--- title: Scribus Reviews meta\_title: 'Scribus Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta\_description: Filter 28 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how Scribus works for a business like yours. aggregate\_rating: rating\_value: 4.1 review\_count: 28 scale: '5' date\_modified: '2026-08-07' parent\_category: name: Graphic Design url: https://www.g2.com/categories/graphic-design --- # Scribus Reviews & Product Details Scribus is an open source alternative for entry-level desktop publishing. * * * Seller [The Scribus Team](https://www.g2.com/sellers/the-scribus-team) Discussions [Scribus Community](https://www.g2.com/products/scribus/discuss) Solution Type Best-of-Breed Show More ## Value at a Glance Averages based on real user reviews. ### Perceived Cost $$$$$ [ View More Pricing Information ](https://www.g2.com/products/scribus/pricing) ## Top-Rated Alternatives [ ![Canva](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Canva") Canva 4.7/5(7,647) ](https://www.g2.com/products/canva/reviews) [ ![Adobe InDesign](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Adobe InDesign") Adobe InDesign 4.6/5(3,439) ](https://www.g2.com/products/adobe-indesign/reviews) [ ![Microsoft Publisher](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Microsoft Publisher") Microsoft Publisher 4.3/5(1,007) ](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-publisher/reviews) [ View All Alternatives ](https://www.g2.com/products/scribus/competitors/alternatives) ## User Insights Average based on 28 real user reviews. Perceived Cost $$$$$ [Log in to unlock pricing and user insights](/login) ![Muzammil M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Muzammil M.") MM Muzammil M. Founder – Muzammil Graphic | Interior and Graphic Designer | Transforming Spaces and Brands Visually Graphic Design Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 6/29/2026 "Scribus: Excellent Free Tool for Brochures, Master Pages, and Print-Ready PDFs" 4/5 What do you like best about Scribus? Scribus is a good option for creating brochures, flyers, newsletters, and other multi-page documents without paying for expensive publishing software. I like the page layout tools, master pages, and print-ready PDF export. After spending some time with it, the workflow becomes comfortable for regular design work. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? The interface feels a bit outdated, and some tools take time to find if you're new to the software. It also doesn't feel as polished as commercial desktop publishing applications, and working with complex files can sometimes require extra adjustments. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? It helps me create print-ready documents and simple marketing materials without needing a paid desktop publishing tool. Keeping everything in one project file makes updates easier, and the PDF export options are useful when sharing files for printing or digital distribution. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Our network of Icons are G2 members who are recognized for their outstanding contributions and commitment to helping others through their expertise.G2 IconCurrent UserValidated ReviewerSource: G2 invite ![Verified User in Architecture & Planning](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Architecture & Planning") UA Verified User in Architecture & Planning Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 2/18/2026 "Free, Multilingual, Cross-Platform Tool for Professional Print Graphics" 4/5 What do you like best about Scribus? It’s free, available in several languages and can be installed on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It lets you create professional graphics, manage multi-page documents, and generate executable files for printing. When saving a PDF for print, you can convert spot colors to CMYK. You can also set up master pages so the same graphic layout is applied consistently across the document’s pages. I find the Preflight button especially useful for flagging any document issues, the Preview button handy for quickly viewing the graphics without margins and crop marks, and I appreciate the option to display control characters in text frames. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? It doesn't have the Pantone swatches and spot colors need to be created manually. In the Color Management settings the available profiles are limited. The interface design is very basic and has remained unchanged for several years; it could be a bit more polished and also offer a dark mode option. It doesn't open .eps files and has issues with .ai files (it opens them, but the graphics may have some variations compared to the original, especially with complex designs involving gradients, masks, etc.). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? It allows me to create multi-page documents so I don’t have to make a file for each page and I can manage everything in a single file much more conveniently. It is useful for creating multi-page graphic documents where, with master pages, I can save time and easily apply the same style or elements to different pages without having to recreate the layout each time, thus saving time. It is free and allows me to create files ready for print, whether for traditional or digital printing, without having to use paid software. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![John E.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "John E.") JE John E. Networking/Cybersecurity Instructor Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 5/16/2023 "Using Scribus reminds me of PageMaker!" 4/5 What do you like best about Scribus? For an open source free desktop publishing software, it is very powerful and reminds me of my old days using Aldus PageMaker. Easy to use! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? I can not think of anything I disliked about Scribus. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? It is budget friendly compared to Adobe InTouch. Perfect for someone with a very restricted budget. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Greissy P.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Greissy P.") GP Greissy P. CEO Design Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 1/27/2019 "Free Software! " 3.5/5 What do you like best about Scribus? I love the Free Software idea! I mean, you can have the entire experience of an book-magazine editor, at a professional level for free. The UI design is very nice and it's not heavy. Doesn't occupy much space on your hard drive and doesnt recquire many RAM. It is fast compared with other programs as In Design. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? I don't have any complains about program itself, it's just that I'm used to work with other program. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering Scribus: It is a great option to learn making books and magazines before jump to InDesign, or if you don't want to pay for this kind of software. Just give it a try! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? I used it for a time because I wanted to learn another things, and it solved quick problems. It launches fast and you don't have to wait to start to work or save your project Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite JA Julia A. Encargado de operaciones Consumer Services Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 8/20/2018 Business partner of the seller or seller's competitor, not included in G2 scores. "Simple, effective, and efficient tool, recommended" 4/5 What do you like best about Scribus? To highlight, being a free platform, with all the advantages that this entails. Following this, the diversity of projects it allows you to carry out (one option being to save the document in PDF format, whose utility is broad). Based on my own experience, thanks to Scribus, my company has not only been able to create forms for different clients, but has also been able to make brochures to promote its products (preaching their uses and their impact on the environment...) with a halo of professionalism that has nothing to envy from a paid platform. For all those in charge of a company's marketing, they know how important it is to know how to sell the product as well as to attract and encourage customers to invest in them, and this platform is outstanding for that, as it has the entire visible spectrum (CMYK), which gives the magazine, brochure, or document in general, a freshness and originality that not only makes the products stand out but also indirectly catches the attention of customers, the visual impact is important. Another point in favor would be the number of languages it is available in, specifically 24, which, combined with being a free platform, makes it accessible to people from many corners of the world. To appreciate about this platform is the number of tools you can use to edit the document, ranging from the most basic change of font size and images to something as professional as color separations. As well as the presence of fonts nonexistent in word processors such as layers, master pages, and text outlining. In Scribus, you can also use your own templates, ideal for beginners who want to delve into the platform but don't know how. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? One of its biggest drawbacks: when a text box is copied, the element itself is not copied, but rather an image of that text box is made, which involves designing a box with the same dimensions, causing a great loss of time although with a little practice, this won't be much of a problem. Adding another negative point, you cannot choose the percentage of the gradient in the title and the fact that you cannot rotate or flip images that are inside a text box. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering Scribus: Before starting to write, it is advisable to make a kind of sketch of the project to be carried out. This way, we will not only visualize in advance the form the document in question will take, but we will also be able to distribute the information much more easily and save time, which is always a plus. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? We have generally resolved the company's marketing at the promotional level by not only creating forms but also brochures of the most attractive products for customers, leading to an increase in their purchase. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 inviteAI Translated ![Ryan S.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Ryan S.") RS Ryan S. Director of Education and Public Relations for North Dakota One Call Public Safety Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 1/26/2018 "Free to use but things could be easier" 3.5/5 What do you like best about Scribus? The face that Scribus is free to use is the best part. I do very limited and simple desktop publishing so I don't need to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a product I won't use very often. Setting up my sheet sizes and importing my logos/images are nice and easy. There are many different exporting options, including EPS which is great if I need to pull my creation into GIMP for editing. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? Text editing is a nightmare. When adding text, you need to open up a different window for the editing. But if you don't highlight the text correctly it seems like it doesn't accept the changes. Many other parts of Scribus are easy to use but if dread it if I have to add text to a project. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering Scribus: Good product, just needs a little improvement. However, when using, just remember that Google is your friend. I've found many tips from other users when I search for something specific. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? Minor desktop publishing. I use Scribus to make table tents, flyers, brochures, promo item proofs, etc. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Erica R.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Erica R.") ER Erica R. Page Designer/Copy Editor Newspapers Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 10/3/2017 "A great alternative to InDesign" 4/5 What do you like best about Scribus? It's functional, free and does the job. Does everything that ID does (with a few caveats/differences) but it gets the job done in the same way in the same amount of time. In short: It's free! Try it! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? Some of the features and functions seemed clunky and slow to me sometimes, especially since I was using InDesign for college coursework and heading home to use Scribus for personal projects. It was difficult to set things like tab stops and spacing, for example. Text boxes and settings work differently compared to ID as well. The more I used the program, the more I found functions that Scribus lacked or I found easier to do on ID. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? I used this software for 2.5 years to produce an independent magazine. The publication was entirely self-funded, so using a free program was the best and smartest option. Sure, it's not as user-friendly sometimes like ID, but it's free, so you can't really complain too much. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Verified User in Publishing](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Publishing") UP Verified User in Publishing Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 4/4/2018 "Scribus" 4/5 What do you like best about Scribus? Super easy to use and packed with all of the essentials needed for all types of publication. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? As with most if not all open source software, help can be somewhat slow and a bit lacking. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? Easy publication use across the board. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Verified User in Architecture & Planning](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Architecture & Planning") UA Verified User in Architecture & Planning Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 10/26/2017 "Good open source software" 3.5/5 What do you like best about Scribus? I like that it is free and available. For small companies with little overhead profit this is the difference between success and failure. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? If you are used to other brands of publishing tools then it may take a while to get used to these. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Recommendations to others considering Scribus: Try it out! There is nothing to lose. Plus it is always good to know MORE software. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? It is a publishing tool. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ![Verified User in Alternative Medicine](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Alternative Medicine") UA Verified User in Alternative Medicine Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 10/20/2016 "An excellent compliment to my creative ckoud programs" 3.5/5 What do you like best about Scribus? I enjoy using Scribus with both Illustrator and Photoshop. It's an excellent tool that you can use in combination with your creative cloud programs. Scribus is great for working with type. It really provides a more detailed way to design layouts and create type. It's a great product for any graphic designer Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Scribus? Scribus isnt super intuitive. It's a bit difficult to navigate in the beginning and i can see where people could get easily frustrated with learning where the tools are. If you're willing to put in the time and actually learn it's certainly worth it.. I honestly did a lot of googling when i first got it but once you get the hang of it, it's awesome! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Scribus solving and how is that benefiting you? For me, most of the benefits are with type. Type setting with Scribus is excellent. It allows me to dive into the details of my work and really make my projects look how i want them to look. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite ##### Pricing Pricing details for this product isn’t currently available. Visit the vendor’s website to learn more. [ View More Pricing Information ](https://www.g2.com/products/scribus/pricing) Scribus Comparisons ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_956058913e41e97bb6879cf2871f678b/microsoft-publisher.png "Product Avatar Image") Microsoft Publisher 4.3/5(1,007) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/microsoft-publisher-vs-scribus) ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_b63a01034ac032eb534b8ffbbe659987/adobe-indesign.png "Product Avatar Image") Adobe InDesign 4.6/5(3,439) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/adobe-indesign-vs-scribus) ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/small_square/small_square_cd884d4c079edd9ade6d7e5e9dbbbf23/quarkxpress.png "Product Avatar Image") Quark 4/5(304) [ Compare Now ](https://www.g2.com/compare/quarkxpress-vs-scribus) ## Work at The Scribus Team? 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