The Best Adobe InDesign AlternativesDesktop Publishers and other apps similar to Adobe InDesign in 2023

Though its ability to create content for Flash Player-based sites is no longer in high demand, InDesign is still a great piece of software for creating PDFs and other types of content for webpages and print.

Because of how exporting from InDesign functions, you might need to look for software alternatives that can export designs and layouts to more modern digital frameworks (such as QuarkXPress and its ability to export content to HTML5 or Scribus and its support for creating interactive PDF forms).

Adobe InDesign alternatives are mainly Desktop Publishers but may also be Graphic Design Tools or Image Editors. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Adobe InDesign.

Adobe InDesign alternatives page was last updated

Adobe InDesign

139

Paid • Proprietary
Desktop Publisher

Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing software application produced by Adobe Systems.

More about Adobe InDesign

Scribus
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Publisher
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
Haiku
26 Scribus alternatives
Scribus is a desktop publishing (DTP) application. Scribus is designed for flexible layout and typesetting, and the ability to prepare files for professional quality image setting equipment. It can also create animated and interactive PDF presentations and forms.
- - Scribus is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Adobe InDesign.
- - Scribus is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Adobe InDesign.
Suggest and vote on features
Scribus Features
1. Fill PDF FormsScribus supports forms in PDF files.
2. PortableScribus can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Publishing
Interactive PDF forms
Color management
Page labeling
Convert images to PDF
Knowledge base
Comments about Scribus as a Alternative to Adobe InDesign
Most users think Scribus is a great Adobe InDesign alternative.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
I work with designers who send me PDFs as finished products. Sometimes I have to just make a small change here or there, and rather than going through a hassle of contracting someone for 10 minutes of work, I use Scribus to edit the files. I haven't used InDesign because it is too expensive and too much of a hassle to justify purchasing at work. Scribus can do the job that I need it to do. I have also used it to desing my CV and some other small projects, and I am very happy with it.
Top positive comment•
8

Guest
Powerful and in-depth, lots of features. You can definitely produce professional work with Scribus. Usability is a mixed bag; get ready to meet plenty of quirks and learn some hacks which which really shouldn't be necessary (and some patchy, outdated documentation). In short: can be quite frustrating, but about as good it gets for professional output at the price of free.
Top positive comment•
6

Guest
absolute pain in the $$$ to work with. lacks basic functionality like showing up the font you select in the actual page
Top negative comment•
14

sedeti
finaluy what is it?a pain in the aass,or fully featured?because you can't even decoide
Negative comment•
-1

David Eltz
Scribus is fully featured, and can absolutely work as a replacement for InDesign, but is held back by a dated UI. A few hours of poking around menus will yield a professional-grade digital publishing tool.
Positive comment•
1

Show more comments ▾
5 of 10 comments
Affinity Publisher
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Desktop Publisher
Mac
Windows
iPad
25 Affinity Publisher alternatives
From the earliest days of visualizing the Affinity range, we planned an unrivaled trio of sleek, modern apps tailored to work with the latest technology – ultra-fast, with stunning power and completely stripped of bloat.
- - Affinity Publisher is the most popular iPad alternative to Adobe InDesign.
- - Affinity Publisher is the most popular commercial alternative to Adobe InDesign.
Suggest and vote on features
Affinity Publisher Features
1. Works OfflineAffinity Publisher can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
No Subscription
Inexpensive
Intuitive
Edit PDF
Publishing
Grid layout
Sort pages
Print Brochure
Comments about Affinity Publisher as a Alternative to Adobe InDesign
Almost everyone thinks Affinity Publisher is a great Adobe InDesign alternative.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Paul
Until now, QuarkXPress was the only professional alternative to InDesign, but there's now a new contender: Affinity Publisher. I was already using Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo, and it's an essential addition to the suite. Really great to see new professional products breaking the Adobe monopoly.
Top positive comment•
2

Guest
It has a familiar intuitive interface that is similar to the Adobe suite. The tools are understandable and intuitive and with the full Affinity collection you can have more power in this software than even possible in just Adobe's Indesign.
Top positive comment•
3

Noah
It has the same features as InDesign and a much friendlier financing model without a horrendously expensive subscription and the more intuitive UI im my opinion.
Positive comment•
0

ashf
Fast, flexible with designing
Positive comment•
0

orondunedin
Great, inexpensive page layout software. It's not really a feature-for-feature replacement for InDesign, but it is powerful, particularly if you also have Affinity Photo and Designer.
Positive comment•
0

Show more comments ▾
5 of 8 comments
Canva
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Graphic Design Tool
Image Editor
Vector Graphic App
Mac
Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
97 Canva alternatives
Canva is your free photo editor, logo maker, and video editor in one graphic design app!
- - Canva is the most popular Web-based, Android, iPhone & Android Tablet alternative to Adobe InDesign.
Suggest and vote on features
Canva Features
1. Facial RecognitionCanva can register a biometric facial pattern to identify or verify the identity of a subject through an image or video.
2. Drawing Tablet SupportCanva supports the use of external drawing tablets as input devices.
3. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
Online editor
Web-Based
Drag and Drop
Export to PNG
Online collaboration
Grease Pencil
Timeline-based
Comments about Canva as a Alternative to Adobe InDesign
Some users think Canva is a great Adobe InDesign alternative, some don't.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
Easy to use interface, lots of free photos, templates and fonts. Gives you the opportunity to work fast, in your browser, with professional results.
Top positive comment•
1

Guest
Canva is certainly not an advanced design software, but for a home user on small to medium projects it is an excellent alternative to InDesign.
Top positive comment•
-1

Guest
Canva is not made for layouts
Top negative comment•
0

Guest
Canva is not page layout software. It is a simple tool for making social media posts.
Negative comment•
0

Guest
Canva is a great tool for making a simple social media post, but it is not an industry-standard design software competitor.
Negative comment•
13

Show more comments ▾
5 of 6 comments
QuarkXPress
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Desktop Publisher
Mac
Windows
21 QuarkXPress alternatives
Computer application for creating and editing complex page layouts in a WYSIWYG environment. It runs on Mac OS X and Windows. It was first released by Quark, Inc. in 1987 and is still owned and published by them.
Suggest and vote on features
QuarkXPress Features
1. WYSIWYG SupportQuarkXPress integrates a WYSIWYG editor to edit the look and content of a document, page, or file.
Export to HTML
Color Fonts Support
InDesign import
Publishing
Page builder
Built-in PDF converter
Built-in Image editor
Stylable TOC and Index
Handling of big imported pictures
Layout
Comments about QuarkXPress as a Alternative to Adobe InDesign
Almost everyone thinks QuarkXPress is a great Adobe InDesign alternative.
Paul
Way better than the competition. I learned Adobe InDesign when I was in school but I now use QuarkXPress for work.
Positive comment•
2

martinturner
2 generations ahead of InDesign and available as a permanent purchase with no subscription. Converts all types of PDF files to native objects and outputs HTML5 and iOS apps in addition to industry-standard PDF for print.
Positive comment•
4

Guest
Innovative features, like make PDF editable, create HTML5, as many apps as I want etc. And I can buy a license which I keep. At $185 for an upgrade. Plus it is fast, launches within 6 seconds.
Positive comment•
1

phillipsalf
Quark still is the most intuitive and powerful application for layout and design. InDesign is almost as good but having used Quark since 1.1 I can say it is still (very expensive) but the best.
Positive comment•
-2
Polotno Studio
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Image Editor
Graphic Design Tool
Vector Graphic App
Online
Software as a Service (SaaS)
74 Polotno Studio alternatives
Free online design editor. Create images for social media, YouTube previews, Facebook covers.
- - Polotno Studio is the most popular SaaS alternative to Adobe InDesign.
Suggest and vote on features
Polotno Studio Features
Layout
Publishing
Built-in editor
Content Templates
Desygner
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
Graphic Design Tool
Website Builder
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
150 Desygner alternatives
Desygner is an online and mobile design solution, which offers a simpler alternative to expensive and complicated design suites.
Suggest and vote on features
Desygner Features
1. Live PreviewInstantly see what your files and documents look like as you create them.
2. Support for ThemesYou can use themes and templates to change the look and feel of Desygner.
3. WYSIWYG HTML EditorDesygner allows you to make and preview changes to an application or website in real time, without needing to know code.
4. Ad-freeDesygner doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
5. Non Destructive EditingDesygner allows you to make changes to a file without overwriting the original data, which remains available in case you want to revert to it.
6. WYSIWYG SupportDesygner integrates a WYSIWYG editor to edit the look and content of a document, page, or file.
7. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
Visual design
Custom templates
Multiple languages
Social media integration
Comments about Desygner as a Alternative to Adobe InDesign
Some users think Desygner is a great Adobe InDesign alternative, some don't.
strokesspace
No similar at all to indesign
Negative comment•
2

Guest
It simply doesn't offer file upload. I'm looking for a online solution to edit my .indd files...
Negative comment•
-6
Microsoft Office Publisher
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Paid • Proprietary
Desktop Publisher
Windows
25 Microsoft Office Publisher alternatives
Microsoft Publisher, part of the Microsoft 365 (Office), helps you create, personalize, and share a wide range of publications and marketing materials in-house. New and improved capabilities guide you through the process of creating and...
Suggest and vote on features
Microsoft Office Publisher Features
Publishing
Comments about Microsoft Office Publisher as a Alternative to Adobe InDesign
This alternative is disputed. Microsoft Office Publisher is still a legitimate Adobe InDesign alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.
Guest
Most of the essential InDesign functions are not there.
Negative comment•
8

Guest
Good for very simple job. Nice for merging data (db) and presentation !
Positive comment•
3

Guest
Covers all the essentials of good DTP software if you're willing to get into the help documentation and find them (more complicated features are somewhat hidden). Vastly more affordable than InDesign or Quark, and vastly more capable than most of the rest of the options. I personally like it because I'm old school and was trained on Aldus Pagemaker, and MS Publisher has a Pagemaker-like feel.
Positive comment•
0