If you belong to the design world, you’ve probably heard of InDesign, Adobe’s popular page layout software. But what if you don’t want to pay for a Creative Cloud subscription or need a more specialised tool?
In this article, we’ll explore the best adobe indesign alternatives free or paid in 2023.
Let’s begin.
1. Canva
There might not be a single person who is into design and has’t heard of Canva.
Canva is a popular online design tool that allows users to create a wide range of designs, from social media graphics to marketing materials.
With its drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates, Canva is incredibly easy to use and perfect for those who don’t have a design background. While it doesn’t offer the same level of control as InDesign, it’s a great option for small businesses and individuals and hence a great InDesign Alternatives.
The best part of Canva is it’s free library of thousands of design templates!
2. Affinity Publisher
Affinity Publisher is a professional grade layout and design tool that’s similar to InDesign in many ways.
It offers a wide range of features, including advanced typography controls and seamless integration with other Affinity products like Photo and Designer.
While it’s not as well known as InDesign, it’s a solid option for designers who need a more robust tool.
3. Marq (Formerly Lucidpress)
Marq is a cloud-based design and layout tool that’s perfect for creating everything from brochures to flyers.
It offers an easy-to-use interface and a wide range of pre-designed templates, making it a great choice for non-designers. While it’s not as powerful as InDesign, it’s a great option for those who need a simple and affordable layout tool.
It’s user experience makes it one of the best InDesign Alternatives.
4. Scribus
Scribus is a free and open-source desktop publishing tool that’s been around since 2003. It offers a wide range of features, including support for professional-grade colour management and advanced typography controls.
Although it’s not as user-friendly as some of the other options on this list, it’s a powerful tool that’s perfect for those who need free and open-source InDesign Alternatives.
5. QuarkXPress
QuarkXPress is another professional-grade layout and design tool that’s been around for decades. It offers a wide range of features, including advanced typography controls and support for creating interactive content.
While it’s not as popular as InDesign, it’s a solid option for designers who need a more specialised tool.
6. DesignCap
DesignCap is a cloud-based graphic design tool that allows users to create professional looking designs with ease. It offers a wide range of pre-designed templates and a user-friendly interface, making it a popular choice for those who are not experienced designers.
With DesignCap, users can create a variety of designs, including posters, flyers, social media graphics, presentations, and more.
Overall, DesignCap is a great option for those looking to create professional looking designs without investing in expensive design software or hiring a designer and hence one of the great Indesign alternatives.
7. Adobe XD
You might be surprised to see this one on this list, but there is a reason Adobe XD is one of the great InDesign alternatives.
Adobe XD is primarily a tool for designing user interfaces, it offers a wide range of features that make it a great InDesign alternative.
It offers advanced typography controls, support for multiple pages, and seamless integration with other Adobe products. It’s not as well-suited for print design as some of the other options on this list, but it’s a solid option for web and app designers.
8. Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft Publisher is a desktop publishing tool that’s been around since the early 1990s.
It might not be as powerful as some other design tools, but it’s a great option for those who need a simple and affordable layout tool.
It offers a wide range of pre-designed templates and an easy to use interface which places it in this list of some great InDesign alternatives.
9. CorelDRAW
CorelDRAW is another professional grade design and layout tool that’s been around for decades.
It offers a wide range of features, including support for advanced typography controls and seamless integration with other Corel products.
It’s a solid option for designers who need a more specialised tool and are willing to invest in a professional-grade product.
10. Piktochart
Piktochart is a cloud-based design tool that’s perfect for creating infographics and other visual content.
It offers an easy-to-use interface and a wide range of pre-designed templates, making it a great choice for non-designers.
It’s a great option for those who need to create visual content quickly and affordably.
FAQs
Q: Is InDesign the only professional grade layout tool available?
No, there are many professional-grade layout tools available, including QuarkXPress, Affinity Publisher, and CorelDRAW.
Q: Is it possible to use free or low-cost alternatives to InDesign?
Yes, there are many free or low cost alternatives available as mentioned in this article, including Scribus, Canva, and Gravit Designer.
Q: Which InDesign alternative is the best for non designers?
Canva and Lucidpress are both great options for non-designers, as they offer an easy-to-use interface and pre-designed templates.
Q: Can I create interactive content with any of these InDesign alternatives?
Yes, both QuarkXPress and Adobe XD offer support for creating interactive content.
Q: Is it possible to create infographics with any of these InDesign alternatives?
Yes, Piktochart is specifically designed for creating infographics and other visual content.
Conclusion
While InDesign is a popular and powerful tool, it’s not the only option available for designers and non-designers alike.
There are many InDesign alternatives in 2023, ranging from free and low-cost options to professional-grade tools. Whether you’re looking for an easy-to-use tool for creating marketing materials or a specialised tool for creating interactive content, there’s an option out there for you.
So if you’re tired of paying for a Creative Cloud subscription or need a more specialised tool, consider trying out one of these InDesign alternatives.
Recommended: How to use the AI Art software DALL-E 2
