Before you buy desktop publishing software, it's worthwhile to consider what you expect to do with it. If you want to get books ready for printing, you'll need different software than for making jazzy greeting cards or scrapbook pages. Do you want to make a professional logo for your business or simply make business-like stationery and cards as efficiently and easily as possible?

Here's what experts say to look for when buying desktop publishing software:

  • You may already own software that best suits your needs. If you use Microsoft Word, you can use it to format booklets, cards, stationery and most other basic printing projects -- if you take the trouble to study the online tutorials. Some photo-editing software comes with printing projects built in to help you make greeting cards, for example. You can find free clip art online that's in the public domain (that is, not violating an artist's copyright) if you need it.
  • Decide if you will print projects yourself or use a professional printing service. This is important because not all desktop publishing software can produce color separations and files that commercial printers can use.
  • If you want someone else to do the printing, consider using a photo-sharing site. Quite a few online photo-printing services let you upload your own photos or artwork, then print business cards, greeting cards and more that you format online. They provide the software capabilities online, so you don't need to buy a program. We have a separate report on digital photo printing sites.
  • Figure out if you need templates. Some desktop publishing software offer lots of templates that require minimal customization, so these can speed up tasks. If you'd rather use your own design ideas, this feature will be wasted on you.
  • Do you need clip art? Similarly, if you'd rather use your own photos or artwork, there's no point in bogging down your computer with clip art you'll never use. On the other hand, many users want as many clip art choices as possible.
  • What about fancy fonts? An unusual font can make your project distinctive. Some desktop publishing software titles come with better text tools than others, so you can take a font and add a drop shadow or other variation.
  • Some desktop publishing software includes photo-editing tools. If you already have photo-editing software that you like to use, there's no need to duplicate this function. If you do need photo-editing tools, be sure to choose desktop publishing software that incorporates this feature.
  • Determine if you need a website publishing feature. Some desktop publishing software can convert your design to html for creating a website or adding pages to one. The main drawback is that unless it uses cascading style sheets (CSS) or other newer technology, you may end up with an outmoded site. The latest website technology is more efficient. (We have a separate report on web design software.)
  • Check for rebates and sales when you buy publishing software. Just be sure you're buying a legitimate retail copy -- always use a reputable retailer.
  • Take advantage of free trials. Quite a few desktop publishing software titles get mixed reviews and ratings for interface and ease of use. Individual preferences must account for some of the contrasting opinions. It can be a good idea to try a few programs to see which one you prefer. Except for Serif PagePlus X3, the software in our Best Reviewed section is either available as a free trial download, or with a money-back guarantee, or -- in the case of Scribus -- completely free.
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