The Best Free Adobe InDesign AlternativesTop Desktop Publishers and other similar apps like Adobe InDesign

The best free alternative to Adobe InDesign is Scribus, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to Adobe InDesign and many of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Adobe InDesign are Canva, Desygner, Polotno and Marq.

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Adobe InDesign alternatives are mainly Graphic Design Tools but may also be Image Editors or Color Picker Tools. Other popular filters include Windows + Free. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Adobe InDesign.
Adobe InDesign iconAdobe InDesign
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Industry-standard software for print and digital design with advanced typographic controls and integration in the Adobe Creative Suite.

More about Adobe InDesign
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Adobe InDesign alternatives page was last updated Nov 23, 2024
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Alternatives
  1. Scribus icon

    Scribus

     387 likes
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    Open-source desktop publishing software offering flexible layouts and typesetting, professional image setting, CMYK support, interactive PDFs, vector tools, and wide format support, perfect for creating newspapers, brochures, and more on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD.

    25 Scribus alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Oracle Solaris
    • Flatpak
    Scribus screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Desktop Publishing
    2.  Publishing
    3.  Interactive PDF forms
    4.  Fill PDF Forms
    5.  Color management
    6.  Portable
    7.  Ad-free
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  WYSIWYG Support
    10.  No registration required
    11.  Support for scripting
    12. LaTeX icon  Support for LaTeX

    Scribus VS Adobe InDesign

     
    Comments about Scribus as an Alternative to Adobe InDesign
    Comment summary: Scribus is viewed as a competent alternative to Adobe InDesign, praised for its comprehensive features and ability to produce professional work, especially for users valuing free software. However, it attracts criticism for its outdated user interface and occasional usability issues, such as difficulties in performing basic tasks and a lack of alignment features. While some find it suitable for small projects, others struggle with its more complex functions in comparison to InDesign.
    Top Positive Comment
    maurosoft391
    Nov 23, 2024
    1

    depsite it's poorly designed, scribus is somewhat easy to use. the font problem can be fixable by writing in the internal editor

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Oct 11, 2017
    15

    absolute pain in the $$$ to work with. lacks basic functionality like showing up the font you select in the actual page

    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Negative •Jun 8, 2024
    1

    I can't perform simple things like align bullet points.

    Show more comments
    3 of 12 comments
    Adobe InDesign Icon
    Scribus icon

    • Most users think Scribus is a great Adobe InDesign alternative.

    • Scribus is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Adobe InDesign.

    • Scribus is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Adobe InDesign.

    • Scribus is Free and Open SourceAdobe InDesign is Paid and Proprietary
    • Scribus is LightweightAdobe InDesign is not according to our users
  2. Canva icon

    Canva

     360 likes
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    A comprehensive design application combining innovative photo and video editing with advanced AI capabilities to streamline creating designs. Users can produce unique graphics, engaging social media content using customizable templates and thousands of images, videos, and fonts accessible through its vast library.

    57 Canva alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • AU flagAustralia

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Canva screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Online editor
    2.  Web-Based
    3.  Drag and Drop
    4.  Export to PNG
    5.  Online collaboration
    6.  Grease Pencil
    7.  RAW Photo Editors
    8.  Facial Recognition
    9.  Drawing Tablet Support
    10.  AI-Powered
    11.  Timeline-based
    12.  Ad-free

    Canva VS Adobe InDesign

     
    Comments about Canva as an Alternative to Adobe InDesign
    Top Positive Comment
    DalsPhotography
    Oct 2, 2024
    1

    Canva has now purchased all the Affinity company. Yet, you can still use them as separate software, but I don't know for how long!

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Feb 8, 2018
    13

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

    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Negative •Aug 22, 2022
    1

    Canva is not made for layouts

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    3 of 7 comments
    Adobe InDesign Icon
    Canva icon

    • Some users think Canva is a great Adobe InDesign alternative, some don't.

    • Canva is the most popular Web-based, Android, iPhone, SaaS & Android Tablet alternative to Adobe InDesign.

    • Canva is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe InDesign is Paid and Proprietary
  4. Desygner icon

    Desygner

     88 likes
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    Desygner is an online and mobile design solution, which offers a simpler alternative to expensive and complicated design suites.

    163 Desygner alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Desygner screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Visual design
    2.  Font Library
    3.  Custom templates
    4.  Multiple languages
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Non Destructive Editing
    7.  Social media integration
    8.  Cloud Sync
    9.  WYSIWYG Support
    10.  Live Preview
    11.  WYSIWYG HTML Editor
    12.  Support for Layers

    Desygner VS Adobe InDesign

     
    Comments about Desygner as an Alternative to Adobe InDesign
    strokesspace
    Negative •Feb 2, 2022
    2

    No similar at all to indesign

    Guest
    Negative •Nov 15, 2018
    -6

    It simply doesn't offer file upload. I'm looking for a online solution to edit my .indd files...

    Adobe InDesign Icon
    Desygner icon

    • Some users think Desygner is a great Adobe InDesign alternative, some don't.

    • Desygner is Freemium and ProprietaryAdobe InDesign is Paid and Proprietary
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    VistaCreate icon
    VistaCreate

    An intuitive online design tool offering advanced features like animation, video editing, and over 150,000 templates. Access a library of 70 million+ assets including vectors, photos, and sounds. Ideal for social media, marketing...

    https://create.vista.com
    Learn More
  6. Polotno icon

    Polotno

     21 likes
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    A versatile visual design suite offering an intuitive canvas editor, automated template creation for social media and ads, video editing integration for apps, and asset management through unlimited libraries. Supports various storage options and is made for creative scale.

    83 Polotno alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Polotno screenshot 1

    Top Polotno Features

    1.  Layout
    2.  Publishing
    3.  Content Templates
    4.  Built-in editor
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Support for Layers
    7.  Drawing Tablet Support
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  No Coding Required
    10.  Dark Mode
    11.  WYSIWYG Support
    12.  Real time collaboration

    Polotno VS Adobe InDesign

     
  7. Marq icon

    Marq

     41 likes
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    Marq, formerly Lucidpress, is a brand-templating platform that empowers everyone to build on-brand.

    54 Marq alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)

    Marq Features

    1.  Cloud Sync
    2.  Layout
    3.  Publishing
    4.  Web-Based
    5.  Export to PDF
    6.  Online Sharing

    Marq VS Adobe InDesign

     
  8. Picmaker icon

    Picmaker

     9 likes
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    Picmaker is an online design solution that helps create stunning YouTube thumbnails, channel art, and IGTV covers. It is a simpler and faster alternative to expensive and complicated design tools that are available today.

    81 Picmaker alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • IN flagIndia

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Auto background removal tool - Picmaker

    Picmaker Features

    1.  Remove Image Background
    2.  Thumbnails
    3.  Thumbnail maker

    Picmaker VS Adobe InDesign

     

    • Picmaker is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Adobe InDesign.

    • Picmaker is Free and ProprietaryAdobe InDesign is Paid and Proprietary
  10. Aktivisda icon

    Aktivisda

     5 likes
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    Aktivisda is a web application to facilitate the creation of visuals that use the graphic charter of an organization, and the spreading of this graphic charter.

    52 Aktivisda alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    Aktivisda screenshot 1

    Aktivisda Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  Support for Layers
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  No Coding Required

    Aktivisda VS Adobe InDesign

     
7 of 23 Adobe InDesign alternatives