Comparison
Canva org chart or mivochart?
In Canva you build an org chart from a template on a whiteboard, editing names, boxes and connectors by hand, with plenty of design freedom and real-time collaboration. mivochart builds the chart from your Excel or CSV staff list with an automatic layout, staff positions, vacancies and FTE. Canva suits design work; mivochart suits charts that change.
Last checked:
Canva is where many people start an org chart because they already use it for slides and social posts, and its templates look good. The question is usually not which tool is nicer, but what happens when the chart grows or changes.
This page compares how each tool handles an org chart. Facts about Canva come from Canva’s own help and product pages, checked on the date shown. Canva’s prices depend on the region, so we link the pricing page rather than quote a number.
At a glance
| Feature | mivochart | Canva |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Org charts only: people, teams and reporting lines | Design platform; org charts are made from whiteboard templates[1] |
| Org chart from Excel/CSV | Upload .xlsx or .csv; name, manager, title and department columns are recognised in English, German and French | Canva’s help describes starting from a template and replacing names, adding shapes and connectors by hand[1] |
| Export formats | PNG, SVG, PDF and CSV on every plan; free exports carry a small watermark | JPG, PNG and PDF; SVG on paid plans[2] |
| Collaboration | No real-time co-editing: one person edits, others view the shared link | Whiteboards for real-time collaboration[3] |
| Free plan | Up to 25 people per chart and 3 saved charts | Canva Free plan available[4] |
| Paid plans | Pro from €8 per month, or a one-time Project Pass (90 days) for €39 | Pro, Business and Enterprise; see Canva’s pricing page for prices in your region[4] |
Plans and prices vary by region and change over time. Confirm them on Canva’s pricing page.
When Canva is the better choice
Canva is built for design work. It is probably the better choice if:
- The chart is a designed piece: a poster, a welcome deck or a social post where layout, colours and imagery matter more than data.[1]
- You need your brand applied consistently. Canva’s Brand Kit keeps logos, colours and fonts in one place.[5]
- Several people work on the design together. Canva Whiteboards are built for real-time collaboration; mivochart has none.[3]
- The chart is small and rarely changes, and you already work in Canva every day.[1]
When mivochart fits better
mivochart treats the chart as data, not as a drawing. It tends to fit when:
- Your staff list is in Excel or an HR export, and you do not want to type each name into a box.
- The organisation changes. Re-import the new list and see who joined, left or moved; the layout re-arranges itself.
- The chart has more than a handful of people. With an automatic tree, list or grid layout, adding a person does not mean moving other boxes by hand.
- You need staff positions, dotted-line reporting, open positions and FTE with totals per team.
- You want an embeddable live view for the intranet that shows the current chart.
- Your team works in German or French, including column headings in those languages on import.
What mivochart does not do
- No real-time co-editing: two people cannot work on the same chart at the same moment.
- No single sign-on (SSO) and no live connection to HR systems. Lists from Personio, BambooHR or similar tools are imported as exported files.
- Far fewer design options than a design tool: no photo filters, illustrations or free-form layouts. Colours per department and photos per person are available.
- The free plan covers up to 25 people per chart and 3 saved charts, and free exports carry a small watermark. PowerPoint export and print PDFs on A3, as poster tiles or one page per department need a Pass or Pro.
How to move a Canva org chart to mivochart
A Canva chart is a drawing, so the quickest path is a simple list.
- Write the people into a spreadsheet: one row per person with name, title, department and manager. For a chart of twenty or thirty people this takes a few minutes.
- Save it as .xlsx or .csv and upload it on the import page. Check the column mapping and the preview.
- Add photos, colours per department, staff positions and vacancies in the editor.
- Export PNG or PDF for documents, or PowerPoint with a Pass or Pro. If the final piece still needs design work, you can bring the exported image back into your design tool.
From then on, update the spreadsheet instead of the drawing.
Frequently asked questions
Can Canva make an org chart from an Excel list?
Canva’s help article on org charts describes building one from a whiteboard template and editing names, shapes and connectors by hand. It does not describe importing a staff list for org charts.
Is mivochart free like Canva?
mivochart is free up to 25 people per chart and 3 saved charts, with a small watermark on exports. A Pass or Pro removes the limits and the watermark.
Can I use my brand colours in mivochart?
You can colour departments and add photos, but mivochart has far fewer design options than Canva. For a fully branded design piece, Canva is the better fit.
Can I put a mivochart org chart into a presentation?
Yes. Export PNG or SVG on any plan, or an editable PowerPoint with a Pass or Pro.
Start from your list instead of a blank template
Upload a spreadsheet and see an org chart with an automatic layout. No account needed to start.
Sources, checked on October 5, 2026
- Canva Help Center: Create an organizational chart in Canva (Canva, checked October 5, 2026)
- Canva Help Center: Choose the right download file type (Canva, checked October 5, 2026)
- Canva: Free online whiteboard for real-time collaboration (Canva, checked October 5, 2026)
- Canva pricing: Free, Pro, Business and Enterprise (Canva, checked October 5, 2026)
- Canva Pro: Brand Kit (Canva, checked October 5, 2026)
Canva is a trademark of its owner; mivochart is not affiliated with Canva.