Microsoft Publisher is a versatile desktop publishing software. A part of the Microsoft Office suite, it integrates seamlessly with other MS products.
The tool offers a wide variety of features, making it a great choice for those who want to create professional-looking publications.
Microsoft Publisher is also popular for its ease of use. However, some users find the interface to be too basic and not very user-friendly. Additionally, the software is only available for Windows and not compatible with Mac.
Some users also miss the browser-based version like some of its competitors offer. Whatever the reason may be, if you’re looking for an alternative to Microsoft Publisher, read the post till the end.
We are going to explore some of the best tools to use in place of Microsoft Publisher.
Best Microsoft Publisher Alternatives
1. Adobe InDesign
If you use a Mac, you might be familiar with Adobe InDesign.
Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing software that allows users to create professional-looking publications such as brochures, newsletters, and flyers.
While InDesign is a little complex, it’s feature-rich and offers more flexibility. For example, InDesign supports multiple pages and layers, which can make your publications look more professional. It also has built-in tools for creating interactive content, such as hyperlinks and buttons.
Features like the ability to create multi-page documents, use master pages, and create complex layouts are a highlight.
InDesign also offers a wide variety of built-in templates, which makes it easier to create high-quality publications.
The seamless integration with other Adobe products, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, is another advantage.
InDesign is a subscription-based software, which means you’ll have to pay a monthly fee to use it, unlike Publisher which is a one-time purchase.
Discover more tools like Adobe Indesign in this post.
2. Scribus
Scribus is a great alternative to Microsoft Publisher allowing users to create professional-looking publications.
Scribus also has a few advantages over Publisher, such as the ability to create PDF files and open source code.
It is an open-source program that is available for free, so it is a great option for those on a budget.
You can use Scribus to create outstanding publications such as newsletters, brochures, and flyers.
The platform comes with a ton of templates making it easy for you. This takes care of the technical aspects of design so that you can focus on the content.
Like Microsoft Publisher, the Scribus interface is not the most user-friendly, but it is not difficult to learn with a little practice.
Unlike Publisher, Mac users can also use Scribus. In fact, it’s one of the most popular open-source desktop publishing programs available for Mac.
3. Marq (formerly Lucidpress)
Marq, formerly known as Lucidpress, is a web-based desktop publishing software that is easy to use and offers a plenty of great features.
With Marq, you can create professional-looking publications in quick time. You can also create custom shapes and designs, and add photos and videos.
Marq has all the essential features of Microsoft Publisher but is also more user-friendly, without any complex features that confuse beginners. It also supports real-time collaboration with team members and allows users to track changes as they happen.
Users can start creating with Marq right away without needing tutorials. Unlike Microsoft Publisher, Marq is not limited to Windows platforms; it works seamlessly on macOS, and Linux along with Windows.
4. Swift Publisher
Swift Publisher is an attractive and intuitive layout program for Mac that offers a wide variety of templates for various publications. It also offers a photo-editing tool and support for vector illustrations.
One of the best parts about it is its UI, which is designed to be as user-friendly as possible.
Getting started with Swift Publisher is quick and easy, even if you’re a first-time user. You would need little to no assistance to start using it. Though Swift offers video tutorials should you ever hit a brick wall.
The software comes with over 500 professionally-designed templates for a wide variety of publications including newsletters, brochures, flyers, and more.
There’s also a good selection of clipart and photos that you can use in your projects.
One thing to keep in mind is that Swift Publisher only works on macOS, which makes it a great choice for its users.
5. Canva
Canva is a free online design platform that’s beloved by users for its simple and intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
With a library of built-in templates and easy access to millions of free and premium images, it’s no wonder that Canva is one of the most popular alternatives to Microsoft Publisher.
While it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of Publisher, Canva makes up for it with its ease of use. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it simple to create professional-looking designs, even if you’re not a designer.
For users who need more than what the free version offers, there’s a low-cost monthly subscription that gives you access to additional features and templates.
With Canva, you can generate content for social media, marketing collateral, presentations, and more.
Unlike Microsoft Publisher, which is only available for Windows, Canva can be used on any device, including Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Android.
To get started, all you need is an email address. Once you’re registered, you can start designing. Pick a template or design from scratch, you have both the options available. You can even export and download your designs as PDFs, JPGs, or PNGs.
Find out apps like Canva for Android in this post.
6. Affinity Publisher
Affinity Publisher is another professional desktop publishing software developed by Serif, designed for creating everything from magazines and books to marketing materials and social media graphics.
It offers advanced layout tools, master pages, dynamic photo frames, typography control, and seamless integration with Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer—making it highly versatile for both print and digital design.
Unlike Microsoft Publisher, which is more beginner-focused and Windows-only, Affinity Publisher caters to both Mac and Windows users and provides a more professional-level feature set for serious designers.
One of the standout features is its one-time purchase model, which is significantly more cost-effective over time compared to subscription-based alternatives.
It also supports modern publishing standards like CMYK, spot colors, and PDF/X, which makes it suitable for professional print workflows.
While Microsoft Publisher is easier for casual users or those working mainly within the Microsoft ecosystem, Affinity Publisher offers greater creative control and design flexibility.
Also Read: Canva vs Bannersnack
7. Print Artist 25 Platinum
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use alternative to Publisher, Print Artist 25 Platinum is a good option.
Print Artist 25 Platinum has a layout function that allows you to easily create custom layouts for your publications.
While Microsoft Publisher is a more comprehensive program, Print Artist 25 is more user-friendly and has a simpler interface.
It is low-cost compared to other similar programs and has a wide range of templates to choose from.
Print Artist 25 Platinum also has a photo editing tool that lets you edit photos directly from the program.
The program’s clean assortment of features and its user-friendly interface makes it a good choice for those who are new to desktop publishing.
You can create magazines, greeting cards, calendars, and more with Print Artist 25 Platinum.
8. VivaDesigner
VivaDesigner is a professional desktop publishing software developed by Viva GmbH, offering both desktop and web-based versions for flexible access.
It’s geared toward users who need advanced layout capabilities for projects like magazines, books, and corporate documents.
Unlike Microsoft Publisher, which caters more to casual and business users, VivaDesigner provides features like multilingual typesetting, XML publishing, professional typography tools, and layout automation, making it a strong choice for publishing professionals.
It supports cross-platform compatibility, running on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with a browser version that allows for collaborative editing.
One of its standout aspects is the ability to restrict editing access for specific elements in a document, which is useful for maintaining brand consistency in teams.
VivaDesigner comes in both free and paid versions, with the free version offering a solid feature set for basic to intermediate needs.
While its learning curve is steeper than Microsoft Publisher, it offers far more power and precision for complex layout work.
9. Xara Page & Layout Designer
Xara Page & Layout Designer is a versatile desktop publishing software that combines page layout, graphic design, and photo editing into one package.
It’s designed for creating a wide range of materials such as brochures, flyers, newsletters, and business cards, with a strong emphasis on visual design and ease of use.
The software features drag-and-drop functionality, smart snapping, text flow between columns, and support for advanced typography. It also includes a library of professionally designed templates, which makes starting a new project quick and easy.
Compared to Microsoft Publisher, Xara offers a more design-focused experience with better integration of vector graphics and image manipulation.
While Microsoft Publisher is more text and layout-oriented, Xara appeals to users who want to combine graphic design with publishing in a single platform.
It’s a one-time purchase software, which can be appealing to users looking to avoid subscriptions.
10. Pagination
Pagination is a cloud-based alternative to Microsoft Publisher that offers a wide range of features and templates for users to create professional-looking publications.
It’s easy to use and has a drag-and-drop interface that makes creating publications quick and easy.
One of the best things about Pagination is that it offers a wide range of templates for users to choose from, so they can create publications that look exactly the way they want.
It also has a wide range of customization options helping users to make their publications using their own flavor. You can also upload images and layouts to create and download a custom publication from scratch.
Although it is significantly more expensive than Publisher, it is worth the investment for those looking for more control and customization options.
11. Venngage
While Venngage is not a full-fledged desktop publishing tool like Microsoft Publisher, it excels in creating visually compelling one-page designs and data-driven layouts.
It’s especially popular among marketers, educators, and small business owners who prioritize visual storytelling over complex page formatting.
Venngage is rather a web-based design platform primarily focused on creating infographics, reports, presentations, posters, and other visually-driven content.
Its user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for non-designers to produce professional-looking materials without needing advanced skills.
The platform offers hundreds of customizable templates, icons, charts, and illustrations, which can be easily edited to suit a variety of branding or content needs.
Because it’s cloud-based, projects are accessible from anywhere, and collaboration features allow teams to work together in real time.
However, its free plan is limited, and many advanced templates and features require a paid subscription.
12. iStudio Publisher
iStudio Publisher is a desktop publishing software that comes with plenty of features to create professional publications.
It has an intuitive interface that makes it easy to get started with. There are plenty of templates available to help you get the look you want.
One of the great things about iStudio Publisher is that it supports export to PDF, so you can easily share your documents with others.
In contrast to Microsoft Publisher which is only available for Windows, iStudio Publisher can only be used on Mac.
13. PageStream
PageStream is a desktop publishing software with a long history, originally popular on Amiga and now available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
It supports traditional print design like brochures and newsletters, but also offers tools for exporting documents in digital formats such as PDF, making it viable for digital publishing.
PageStream includes master pages, text wrapping, advanced typography, and scripting capabilities, though its interface feels dated compared to newer tools.
Its strength lies in its flexibility and support for scripting complex layouts. However, it lacks cloud integration and real-time collaboration features common in modern digital platforms.
While not the most modern solution, it’s a solid offline alternative to Microsoft Publisher for users who need full control over layout and output.
It’s best suited to users who are comfortable with a traditional, no-frills publishing environment.
14. LibreOffice Draw
LibreOffice Draw is a free and open-source vector graphics editor that comes bundled with the LibreOffice suite.
It’s designed primarily for creating diagrams, flowcharts, brochures, and basic page layouts, making it a handy tool for users who want a no-cost alternative for simple publishing needs.
While it lacks some of the advanced design and layout capabilities found in Microsoft Publisher, it supports essential features like text boxes, image insertion, shape tools, and the ability to export to PDF.
One of its strengths is its integration with other LibreOffice tools, allowing for smooth importing and editing of text and spreadsheet data. It’s also available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, which adds to its accessibility.
Though some users may find its interface and tools a bit outdated and clunky compared to modern publishing software, it’s great for users with basic publishing needs.
LibreOffice Draw is a viable and cost-effective alternative to Microsoft Publisher. It’s especially appealing for educators, nonprofits, or anyone working with limited software budgets.
15. Apple Pages
Apple Pages is another free word processing and page layout application available exclusively for Apple devices, including Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
While it’s often compared to Microsoft Word, Pages also offers a range of layout and design features that make it suitable for basic desktop publishing tasks.
Users can create creative items using its drag-and-drop interface, customizable templates, and support for images, shapes, and charts. It integrates smoothly with iCloud, allowing for real-time collaboration and access across Apple devices.
Pages supports exporting to PDF and ePub, making it easy to share or print professionally looking documents.
While it doesn’t offer the same depth of layout tools or precision as Microsoft Publisher or specialized apps like Affinity Publisher, it’s more than sufficient for personal, educational, or light business publishing projects.
Its clean interface and native performance on Apple hardware make it particularly appealing to Mac users.
16. QuarkXPress
If you’re looking for a professional-grade alternative to Publisher, QuarkXPress is a great option.
It is a WYSIWYG editor that supports both CMYK and RGB color models, making it suitable for print and web design projects.
The program is used by businesses and organizations all over the world to create high-quality publications.
QuarkXPress offers more features and flexibility than Publisher, making it a better choice for complex projects. However, this comes at a price – QuarkXPress is a paid program, and it can be quite expensive.
If you’re serious about creating professional publications, QuarkXPress is definitely worth the investment.
Unlike Microsoft Publisher, QuarkXPress does not have a pre-designed layout function. However, it does offer a wide variety of templates that you can use to create your own custom layouts.
It is also compatible with macOS which makes it a good choice for users with Apple computer.
17. LaTeX
LaTeX is a document preparation system widely used for academic and technical publications. It excels at producing high-quality, structured documents such as research papers, journals, and books.
While it lacks a visual interface, its code-based approach provides unmatched control over layout, citations, formulas, and consistency.
LaTeX outputs can be compiled to PDF and adapted for digital sharing, but it doesn’t support interactive or web-based publishing.
It’s not a direct alternative to Microsoft Publisher for casual users, but it’s powerful for producing complex, high-precision documents.
For users who value typographic control and reproducibility over interactivity or ease of use, LaTeX is a solid (albeit niche) alternative. However, it’s best suited to advanced users with technical knowledge.
Digital Publishing Alternatives To Microsoft Publisher
Most digital publishing tools these days offer high-quality download options like PDF, PNG, or print-ready files. This makes them good alternatives to desktop publishing tools.
While you’ll find limited features for layout control, print-specific settings (like CMYK color support, bleed, and margins), and advanced typography in these tools, they are good enough for basic to intermediate design needs.
Let’s take a look at some of the good ones you can use.
18. Joomag
Joomag is a powerful digital publishing platform tailored for creating interactive magazines, catalogs, and business content.
It offers an all-in-one workspace with tools for designing, distributing, and tracking publications online.
You can embed videos, animations, forms, and e-commerce features, which adds a dynamic element to digital magazines that Microsoft Publisher cannot match.
Joomag also provides detailed analytics, CRM tools, and private distribution features, making it ideal for marketing teams and enterprises. It supports responsive HTML5 design, ensuring publications look great across all devices.
Since it’s web-based, you can collaborate with teams in real time. Joomag is a strong alternative to Microsoft Publisher, especially for digital-first workflows with interactive content requirements.
Its learning curve is moderate, but its capabilities are significantly broader for digital publishing.
19. Readz
Readz is a cloud-based digital publishing platform that enables users to create responsive, interactive web content without needing to write code.
It’s designed specifically for marketers, brands, and enterprise teams who want to build engaging digital experiences like reports, landing pages, magazines, and presentations.
With a drag-and-drop editor and pixel-precise layout control, Readz allows users to craft mobile-optimized content that feels custom-built.
You can embed multimedia elements such as videos, animations, forms, and interactive graphics, making it ideal for content that needs to captivate and convert.
One of Readz’s key strengths is its emphasis on performance and SEO, ensuring that the digital content not only looks good but also loads quickly and ranks well.
It also supports real-time collaboration and integrates with analytics tools, allowing teams to measure engagement and optimize content accordingly.
Unlike Microsoft Publisher, which is largely focused on print and desktop layouts, Readz is built for the web and modern digital audiences.
As such, it’s not a like-for-like replacement for Publisher—but for businesses focused on web-first publishing, Readz is a powerful and highly flexible alternative
20. Mag+
Mag+ is a digital publishing platform that lets users create interactive publications specifically for tablets and mobile devices.
It integrates with InDesign through a plugin, allowing designers to create layouts in a familiar environment and then convert them into digital editions.
The platform supports multimedia integration, vertical and horizontal scrolling, and touch interactivity, which helps in delivering engaging digital magazines and brochures.
It offers analytics, push notifications, and content management, making it ideal for businesses looking to distribute mobile content.
Unlike Microsoft Publisher, Mag+ focuses exclusively on digital and mobile experiences. It’s particularly useful for publishers and marketers targeting app-based distribution.
As an alternative to Microsoft Publisher, Mag+ is more niche but highly effective for mobile-focused digital publishing.
21. PubHTML5
PubHTML5 converts PDFs into interactive HTML5 flipbooks, ideal for magazines, catalogs, brochures, and reports. It offers animation tools, multimedia embedding, and customizable templates to enhance user engagement.
Users can publish content online, offline, or export it as EXE or ZIP files for different delivery formats. The platform is cloud-based, with options for analytics, privacy settings, and mobile responsiveness.
Unlike Microsoft Publisher, which is print-focused, PubHTML5 emphasizes digital sharing and interaction.
It’s user-friendly and doesn’t require design experience, making it accessible for beginners. As an alternative, it’s a solid choice for users who want to turn static documents into dynamic digital publications.
22. FlipHTML5
FlipHTML5 is similar to PubHTML5 and specializes in converting PDFs into animated, flip-style publications for web and mobile use.
It supports multimedia content such as videos, links, slideshows, and pop-ups, making it suitable for interactive catalogs, portfolios, and e-books.
Users can customize the viewer interface and branding, and embed the publications directly onto websites.
FlipHTML5 is entirely web-based, so collaboration and online sharing are seamless. Compared to Microsoft Publisher, it’s less focused on document layout creation and more on digital presentation.
It’s a good alternative for anyone aiming to distribute attractive, interactive content online without dealing with complex design tools.
Its basic features are free, with premium plans offering expanded customization and analytics.
23. Baker Framework (MagLoft)
The Baker Framework is an open-source HTML5-based publishing tool used primarily for creating iOS-based digital magazines.
It converts HTML content into issues that can be published in a custom iOS Newsstand app.
MagLoft, a company that supports Baker, also offers a broader platform for creating and managing digital magazines for both mobile and web.
While Baker is geared toward developers, MagLoft provides a no-code environment for content creators. These tools allow rich interactivity, media embedding, and mobile optimization, unlike Microsoft Publisher’s print-oriented tools.
If you’re creating magazine-style content for app-based consumption, this is a strong digital publishing option. It’s a good alternative to Microsoft Publisher for tech-savvy users or teams focused on mobile-first publishing.
24. FlipBuilder
FlipBuilder is software suite designed to turn PDFs into animated flipbooks for digital distribution. It offers tools to add multimedia, branding, and interactivity, while maintaining a simple and intuitive interface.
With support for offline and online publishing, FlipBuilder is ideal for businesses creating catalogs, brochures, and magazines.
It doesn’t have the full document layout capabilities of Microsoft Publisher but shines in post-layout enhancement and distribution.
It supports HTML5 output for mobile-friendly content, with options for embedding and sharing. FlipBuilder is a strong choice for turning static documents into engaging digital experiences.
As an alternative to Microsoft Publisher, it’s best for users focused on final presentation and interactivity over content creation.
25. Flipsnack
Flipsnack is another cloud-based digital publishing tool that transforms PDFs into interactive flipbooks and also allows users to design content directly within the platform.
It features a drag-and-drop editor, pre-made templates, and tools to embed videos, links, and product tags, making it ideal for catalogs, reports, and presentations.
Flipsnack supports real-time collaboration, password protection, analytics, and e-commerce integrations. Its publications are mobile-responsive and easy to share via link or embed.
Unlike Microsoft Publisher, Flipsnack is tailored for web-based distribution and interactive content rather than print documents.
It’s a strong digital publishing alternative for marketers, educators, and businesses that prioritize engagement and accessibility. Its intuitive design tools make it suitable for beginners and professionals alike.
Conclusion
The best software for you depends on your specific needs and preferences. In addition, consider factors like layout precision, typographic control, template variety, print-ready output and ease of use.
Compatibility with different file formats and operating systems also matters, especially for collaboration and printing needs.
While complex print projects essentially require a good desktop publishing tool, basic publishing needs including web distribution can be effectively fulfilled using digital publishing applications.
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