Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android Free or $69/year Scribus It is an InDesign free alternative Supports bitmap formats User-friendly interface Does not support INDD files No print feature available Need scripts for performing several functions Linux, Mac, and Windows Free to use Microsoft Office Publisher.
Adobe InDesign
- Aug 24, 2021 In this article, we’ll outline some of the best free InDesign alternatives for Mac. We’ve included a detailed breakdown of each InDesign alternative for Mac, looking at some of the pros and cons of each tool, as well as their prices and system support. 10 Best InDesign Alternative for Mac 1. PDFelement for Mac.
- An alternative to Windows or Mac OS is the Linux Mint. Linux is a generally known operating system although rarely used. In alternative to InDesign. 'Alternative Free Software for.
Adobe InDesign delivers tight integration with other Adobe graphics applications, easy-to-use tools that reduce elaborate design tasks to a few quick steps, and built-in support for publishing. Consequently, there is no premium version. Nevertheless, it is still considered to be the best free InDesign alternative, as it has enough features to create your unique projects. Download InDesign Free Download InDesign Editor for Mac/Win. Download InDesign editor free to test it out for seven days. Apr 19, 2019. Jul 05, 2018 Trusted Windows (PC) download Adobe InDesign CC 2017 12.1. Virus-free and 100% clean download. Get Adobe InDesign CC 2017 alternative downloads.
- Rank (4.5/5)
- Reviews: 310
- License: Trial version
- Downloads: 12.7k
- Version: 14.02
- Compatible: Mac/Win
Looking for possible ways to get InDesign free without breaking the law? Want to download this desktop publishing software and online publisher for free? In this article, I will tell you how to use InDesign free as well as why it is better to avoid the pirated copies. Moreover, you will discover the five best free programs like InDesign.
FREE InDesign Benefits
- Professional app with excellent results
- Online collaboration tools
- Tools for creating interactive ePUB books
- Passthrough PDF printer
- Compatibility with Mac HiDPI Retina displays and Windows HiDPI systems
- Perfect integration with Behance
FAQ
- Do I need to provide credit card details to get free trial?
No, Adobe does not support this policy.
- How much does the full Adobe InDesign version cost?
Adobe InDesign is available only with a subscription. The price is $20.99/month. In addition to the software, you will receive 100GB of Cloud storage, Adobe Portfolio, Adobe Fonts and Adobe Spark with premium features.
- Is InDesign available without a Creative Cloud membership?
No, you may use InDesign only as part of a Creative Cloud membership. There are two plans: Single App plan that includes InDesign only or a plan with a variety of apps. The Creative Cloud plans are suitable for students and teachers, designers, photographers, organizations and businesses.
- Does the free trial work on both MacOS and Windows?
Yes, this open source InDesign trial is compatible both with MacOS and Windows
- How long can I use the free trial?
You can use the free trial for seven days from the date of the first launch.
- Does the free trial include all the features of the complete version?
Yes, it has all the features and updates that the latest InDesign version includes.
- Can I use the free trial on my smartphone?
No, this free trial can only be used on a computer.
Insecurity from Using Pirated InDesign Version
Many users don’t like paying for the software but prefer to search for hacked versions for hours or hack them themselves. According to analytical data, up to 80 percent of software is pirated. And this is not only for personal use. Government and educational institutions are often caught in such violations. In addition to breaking the law, users lose a lot of the advantages that licensed software provides.
Buying licensed software, we avoid violating laws
The use of unlicensed software violates copyright and entails administrative and criminal liability in almost all countries in the world.
You will be unable to install an update
Licensed software always guarantees you a free update for a definite or unlimited period of time. It is worth mentioning that almost any software has some defects. Sometimes it is simply impossible to fully use the program’s features without fixing these faults. Commonly, pirates hack a certain version of the software. Therefore, there is no possibility of updating the program, which is especially critical if you need to fix any bugs or add new features.
Technical support
By purchasing software, you can usually get free technical support. Sometimes it is impossible to correctly set up the program without technical assistance.
A part of the software may be missing
Adobe Indesign Cc 2017 Download
When hacking software, pirates make significant changes to the program code, removing driver libraries and other elements. They do not care about the problems that the user may experience, as this will not affect their profits.
Company reputation
Programs like Adobe InDesign software are rarely used for personal purposes. They are mostly used by different companies. When enterprises have been certified as meeting ISO standard, the licensed software is a mandatory requirement. The violation of the requirements of the copyright law may adversely affect the company's reputation.
5 Best Free InDesign Alternatives
QuarkXPress is considered to be the closest rival of Adobe InDesign for professional publishing. It is not only paid software, but rather expensive, too. However, if you don’t have enough funds to buy a license, but you need to create a desktop publishing document, there are quite good shareware or free alternative to InDesign and QuarkXPress.
1. Scribus
- Easy to use
- Open source
- Deep text customization
- Can't open other DTP software's native file formats
- Slow interface
Being distributed under the GNU license, Scribus is not only free, but is constantly being improved by its developers. Currently, it is absolutely suitable for professional use. Scribus has a variety of features. If you are experienced in programming, you can write small scripts, create a desktop publishing document, define color schemes, etc.
With Scribus, you can do everything that is available in expensive professional software. The interface here is understandable and intuitive: the display settings and toolbars can be adjusted according to personal preferences in order to optimize your workflow. With Scribus, you can quickly apply templates for several types of folding. InDesign doesn’t include this feature.
2. Canva
- Integration with stock photo image bank
- Can be used for free
- Mobile app available
- No page grid
- No alignment tools
Canva is considered more of a graphic design app than desktop-publishing application. It is great for creating difficult graphic objects like posters and flyers. This application is easy to use. Moreover, it offers numerous free fonts, colors and stock images. The premium version of Canva provides even more interesting features. Though, the free version is more than enough if you are a casual user.
Canva is a good free alternative to InDesign, but it cannot compete with this outstanding software. The target audience of Canva is those users who tend to quickly and easily create nice-looking graphics. So, Canva is a cost-effective and user-friendly analog to more developed desktop publishing software.
- Read my full Canva photo editor review.
3. LucidPress
- Ability to work as a group
- Optimized for slower PCs
- File protection and security support
- No PC version
- Limited selection of free templates to use
If you don’t use desktop publishing app on a regular basis, you can try LucidPress. There is no need to download and install any software on your PC. You can do everything online. It is very easy to use in comparison to professional programs, so you will save you time. The main disadvantage of LucidPress is that the free features are very limited. So, each of the documents should contain no more than three pages. Furthermore, the amount of server disk space should not exceed 25 MB.
Free Downloads For Mac
Nevertheless, if you want to try desktop publishing or create an event invitation, you will appreciate this application. Nevertheless, one of the biggest security problems with online desktop publishing is preserving the idea. That's why, LucidPress has a paid version for professional use.
4. Viva Designer
- CMYK Optimization
- Wide range of powerful typographic features
- Built-in word processor
- Difficult to use
- There are no templates and art resources
Aigpusniffer Indesign Mac
Viva Designer is a paid program, but it is also available in the Free Edition. It is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Viva Designer Free Edition can be used for both personal and professional purposes. Since this version is free, it has some limitations. If we compare it with InDesign, we can see that InDesign has a lot more features. However, Viva Designer has some advantages. The program is extremely user-friendly, even a novice will quickly figure out how to cope with its main functions.
It is compatible with Adobe InDesign, MS-Word and MS-Excel. In the paid version, you can even create and save documents in the InDesign format. If you need to work with layouts on the iPad, try the free mobile version of Quark, which is called “Quark DesignPad”.
5. Spring Publisher
- Various image effects
- Creates high-resolution illustrations
- Not supported by Mac OS
- Limited free version
Spring Publisher is usually used for creating leaflets, posters, promotional material, books, periodicals and news-sheets. Compared to InDesign, Spring Publisher is easier to use, which is convenient for the beginning designers. This software helps to create simple projects, add codes, texts and even vector shapes. Also, Spring Publisher allows for working with layouts and layers as well as editing the images.
- Read more about how to make a photo book.
It has a wide range of templates to offer. It is possible to save the design to no more than 180 DPI output in the free version. Unfortunately, Spring Publisher is no longer developed. Consequently, there is no premium version. Nevertheless, it is still considered to be the best free InDesign alternative, as it has enough features to create your unique projects.
Indesign 2017 Download For Mac Os
Download InDesign Free
Indesign 2017 Download For Mac Windows 7
Ann Young
Indesign 2017 Download Mac
Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more
Adobe InDesign is a standard Word layout program that allows designers and desktop publishers to create beautiful layouts.
The original aim of this tool is to create print documents such as cards, magazines, brochures, and reports.
However, the tool has transcended into a cross-platform system for creating interactive documents like PDFs and interactive publications for mobile devices like the iPad or Android devices using Adobe digital publishing suite plugins.
With InDesign, you can import your existing Microsoft Word or Excel documents in only a few clicks.
You will have little or no challenge formatting your documents, especially if you are familiar with the basic text options that other Microsoft tools or Adobe software have to offer.
InDesign brings your messages to life with the basic formatting options and you can use the more advanced typographic options to take your designs to the next level.
However, over the years, needs and concerns arose which InDesign could not address for everyone.
For example, some users complained about the software consuming a lot of computing resources. Other users even claimed they needed to double their RAM specs to forestall constant crashes.
While some users like InDesign for the detail of its features, it is a complaint of many others who think that the workspace is too clogged up and not intuitive enough.
Some other groups of users claim that different (or the same) versions of the tool, including the cloud version, were not compatible. For them, this makes file-sharing a hassle unnecessarily.
These concerns and more are the reasons many people may be looking for alternatives to Adobe InDesign.
While we would be exploring alternative tools here, we are specifically going to focus on open-source options. Wondering why open-source? Let me explain.
An open-source software code is available for all users to inspect, modify, copy, and use in any way they choose. While you may not utilize this defining feature, it comes with many developmental implications.
Open-source InDesign alternatives give users the opportunity to pursue their creative expression without being limited by access or hardware requirements.
Also, such tools are often improved within a relatively short period of time because of public collaboration, so a lot of the defects of InDesign are rectified in these alternatives.
Below are the top 10 open-source options you can consider as a replacement for InDesign.
Best Open-Source InDesign Alternatives
1. Scribus
Scribus is an open-source desktop publishing platform. As it is with Adobe InDesign, it can be used for typesetting digital journals, brochures, banners, posters, flyers, and other single and multiple-page publication items.
Of all the items sampled on this list, Scribus sports one of the most copious operating system supports. They span MS Windows, macOS, Linux/Unix, OS/2 Warp 4, ArcaOS, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, and PC-BSD. Others are eComStation, Haiku, GNU/Hurd, and OpenIndiana.
The platform is equally versatile in terms of file format support. They include JPEG, TIFF, EPS, PSD (Photoshop), AI (Adobe Illustrator), and vector files (SVG and XFIG).
Coming to color scheme support, Scribus accommodates the CMYK color model. It also complies with the International Color Consortium’s (ICC) color management system.
One important reason you can consider Scribus as a valid alternative to InDesign is that it is totally free to use and distribute, unlike InDesign. Scribus is distributed under four different licenses that grant different levels of distribution permission to end-users. These licenses include:
- GNU Lesser General Public Licence (LGPL 2.1)
- MIT Licence (x11)
- BSD Licence
- Public Domain License
Again, although Scribus is free, its quality of user support competes favorably with that of InDesign. Apart from the community support at Scribus, there is also a dedicated team of real people which is extremely rare on a fully open-source platform such as this.
As of June 2021, the five-man support team is comprised of Andreas Vox, Craig Bradney, Christoph Schäfer, Gregory Pittman, and Jean Ghali.
You can easily reach them by pointing your Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client to the libera.chat and using the #Scribus channel on Freenode. You can equally take advantage of their user mailing list which is available here.
2. Polotno Studio
Polotno Studio is an open-source InDesign alternative you can consider for several reasons. Among these is the fact that it stands out because of its ease of use and clean interface.
For example, the online platform is not only fully free and open-source but it also doesn’t require that you sign up to use it. Also, it doesn’t run ads.
Going further, Polotno Studio has a simple WYSIWYG interface that almost mimics MS Word. Thus, as soon as the home page opens, you can immediately see menu items like ‘New’, ‘Open’, ‘Save’, and more. That is to signal that you can start working immediately.
Like InDesign, this software has a rich collection of photos and vector graphic elements to aid you in your design projects, but they do not have templates yet. They, however, promise that this will soon be made available too.
Unlike InDesign, this software is not only free but also promises to remain as it is to end-users forever. The admin only monetizes the software development kit (SDK).
Free Indesign Software
As for use cases, you can apply this software to make just about anything that is possible on InDesign. The use cases range from social media graphics to business presentations to book covers and more.
However, because it doesn’t require user registration, it is so far not possible to save your project and continue working on it next time.
But then, the developer Anton Lavrenov has also informed the public that an optional sign-up is in the making. He says that the aim is to help those who want to save their work to do so.
Some Polotno Studio users we found testified that it works as promised. But there have been claims by some users about their inability to download PDFs on the platform. It is likely though that this is a result of some problems with their computers rather than with Polotno Studio itself.
As of June 2021, this software is not yet optimized for mobile devices, but the developer promises that this will be taken care of soon.
If you are a developer and you want to contribute to the Polotno Studio source code, here is the software’s GitHub page. So far, however, the distribution license hasn’t been made clear.
3. SILE Typesetter (with CaSILE)
SILE Typesetter is an open-source typesetting cum layout software that runs locally on your computer. The makers officially acknowledge that they drew inspiration from Adobe InDesign. So, it is clearly a valid alternative to the Adobe star software.
Adobe Indesign Free Alternative
One instance in which SILE Typesetter can be considered a better alternative than InDesign is in its operating system support. Unlike InDesign that works only on Windows and Mac OS, this software runs on Mac OS, Linux, and Windows.
The range of Linux distributions immediately supported by SILE Typesetter includes Arch Linux, Ubuntu, and Void. Other Linux distros can install via Open BSD ports or through NixOS.
As for Windows support, it is available but highly limited. It is available by using pre-made Windows binaries that can be generated through the Azure build pipeline. Otherwise, if you are a developer, you can build it from scratch.
Again, unlike InDesign, SILE Typesetter can be run remotely as part of a continuous integration workflow. You can do this by using any continuous integration runner environment that you already work on (such as on GitLab). Otherwise, you can run it by using a ready-made Docker container.
Another important instance in which SILE Typesetter stands out as an Adobe InDesign alternative is affordability. Not only is it free, but you can actually make money by selling it.
How is that? It is available on the MIT Open-source Licence. This license gives everyone the right to use and copy, sublicense, redistribute, and even sell the software.
SILE Typesetter can be applied to achieve just about anything possible with InDesign. Used in conjunction with a sister open-source software known as CaSILE, you can apply it to realize any desktop publishing goal. For instance, you can use it to make press-ready outputs like ebooks and product catalogs.
Yet another instance in which SILE Typesetter (plus CaSILE) stands out as an InDesign alternative is in its use for the automation of the publishing process.
It automates the process throughout to the end. That’s because it doesn’t have to follow the production stages serially. For example, a book’s exterior and interior designs can be done simultaneously. Otherwise, any stage can come before the other.
4. Penpot
Formerly known as UXbox, Penpot is an open-source software program that is used for both graphic design and UX prototyping. Its first stable release was in February 2021, but it had already been in its beta phase since 2016. It is fully open-source and free to use.
Just like InDesign, Penpot allows team members to collaborate in real-time on a design project. Each team member can view and contribute to the project and make comments for other team members to see and respond to.
One major reason you might want to replace Adobe InDesign with Penpot in your toolbox is affordability. As already said, it is free to use. All you need to do is create an account or log in with your Google account and you have it all for free.
Once logged in, you can create teams and invite people to join. Then, you can design a shared library where your team’s projects/elements can be saved. You can save your ongoing or completed projects. You can equally save elements like colors, fonts, icons, and more to be reused in future sessions.
Penpot can be considered a better alternative to InDesign for another reason: it is entirely web-based. As a result, you can work on it both on the desktop and mobile screens.
In case you are a developer, you can contribute to Penpot here on GitHub if you like.
5. Laidout
This is an open-source desktop publishing platform that is available on the GNU General Public Licence version 3 (GPL-3.0). So far, it runs only on Linux distributions. As of June 2021, the latest stable release is Laidout 0.097.
Laidout is for you especially if you’re looking for an InDesign alternative for creating multi-page publications like booklets, brochures, magazines, and product catalogs.
That’s because, according to the developer Tom Lechner, the software was created with multi-page productions in mind. So, it may not be for you if your thing is to make single-page items like posters, flyers, and logos.
As an InDesign alternative, Laidout is unique in one area: You can use it to make pages that are non-rectangular. Also, you can use it to incline a page at any angle of your choice. This is available in case you want to achieve some special effects with that.
The file export options available with Laidout 0.097 include PDF, PNG, EPS, and SVG. It also offers limited exports to Scribus (.sla file format). The Scribus exports are limited to images and groups only. It also offers file exports to Passepartout. This too is limited to images and groups.
The file import options available on Laidout include EPS (only as a whole rather than components) and images at specified DPI. It also exports to Scribus and Passepartout with some limitations. The Laidout GitHub page is here.
6. Typesetter CMS
Typesetter CMS is yet another great open-source InDesign alternative you can consider. It is basically a typesetting and layout design engine written in PHP.
This software sports a WYSIWYG editor that autosaves your design as you work. The outputs are responsive to any device from phone to tablet to PC.
Again, the software supports some of the most popular cascading style sheet languages you can find. Thus, it turns up themes that look and feel quite slick.
One instance in which Typesetter CMS stands out as an InDesign alternative is that it goes beyond just the regular typesetting and page layout designs.
Free Alternative To Indesign Machine
Instead, it doubles as a content management system (hence the name). In this sense, it can equally be used to design great-looking websites.
You can find Typesetter CMS on GitHub here.
7. Crello
Crello is another open-source InDesign alternative. Some things you can easily design with Crello’s intuitive interface include flyers, infographics, resumes, ebooks, brochures, letterheads, business cards, and more.
Crello also works on mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS. So, unlike what you get with InDesign, you can work on a design on the go while commuting or just anywhere.
Another prominent feature of Crello is its rich library of over 30,000 pre-built templates that look quite professional.
These are spread across all the categories covered by the software. Added to this is another rich library of over 1 million royalty-free images, vectors, and vids to enhance the ease and quality of your job.
This InDesign alternative also sports unique photo-editing features. For instance, you can easily use it to remove a background from a photo or make it transparent.
You can also use it to add a frame, text, or speech bubbles to a photo. Again, you can use it to resize, crop, or rotate an image. You can find Crello on GitHub.
8. Typetura
Typetura is a tool used for graphic design, website design, and desktop publishing.
It stands out as an Adobe InDesign alternative for one reason: its offer of automatic typography. The typography is made to be able to scale to any layout or device on its own.
Another significant feature of this software is that it combines design with text styling. With this, it is able, for example, to remove the need to write new cascading style sheet codes for every website you design.
All you need to do is plug a Typetura package in place of block-by-block CSS. Doing this, the package automatically adapts to the layout or design.
This software is open-source. In case you are a developer and want to contribute to its source code, here is Typetura on GitHub. However, its distribution license has not yet been made clear.
9. LibreOffice Draw
If you are looking for an open-source alternative to InDesign just for vector graphics, this is especially for you. An old-timer, LibreOffice Draw is a part of the LibreOffice suite.
One important reason this software made this list of open-source alternatives to InDesign is that it is free both to use and to distribute. This is a contrast to InDesign’s cut-throat pricing. LibreOffice Draw is distributed on the Mozilla Public Licence version 2 (MPL-2.0).
One other reason you might want to use LibreOffice Draw instead of InDesign is if your work involves complex vector graphic design structures. That’s because it is made specially to handle such complex structures using shape tools and other features.
Yet another reason LibreOffice Draw should be a better alternative to InDesign is its operating system support. While InDesign runs only on Mac OS and MS Windows, LibreOffice Draw supports these plus Linux OS.
Again, the use cases for LibreOffice Draw are just about the same with InDesign. It can be used to make items like brochures, magazines, and newsletters.
You can also use it for technical art involving flowcharts and more. You can find out more about LibreOffice Draw on GitHub.
10. Inkscape
Inkscape is another open-source InDesign alternative you can consider if you are into vector graphics design.
Free Alternative To Indesign Mac Os
It is distributed under the GNU General Public Licence version 3 (GPL-3.0). Thus, any end-user is free to run, redistribute, as well as change its source code but may not sell it.
The major file format support for Inkscape is scalable vector graphics (SVG). But other formats can also be imported or exported.
As for Inkscape’s operating system support, it spans Linux, Mac OS, Windows, and FreeBSD. This is in contrast to InDesign that runs only on Mac OS and Windows.
The number of international language groups served by these software programs is another instance where Inkscape stands shoulder high above Adobe InDesign.
While InDesign serves 24 language groups across the world, Inkscape covers 90 groups. So, the chances of Inkscape serving your team members from different language backgrounds are significantly higher with Inkscape than with InDesign.
Conclusion
It has been a great ride through these software programs. Each of them can replace InDesign one way or the other in your toolbox hence the reason they made the list.
Meanwhile, Scribus tops the list for a couple of reasons.
First, it is the one open-source option that corrects the downsides of InDesign more than any other that we sampled. Also, it enjoys the most versatile operating system support among all of the samples.
Again, it is the only option on the list that is distributed under multiple licenses, so it could rightly be said to be more open-source than the rest.
Above all, Scribus tops the list because of its quality support. As pointed out earlier, the admin behind the service really deserves our applause for being able to provide dedicated support for a platform that is both open-source and free.