IMG.LY vs Paper.js Alternative

IMG.LY vs Paper.js

Looking to build creative software where users design and edit visual content directly? Discover why CreativeEditor SDK stands out when delivering polished editing experiences matters more than low-level vector programming.

What Our Clients Say About Us

IMG.LY’s solution engineers did a deep dive on our business case and helped us implement a custom print kiosk UI.

André Albrecht

Digital Solution Manager

Brother

Our customers create over a million personalized postcards each year choosing from over hundreds of templates with IMG.LY’s SDK. It’s the only solution that allows us to build our own specialized, on-brand UI that integrates seamlessly with our platform.

Jeanine Zaalberg

Product Manager

Swiss Post

Our app has photo-editing at the very core of its experience and the editor has been invaluable in making that vision happen. There are no other tools on the market up to the quality of PE.SDK.

Toby Green

Lead Developer

Elbi

IMG.LY vs. Paper.js at a Glance

Primary Use Case

Complete creative editing SDK suite spanning photo manipulation, video production, and graphic design. Delivers ready-to-use editors, composable SDK modules, and API-first integration paths for creative platforms spanning social applications, marketing automation, custom merchandise, and collaborative content workflows where users directly craft visual materials through accessible interfaces.

Open-source vector scripting library for HTML5 Canvas centered on code-driven generation of vector artwork, animated graphics, and responsive visual experiences. Built for engineers crafting bespoke vector applications, algorithmic art systems, information graphics, and motion illustrations via JavaScript rather than point-and-click interfaces.

IMG.LY provides full-featured creative editor for interactive and automated content creation. Paper.js offers vector scripting infrastructure for code-based experiences.

Target Audience

Organizations and development teams requiring mature creative editing SDK that meshes with current technology stacks. Adopted by cloud platforms, social networks, marketing software, and commercial printing operations needing battle-tested capabilities where users demand direct creative influence via visual controls.

Technical creators, software engineers, and computational designers building code-based vector applications without pre-made solutions. Favored for algorithmic art initiatives, responsive installations, analytics dashboards, and engineers developing proprietary drawing systems or motion frameworks through JavaScript programming.

IMG.LY serves teams embedding professional creative workflows. Paper.js caters to engineers building visual experiences from the ground up.

Technical Approach

Unified SDK with component-based UI and headless API support for Web, iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter and Node.js environments; optimised for client-side interactive editing and scalable server-side rendering.”

JavaScript-based vector framework built atop HTML5 Canvas featuring hierarchical object structure for managing visual elements. Includes PaperScript, a JavaScript dialect supporting mathematical operator extensions for Point and Size calculations. Implements scene hierarchy resembling Adobe Illustrator's organizational paradigm.

IMG.LY provides integrated SDK with visual and programmatic access. Paper.js furnishes vector scripting foundation requiring ground-up implementation.

Editing Features

Full creative editing environment including image adjustments, vector operations, text and overlay controls, and timeline-based video editing with multi-track capabilities. Features include non-destructive layer management, smart templates, snapping, grid alignment, and production export with CMYK and bleed settings for print use cases.

Lacks built-in editing interfaces. Provides programmatic APIs for vector shapes, curves, boolean operations, path simplification, and point math. All editing interactions must be implemented manually via JavaScript event handling and Canvas rendering.

IMG.LY provides complete editing tools out of the box. Paper.js requires manual implementation of all editing logic.

Vector Graphics Capabilities

Full vector editing toolkit with boolean operations, path simplification, anchors, bezier manipulation, and shape combination, all through a visual interface.

Advanced mathematical vector manipulation APIs with boolean, intersection, and curve simplification operations via code.

IMG.LY brings vector logic to a visual UI; Paper.js exposes it through code.

Typography & Text

Rich text editing with advanced formatting, kerning, paragraph control, and path text. Supports custom fonts and real-time preview.

Basic text rendering via Canvas APIs. Limited to simple labels and captions.

IMG.LY delivers professional typography support; Paper.js covers minimal text rendering.

Color Management

Supports RGB, CMYK, HSL, gradients, color palettes, and ICC profiles. Includes visual pickers, swatches, and brand color enforcement.

Programmatic color creation via RGB/HSL; gradients definable through code only.

IMG.LY offers full visual color tools; Paper.js restricts color control to code.

Animation Capabilities

Timeline-driven motion editing with multi-track sequencing, transitions, and interpolation. Enables complex compositing, effects, and synchronized keyframes.

Frame-based motion system using onFrame handlers and manual code updates. Supports generative and reactive motion but requires code implementation.

IMG.LY supports visual motion editing; Paper.js offers programmatic animation.

Templating & Dynamic Editing

Template creation and data-driven personalization through placeholders, constraints, and permissions. Supports batch rendering and automation through APIs.

No built-in templating; reusable vector patterns must be manually coded in JavaScript.

IMG.LY offers visual and programmatic templating; Paper.js requires custom logic.

Creative Automation

API-based orchestration enabling programmatic design generation, data merging, and automated rendering pipelines. Supports server-side scaling for mass personalization.

Automation achievable through JavaScript loops and functions, but all orchestration must be custom-engineered.

IMG.LY includes turnkey automation; Paper.js requires manual scripting.

AI Capabilities

Integrated AI features including background removal, text-to-image, generative fill, style transfer, and text-to-motion synthesis. Extensible via APIs and third-party AI providers.

No AI functionality; external AI results can only be manually integrated.

IMG.LY offers built-in and extensible AI tools. Paper.js has none natively.

White-labeling

Fully unbranded with complete visual control. Supports re-theming, branding, custom icons, typography, and color schemes for seamless integration with host applications.

Not applicable — no UI or branding layer. Visuals rendered are entirely code-defined.

IMG.LY offers true white-label control. Paper.js has no UI layer to brand.

Customizability

Flexible configuration through JSON schemas, API overrides, and custom plugin layers. Enables enabling/disabling tools, injecting logic, and redefining behaviors or layouts without modifying core SDK.

Full code-level flexibility for vector logic. Any transformation, tool, or interaction can be defined from scratch in JavaScript.

IMG.LY balances flexibility with stability; Paper.js requires full implementation for customization.

Rendering Approach

Real-time client-side rendering with optional server-side rendering for automation and batch workflows. Optimized for low-latency, high-fidelity visual updates, and consistent performance across devices.

Device-side Canvas rendering at 60fps using requestAnimationFrame. Focused solely on vector graphics.

IMG.LY combines real-time interactive rendering with optional headless automation. Paper.js focuses exclusively on Canvas rendering.

Platform Support

Multi-platform SDK for Web, iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter, and Node.js. Unified rendering engine ensures identical creative experiences across devices and supports offline-first operation for mobile and desktop.

Runs in browsers via HTML5 Canvas and optionally in Node.js with jsdom. Can be wrapped for mobile or desktop via Electron or Cordova but requires Canvas compatibility.

IMG.LY supports true cross-platform deployment; Paper.js operates primarily in browser contexts.

Mobile Performance

Optimized for touch gestures, adaptive quality scaling, and resource efficiency. Consistent 60fps editing even on mid-tier devices, including low-latency gesture response.

Performs well on mobile browsers for light to moderate vector workloads but lacks touch optimization unless manually implemented.

IMG.LY delivers mobile-tuned editing; Paper.js requires manual mobile adaptation.

Offline Capabilities

Full offline editing and rendering once initialized. Supports local caching, project persistence, and exports without network dependency.

Operates entirely offline post-initialization as all rendering is client-side. Persistence must be implemented manually.

Both enable offline operation, but IMG.LY includes native persistence and export management.

Extensibility

Modular extension system with APIs for tool creation, AI integrations, asset pipelines, and workflow orchestration. Enables extending native toolsets or connecting to backend systems for custom processing.

Fully extensible at the code level using JavaScript. Developers can define custom vector functions or integrate with external libraries.

IMG.LY supports modular extension without breaking core stability. Paper.js allows limitless extensibility but requires manual engineering.

Ease of Integration

Provides comprehensive documentation, starter projects, and a SDK for JS, React, Angular, Vue, Svelte, and more, together with mobile frameworks. Supports both frontend embedding and backend orchestration via REST and WebSocket APIs.

Integrates via JavaScript and PaperScript. Requires direct DOM or Canvas integration and strong mathematical understanding of vector geometry.

IMG.LY offers streamlined developer integration; Paper.js requires low-level Canvas and math expertise.

Scalability

Horizontally scalable architecture distributing computation to client devices. Supports server-side automation for batch workflows and integrates with CDN pipelines. Proven reliability at global scale with enterprise deployments.

Scales per user, as all rendering occurs locally within each browser session.

IMG.LY scales across enterprise workloads; Paper.js scales at the client level only.

Storage & Data Ownership

Offers local, on-premise, or cloud storage options. Data can remain on-device or be synced via API. Full control over hosting, data persistence, and compliance.

No built-in storage; persistence must be manually implemented via browser APIs or backend endpoints.

IMG.LY provides flexible data handling; Paper.js requires custom storage logic.

File Format Support

Broad import/export compatibility with PSD, AI, INDD, SVG, PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF, MP4, and GIF. Supports CMYK workflows, bleed, and production indicators for professional output.

Supports SVG import/export and raster rendering to Canvas. Limited to vector paths and basic image imports.

IMG.LY supports professional-grade formats; Paper.js focuses on SVG interchange.

Asset Management

Built-in asset library with tagging, metadata, and search. Integrations with Getty, Unsplash, Airtable, and custom asset endpoints via API.

No asset management features. Resources must be manually loaded through JavaScript.

IMG.LY provides integrated resource management; Paper.js relies on manual loading.

Production Readiness

Enterprise-grade SDK deployed at global scale with continuous QA, security maintenance, and version support. Stable performance across mobile, desktop, and web environments.

Stable open-source foundation, but final stability depends entirely on implementation quality.

IMG.LY is production-proven; Paper.js is foundational.

Clear Pricing Model

Enterprise licensing based on feature scope, volume, and deployment architecture. Includes Photo, Video, and Creative SDKs, with evaluation access and technical support.

Free and open-source under MIT License, with no commercial restrictions.

IMG.LY provides enterprise-grade SDK and support; Paper.js is cost-free open-source.

Community & Support

Powers over 500 million creations per month across enterprise and consumer platforms. Provides dedicated solution architects, documentation, SDK guides, and enterprise SLAs.

Maintains an active open-source community with tutorials, demos, and GitHub discussions, but no commercial support.

IMG.LY provides enterprise-grade support and scale; Paper.js relies on community contribution.

Customizability

Fully modular, white-label solution with plugin support for tailored workflows.

Limited customization; primarily integrates Canva's existing features into external platforms.

Notes

IMG.LY allows deep customization; Canva Connect API offers limited UI customization options.

White-labeling

Completely white-label, allowing seamless integration with your branding.

Canva branding is mandatory, limiting white-labeling.

Templating & Dynamic Editing

Versatile API to modify templates programmatically, allowing dynamic text, image replacement, resizing.

No programmatic template modification, templates are static.

Custom Workflows

Fully customizable workflows; integrate with any CMS, DAM, PIM, e-commerce platforms.

Fixed workflows tied to Canva’s ecosystem; no ability to modify the editing process or integrate deeply with external systems.

Creative Automation

Supports dynamic content insertion, batch processing, and generative AI for automation.

Limited support via Autofill API which populates templates with form data.

Extensibility

Fully extendable via a plugin system to add unique features.

Limited / no support for custom plugin outside of Canva’s platform.

Platform Support

Cross-platform support for Web, iOS, Android, and server-side; includes offline capabilities.

Web-based, online-only, no offline support.

Privacy

Client side processing and offline support ensures data control and privacy compliance.

Requires hosting data on Canva’s servers, no on-premise option.

Openness & File Compatibility

Can import Photoshop (PSD), InDesign (INDD), and Illustrator (AI) files, and export scene files for saving work-in-progress.

No ability to import external design files (e.g., PSD, AI, INDD). Only exports finished designs as PDFs, PNGs, etc.

Storage & Data Ownership

Full control over design storage, can be hosted on your servers or infrastructure, ensuring data privacy and ownership.

User designs are stored on Canva’s servers; users must have a Canva account to create or edit designs.

Web2Print Designer

Elevate your Web2Print application with best-in-class Design Editor.

Learn More Open Showcase

Creative Automation

Automate & scale content creation with ease.

Learn More Open Showcase

Variable Data Printing

Enable mass-personalization in your design & print workflows.

Learn More Open Showcase

Photo Prints

Provide seamless design experience and inspire users with easily personalized templates.

Learn More Open Showcase

Print Personalization

Streamline personalization for your print products.

Learn More Open Showcase

Apparel Designer

Whether t-shirts, hoodies or caps, build for any use case, deploy on any platform.

Learn More Open Showcase

FAQs

What is the best Canva Connect alternative?

IMG.LY is a great alternative to Canva Connect API, offering a highly customizable design and editing experience that can be embedded into apps. It supports features like flexible template management, and seamless integration with existing workflows, making it a strong choice for businesses looking to offer design tools within their platforms.

How is IMG.LY different from Canva Connect API?

IMG.LY offers a comprehensive SDK that enables businesses to integrate design and video editing capabilities directly into their platforms, providing full customization and control over the user experience. In contrast, Canva is a standalone design tool with a fixed set of features and limited customization options.

Can IMG.LY be used to build a Canva-like experience?

Yes, IMG.LY’s SDK allows developers to create a Canva-like experience within their own application, offering complete UI customization, template support, and multi-user collaboration features.

Does IMG.LY offer a plugin system for extending functionality like Canva?

Yes, IMG.LY is fully extensible via a plugin system, allowing businesses to add unique features tailored to their specific use cases. This level of extensibility is not available in Canva, which offers a fixed set of features.

Can IMG.LY integrate with third-party asset libraries like Canva?

Yes, IMG.LY allows integration with external asset providers like Unsplash and Getty Images.

Does IMG.LY offer pre-made templates like Canva?

Yes, IMG.LY offers pre-made templates but businesses can create and manage their own template libraries.

Which solution is better for enterprises looking for a white-label editor?

IMG.LY is the better choice for enterprises looking for a white-label editor because it allows full branding and UI customization, whereas Canva does not offer a fully white-label solution.

What are the customization options in IMG.LY vs Canva?

IMG.LY offers deep customization, including UI modifications, feature toggles, and branding. Canva has limited customization, mainly around design elements but not its core interface.

Can IMG.LY handle print-ready designs as Canva does?

Yes, IMG.LY supports high-resolution exports, including CMYK color profiles and print-ready PDFs, making it suitable for print applications.

IMG.LY vs Paper.js

What makes IMG.LY the best Paper.js alternative?

Built for Production

Real-Time Visual Editing

Multi-Platform Consistency

Creative Automation & AI-Powered Workflows

What Our Clients Say About Us

IMG.LY vs. Paper.js at a Glance

Features

IMG.LY

Paper.js

Notes

Primary Use Case

Target Audience

Technical Approach

Editing Features

Vector Graphics Capabilities

Typography & Text

Color Management

Animation Capabilities

Templating & Dynamic Editing

Creative Automation

AI Capabilities

White-labeling

Customizability

Rendering Approach

Platform Support

Mobile Performance

Offline Capabilities

Extensibility

Ease of Integration

Scalability

Storage & Data Ownership

File Format Support

Asset Management

Production Readiness

Clear Pricing Model

Community & Support

IMG.LY

Canva

Customizability

Notes

White-labeling

Templating & Dynamic Editing

Custom Workflows

Creative Automation

Extensibility

Platform Support

Privacy

Openness & File Compatibility

Storage & Data Ownership

Everything you need

Key Capabilities

Editing

Adjustments

Effect & Blur

Element Snapping

Blend Modes & Grouping

Undo & Redo

Printing

Cutout Lines

CMYK/ Spot color support

Templating

Design Templates

Text Variables

Placeholders & Lockable Designs

Configurable Presets

Customizability

Build Custom UIs

Theming

Media Libraries

Toolbar Customization

Internationalization

Export Options

Check Out Other Use Cases

Web2Print Designer

Creative Automation

Variable Data Printing

Photo Prints

Print Personalization