Top 10 Free Alternatives to Affinity Publisher in 2025

As Affinity Publisher continues to grow in popularity, many people are seeking free alternatives that offer similar capabilities without the associated costs. Below, we explore ten of the best free alternatives to Affinity Publisher in 2025, detailing their key features and usability.

Boost Your SEO by Getting Featured in Our Blogs and get a backlink.

We publish content about startups, education, tech, funding, etc. that ranks well not only in Google but also in Perplexity, ChatGPT, Grok and other AI tools.

👉 Get featured now!

1. Scribus

Pricing: Free and open-source.
Ease of Use: Professional desktop publishing capabilities designed for those familiar with layout software.
Use Cases: Creating magazines, brochures, newsletters, and posters.
Target Audience: Professional designers looking for a free DTP solution.
Limitations: May not be suitable for very complex projects compared to paid alternatives. Discover Scribus

2. Canva

Pricing: Free version available with paid upgrades.
Ease of Use: User-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
Use Cases: Social media content, presentations, and basic print materials.
Target Audience: Beginners and non-design professionals.
Limitations: Limited professional desktop publishing features compared to Affinity Publisher. Explore Canva

Get your FREE Landing Page Analysis!

Insert your landing page link and get a super useful analysis and easy fixes to get more clicks!

👉 Get Your Analysis Here!

3. LibreOffice Draw

Pricing: Free and open-source.
Ease of Use: Integrated with the LibreOffice suite; suitable for users already familiar with LibreOffice.
Use Cases: Simple layout tasks, diagrams, and basic document design.
Target Audience: Users needing basic layout and diagram creation tools.
Limitations: Not as feature-rich as dedicated DTP software. Learn more about LibreOffice Draw

4. GIMP

Pricing: Free and open-source.
Ease of Use: Advanced image editing with a variety of tools for those experienced in graphic design.
Use Cases: Photo editing, creating graphics, and some basic layout tasks.
Target Audience: Graphic designers and photo editors.
Limitations: Not specifically designed for desktop publishing, lacking some advanced layout features. Discover GIMP

5. Microsoft Word

Pricing: Part of Microsoft Office suite, often comes pre-installed.
Ease of Use: Familiar interface for most users.
Use Cases: Basic layout tasks, newsletters, and simple documents.
Target Audience: General users needing basic document creation.
Limitations: Lacks the sophisticated features of dedicated DTP software. Learn more about Microsoft Word

Validate your startup idea with the unique borrowed authority approach: we publish articles about your product in our blog and you get traffic and testers for your MVP

Prove Market Demand: See real organic traffic and waitlist conversions

Unlock High-Potential Keywords: Receive a curated list of top-performing keywords directly from Google Search Console data.

Estimate Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Gain financial foresight with an estimated CAC based on real keyword performance data.

🔗 Start validating your startup now

6. Marq (formerly Lucidpress)

Pricing: Free plan available with paid upgrades.
Ease of Use: Intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
Use Cases: Creating marketing content, brochures, and posters.
Target Audience: Marketing professionals and businesses.
Limitations: Free plan might have limitations on features and storage. Explore Marq

7. PhotoScape X

Pricing: Free.
Ease of Use: Simple and intuitive for basic photo editing.
Use Cases: Basic photo editing and image-based layouts.
Target Audience: Casual users needing simple editing tools.
Limitations: Not a primary DTP tool, lacks professional layout features. Discover PhotoScape X

8. Edraw AI

Pricing: Free version available.
Ease of Use: User-friendly drag-and-drop interface powered by AI.
Use Cases: Diagrams, flowcharts, and technical illustrations.
Target Audience: Technical professionals needing diagramming tools.
Limitations: Not a dedicated DTP software. Learn more about Edraw AI

9. Vectr

Pricing: Free.
Ease of Use: Easy to use with real-time collaboration features.
Use Cases: Creating vector graphics, logos, illustrations, and simple layouts.
Target Audience: Graphic designers and illustrators.
Limitations: Not for complex desktop publishing. Explore Vectr

10. Lunacy

Pricing: Free.
Ease of Use: Real-time collaboration with built-in graphics and AI tools.
Use Cases: UI/UX design, graphic design, and some vector-based layouts.
Target Audience: UI/UX designers and graphic designers.
Limitations: Not a full DTP solution. Discover Lunacy

Join ElonaHunt (like ProductHunt but for women) and explore the coolest women-focused startups out there!

Discover your next big inspiration and connect with like-minded female entrepreneurs!

👉 Join the Hunt Here

FAQ

1. What are some free alternatives to Affinity Publisher for desktop publishing?

Scribus is a free and open-source option ideal for creating professional layouts like magazines and brochures. Explore Scribus

2. Which design tool offers the best drag-and-drop interface for beginners?

Canva provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface perfect for beginners creating basic layouts and social media graphics. Discover Canva

3. Can I use LibreOffice Draw for basic document design?

Yes, LibreOffice Draw is suitable for simple layout tasks and integrates with the LibreOffice suite for basic document design. Learn more about LibreOffice Draw

4. Is there a free image editing software that can also handle some layout tasks?

GIMP is a powerful image editing tool that can handle basic layout design tasks. Check out GIMP

5. Can Microsoft Word be used for desktop publishing?

Microsoft Word offers some layout capabilities, making it suitable for simple DTP tasks. Explore Microsoft Word

6. What is a good online tool for creating marketing materials and documents?

Marq, formerly known as Lucidpress, is a cloud-based design tool ideal for creating marketing content and brochures. Discover Marq

7. Is there a free photo editing program with basic layout features?

PhotoScape X offers free photo editing and some basic page layout features. Learn more about PhotoScape X

8. Which tool is best for creating technical diagrams and illustrations?

Edraw AI provides AI-powered templates and an intuitive interface for creating technical diagrams and illustrations. Explore Edraw AI

9. What free tool can I use for vector graphics and simple layouts?

Vectr is a free web and desktop vector graphics editor suitable for creating vector graphics, logos, and simple layouts. Check out Vectr

10. Which vector graphics editor supports real-time collaboration?

Lunacy is a free vector graphics editor that supports real-time collaboration and is available on multiple operating systems. Discover Lunacy

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.