Canva, the innovative design platform, wrapped up 2025 with impressive results, showcasing a 20% rise in monthly active users, significantly driven by its AI tool integration.
With over 265 million monthly active users and more than 31 million paying subscribers, Canva has successfully boosted its annual recurring revenue to an impressive $4 billion, as shared by co-founder and COO Cliff Obrecht during the Web Summit in Qatar. The company's B2B sector, which serves businesses with more than 25 users, experienced a remarkable 100% growth, contributing $500 million to its recurring revenue.
The majority of Canva's business remains rooted in North America, but the company is witnessing positive growth in international markets. To attract more paying customers, Canva has rolled out competitively priced subscription plans in countries such as Pakistan, Uruguay, Morocco, and Jamaica.
Obrecht emphasized that the company's investment in AI is yielding fruitful results. Canva introduced a tool last year that enables users to create mini applications and websites using AI, which has now attracted over 10 million monthly active users. This success has prompted Canva to consider positioning AI as a central element of its offerings, transforming it into a "design agency in your pocket."
As Canva navigates a competitive landscape that includes major players like Adobe and Apple, which have developed comprehensive creator suites, the company is pivoting its focus. "Initially, we provided the Canva platform with various AI tools. Now, we are transforming into an AI-centric platform equipped with design functionalities," Obrecht stated.
Additionally, Canva is actively integrating with chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. By October 2025, users engaged in over 26 million conversations with the Canva app on ChatGPT, making Canva one of the top 10 domains referred by the platform.
Obrecht also mentioned that the company is investing in enhancing its visibility in LLM search results and improving its SEO efforts. "We initially gained traction through Google by understanding search intent and delivering valuable content. We now view ChatGPT and similar platforms as key acquisition channels," he noted.
While search remains a significant driver of traffic, referrals from LLMs are already contributing double-digit percentages. Canva is committed to increasing its presence within chatbots as part of its growth strategy.
Recently valued at $42 billion in a share sale, Obrecht indicated that Canva is eyeing an IPO within the next few years.