# Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher vs Microsoft Publisher Comparison

| | Adobe InDesign | Affinity Publisher | Microsoft Publisher | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.6 out of 5 | 4.7 out of 5 | 4.3 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 3,433 | 73 | 1,003 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (57.9% of reviews) | Small-Business (88.6% of reviews) | Small-Business (47.5% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | Starting at $99.99 1 License Per Month | No pricing available | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Adobe InDesign

Pros:
- Ease of Use (43 reviews)
- Layout Design (37 reviews)

Cons:
- Difficulty (17 reviews)
- Expensive (17 reviews)

### Affinity Publisher

Pros:
- Affordable (2 reviews)
- Ease of Use (2 reviews)

Cons:
- App Instability (1 reviews)
- Software Bugs (1 reviews)

### Microsoft Publisher

Pros:
- Ease of Use (4 reviews)
- Layout Design (3 reviews)

Cons:
- Design Limitations (1 reviews)
- Export Issues (1 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Adobe InDesign | Affinity Publisher | Microsoft Publisher | 
|---|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 9.3 (3129 reviews) | 9.4 (50 reviews) | 8.7 (896 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.0 (3142 reviews) | 9.1 (51 reviews) | 8.8 (904 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.8 (425 reviews) | 9.7 (12 reviews) | 9.1 (89 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.7 (300 reviews) | 10.0 (7 reviews) | 9.0 (73 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.2 (2406 reviews) | 9.4 (39 reviews) | 8.4 (641 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.9 (273 reviews) | 10.0 (5 reviews) | 8.5 (59 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 8.6 (3088 reviews) | 9.8 (47 reviews) | 7.2 (888 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Adobe InDesign

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Creative Cloud Pro for teams

Price: Starting at $99.99 1 License Per Month

Description: 20+ apps, including InDesign, and Firefly creative AI for images, video, and audio, plus exclusive business features.

Key Features:
- Create and publish brochures, digital magazines, eBooks, posters, and presentations with InDesign.
- 20+ photo, graphic design, and video apps
- Unlimited access to standard creative AI image and vector features like Generative Fill in Photoshop

[Browse all 2 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-indesign/pricing)

#### Free Trial

Yes

### Affinity Publisher

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### Microsoft Publisher

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Desktop Publishing

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Adobe InDesign** | 8.2/10 | 299 |
| **Affinity Publisher** | 8.4/10 | 27 |
| **Microsoft Publisher** | 8.4/10 | 86 |

#### Design

| Feature | Adobe InDesign | Affinity Publisher | Microsoft Publisher | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Templates** | 8.4 (221 reviews) | 8.3 (22 reviews) | 8.8 (75 reviews) | 
| **Layout editor** | 9.1 (246 reviews) | 9.3 (25 reviews) | 8.6 (77 reviews) | 
| **Publishing formats** | 9.2 (269 reviews) | 9.6 (26 reviews) | 8.7 (72 reviews) | 
| **Saved preferences** | 8.9 (246 reviews) | 9.0 (27 reviews) | 8.8 (71 reviews) | 
| **Infographics** | 8.1 (201 reviews) | 7.9 (20 reviews) | 8.2 (64 reviews) | 
| **Asset Library** | 8.2 (208 reviews) | 8.3 (22 reviews) | 8.0 (72 reviews) | 

#### Platform Additional Functionality

| Feature | Adobe InDesign | Affinity Publisher | Microsoft Publisher | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Mobile Access** | 5.9 (144 reviews) | 6.8 (16 reviews) | 7.0 (47 reviews) | 
| **File Storage** | 7.9 (170 reviews) | 8.2 (16 reviews) | 8.7 (61 reviews) | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (1):** [Desktop Publishing Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/desktop-publishing)





---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Adobe InDesign | Affinity Publisher | Microsoft Publisher | 
|---|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 57.9% | 88.6% | 47.5% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 27.1% | 8.6% | 26.0% | 
| **Enterprise** | 14.9% | 2.9% | 26.5% | 

### By Industry

#### Adobe InDesign

- **Design:** 11.7%
- **Graphic Design:** 11.5%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 11.1%
- **Higher Education:** 5.3%
- **Architecture & Planning:** 3.9%
- **Non-Profit Organization Management:** 3.8%
- **Publishing:** 2.8%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 2.3%
- **Computer Software:** 2.1%
- **Education Management:** 2.0%
- **Other:** 43.6%

#### Affinity Publisher

- **Graphic Design:** 17.1%
- **Publishing:** 10.0%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 8.6%
- **Design:** 7.1%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 5.7%
- **Retail:** 4.3%
- **Non-Profit Organization Management:** 4.3%
- **Entertainment:** 2.9%
- **Education Management:** 2.9%
- **Primary/Secondary Education:** 2.9%
- **Other:** 34.3%

#### Microsoft Publisher

- **Higher Education:** 9.2%
- **Non-Profit Organization Management:** 6.4%
- **Education Management:** 5.7%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 3.4%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 3.3%
- **Religious Institutions:** 3.2%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 2.9%
- **Design:** 2.9%
- **Government Administration:** 2.7%
- **Primary/Secondary Education:** 2.5%
- **Other:** 57.9%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Adobe InDesign

- [Canva](https://www.g2.com/products/canva/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (7466 reviews)
- [QuarkXPress](https://www.g2.com/products/quarkxpress/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (304 reviews)
- [Marq](https://www.g2.com/products/charles-thayne-capital-marq/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (210 reviews)
- [Foxit PDF Editor](https://www.g2.com/products/foxit-pdf-editor/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (3614 reviews)
- [Scribus](https://www.g2.com/products/scribus/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (27 reviews)
- [iStudio Publisher](https://www.g2.com/products/istudio-publisher/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (20 reviews)
- [Swift Publisher](https://www.g2.com/products/swift-publisher/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (11 reviews)
- [Wondershare PDFelement](https://www.g2.com/products/wondershare-wondershare-pdfelement/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1045 reviews)
- [InPage](https://www.g2.com/products/inpage/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (12 reviews)
- [The Print Shop](https://www.g2.com/products/the-print-shop/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (28 reviews)

### Alternatives to Affinity Publisher

- [Canva](https://www.g2.com/products/canva/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (7466 reviews)
- [QuarkXPress](https://www.g2.com/products/quarkxpress/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (304 reviews)
- [Scribus](https://www.g2.com/products/scribus/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (27 reviews)
- [Swift Publisher](https://www.g2.com/products/swift-publisher/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (11 reviews)
- [Marq](https://www.g2.com/products/charles-thayne-capital-marq/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (210 reviews)
- [iStudio Publisher](https://www.g2.com/products/istudio-publisher/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (20 reviews)
- [Wondershare PDFelement](https://www.g2.com/products/wondershare-wondershare-pdfelement/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1045 reviews)
- [Foxit PDF Editor](https://www.g2.com/products/foxit-pdf-editor/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (3614 reviews)
- [Visme](https://www.g2.com/products/visme/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (482 reviews)
- [Adobe Express](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-express/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (830 reviews)

### Alternatives to Microsoft Publisher

- [Canva](https://www.g2.com/products/canva/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (7466 reviews)
- [QuarkXPress](https://www.g2.com/products/quarkxpress/reviews) — 4.0/5 stars (304 reviews)
- [Marq](https://www.g2.com/products/charles-thayne-capital-marq/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (210 reviews)
- [The Print Shop](https://www.g2.com/products/the-print-shop/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (28 reviews)
- [Scribus](https://www.g2.com/products/scribus/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (27 reviews)
- [iStudio Publisher](https://www.g2.com/products/istudio-publisher/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (20 reviews)
- [Swift Publisher](https://www.g2.com/products/swift-publisher/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (11 reviews)
- [Wondershare PDFelement](https://www.g2.com/products/wondershare-wondershare-pdfelement/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (1045 reviews)
- [Foxit PDF Editor](https://www.g2.com/products/foxit-pdf-editor/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (3614 reviews)
- [Print Artist Gold Edition](https://www.g2.com/products/print-artist-gold-edition/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (6 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Adobe InDesign

- Title: [What other things do use Indesign for, besides designing a catalog.](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-other-things-do-use-indesign-for-besides-designing-a-catalog) — 7 comments, 2 upvotes
  > **Top comment:** "I don't know what you've already thought of. :) 

Here is a selection of things we make using InDesign:
* Books (design and typography)
* Billboards and..."
- Title: [Is InDesign part of Adobe Creative Suite?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-indesign-part-of-adobe-creative-suite) — 4 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Yes"
- Title: [Is Adobe InDesign free?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-adobe-indesign-free) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "No"
- Title: [Qual è il modo migliore per mantenere il mio lavoro organizzato?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-best-way-to-keep-my-work-organised) — 3 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "I have an external hard drive that I have individual folders for each project. I do package everything together after I’m done for the day so I can pick..."
- Title: [Do you have another easier version for this application?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/do-you-have-another-easier-version-for-this-application) — 3 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "Pages from Apple would be easier to just and still give you a similar set of features. "

### Affinity Publisher

- Title: [What is the difference between Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-difference-between-affinity-designer-and-affinity-publisher) — 2 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Affinity Designer is more of a vector illustration and design application that works best for single-page designs. Affinity Publisher is a true desktop..."
- Title: [How good is Affinity Publisher?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-good-is-affinity-publisher) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "For me, it is perfect. I wanted something I could purchase in a one-time fee and own the software.  I had been using Adobe products and needed something to..."
- Title: [Children's Picture Book - read Publisher is unable to create epub or mobi files](https://www.g2.com/discussions/children-s-picture-book-read-publisher-is-unable-to-create-epub-or-mobi-files-782f04d4-841a-419f-8d52-afa67bdb8be6) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "You can only export in PDF with a great quality.

BUT.  If you come from Adobe's InDesign, you'll be like a fish in the water.  Affinity Publisher has..."
- Title: [How do I change the default measurement?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/34521-how-do-i-change-the-default-measurement) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "If you are referring to the unit(px, in, cm, mm) - Just click File then click Document setup. Change "document units" value to your preferred unit. You will..."

### Microsoft Publisher

- Title: [What is the best way to design a business card using Microsoft Publisher?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-best-way-to-design-a-business-card-using-microsoft-publisher) — 5 comments, 2 upvotes
  > **Top comment:** "If you have some of those perforated business cards by Avery, try downloading a template made for your paper and customize that.

Otherwise, you will..."
- Title: [How do you download new new templates to use on publisher?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/13361-how-do-you-download-new-new-templates-to-use-on-publisher) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "There is not a specific update or download for adding templates to Publisher, all new content is managed by an ondemand system.

With internet access,..."
- Title: [What is Microsoft Publisher used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-microsoft-publisher-used-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "It is a desktop publishing application used for creating and designing various publications, like newsletters. It provides tools for layout customization,..."
- Title: [What type of software is Microsoft Publisher?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-type-of-software-is-microsoft-publisher) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Design"
- Title: [What other functionality did you find useful in the app?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-other-functionality-did-you-find-useful-in-the-app) — 1 comment, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "The diversity of formulas that you can make and mix"

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/adobe-indesign-vs-affinity-publisher-vs-microsoft-publisher)