Open Source Adobe InDesign Alternatives

The best open source alternative to Adobe InDesign is Scribus. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to Adobe InDesign and four of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Adobe InDesign are Laidout, Passepartout and Aktivisda.

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•
7

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•
0

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5 of 10 comments
Laidout
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Publisher
Linux
16 Laidout alternatives
Laidout is desktop publishing software, particularly for multipage, cut and folded booklets, with page sizes that don't even have to be rectangular. The whole page view can be rotated to any angle. Warping is implemented.
Suggest and vote on features
Laidout Features
1. Works OfflineLaidout can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
2. No TrackingLaidout will not track you or use your personal data.
3. LightweightLaidout consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Layout
Publishing
Opinions about Laidout as a Alternative to Adobe InDesign
Almost everyone thinks Laidout is a great Adobe InDesign alternative.
Passepartout
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Desktop Publisher
Linux
16 Passepartout alternatives
Passepartout is a desktop publishing system that is based on the idea of automatic typesetting of streams of XML based text documents.The project was started back in 2002 to facilitate a particular task — creating a newspaper. These days the project is somewhat dormant.
Suggest and vote on features
Passepartout Features
Publishing
Layout
Discontinued
The last update was released on August 5th, 2007.
Aktivisda
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Graphic Design Tool
Self-Hosted
50 Aktivisda alternatives
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.
Aktivisda has no features, suggest some!