You’ve got the perfect photo. You’ve even chosen the ideal spot in your home to display it. Now you just need to decide: Acrylic or Canvas?
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key differences, similarities, and best use cases for both Acrylic and Canvas Prints so you can confidently choose the right medium for your image, space, and style.
What is an Acrylic Print?
An Acrylic Print is a modern, high-impact way to display your photos. Your image is printed using ultra-vibrant, fade-resistant inks and mounted behind a sheet of optically clear, ¼-inch thick acrylic glass, creating incredible depth and clarity. Light passes through the acrylic to enhance your image, giving it a sleek, glossy, gallery-style appearance. It’s a showstopper, especially for colorful or high-contrast photos.
What is a Canvas Print?
A Canvas Print offers a classic, timeless look that works with any decor style. Your photo is printed onto a thick poly-cotton canvas, then professionally stretched over a solid 1.5-inch basswood frame. The texture of the canvas adds warmth and dimension, giving your image a painterly quality. It’s a versatile, low-glare option that’s easy to style and built to last.
How Acrylic and Canvas Prints are Similar
Acrylic Prints and Canvas Prints are two very different photo art products, offering their own look and style. With that said, there are a few areas where they’re similar:
✅ Posterjack Acrylic and Canvas Prints are both:
- Made using premium-quality materials and our proprietary photo printing software which creates sharp, crisp prints at a large scale.
- Built to last, using inks that have a fade-resistant rating of at least 100 years.
- Handcrafted, custom pieces of photo art made in our Toronto-based workshop.
- Easy to clean and can be wiped down using a damp cloth.
- Carefully packaged and shipped to anywhere in the United States for a flat rate of $10, or free on orders over $150.
- Come in a variety of sizes, making it easy to find the perfect piece for your space.
The Key Differences: Acrylic vs Canvas Prints
These two products are worlds apart when it comes to how they look, although your photo or artwork is sure to look incredible with whichever you choose! Here’s a breakdown of the biggest differences between Posterjack Acrylic and Canvas Prints.
| Feature | Acrylic Prints | Canvas Prints |
|---|---|---|
| Print Surface | High-gloss, optically clear acrylic | Textured, matte poly-cotton canvas |
| Depth & Clarity | Photo has incredible depth and is ultra-vibrant | Softer, more classic look |
| Framing Options | Multiple styles including Float Mount, Standoff Kit, Modern Float Frame | Stretched on 1.5" basswood frame, optional floater frame |
| Glare | Can reflect light; not ideal for bright rooms | Low glare; great for bright or sunlit areas |
| Durability | Durable but may show fingerprints | Very durable and forgiving in high-traffic areas |
| Cost | Great pricing, but costlier of the two | More budget-friendly |
Print Surface
Acrylic Prints are made using premium ¼-inch thick, optically clear acrylic glass so the surface of your print has a smooth, glossy sheen.
Posterjack Canvas Prints, on the other hand, are made with a thick poly-cotton canvas that has a beautiful textured weave.
Hanging and Framing Options
Acrylic Prints have a few different hanging options which aren’t available with Canvas Prints. The most popular hanging option is the Float Mount System, which is ideal for those who like a sleek, clean, and unframed look. The Modern Float Frame is available in four colors and adds weight and substance to your art. If you’d like your print to have a bold, industrial feel to it, you’ll love the Standoff Kit, which is a wall-anchor and bolt system which is featured in the photo above. For a classic frame style, the solid wood and satin finish of the Standard Frame will be a fantastic choice. And lastly, for smaller prints, we offer an Aluminium Easel to display your Acrylic Print with style on a flat surface. You can also choose to have no frame for your Acrylic Print, so there is nothing included on the back of the print for framing, which is ideal for anyone who plans to use their own hanging system. Our Help Centre has more information on all of these options.
If you decide to turn your photo into a Posterjack Canvas Print, we professionally stretch your canvas over a 1.5”-deep basswood frame made from renewable, Canadian wood and install the hanging hardware so it’s ready to be displayed and admired the moment you unbox it.
You can further enhance your print by choosing to have a floater frame added to it, which are available in three different colors.
Although our Canvas Prints may not have as many hanging ad framing options as our Acrylic Prints, they do have two different edging options: mirrored and colored (which can be any color you like, so you can match it to a room’s accent color to pull the various elements in the room together).
Price
Another difference between Acrylic Prints and Canvas Prints is price. If you’re on a budget, the most economical option is our Canvas Prints.
With that being said, both options are much more affordable than a lot of custom artwork you will find elsewhere. Plus, you have the added benefit of knowing your prints are made using the best quality materials and that your prints are going to last a lifetime.
💡 Tip: If you're looking for a great deal, sign up to receive emails so you're the first to know when our next sale is!
Best Use Cases for Each Style
✅ When to Choose Acrylic Prints
- You want a modern, high-gloss look
- You're printing a vibrant, high-contrast photo
- You’re decorating a sleek, contemporary space
- You want a print with "wow factor" and 3D-like depth
💡 Tip: Because light travels through the ¼-inch acrylic, images look incredibly sharp and luminous, it’s like viewing your photo in high-def.
🖼️ When to Choose Canvas Prints
- You love a classic, timeless aesthetic
- You’re printing a low-contrast or soft image
- Your photo will hang in a bright room or high-traffic area
- You want a budget-friendly but high-quality option
🎨 Bonus: With two edging styles (mirrored or colored) and the option to enhance the print with a black, espresso, or white floater frame, you can customize your canvas to perfectly match your space.
Print Comparison: Which is Best For Your Photo?
Most photos will look amazing printed on either acrylic or canvas, especially with our industry-leading print process. But here are a few tips:
- Portraits & people: Look beautiful on canvas, especially in cozy spaces
- Landscapes or cityscapes with rich colors: Pop on acrylic
- Black-and-white photos: Work well on both, depending on the mood you want to create
- Low-contrast images: Better suited to canvas, where they won’t appear washed out
- Photos with fine detail: Shine on acrylic, thanks to the depth and clarity
For those of you who enjoy charts, we’ve made a couple of graphics for you which break down which types of photos are suitable for printing on acrylic and canvas, which types of images we don’t recommend you print, and the characteristics of both products. These charts are a great way to compare some of the differences between Acrylic and Canvas Prints.
Acrylic or Canvas Prints: Which is Best for Your Decor Style?
Although either style of print could look fantastic in any room, here is what we typically suggest.
When NOT to Choose Acrylic
Thanks to the optically-clear acrylic and polished, crystal-clear edges, Acrylic Prints look amazing when light hits them. With that said, they have a very smooth, high-gloss surface which means that direct, bright light may cause reflections and glare. So, if you’d like to display your photo art in a room with bright overhead or direct lighting, you’ll probably be happier with a Canvas Print.
One other consideration is if you intend on displaying your print in a high-traffic area. That high-gloss surface that makes the Acrylic Print absolutely breathtaking will also show fingerprints, making a Canvas Print a better option in this instance. And even though Acrylic Prints are scratch-resistant and very durable, the glossy finish does make them susceptible to fine hairline scratches.
When to Choose Acrylic
If you want something modern and sleek with colours so vibrant that your photo looks as though it’s popping off the wall, this is definitely the product for you. Available in over 30 different sizes and framing options in a variety of styles and colors, if you choose an Acrylic Print, it is going to be the center of attention in your home.
Because your photo is printed on the backside of the acrylic, you are looking through 1/4” of 99.9% optically pure acrylic, which gives your image a depth that has to be seen in real life to be fully appreciated. It’s as though your image is magnified and being viewed in super high definition. If you’re interested in digging a little deeper on this type of photo art, we recommend reading Top 10 Reasons to Splash Out on a Posterjack Acrylic Print.
When NOT to Choose Canvas Prints
You really can’t go wrong with a Posterjack Canvas Print. We print photos on poly-cotton canvas using the Giclée method using original HP Vivera Latex inks, so photos will stay vibrant and will not fade for over 200 years.
The custom frame that we professionally stretch your canvas over is made using select kiln-dried Canadian basswood that will not warp.
You may prefer to choose an Acrylic Print over a Canvas Print if you:
- Want a premium photo art product with huge wow-factor
- Want a high-gloss, smooth finish
- Are displaying your artwork in a modern space
- Are printing a photo with vibrant colors that you really want to have pop
When to Choose Canvas Prints
Printing your photos on canvas is a great choice if you want a photo art product that is super versatile.
Canvas prints are classic and timeless, making them a natural fit with all decor styles. The versatility also means that they’ll look great in your home for years down the road as your home decorating tastes change.
You might also choose a Canvas Print over an Acrylic Print if you:
- Have a low-contrast image
- Are displaying your print in a room with a lot of direct, bright lighting
- Plan to hang your print in a high-traffic area
- Want to print your photo the most economical way possible
Check out The Benefits of Canvas Printing to learn more.
How They Hang (and Stand)
Acrylic Print Mounting Options:
- Modern Float Frame (clean, minimalist look, added dimension)
- Standoff Kit (bold, gallery-style statement)
- Standard Frame (classic frame)
- Aluminum Easel (great for desks and small prints)
- No Frame (DIY or custom setup)
Canvas Print Mounting Options:
- Professionally stretched on a 1.5” kiln-dried basswood frame
- Comes ready to hang
- Optional floater frames in three colours
- Two edge styles: mirrored or coloured
Final Thoughts: Which Should You Choose?
Still unsure? Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
| Choose This If You Want ... | Go with |
|---|---|
| Modern, glossy, gallery-style art | Acrylic Print |
| Timeless, textured, soft appearance | Canvas Print |
| Budget-friendly, but still amazing quality | Canvas Print |
| Stunning depth and ultra-vibrancy | Acrylic Print |
| A durable option for high-traffic areas | Canvas Print |
See Real Examples
Need a little inspiration? Scroll down to check out beautiful customer-submitted photos featuring both Posterjack Acrylic and Canvas Prints. You can also explore more in our Idea Gallery.
Customer Photos Featuring Acrylic Prints
Customer Photos Featuring Canvas Prints
Need Help Choosing?
Our team is always here to help! Reach out with any questions or visit our Help Centre to explore more about mounting options, image resolution tips, and more.
