools: Helps identify profitable niches and keywords.

Cost:

Standard Plan: $9.99/month.
Pro Plan: $19.99/month (includes puzzle book tools).

Key Comparisons: Canva vs. BookBolt

Pricing

Canva offers more general graphic design features, while BookBolt focuses solely on book creation.
Canva Pro is slightly more expensive at $12.99/month compared to BookBolt’s plans ($9.99 and $19.99).

Ease of Use

BookBolt excels in book-specific tasks. For example, it automatically sets up trim sizes and layouts for KDP, which Canva requires you to calculate manually.
Canva, while versatile, involves more setup for book creation.

Templates

Canva includes thousands of templates for various design projects, but it doesn’t provide interior templates for books. You’ll need to source and upload these yourself.
BookBolt comes with ready-made interior templates tailored for low and medium content books, saving time.

Graphics and Elements

Canva has an extensive library of images, fonts, and elements that can be used for commercial projects (check licenses carefully).
BookBolt allows uploading custom fonts and images, but its library is more limited.

Special Features

BookBolt’s research tools help you discover niches and keywords.
Canva’s versatility allows for more than just book creation, making it a better choice if you also need tools for social media posts, presentations, and more.

Things to Keep in Mind

Using Canva for Books

Canva Pro elements are licensed for commercial use, but you must maintain your subscription as long as the book is being sold. Cancelling your subscription means you lose the right to use those elements.
Canva also sources free stock images from external websites. Be cautious about licensing issues, as some images may not be truly “free” for commercial use.

BookBolt’s Advantage

BookBolt’s seamless integration with KDP requirements (like automatically generating the correct trim sizes) makes it ideal for book-specific tasks.
Its niche and keyword research tools can save time and uncover new opportunities.

Who Should Use Canva?

If you’re looking to create more than just books—like social media graphics, presentations, or other digital products—Canva is the better option. Its library of templates and design tools makes it versatile and beginner-friendly.

Who Should Use BookBolt?

If your main focus is publishing low and medium content books on Amazon KDP, BookBolt’s specialized features (like pre-made interiors and automated trim sizes) make it a more efficient choice.

Final Thoughts

Both Canva and BookBolt have their strengths and weaknesses. If you’re solely focused on low-content book creation, BookBolt is the better fit. However, if you need an all-in-one design platform that extends beyond book creation, Canva Pro may be the way to go.

Or, if your budget allows, you can always use both to get the best of both worlds!

I hope this article helped clarify the differences between Canva and BookBolt. Which one will you choose? Let me know in the comments below!