The Best Free Microsoft Publisher AlternativesTop Desktop Publishers and other similar apps like Microsoft Publisher

The best free alternative to Microsoft Publisher is Scribus, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 25 alternatives to Microsoft Publisher and ten of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Microsoft Publisher are LibreOffice - Draw, Pages, Marq and Growly Write.

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Microsoft Publisher alternatives are mainly Desktop Publishers but may also be Word Processors or Diagram Editors.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Microsoft Publisher.
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Part of the Microsoft Office Suite, this tool helps you create, personalize, and share a variety of publications, including marketing materials, chapbooks, and newspapers.

More about Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft Publisher alternatives page was last updated Feb 5, 2025
  1. Scribus icon
     383 likes

    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
    Scribus screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

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

    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 iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    Scribus VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is Scribus a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
    Comments about Scribus as an Alternative to Microsoft Publisher
     
    Guest

    It's nothing like publisher: it's very inflexible, the contrary of the drag-and-drop apps nowadays. Not fluent to work with even for texts, not at all for images. The use feels like 20 years back-in-time. In the very past, it will have been really nice, but now it's extremely outdated.

    Negative commentFeb 5, 2025
    0
    wyrazik

    Scribus gives full control over the DTP process

    Positive commentNov 10, 2016
    -1
    Guest

    It is probably more easy to use

    Positive commentApr 30, 2020
    -1
    Microsoft Publisher Icon
    Scribus icon
    • Most users think Scribus is a great Microsoft Publisher alternative.

    • Scribus is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Microsoft Publisher.

    • Scribus is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Microsoft Publisher.

    • Scribus is Free and Open SourceMicrosoft Publisher is Paid and Proprietary
    • Scribus is LightweightMicrosoft Publisher is not according to our users
  2. LibreOffice - Draw icon
     300 likes

    Draw lets you produce anything from a quick sketch to a complex plan, and gives you the means to communicate with graphics and diagrams. With a maximum page size of 300cm by 300cm, Draw is a an excellent package for producing technical drawings, general posters, and much else.

    95 LibreOffice - Draw alternatives
    LibreOffice - Draw screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flathub

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Export to PDF
    2.  Portable
    3.  Sequence Diagrams
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  Support for Layers
    6.  Works Offline
    7.  No registration required
    8.  Auto Layout
    9.  WYSIWYG Support
    10.  RAW Photo Editors
    11.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    12.  Import CSV Data
    LibreOffice - Draw iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    LibreOffice - Draw VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is LibreOffice - Draw a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
    Comments about LibreOffice - Draw as an Alternative to Microsoft Publisher
     
    Richie Scassellati

    When I saw LibreOffice Draw, the first thing I thought of was it being the alternative to Microsoft Publisher. It's nice to use as an alternative.

    Positive commentFeb 17, 2024
    1
    Guest

    It is more of an alternative to Visio than publisher it is not a Dekstop publishing software Use Scribus for that purpose

    Negative commentFeb 17, 2024
    1
    Microsoft Publisher Icon
    LibreOffice - Draw icon
    • Most users think LibreOffice - Draw is a great Microsoft Publisher alternative.

    • LibreOffice - Draw is Free and Open SourceMicrosoft Publisher is Paid and Proprietary
    • LibreOffice - Draw is LightweightMicrosoft Publisher is not according to our users
  3. Pages icon
     206 likes

    Pages is a powerful word processor that lets you create stunning documents, and comes included with most Apple devices. And with real-time collaboration, your team can work together from anywhere, whether they’re on Mac, iPad, iPhone, or using a PC.

    79 Pages alternatives
    Pages screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Online

    Pages Features

    1.  Real time collaboration
    2.  Cloud Sync
    3.  Export to PDF
    4.  Hand-write on PDFs
    5.  Sync with iCloud
    6. iCloud icon  ICloud Integration
    7.  Export to EPUB
    8. Microsoft Word icon  Export to Word
    Pages iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    Pages VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is Pages a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
    Comments about Pages as an Alternative to Microsoft Publisher
     
    Guest

    Because nowadays is free and it has lots of similar features to Publisher!

    Positive commentApr 28, 2018
    4
    Microsoft Publisher Icon
    Pages icon
    • Most users think Pages is a great Microsoft Publisher alternative.

    • Pages is the most popular Web-based, iPhone & iPad alternative to Microsoft Publisher.

    • Pages is Free and ProprietaryMicrosoft Publisher is Paid and Proprietary
  4. Marq icon
     41 likes

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

    53 Marq alternatives

    License model

    • FreemiumProprietary

    Application type

    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 iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    Marq VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is Marq a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
    Comments about Marq as an Alternative to Microsoft Publisher
     
    Guest

    It's much more modern than Publisher. Love it for my small business!

    Positive commentJun 15, 2015
    1
    Guest

    according to the description of what it can do, it might make my life a lot easier

    Positive commentSep 19, 2020
    0
    Microsoft Publisher Icon
    Marq icon
    • Some users think Marq is a great Microsoft Publisher alternative, some don't.

    • Marq is the most popular SaaS alternative to Microsoft Publisher.

    • Marq is Freemium and ProprietaryMicrosoft Publisher is Paid and Proprietary
  5. Growly Write icon
     3 likes

    It’s a word processor, not a nuclear reactor Perhaps the word processor you’ve been using has 100 times more features than you need. Or it won’t work the way you want it to — too many views or too few, and nothing makes any sense.

    71 Growly Write alternatives
    Growly Write screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  No Tracking
    Growly Write iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    Growly Write VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is Growly Write a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
  6. 365Layouts.com icon
     1 like

    365Layouts is building an online drag and drop design platform to help small business owners create advertising materials with our free design templates.

    38 365Layouts.com alternatives
    365Layouts.com screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Chrome OS

    365Layouts.com Features

    1.  Layout
    365Layouts.com iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    365Layouts.com VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is 365Layouts.com a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
  7. Laidout icon
     5 likes

    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.

    16 Laidout alternatives
    Laidout screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  No Tracking
    3.  Layout
    4.  Publishing
    Laidout iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    Laidout VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is Laidout a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
  8. Layup icon
     1 like

    Layup is your technical partner, and preferred tool, while creating unique experiences on the web. Web design is now in the hands of the designer. Creatives are free to be independant from developers, with a new design tool, new advanced features and a sophisticated HTML5 output...

    19 Layup alternatives
    Layup screenshot 1

    License model

    • Free PersonalProprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
    Layup iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    Layup VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is Layup a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
    Comments about Layup as an Alternative to Microsoft Publisher
     
    Guest

    Provides the best pre made themes

    Positive commentJun 12, 2018
    1
    Microsoft Publisher Icon
    Layup icon
    • Layup is Free Personal and ProprietaryMicrosoft Publisher is Paid and Proprietary
  9. Passepartout icon
     4 likes

    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.

    16 Passepartout alternatives
    Passepartout screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux

    Passepartout Features

    1.  Publishing
    2.  Layout
    Discontinued

    The last update was released on August 5th, 2007.

    Passepartout iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    Passepartout VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is Passepartout a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
  10. Omegadoc Designer icon
     Like this app

    A DTP app that stands out with: 1 - One click export of fixed-layout eBooks in two popular formats: EPUB3 and Amazon KF8 (Mobi) formats. 2 - Styling modeled after CSS3. 3 - Superior multiple-page viewing capability. 4. Intuitive and easy to use UI.

    13 Omegadoc Designer alternatives
    Omegadoc Designer screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeProprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Omegadoc Designer iconMicrosoft Publisher Icon

    Omegadoc Designer VS Microsoft Publisher

    Is Omegadoc Designer a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher?
     
10 of 10 Microsoft Publisher alternatives