How to make a billboard mockup in Canva? In Apps, click Mockups and find Outdoor. Select a template, drag & drop a design, and download the billboard mockup.
If you search for billboard mockup Canva, you’ll notice people aren’t asking for a fancy theory. They just want their design to look real and not pasted on. Most users already know Canva can technically do mockups. The confusion starts when the design looks flat, the perspective feels wrong, and the billboard doesn’t blend into the photo.
This guide covers a detailed tutorial on how to make a billboard mockup in Canva and a Canva alternative for free mockups. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What is a Billboard Mockup?
A billboard mockup is not the final print file. It’s a visual preview that shows how your design would look on a real billboard, in a real environment, and from a real viewing angle. It’s for presentation, not production.
If you’re new to the idea, this ties closely to what is a mockup in general – a visual representation of what something will look like before it’s created.
Can You Make a Billboard Mockup in Canva?
Yes, but with limits. Canva works well for static billboard mockups, especially if you’re okay with basic perspective, don’t need extreme realism, and are not doing complex motion.
Canva is fast, accessible, and good enough for most use cases. But not a replacement for Photoshop or other mockup generators like Mockey.ai if you want hyper-real results and billboard video mockups.
How to Make a Billboard Mockup in Canva (3 Methods)
After tons of research, we found that a user can make a billboard mockup in Canva in 3 different ways.
Method 1: Canva’s Built-in Mockups
Most beginners follow this method, and honestly, it is the most common thing people do when they first start.
- Visit Canva. Create your account there.
- Click “+create”. Type your custom size.
- Then, follow “Apps > Mockups”.
- Look for “Outdoor” and select a template.
- Drag and drop your design.
- Click “Edit” for further changes.
- Click “Share” and look for the “Download” button.
- Save the billboard mockup as PNG.
Method 2: Manual Billboard Mockup in Canva
Instead of relying on Canva’s mockup tool, use a real billboard photo or a billboard mockup template, place your design manually, and adjust the perspective yourself.
- Click “+create”. Type your custom size.
- Press the “Upload” icon for a high-resolution billboard photo.
- Add your design on top.
- Resize and rotate to match the billboard angle.
- Use Crop / Mask / Transparency. Adjust brightness and contrast.
- Download it.
The downside is that it takes more time, the perspective tools are limited, and it can’t do true warp. Still, this is the most recommended method to make a billboard mockup in Canva manually.
Method 3: Hybrid Workflow (Canva + Photoshop / After Effects)
Advanced users don’t rely on Canva alone. They create the billboard mockup in Photoshop or After Effects, export it as an image or video, and import it into Canva for layout, text, or animation.
Best Canva Alternative to Make a Billboard Mockup
Mockey AI mockup generator is the best alternative to Canva for a Billboard Mockup. It provides a variety of free templates, AI tools, and no-watermark mockups.
Choose from the best free billboard mockup templates include outdoor highways, city streets, indoor displays, and large-format hoardings. You can use Mockey’s easy-to-use tools to resize, reshape and adjust the template. Also, modify the background, change colors, and personalize the layout using AI tools.
Mockey provides unlimited free downloads with high-quality formats if you upgrade to a paid plan. If you want to learn the step-by-step process on how to make a billboard mockup in Mockey AI, you can read a separate blog.
Canva vs Mockey.ai for Billboard Mockups
| Feature | Canva | Mockey.ai |
| Billboard Templates | 70+ | 1000+ |
| Different types | Limited | 14+ different billboard types |
| A free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Editing tools | Very limited | Color, animations, background and element customization with a prompt |
| Billboard Video mockups | No | Yes |
| Paid plan | Starts from $15/month | Starts from $7/month |
Popular Billboard Mockup Template Types Available in Mockey.ai
There are some awesome billboard mockup templates offered by Mockey.ai for you to choose from.
Vertical Billboard Mockups
Look at this example. This vertical billboard template is for close-to-real outdoor visibility. The large, heavy typography is placed at eye level, ensuring the headline remains readable from long distances and fast-moving traffic.
Street Billboard Mockups
This billboard is built for street-level advertising, where people view the design while walking or waiting at signals.
Times Square Billboard Mockups
This Times Square–style horizontal billboard template is designed for high-speed, high-traffic viewing. The wide format matches large commercial façades where ads must be understood within seconds by pedestrians and moving vehicles.
Common Billboard Mockup Mistakes
The most common mistakes that people make when mocking up billboards are:
1. Flat Placement
Design looks pasted on, not part of the billboard.
2. Wrong Perspective
Billboard photo angled, design straight.
3. Over-detailed Designs
Too much text, too many elements.
4. Ignoring Lighting
Bright design on a dark billboard scene.
Conclusion
You now understand how to make a billboard mockup in Canva with three different methods. Making a billboard mockup in Canva doesn’t need perfection, but it needs to be credible.
It will be better to use Mockey.ai’s AI billboard mockup generator, where you get access to 1,000+ ready-made billboard templates that you can customize with different AI tools. Whether it’s roadside billboard mockups or the templates mentioned in this blog post, all of them can be customized and downloaded with the free plan.
FAQs
How do I make a poster mockup in Canva?
To make a poster mockup in Canva, select the desired canvas size for your poster. Add a background image that reflects where the poster will be placed. Insert a frame using Canvas elements and upload your poster design. Adjust the positioning and download the mockup when it looks realistic.
How do I create a custom mockup in Canva?
Creating a custom mockup in Canva involves choosing the right canvas size, adding a relevant background, and placing frames or placeholders for your design. You can upload your product or design and adjust it to fit within the mockup setting, giving it a realistic appearance before downloading.
What are the basic rules for designing a billboard?
The best mockup fails if the design itself is bad. Make sure to use big text only, high contrast, very few words, and a strong focal point.
Does billboard size matter for mockups?
Your mockup size doesn’t need to match the real billboard size. Real billboards are massive, and mockups are for visuals, not printing. Best practice is to design at a scaled-down ratio, keep proportions correct, and export at the highest resolution a mockup generator allows.
Can you make animated billboard mockups in Canva?
Very limited. Canva can animate text, add subtle motion, and create simple looping visuals. Real motion billboard mockups need After Effects. Many online businesses use Mockey.ai for animated mockups, where prompts can also be used.
Is Canva enough for client work?
Canva is good if the client wants a visual idea, the timeline is short, and the budget is small. Not ideal if the client expects photo-realism, the mockup will be heavily scrutinized, and it’s a high-end advertising pitch.
Which is the best mockup generator to create billboard mockups?
Mockey.ai is best for creating billboard mockups. It offers a broad range of scenes, from busy city streets to highways and night views, all fully customizable and without watermarks. You get high-resolution downloads, natural 3D angles, and a simple interface that makes realistic ad mockups easy to create.
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