Welcome to stencil.cloud
The fast, opinionated design tool for flyers, posters, and social media graphics. No signup required. No Figma degree needed. Just open it and make something.
What Is This?
stencil.cloud is a browser-based design tool for temporary, promotional, time-bound material. Flyers for your show on Saturday. A garage sale poster. An Instagram story for your fundraiser. A hiring banner. The kind of thing you need to look good, fast, and then never think about again.
Think Canva's event flyer vertical, but opinionated, fast, and focused. We're not a general-purpose design tool. We don't do business cards. We don't do brand identity. We do the thing you need to slap on a telephone pole or a feed and forget about.
Who Is This For?
EVENT PROMOTERS
Music, art, community events. If you're putting on a show, we've got you.
SMALL BUSINESSES
Sales, announcements, grand openings. Make it look good without hiring a designer.
COMMUNITY ORGS
Churches, schools, nonprofits. Fundraisers, volunteer drives, bake sales. Yes, bake sales.
BANDS & DJS
Show flyers that don't look like they were made in Microsoft Word. (No shade. Okay, some shade.)
GARAGE SALES
Estate sales, yard sales. Give your curb appeal some curb appeal.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS
Block parties, town halls, meetups. Rally the people in style.
The Core Promise
You should be able to go from "I need a flyer" to "here's my flyer" in under five minutes. No account. No credit card. No 47-step onboarding flow. Open the editor, pick a template, change the text, tweak the colors, export. Done.
The editor runs entirely in your browser. Your designs don't leave your machine unless you explicitly share or publish them. We're not harvesting your data. We're not training models on your garage sale flyer.
Getting Started
Zero to flyer in five steps. No account needed.
The Speed Run
- Open the editor — Go to stencil.cloud. That's it. You're in.
- Pick a template — In the sidebar under Layout > Template, choose from 22 templates — event flyers, garage sales, hiring posts, grand openings, fundraisers, rave posters, and more. Click it. Your canvas updates instantly.
- Edit your text — Click any text on the canvas. Type your event name, date, venue, whatever. The sidebar's Selected Object panel gives you font, size, style, alignment, and color controls.
- Pick a vibe — Under Layout > Color Scheme, scroll through 42 color schemes until you find one that doesn't make your eyes bleed. (They're all good. We're biased.)
- Export — Hit the EXPORT PNG button in the header. A full-resolution PNG downloads to your machine. Post it, print it, tape it to a telephone pole. You're done.
Want More?
That's the basics, but there's a lot more under the hood. The sidebar has collapsible sections for line art patterns, film grain, blend layers, mangle effects, QR codes, and a wordmark system. Every section of these docs walks through one of those features in detail.
The Interface
A quick tour of where everything lives.
Three Zones
The editor is split into three areas. Simple. No mystery menus, no hidden panels, no "where the hell did that button go?"
1. The Header Bar
Across the top. Contains the logo, your action buttons, and account controls.
- EXPORT PNG — Exports the current canvas at full resolution. One click. Done.
- EXPORT PDF — Exports a real PDF file (not a print dialog) with the design embedded as a full-page image. Pro feature.
- BATCH EXPORT — Opens a modal with checkboxes for each output size. Pick the ones you need, hit export as a ZIP. Pro feature.
- SHARE — Opens the share panel with 10 platforms: X, Bluesky, Facebook, Reddit, LinkedIn, Threads, Instagram, TikTok, Email, and Copy Link.
- AI DESIGNER — Opens the AI prompt panel (Ultra). Describe your event, get a design.
- PUSH — Publishes your design to your subdomain page (Ultra).
- SCHEDULER — Queue designs for future publish dates (Ultra).
- DOCS — You're reading it.
- SIGN IN — Opens the auth modal. Google OAuth or email/password.
2. The Sidebar (Left)
This is where all the controls live. Every section is collapsible — click the section title to expand/collapse. The sidebar is organized top-to-bottom by frequency of use:
- Selected Object — Properties of whatever you clicked on the canvas (text, fonts, color, effects)
- Layout — Template picker, output size, color scheme, editor mode, presets
- Wordmark — Logo upload or text branding
- Algorithmic FX — Line Art (x2), Film Grain, Mangle
- Blend Layers — Colored overlays with blend modes
- Event Date — Date picker for scheduling
- QR Code — URL-to-QR generator with style options
- Hidden Objects — Restore any objects you've hidden
- Snap to Grid — Toggle grid snapping for precise placement
3. The Canvas (Center)
The live preview of your design. This is a fully interactive canvas — click objects to select them, drag to move, pull handles to resize, and double-click text to edit inline. What you see is what you get. The canvas always shows a scaled preview at the correct aspect ratio for your chosen output size.
4. The Context Menu (Right-Click)
Right-click anywhere on the canvas (or long-press on mobile) to open the context menu. This gives you quick access to object and document-level actions without hunting through the sidebar:
- Lock / Unlock — Freeze an object in place so you don't accidentally drag it
- Hide — Remove an object from view (restore from Hidden Objects)
- Duplicate — Clone the selected object
- Pull Forward / Push Backward — Adjust z-order one step at a time
- Bring to Front / Send to Back — Jump to the top or bottom of the stack
- Delete — Remove user-created objects (template objects can only be hidden)
- Undo / Redo — Same as keyboard shortcuts, but clickable
- Add Text Object — Drop a new custom text box onto the canvas
- Add Blend Layer — Create a new blend layer right from the menu
The Action Log
See that little LOG button floating on the canvas? Click it to open the action log — a timestamped feed of everything you've done this session. Useful for tracking what changed when you accidentally undo one too many times.
Templates
Pre-built starting points. Choose one, then make it yours.
How Templates Work
Templates are just pre-arranged collections of text objects with sensible defaults — an event title, date, venue, description, footer. Each one ships with placeholder text that actually reads like a real event (because nobody designs in "Lorem Ipsum" mode). Pick a template, replace the text, and you're flying.
Templates are not rigid. You can move, resize, restyle, hide, or delete any object. Think of them as starting points, not straightjackets.
Available Templates (22)
Event Templates
GENERIC EVENT
The general-purpose workhorse. Title, date, venue, details, lineup, info. Works for concerts, shows, parties, whatever.
HEADLINE CENTER
Big, bold, centered. The title dominates. Everything else gets out of the way. For when your event name IS the design.
BOTTOM HEAVY
Pushes all the info to the lower third. Leaves the top for line art and vibes. Great for posters with heavy visual backgrounds.
SPLIT STACK
Two-column split with stacked info blocks. Modern, structured, corporate-friendly without being boring.
RAVE POSTER
Chaotic energy. Rotated text, aggressive sizing, designed to look like it was stapled to a wall in a dark alley at 3am.
MINIMAL TYPE
Clean, restrained typography. Lots of breathing room. For when you want the design to whisper instead of scream.
BLOCK PARTY
Chunky, geometric layout. Bold blocks of text. Feels like a community event flyer that actually makes you want to show up.
UNDERGROUND
Gritty, lo-fi aesthetic. Tight spacing, monospaced vibes. For DIY shows, punk gigs, and art happenings.
FESTIVAL LINEUP
Multi-artist lineup format. Headliners at the top, descending by size. If you've got 8 acts and need them all on one flyer, this is it.
ALBUM RELEASE
Music release announcement. Artist name, album title, release date, streaming links. Works for singles, EPs, and full albums.
NEON NIGHTS
Glowing, electric typography. Designed for nightlife — club nights, DJ sets, late-night events that happen after midnight.
BRUTALIST
Raw, aggressive, architectural. Oversized type, harsh alignment. For gallery openings, experimental shows, and people who use the word "praxis."
GALLERY OPENING
Elegant, spacious, art-world appropriate. Clean serif vibes. The kind of flyer where you can practically smell the wine and cheese.
MEGA TYPE
Massive, oversized typography that fills the canvas. The title IS the design. For when subtlety is not on the agenda.
IMPACT STACK
Vertically stacked blocks with high contrast between sections. Bold dividers. Punchy. Reads like a fight card.
FULL BLEED
Right-aligned, aggressive typography that bleeds to the edge. Maximum drama, maximum white space on the opposite side.
CROP & BLEED
Cropped title that extends past the canvas edge. Fixed positioning for dramatic cut-off effect. Not for the faint of heart.
BLOCK TYPE
Type-focused layout with heavy block lettering. Minimal ornamentation — the words do all the work.
Business Templates
NOW HIRING
Job posting layout with position, company, qualifications, perks, and how-to-apply. Works for any "we need humans" situation.
GRAND OPENING
New business announcement. Celebratory layout with highlights, opening day offers, and social links. For stores, restaurants, and studios.
Community Templates
GARAGE SALE
Optimized for sales with address, date range, directions, and a "what's for sale" section. Perfect for yard sales, estate sales, moving sales.
FUNDRAISER
Charity event, donation drive, or community fundraiser. Activities, goal amount, ticket tiers, and donate link. Warm and inviting.
What's in a Template?
Each template defines a set of text objects, each with a role: title, date, venue, detail, body, lineup, info, footer. The layout engine uses these roles to calculate font sizes and spacing automatically — so a title is always big, a footer is always small, and nothing overlaps.
Some template objects start hidden (like extra lineup slots). You can reveal them from the Hidden Objects section in the sidebar.
Editor Modes
Two ways to position your content. Pick the one that fits your workflow.
Template Mode (Default)
The layout engine handles positioning. Objects are arranged automatically based on their role (title, date, venue, etc.) using a flow-based layout that adapts to any output size. Switch from Letter to Story to Bandcamp, and everything reflows cleanly.
This is the "I just want it to look right" mode. The layout engine calculates font sizes, spacing, and grouping so nothing overlaps, even on wildly different aspect ratios.
Advanced Mode
Free placement. You drag objects wherever you want, and stencil.cloud remembers the position per output size. This means you can fine-tune your Letter layout, switch to Story, fine-tune that separately, and both are preserved.
When you switch to Advanced Mode for a size that doesn't have saved positions yet, it starts from wherever Template Mode left things. From there, it's all you.
Reset Layout
Both modes have a RESET LAYOUT button. It clears your saved positions for the current size and re-runs the template layout engine from scratch. Useful when you've moved things around and just want to start over. It asks for confirmation first — we're not monsters.
Output Sizes
9 formats across print and social. One design, every platform.
Print Formats
| Size | Dimensions | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Letter Flyer | 2550 × 3300 px | 8.5" × 11" — standard print flyer, home printers, print shops |
| Tabloid Poster | 3300 × 5100 px | 11" × 17" — large poster, bulletin boards, storefront windows |
Social Media
| Size | Dimensions | Ratio | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Vertical | 1080 × 1350 px | 4:5 | IG/FB feed — best general-purpose social format |
| Story / Reel | 1080 × 1920 px | 9:16 | IG Stories, TikTok, FB Stories, Reels, Snapchat |
| Event Banner | 1500 × 500 px | 3:1 | X (Twitter) header, web banners |
| Pinterest Pin | 1000 × 1500 px | 2:3 | Pinterest standard pin |
| YouTube Thumbnail | 1280 × 720 px | 16:9 | YouTube video thumbnail |
| Threads Post | 1440 × 1920 px | 3:4 | Threads feed post |
| Bandcamp Album | 2800 × 2800 px | 1:1 | Bandcamp album art / release page |
Size Cards
In the sidebar, sizes are displayed as small aspect-ratio preview cards grouped by category (Print and Social). Hover over any card to see the exact dimensions. The active size has an accent-colored border. Click to switch — the layout engine reflows your design instantly.
Color Schemes
42 curated palettes. No color theory degree required.
How Schemes Work
Each scheme defines a coordinated set of colors: background, primary text, accent, secondary, and line art colors. When you pick a scheme, it updates everything — the background, all text colors, line art, and the gradient preview in the sidebar. The design stays coherent because we've done the color pairing for you.
Scheme selection is in the sidebar under Layout > Color Scheme. The dropdown includes a live gradient preview bar showing the active palette.
Available Schemes
Every scheme is designed to work with every template and every line art style. We spent an unreasonable amount of time making sure "Neon" doesn't look terrible with "Topographic" and "Bone" doesn't make "Fire" invisible. You can just click and trust it.
Presets
Save your favorite designs and recall them later.
Saving a Preset
In the sidebar under Layout > Presets, type a name and click Save. This captures your entire design state: template, scheme, overlays, text content, mangle seed, blend layers — the whole thing. It's a snapshot.
Loading a Preset
Your saved presets appear as a clickable list below the save field. Click one and the editor restores that exact state. Click the × next to a preset to delete it.
Text Editing
Click it, type it, style it, move it.
Selecting Text
Click any text object on the canvas. A selection box appears with handles. The sidebar's Selected Object panel populates with all the controls for that specific object.
Inline Editing
Double-click a text object to enter inline editing mode — you can type directly on the canvas. Click away or press Escape to exit. You can also edit text from the Text textarea in the Selected Object panel.
Typography Controls
When a text object is selected, the sidebar shows:
| Control | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Text | Multi-line textarea for the content. Edit here or inline on canvas. |
| Font | Dropdown of available fonts. 17+ families loaded from Google Fonts. |
| Size | Numeric input for font size in pixels (at display scale). |
| Style | B Bold, I Italic, U Underline toggles. |
| Align | Left, Center, Right alignment buttons. |
| Color | Color picker for text fill. |
Available Fonts
The editor ships with a curated selection of Google Fonts, all pre-loaded for instant use:
Work Sans DM Mono Outfit Bebas Neue Inter
Oswald Poppins Raleway Montserrat Playfair Display
Space Grotesk Archivo Black Rubik Barlow Condensed
Anton Righteous Orbitron
Moving & Resizing
- Drag to reposition anywhere on the canvas
- Side handles resize the text box width (text reflows)
- Rotation handle (top) rotates the text
- Text boxes prevent vertical stretch — resizing only adjusts width
Adding Custom Text Objects
Need more text than the template provides? Right-click the canvas and choose Add Text Object from the context menu. This drops a new, fully editable text box onto the canvas. User-created text objects can be deleted (unlike template objects, which can only be hidden).
Duplicating Objects
Right-click any object and choose Duplicate to clone it. The copy appears offset from the original, ready to drag into position.
Hiding Objects
Don't need a section? Select it and click Hide Object at the bottom of the Selected Object panel, or right-click and choose Hide. Hidden objects still exist in the template — restore them from the Hidden Objects sidebar section.
Text Effects
Three per-object effects that make text do interesting things.
These appear at the bottom of the Selected Object panel when you have a text object selected.
Text Background
Adds a colored rectangle behind the text object. Perfect for ensuring readability over busy line art or making a title pop against the background.
- Enable — Toggle checkbox
- Color — Pick any background color
- Opacity — Slider from fully transparent to fully opaque
The background rect follows the text when you move it and adjusts to the text's size automatically.
Text Slice
Cuts horizontal gaps through your text, creating a chopped/scan-line effect. Think glitch aesthetics, think distortion, think "I want my title to look like it's being broadcast through a broken TV."
- Enable — Toggle checkbox
- Cuts — Number of horizontal slice lines (1–20)
- Gap — Width of the gap between slices (1–15)
FX Lock
Check "Lock from Algo FX" to prevent the Mangle effect and other algorithmic transformations from touching a specific object. Useful when you've positioned your date just right and don't want Mangle shuffling it to the shadow realm.
Wordmark / Logo
Brand your design with an image or styled text.
Image Wordmark
Upload a logo (PNG, JPG, or SVG, minimum 200×100px) and it gets placed on the canvas as a draggable image object. The logo scales to fit within the canvas while maintaining aspect ratio.
- Click Upload Logo in the Wordmark sidebar section
- Select your file
- Drag the logo to position it
Text Wordmark
Don't have a logo file? Create one from text. The text wordmark system gives you:
| Control | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Brand Name | Text input — type your brand, venue, org name |
| Font | Choose from the same 17+ font families |
| Color | Color picker |
| B / I / AA | Bold, Italic, and Uppercase toggles |
| Accent | Decorative element around the wordmark |
Accents
Accents are decorative frames and elements that wrap around your text wordmark. They add visual weight and make the wordmark feel intentional rather than "I just typed my name on the poster." The accent dropdown includes options like underlines, brackets, banners, and geometric frames.
Changes to any wordmark property apply live — no need to click "Update" each time. Just adjust and watch the canvas update in real time.
Line Art
50 procedural generative patterns. The thing that makes your flyer not look like it was made in PowerPoint.
What Line Art Is
Line art is the generative artwork rendered behind your text on the canvas background. Every pattern is a seeded procedural algorithm — meaning it's generated from math, not from a static image file. Same seed = same art, every time. Different seed = different variation. Zero file weight. Infinite variety.
These patterns are what make even a basic text-on-background design feel designed. They add texture, movement, and visual interest without you having to be an illustrator.
Controls
Found in the sidebar under Algorithmic FX > Line Art:
| Control | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Style | Dropdown to select the pattern algorithm |
| Density | How much stuff gets drawn. Low = sparse, high = packed |
| Opacity | How visible the pattern is over the background |
| Seed | The random seed number. Same seed = same pattern |
| Randomize | Generates a random seed. Click until you find one you like |
Dual Layer: Line Art 2
There's a second line art slot (Algorithmic FX > Line Art 2) that renders a different pattern using the scheme's secondary line art color. Mixing two patterns — say, Flow Field over a Constellation base — creates rich, layered backgrounds that look genuinely custom.
All 50 Patterns
Film Grain
That analog texture that makes digital feel alive.
What It Does
Film grain adds a randomized noise overlay to the background, simulating the look of photographic film. It breaks up flat digital color and gives designs a tactile, organic feel — like someone printed your flyer on nice paper.
Controls
Found under Algorithmic FX > Film Grain:
- Enable grain — Toggle checkbox. On or off.
- Density — How many grain particles per area. Low = subtle, high = gritty.
- Opacity — How visible the grain is. Keep this gentle (15–30%) for sophistication, crank it for intentional grunge.
Mangle
The chaos button. Controlled randomness for your layout.
What It Does
Mangle takes your carefully laid out design and thoughtfully destroys it. It shuffles text positions, rotates elements, shifts colors, and swaps styles — all from a reproducible seed. It's not random garbage. It's seeded chaos. Same seed = same mangled result every time.
Parameters
| Parameter | What It Controls |
|---|---|
| Spread | How far objects move from their original positions |
| Angle | How much rotation gets applied |
| Color | How aggressively colors shift from the base scheme |
| Style | How much font weights, sizes, and styles change |
Workflow
- Dial in your parameters with the sliders
- Click Mangle — a new seed is generated and applied
- Don't like it? Click Mangle again for a different variation
- Love it? Leave it. The seed is saved with your design
- Want to undo? Click Reset to restore the clean template layout
Blend Layers
Colored overlays with blend modes. Up to 3. Drag, resize, blend.
What They Are
Blend layers are colored rectangles that sit on the canvas and composite with the content beneath them using standard blend modes. Think of them as colored gels you'd put over a stage light — they shift the colors of everything underneath.
Adding a Layer
In the sidebar under Blend Layers, click + Add Blend Layer. You can add up to 3. Each layer has:
- Blend Mode — 16 modes: normal, multiply, screen, overlay, darken, lighten, color-dodge, color-burn, hard-light, soft-light, difference, exclusion, hue, saturation, color, luminosity
- Color — Any color via the picker
- Opacity — How strong the effect is
Interacting on Canvas
Blend layers are draggable and resizable directly on the canvas — just like text objects. Drag to reposition, pull the handles to resize. Positions are stored proportionally, so they scale correctly across output sizes.
Click a blend layer on the canvas and its controls also appear in the Selected Object panel for more detailed editing.
QR Codes
Turn any URL into a scannable code on your design.
Generating a QR Code
In the sidebar under QR Code:
- Enter a URL (or any text) in the URL / Text field
- Adjust the Size slider
- Pick a Style: Square, Rounded, or Dots
- Set the foreground and background Colors
- Click Generate
The QR code appears on the canvas as a draggable image object, placed by default in the bottom-right corner. Drag it anywhere you like.
Styles
- Square — Classic QR module shape. Clean and universal.
- Rounded — Softer corners. Friendlier vibe.
- Dots — Circular modules. Modern, distinctive.
Removing
Click Remove to take the QR code off the canvas.
Exporting
Get your design out of the browser and into the world.
Single Export
Click EXPORT in the header and choose your format:
- PNG — Full-resolution PNG at the dimensions of your currently selected output size. One file downloads immediately. Available to all users.
- PDF — A real PDF document with the design embedded as a full-page JPEG. Correct page dimensions for print (Letter, Tabloid) and screen (social sizes). Available to Designer Kit and above.
- ZIP (batch) — Export multiple sizes at once. Available to Designer Kit and above.
How Export Works (Under the Hood)
The export pipeline is a manual compositing process:
- The cached full-resolution background (line art, grain, blends — the exact same render as your preview) is drawn to an offscreen canvas
- Fabric.js objects (text, wordmark, QR codes) are exported separately with a multiplier to scale from display to output resolution
- Objects are composited on top of the background
- PNG metadata is embedded (software, source URL, design info)
- The file downloads
This guarantees that what you see in the preview is what you get in the export. No rendering differences. No surprise layout shifts.
Batch Export
Click BATCH EXPORT in the header to open the batch export modal. You'll see checkboxes for every output size, organized into Print and Social groups. Sizes you've previously customized in Advanced Mode are pre-selected — so you're not blindly exporting sizes you haven't touched.
- Select All / Select None — Bulk toggle at the top
- Individual checkboxes — Check just the sizes you need
- Pre-selected sizes — Any size with saved Advanced Mode positions is auto-checked
Hit export, and the editor cycles through each checked size, reflows the layout, renders the background, and downloads individual PNGs. It takes a few seconds since each size needs a fresh render.
File Naming
Exported files follow the pattern: stencil-{template}-{size}.png
For example: stencil-generic-event-story.png
PNG Metadata
Every exported PNG includes embedded metadata:
- Software: stencil.cloud
- Source: https://stencil.cloud
- Comment: Design name, size, dimensions, scheme
- Title: Template name
Sharing
Get your design in front of people.
Share Button
Click SHARE in the header to open the share panel. 10 platforms, one click each:
X (TWITTER)
Tweet with a link to your design
BLUESKY
Post to the fediverse alternative
Share to your feed or page
Post to any subreddit
Professional network sharing
THREADS
Share to Meta's text platform
Opens Instagram share flow
TIKTOK
Share to TikTok
Pre-filled email with your design link
COPY LINK
Grab the URL to paste anywhere
Each link opens a pre-populated share dialog for that platform with a link back to stencil.cloud.
Manual Sharing
Since your design exports as a standard PNG file, you can share it anywhere that accepts images: SMS, Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, print, carrier pigeon with a USB drive strapped to its leg. We don't limit how you distribute your art.
AI Designer
Describe your event. Get a design. Magic? Nah, just a really good prompt.
How It Works
- Click AI DESIGNER in the header
- A modal opens with a text prompt and context-aware presets
- Describe your event, mood, or style (presets adapt to your current template and scheme)
- Optionally upload a flyer or screenshot to copy its style
- Toggle "Use current design as context" — check it to refine what you have, uncheck to start from scratch
- Click GENERATE DESIGN
- The AI suggests a color scheme, line art style, text content, and optionally a different template
- Click PREVIEW to see a thumbnail before committing, or APPLY ALL to accept everything
- Apply suggestions individually (click each card) or all at once
Dynamic Presets
Presets aren't static — they adapt to your context. If you're on an event template, you'll see event-appropriate prompts. On a business template, you'll see business prompts. If your scheme is dark, one preset suggests going light (and vice versa). Recent prompts from your history appear at the top, similar to how chat apps suggest conversation starters.
Context Toggle
The "Use current design as context" checkbox controls whether the AI sees your current template, scheme, line art, and text:
- Checked — The AI knows what you have and can refine it. Good for "make this more elegant" or "keep my text but change the mood."
- Unchecked — The AI starts fresh from your prompt alone. Good for "underground techno warehouse party" when you want a complete design from nothing.
What the AI Controls
The AI can suggest changes to:
- Template — Can recommend switching to a different template if it better fits your description
- Color scheme — Picks from all 42 available schemes, matched to the mood of your description
- Line art style — Primary and secondary patterns from all 50 generative algorithms
- Text content — Fills in event names, dates, venue, lineup, details — all uppercase for design impact
Each suggestion appears as a clickable card. You choose what to apply. The AI doesn't auto-clobber your work — click PREVIEW first to see a thumbnail of the result.
Style Upload
Have a flyer you admire? Upload it and the AI will analyze the style and try to match it using stencil.cloud's palette and effects system. It won't pixel-copy the design — it interprets the mood and translates it into stencil.cloud's toolset. Supports images, text files, and documents.
Rate Limits
Daily generation limits reset at midnight UTC:
| Tier | Generations/Day |
|---|---|
| Free / Anonymous | 10 (5 without account) |
| Designer Kit | 50 |
| Ultra Kit | 200 |
Remaining generations are shown after each use.
Free vs Paid
Two paid tiers. Neither one costs more than a sandwich.
Free Tier
The full design editor is available to everyone. No account, no sign-up, no credit card. You get:
- All 22 templates
- All text editing, font selection, and styling
- Full drag-and-drop canvas interaction
- Context menu with z-ordering, duplicate, lock, hide
- All 42 color schemes
- All 14 output sizes
- Full-resolution PNG export
- AI Designer (10 generations/day)
- QR codes
- Local presets
- Session auto-save (7-day localStorage)
The only catch: exports carry a stencil.cloud watermark when premium features are active (line art, grain, mangle, or wordmark). It's small, semi-transparent, and color-matched. It's more "discreet credit" than "ransom note."
Designer Kit — $5/month or $49 lifetime
Everything in Free, plus:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| No watermark | Clean exports. No branding on your work. |
| 50+ line art patterns | All generative line art without the watermark penalty. |
| Film grain | Analog texture overlay, watermark-free. |
| Mangle | Seeded layout randomizer, watermark-free. |
| Batch export (ZIP) | Export multiple sizes at once as a ZIP file. |
| PDF export | Export designs as real PDF files for print. |
| Cloud save | Save up to 5 designs to the cloud. |
| Custom subdomain | Rename your default subdomain + 1 custom subdomain. |
| AI Designer (50/day) | More AI generations per day than the free tier. |
Ultra Kit — $8/month or $89 lifetime
Everything in Designer, plus:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Scheduler (6 slots) | Queue designs for future publish dates with auto-activation. |
| Campaign pages | yourname.stencil.cloud — a shareable campaign page with analytics. |
| Page settings | Customize each subdomain's headline, bio, CTA, links, and colors. |
| AI Designer (200/day) | Full AI access with context-aware design generation. |
| Custom subdomains (x3) | Up to 3 custom subdomains for different campaigns or brands. |
| Cloud save (10 designs) | Save and load designs from the cloud. |
| Full analytics | Page views, referrers, countries, devices, QR scan tracking. |
Accounts & Billing
How to sign in, upgrade, and manage your subscription.
Creating an Account
Click SIGN IN in the header. You'll see two options:
- Continue with Google — OAuth sign-in. Fastest option. No passwords to remember.
- Email + Password — Classic registration. You'll complete a Cloudflare Turnstile challenge (it's like CAPTCHA but less annoying) and you're in.
If you don't have an account, click "Create one" to switch to the registration form.
The User Menu
Once signed in, the header shows your avatar (or initial) instead of the SIGN IN button. Click it for a dropdown with:
- MY DESIGNS — Access your saved designs
- ANALYTICS — View page performance data
- PAGE SETTINGS — Configure your subdomain pages (headline, CTA, links, colors)
- ACCOUNT — Account settings, subdomain management
- DESIGNER KIT — Editor preferences and export defaults
- SIGN OUT
Upgrading
Click UPGRADE from the user menu. You'll see two tiers:
- Designer Kit — $5/month or $49 lifetime
- Ultra Kit — $8/month or $89 lifetime
After upgrading, you'll be prompted to choose a username for your subdomain (e.g., yourname.stencil.cloud) if you haven't already.
Payment is handled through Stripe Checkout — we never see your card details. Your account upgrades instantly upon payment. Lifetime purchases are one-time — no recurring charge, no expiration.
Managing Your Subscription
Paid users can click MANAGE BILLING to open the Stripe Customer Portal, where you can update payment methods, switch plans, view invoices, or cancel.
Subdomain Pages
Your own corner of the internet. yourname.stencil.cloud.
How It Works
- Design your flyer in the editor
- Click PUSH in the header
- Your design exports as a PNG and publishes to your subdomain
- yourname.stencil.cloud now shows your latest design as a shareable page
What the Page Looks Like
It's intentionally minimal: your design image, full-width, with proper OpenGraph meta tags for social sharing. When someone shares the link on X, Facebook, or Discord, the preview card shows your flyer. That's the point.
The page also includes a small "Create yours at stencil.cloud" footer link. We're a business, after all.
Scheduling
Use the SCHEDULER button to queue designs for future publish dates. Set your event date, and the design goes live automatically via a cron job. Great for planned campaigns where you want the page to update on a specific day.
Keyboard Shortcuts
For when clicking is too slow.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Z / Cmd + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + Shift + Z / Cmd + Shift + Z | Redo |
| Ctrl + Y / Cmd + Y | Redo (alternate) |
| Escape | Close modals, exit inline text editing |
| Delete / Backspace | Remove selected object (when not editing text) |
Canvas Interaction
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Select object | Click on it |
| Move object | Drag with mouse |
| Resize text | Pull side handles |
| Rotate object | Pull the rotation handle (top) |
| Edit text inline | Double-click the text object |
| Deselect | Click empty canvas area |
| Context menu | Right-click (desktop) or long-press (mobile) |
Mobile
The full editor on your phone. No, seriously.
The Bottom Tab Bar
On mobile, the desktop sidebar is replaced by a 5-tab bottom bar that stays pinned to the bottom of the screen. Each tab opens a bottom sheet with the relevant controls:
| Tab | What's Inside |
|---|---|
| Design | Template picker, color scheme, presets — the high-level design choices. |
| Layout | Output size, editor mode (Template/Advanced), reset layout. |
| Text | Selected object controls — font, size, style, alignment, color. Appears when a text object is tapped. |
| FX | Line art (both layers), film grain, mangle, blend layers — all the algorithmic effects. |
| More | Wordmark, QR codes, event date, hidden objects, snap to grid, and export/share actions. |
Bottom Sheets
Tapping a tab slides up a bottom sheet with the controls for that section. The sheet is:
- Drag-to-dismiss — Swipe down to close it
- Scrollable — If the content is taller than the screen, the sheet scrolls internally
- Non-blocking — The canvas is still visible behind the sheet, so you can see your changes live
Touch Canvas Interaction
- Tap to select an object
- Drag to move selected objects
- Pinch handles to resize
- Double-tap text to enter inline editing
- Long-press to open the context menu (same actions as right-click on desktop)
FAQ
The questions everyone asks. Now you don't have to.
Do I need an account to use stencil.cloud?
No. The full editor works without signing in. You can create a design, customize everything, and export a PNG without ever creating an account. An account is only needed for cloud save, subdomain hosting, scheduling, AI Designer, and removing the watermark.
Will my design be saved if I close the tab?
Sort of. The editor auto-saves your state to localStorage every 10 seconds. If you reopen the same browser within 7 days, your last session is restored. But this is browser-local storage — clearing your browser data wipes it. For persistent, cross-device saving, you need a paid account.
Can I remove the watermark?
Yes, by upgrading to Designer or Ultra. The watermark only appears on free-tier exports when premium features are active (line art, grain, mangle, or wordmark). If you're only using plain text on a flat color background, there's no watermark at all.
What triggers the watermark?
Any of these premium features being active:
- Generative line art (any type other than "None")
- Film grain overlay
- Mangle (layout randomizer with a seed > 0)
- Wordmark (image or text logo on canvas)
Is my data stored on your servers?
Not on the free tier. The editor runs entirely in your browser. No data is sent to any server unless you explicitly use a feature that requires it (AI Designer, Push/Publish, Cloud Save). Even then, we only store what's needed to deliver the feature.
What browsers are supported?
Any modern browser with Canvas support. Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — all current versions work. We don't support Internet Explorer. It's 2026. Neither should you.
Can I use stencil.cloud on my phone?
Yes, actually. We rebuilt the mobile experience with a 5-tab bottom bar, bottom sheet panels, and touch-optimized controls. It's legitimately usable — not just a grudging responsive layout. See the Mobile page for details. That said, if you have access to a laptop, you'll still move faster on a bigger screen.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Click the FEEDBACK button in the bottom-right corner of the editor. Choose Bug Report, Feature Request, or General Feedback, describe the issue, and submit. We read everything.
Can I use designs commercially?
Yes. Designs you create in stencil.cloud are yours to use however you like — commercial, personal, non-profit, whatever. The generative art patterns are algorithmic output generated in your browser. We don't claim any rights to your designs.
Does stencil.cloud work offline?
Mostly. The editor core and bundled fonts work without a network connection. Google Fonts require a network connection to load (unless previously cached). AI Designer and Push/Publish obviously need connectivity. Export works offline since it's all client-side rendering.