About Adobe InDesign Adobe InDesign, InDesign single app, annual plan $263.88 USD a year
$347.88 CAD
Every pick below has a free version.
Key file formats .indd .idml .pdf Filter alternatives 3 alternatives
Windows3 macOS3 Linux2 Self-hosted1
Open source2 Freeware1
Self-hostable1 No account needed2
Tool License Platforms Status
Top pick 1 tool The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
1 Af
Best for polished page layout on Windows or macOS
License: Freeware
Status: Verified Oct 7, 2026 PSD PSD: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Layers and adjustment layers import; smart objects are rasterized unless smart-object import is turned on PSB PSB: opens only, partial fidelity. Opens PSB files TIFF TIFF: opens and saves, full fidelity PNG PNG: opens and saves, full fidelity JPG JPG: opens and saves, full fidelity +5 more , 2 people switched from Adobe InDesign to Affinity Affinity for changes Free since 30 Oct 2025 with a Canva account. Opens IDML files exported from InDesign but not INDD files.
Strong 1 tool Covers most of the same work, with trade-offs noted on each card.
2 Sc
Best for open-source print layout with PDF/X output
License: Open source
Status: Verified Oct 8, 2026 IDML IDML: opens only, partial fidelity. Basic IDML import; complex layouts, effects and some styles do not carry over PDF PDF: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Exports PDF/X-1a, X-3 and X-4; opening a PDF brings in vector shapes and text with limits PUB PUB: opens only, partial fidelity. Imports Publisher files through libmspub; coverage is spotty , 0 people switched from Adobe InDesign to Scribus Scribus for changes The interface is dated and the workflow differs from InDesign's. Imports basic IDML layouts but not INDD. The 1.7 series is a development line; 1.6.6 is the stable release.
Situational 1 tool Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
3 De
Best for testing an open-source InDesign clone
License: Open source
Windows macOS Linux Self-hosted Status: Active
IDML IDML: opens and saves, partial fidelity. Swatches, styles, parent spreads, frames, images and threaded stories; not independently checked PDF PDF: saves only, partial fidelity. Exports CMYK and spot colors with bleed and marks; PDF/X-4 output intent is pending , 0 people switched from Adobe InDesign to DesignCraft DesignCraft for changes Alpha (v0.2.1, October 2026). Reads and writes IDML and exports PDF. It cannot open INDD or PDF files.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
Feature parity How each alternative covers what people use Adobe InDesign for. Numbers link to editor notes.
Feature parity with Adobe InDesign Feature Affinity Scribus DesignCraft Layout Master pages and multi-page layouts Note 1Parent spreads, pages and frames, per its IDML support Type Paragraph and character styles Threaded text frames and text wrap Note 2Linked text frames and text wrap Note 3Linked text frames and text flow around objects Note 4Threaded stories across frames Long documents: tables, footnotes and contents Note 5Long-form document support; syncing chapters across files is not listed Note 6Native tables, footnotes and tables of contents; no book files to sync chapters Note 7Tables, footnotes, cross-references and index are in; still early Output CMYK, bleed and PDF/X export Note 8CMYK, ICC profiles and PDF/X export Note 9CMYK, spot colors, ICC profiles and PDF/X export Note 10CMYK and spot PDF export with bleed marks; PDF/X-4 output intent is pending Automation Data merge from CSV Note 11Data Merge is built into the layout tools Note 12No built-in data merge; Python scripts or add-ons do it Note 13Data Merge from CSV or JSON rows AI AI Assistant (beta) Note 14No layout assistant; generative tools need a paid Canva plan Parity score 79% 71% 71%
DesignCraft, Master pages and multi-page layouts: Parent spreads, pages and frames, per its IDML support Affinity, Threaded text frames and text wrap: Linked text frames and text wrap Scribus, Threaded text frames and text wrap: Linked text frames and text flow around objects DesignCraft, Threaded text frames and text wrap: Threaded stories across frames Affinity, Long documents: tables, footnotes and contents: Long-form document support; syncing chapters across files is not listed Scribus, Long documents: tables, footnotes and contents: Native tables, footnotes and tables of contents; no book files to sync chapters DesignCraft, Long documents: tables, footnotes and contents: Tables, footnotes, cross-references and index are in; still early Affinity, CMYK, bleed and PDF/X export: CMYK, ICC profiles and PDF/X export Scribus, CMYK, bleed and PDF/X export: CMYK, spot colors, ICC profiles and PDF/X export DesignCraft, CMYK, bleed and PDF/X export: CMYK and spot PDF export with bleed marks; PDF/X-4 output intent is pending Affinity, Data merge from CSV: Data Merge is built into the layout tools Scribus, Data merge from CSV: No built-in data merge; Python scripts or add-ons do it DesignCraft, Data merge from CSV: Data Merge from CSV or JSON rows Affinity, AI Assistant (beta): No layout assistant; generative tools need a paid Canva plan Not covered by any free alternative yet: Long documents: tables, footnotes and contents, AI Assistant (beta). See all feature gaps
File formats Can each alternative open and save Adobe InDesign files?
Opening and saving Adobe InDesign files Format Affinity Scribus DesignCraft .indd Note 1Export IDML from InDesign first Note 2Cannot open INDD files; export IDML from InDesign first Note 3Export IDML from InDesign first .idml Note 4Opens InDesign layouts exported as IDML Note 5Basic IDML import; complex layouts, effects and some styles do not carry over Note 6Swatches, styles, parent spreads, frames, images and threaded stories; not independently checked .pdf Note 7Exports PDF/X-1a, X-3 and X-4; opening a PDF brings in vector shapes and text with limits Note 8Exports CMYK and spot colors with bleed and marks; PDF/X-4 output intent is pending
Affinity, .indd: Export IDML from InDesign first Scribus, .indd: Cannot open INDD files; export IDML from InDesign first DesignCraft, .indd: Export IDML from InDesign first Affinity, .idml: Opens InDesign layouts exported as IDML Scribus, .idml: Basic IDML import; complex layouts, effects and some styles do not carry over DesignCraft, .idml: Swatches, styles, parent spreads, frames, images and threaded stories; not independently checked Scribus, .pdf: Exports PDF/X-1a, X-3 and X-4; opening a PDF brings in vector shapes and text with limits DesignCraft, .pdf: Exports CMYK and spot colors with bleed and marks; PDF/X-4 output intent is pending Switching saves about $264 USD / $348 CAD a year. Prices checked Oct 7, 2026 .
Based on InDesign single app, annual plan. Price source .
Adobe InDesign is a product of Adobe, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for Adobe InDesign: Windows, macOS.