Playbook by MediaBistro | Tools & Software for Creative Professionals
Snappa and Haikei serve different corners of the graphic design workflow. Snappa delivers a full design platform with templates for social media, ads, and marketing graphics, plus instant resizing across formats. Haikei specializes in generating unique SVG background elements like waves, blobs, and gradients that designers can export for web projects.
Snappa targets marketers and content creators who need professional graphics without mastering complex design software. The platform centers on speed, offering thousands of templates for social posts, Facebook ads, blog headers, and email graphics. You start with a template, swap in your content, and export.
The resize feature stands out as Snappa's signature capability. Create one design and instantly reformat it for Instagram posts, Stories, Facebook ads, Twitter headers, and dozens of other dimensions. Snappa includes a library of stock photos and graphics, basic editing tools, and the ability to save brand colors and fonts. The interface prioritizes getting designs done quickly over offering advanced creative control.
Haikei approaches graphic design from a specialized angle, focusing exclusively on generating abstract background elements and shapes. The web-based tool creates SVG assets through a series of generators for waves, blobs, layered peaks, gradients, and geometric patterns. Each generator offers sliders and controls to adjust colors, complexity, randomness, and layering.
Designers use Haikei to solve the specific problem of creating unique background graphics for websites, presentations, and marketing materials. The tool exports files as SVG (infinitely scalable) or PNG, making the assets ready for immediate use in web design, hero sections, and decorative elements. Haikei does not offer templates, text tools, or complete composition features. It generates one type of asset and does it with considerable depth and customization.
Thousands of templates for social media, ads, blog graphics, and marketing materials
No templates; generates abstract background elements only
Limited vector export; primarily PNG and JPG formats
Native SVG generation with full control over paths and layers
One-click resizing to dozens of platform-specific dimensions
Manual sizing only; no preset formats or automatic resizing
Static backgrounds from templates and stock library
Multiple generators for waves, blobs, gradients, patterns with randomization controls
Full text editor with fonts, effects, and brand font saving
No text capabilities
Minimal; designed for non-designers to start immediately
Very low; focused interface with clear generator controls
Haikei wins on price since it costs nothing and imposes no export limits. Snappa requires payment for serious use, but you are paying for a complete design platform rather than a single-purpose generator. The pricing reflects their different scopes: Snappa handles entire graphic workflows while Haikei solves one specific asset need.
These tools occupy different spaces in the design ecosystem. Snappa functions as a complete graphic design platform for creating finished marketing assets. It solves the problem of producing professional social graphics, ads, and content images when you lack design skills or time. The template library and resizing features target people who need to maintain a visual presence across multiple marketing channels without hiring a designer for every post.
Haikei excels at one thing: generating abstract SVG backgrounds and shapes. Web designers and developers will find it invaluable for creating unique hero backgrounds, section dividers, and decorative elements that scale perfectly at any size. The free pricing makes it an easy addition to any designer's toolkit. Choose Snappa when you need to create complete graphics quickly. Choose Haikei when you need distinctive background elements for web projects. Many designers will benefit from having both tools available for different situations.
