Desktop Publishing Software

This review covers two free desktop publishing software titles: Scribus Desktop Publishing and Serif PagePlus SE, with brief comparisons to Microsoft Publisher, Adobe InDesign and QuarkXpress. Scribus is… more powerful than the free version of PagePlus, but both the free programs are judged easy to use. They're suitable for projects you print yourself -- but not for files you'd send to a professional printer. Separate reviews at this site cover The Print Shop 23 Deluxe and Adobe InDesign CS4. This latest version of Print Shop Deluxe is judged "varied and useful," but earns criticism for some awkward usability and a poor manual. This is the most critical review we found of Adobe InDesign CS4, praising its improvements, but also noting some flaws.

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This detailed review of the sixth version of Adobe InDesign discusses it both as an upgrade for existing users as well as a purchase for new users. There's also some comparison with QuarkXpress 8, reviewed… previously in May 2008. A brief March 2008 review by Scott Spanbauer covers Scribus, a free software download that works on Linux as well as Windows and Mac operating systems. Scribus can accomplish basic layout tasks but can't import or export files to or from InDesign and QuarkXpress.

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This is one of the few detailed reviews of desktop publishing software, in addition to Scribus, at this About.com channel devoted to desktop publishing. Most of the other articles by site guide Jacci Howard… Bear are descriptions of software types and lists of the main players, rather than reviews based on testing. Since reviews aren't dated, it can be hard to tell which recommendations supersede earlier ones. The site's comparison review of Broderbund's The Print Shop 23 Deluxe and PrintMaster Platinum 18 turns out to be based primarily on reviews at TopTenReviews.com. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

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This big retail site lists many desktop publishing software titles, most of which have accumulated reviews and ratings from users. However, the home publishing category doesn't include all of the available… titles, so it's more useful to search for "desktop publishing software." You can sort the lists to put the top-rated titles at the top. It's worth noting that Printmaster Platinum V18 gets a slightly higher average rating here than The Print Shop 23 Deluxe and (for Macs) Print Explosion Deluxe 3.0. None of these programs designed for home users earns as much praise as the more expensive Serif PagePlux X3 Publisher Professional or Microsoft Publisher 2007. Print Shop for Mac disappoints many users.

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This site compares nine (not 10!) desktop publishing software titles designed for home and small-business users, ranging in price from about $50 to $100. Though the report is dated 2009, the rankings… haven't changed since 2006, and some of the information is out of date. The top-ranked title seems to have been discontinued, and the second-ranked program has been superseded by a newer version with different specifications. This makes the rankings and detailed comparison chart of features less useful, since newer versions may have features not shown here. It's worth noting that the top-ranked software title in a separate roundup of "print creativity" products, The Print Shop 23 Deluxe, ranks sixth here, where it's compared with software designed more for small home business use.

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