Best Publishing Software for PC

Windows desktop publishing software for home and small-business use

Unless you want to do professional desktop publishing, such as laying out a magazine, there's no need to buy the top-ranked software, Adobe InDesign CS4 (*Est. $700 or $200 to upgrade). At the consumer level, reviews rank two Windows desktop publishing software titles as the best. For small-business use, Serif PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional (*Est. $90) heads the list. For fun home printing projects, Broderbund's The Print Shop 23 Deluxe (*Est. $35) is the top choice. Bear in mind that you can also make scrapbook pages and greeting cards in PagePlus X3, so it's the more versatile -- and more recommended -- of the two.

PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional costs much less than the earlier favorite, Microsoft Publisher 2007 (*Est. $150). (Publisher has not been updated since the 2007 version.) Both programs earn good reviews, and both come with lots of templates and customization options. Both can export documents as PDF files, the format commercial printers prefer to work with. Color separation and management aren't as sophisticated as those provided in Adobe InDesign, but are adequate for basic jobs.

Reviewers note that people who use other Microsoft Office programs will find Publisher similar enough to shorten the learning curve. However, the less expensive PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional also earns high ratings for ease of use. Color management tools are more sophisticated; for example, you can match Pantone colors. Serif PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional builds in photo-editing and includes several tools for handling graphics and text that Microsoft Publisher lacks.

Reviewers especially like the new PagePlus tool for cutting out backgrounds. The software also includes Logo Studio, which earns a lot of praise, even from Jacci Howard Bear, About.com's desktop publishing guide. She says she was skeptical about designing a logo outside of a dedicated graphics drawing program, but finds the Logo Studio "fun, useful and well done." (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

If you don't care about logos or business stationery, favoring fun creative projects instead -- such as greeting cards, scrapbook pages and 3D paper crafts for kids -- then both PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional and Microsoft Publisher 2007 are overkill. Instead, reviewers recommend the less expensive Broderbund's The Print Shop 23 Deluxe (*Est. $35). Even this software can export PDF files, though not with color separations. Basic photo-editing is built in, as well.

Each new version of The Print Shop Deluxe adds still more templates and clip art. Version 23 boasts over 21,000 templates, which sounds like enough for several lifetimes. As for clip art, Broderbund itself seems to have lost count, just saying there are "370,000 plus" graphics from which to choose -- about 20,000 more than in the previous version. Compare these numbers with the paltry 2,500 or so templates that come with PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional, and you'll see why home users find The Print Shop Deluxe entrancing. A search function helps you find the image you want.

The comparison review of "print creativity software" at TopTenReviews.com gives The Print Shop 23 Deluxe top ranking. An earlier version also earned the Editors' Choice award at PC Magazine. If you want to spend a bit less, however, the second choice at TopTenReviews.com is Broderbund PrintMaster Platinum 18 (*Est. $30). The main difference, aside from fewer templates (17,000) is that the options for creative text effects aren't as extensive.

Print Artist is another popular software series for informal desktop publishing, with some devoted followers and plenty of templates and clip art. Earlier this was a Sierra product, but it is now published by Nova. The latest versions are Print Artist Gold (*Est. $30) and Print Artist Platinum (*Est. $40). It's ranked third at TopTenReviews.com. Quite a few users reviewing both titles at Amazon.com express disappointment, however, saying they enjoyed earlier, simpler versions more.

In fact, all of these family-oriented desktop publishing software titles get mixed reviews (and therefore rather low average ratings) from users discussing them at Amazon.com. Complaints include problems with installation, crashes and poor technical support. Professional reviewers, too, note that technical support is a weak point. Also, the interface can be awkward and inefficient at times -- especially compared with Microsoft Publisher and Serif PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional. However, if you don't mind taking some time to play around with designs and clip art, you can have fun with these lower-end products.