Some are, and some aren't. I recommend purchasing a shelter that has reviews confirming its ease of use. You may also be setting up your pop-up canopy on your own, so you should also ensure a single person can put it up without too many tears. The easier your canopy is to put up and take down, the more likely you will love it and use it more regularly. My most used canopy takes about one minute to set up solo, and verifying that I could do it alone (which I do 98% of the time) was one of the better choices I've made.