# Scribus Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is Scribus the right Publishing and Subscriptions solution for you? Explore 19 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/230120/Scribus/reviews --- Scribus 4.4 (19) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of Scribus Ease of use 4.1 Customer Service 3.4 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-19 of 19 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Md Fateh Ali S. UI/UX Designer Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "The best open source alternative of Adobe InDesign" June 20, 2022 5.0 It's a great tool to create books and magazine designs. It allows me to import a large number of pages and work on them easily. As open-source software, it works wonderfully, but if you need advanced and professional work, you consider others. I will recommend others to try it before you buy adobe InDesign or Affinity Publisher. I hope you will love this. Pros Scribus is one of the best desktop publishing software in the publishing and print media and it's totally free to everyone. The user interface of this software is pretty cool and very lightweight. It supports multi-cross platforms like windows, Linux, and macOS. So, you can install this software on multiple computers. It has many professional features, such as CYMK support, image packaging, and a wonderful PDF export feature, highly valued by professional printing services. Cons One of the big issues of Scribus is its open-source software. So it didn't get updated regularly. In contrast to Adobe InDesign, Scribus lacks advanced features and functionality. Alternatives considered [Affinity Publisher](https://www.capterra.com/p/229592/Affinity-Publisher/) Reason for choosing Scribus Pricing is the main issue. It works really well for beginner and basic projects. Review Source JG Joseph G. Type Setter Accounting Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "It does not get much better then this" July 25, 2025 5.0 I h ave experience as a typesetter. So I used to use PageMaker but You can not get page maker any more and Microsoft has finished trying to sell Publisher Pros value for money, customer support, ease of use, web site creation. I have yet to use it every day but I am hoping to make a web page with it. Cons It was hard to find on the net and I miss ms publisher. I have yet to use it every day but I am hoping to make a web page with it. Alternatives considered [Microsoft Publisher](https://www.capterra.com/p/233254/Microsoft-Publisher/) Reason for choosing Scribus price is right, I think I will stick with this product Switched from [Microsoft Publisher](https://www.capterra.com/p/233254/Microsoft-Publisher/) Publisher is too expensive and it is being discontinued Review Source DF Debbie F. creative Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Too many bugs. Unusable." February 8, 2024 1.0 This product used to be decent. Now it's unusable and I paid for this. Terrible. Pros None. I used to use Scribus, now it's unusable with text flow bugs. Cons Type won't flow properly in a text frame. Words are separated with no logic or properly placed hyphen when a sentence comes to the end of a text frame. I've spent way too much time researching and trying to "fix" this. The work around is to force a return where you want the sentence to break. It's basically unusable. This is NOT the free trial, I have paid for this. I'm finding other people are having this issue. I have since read that it won't work on a Mac M1. That information should have been listed prior to me paying for this. I'll have to go back to paying $$$$ for InDesign. At least I know that'll work! Review Source JG James G. Library Tech Libraries Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scribus - Great open-source tool for preparing small to medium sized publications." October 18, 2023 4.0 I actually use Inkscape for graphics layout work for posters and flyers. When the project requires multi page layouts and more complex text handling Scribus has fit our needs well. I spent 12 years as a part-time technology teacher in a small private school. We used scribus each year to design and then publish the school's yearbook, so it can handle quite complex tasks. In my current position I handle most of the graphics design and publishing tasks for our small public library. I work from both home and onsite so the flexible licensing is very important to me. Our budget can't match those of larger libraries so the cost savings of using open-source helps us direct finances to more important needs at the library. Pros The open source licensing allows us to use this on each of our staff computers for free, plus it can be installed on laptops or home computers for the staff to use outside of the office. It is powerful and flexible enough to do the simple brochures and booklets that we need here at the library. It also gives me a higher confidence that years down the road the files will still be useable and the software still available. I can't say the same for some older archive files we have that were created in proprietary software that either no longer exists or is prohibitively expensive. Cons The features we need are present, but the user interface can still be a little bit rough compared to low to mid-range commercial Desktop Publishing software. Some of the staff are still most comfortable using Microsoft Publisher for their tasks. Alternatives considered [Affinity Publisher](https://www.capterra.com/p/229592/Affinity-Publisher/)[Microsoft Publisher](https://www.capterra.com/p/233254/Microsoft-Publisher/) Reason for choosing Scribus For the same reason that we switched from primarily using Microsoft Publisher. Scribus offers an open xml format that should be readable in the long-term future. The open-source licensing cuts down on our technology budget allowing us to allocate the money to more important needs for the library. Switched from [Microsoft Publisher](https://www.capterra.com/p/233254/Microsoft-Publisher/) More flexible licensing so we can install on all our computers at no cost. Scribus uses a non-proprietary xml file format so text content can be recovered even if Scribus becomes unavailable or unusable in the future. Review Source NR Nick R. Sole proprietor Publishing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Have been happy using the 1.5 branch for years" October 5, 2023 5.0 Scribus, and especially using the Python API, is enabling me to create publishing-quality puzzle images and puzzle books (though I still have some work to do on that) very efficiently and consistently.There are definitely hurdles to overcome using the API, but in the end it is that API that is enabling me to scale my puzzle creation business in a way that would not be viable using any interactive desktop publishing GUI simply because of the time it takes doing stuff with mouse clicks and manual fiddling. Pros Currently using Scribus 1.5.8 (in Ubuntu), it supports everything I need to create high quality Begriddled puzzle books, as PDFs suitable for KDP and Ingramspark, etc, and publishing quality PNG and JPEG puzzle images (that include text) that can be included as-is in magazines,etc, or used on products.Although currently 1.5 is considered the development branch, and 1.4 the stable one, the reality is that 1.5 is better than 1.4, is very stable, and suitable for production use (as I have been using it) for years.More recently I have started to use the python API to create documents (including books) programmatically rather than do it manually via the Scribus GUI. Although I found this not so easy at first, once I found decent 1.5 documentation (I use impagina.org/scribus-scripter-api) and got up to speed with it, it opened up a whole new dimension of automation possibilities. It is not perfect, but scripting in Python 3, I have so far always been able to work around limitations. Cons The Python API is not well documented and there are not many good script examples. Most examples you can find are outdated and simply don't work now because they use Python 2 instead of 3, or were created for Scribus 1.4.Some things that are straightforward in the GUI require some trickery to automate. Eg I found rotating an object around its centre, easy to do in the GUI, quite a challenge. But having got that working with the help of ChatGPT to develop an algorithm to do it using only the features provided by the API, I won't have to write that function again.Some issues have to be worked around. The only way I found to make some changes "stick" and be properly visible in the GUI was to save and re-open the document. This is straightforward in the API, but it took me some time to discover this worked as a workaround.But the good thing is that once you've solved an issue and incorporated that in your scripting, you can re-use that without having to solve the problem again.Another example was wanting individual pages in a document to have different dimensions. It's an unusual thing to want to do, but it was useful for me to be able to generate differently sized images for a puzzle and its solution. You can do it in the GUI. The way I found to do it programmatically was to create a new document with the new size, and import that back in to the main document. It works well, but you shouldn't have to work around limitations in this way. Review Source CN Christian N. Editor Publishing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The best alternative to expensive Adobe InDesign" November 13, 2021 4.0 Good experience Pros Scribus supports different formats including Adobe formats and that is helpful and facilitates the smooth workflow. It's free and works on different operating systems without compromising features. Still it has professional features without breaking banks. Frequent updates keep it stay on top of tech advancements. Better handling of XML files than InDesign Cons It requires a learning efforts for the beginners. Still lacks some features given by InDesign but the price makes it the best for budget conscious professionals Review Source CF Cheikh F. Multimedia Content Creator Media Production Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "My Experience with Scribus for Document Creation" May 5, 2023 4.0 Overall, my experience with Scribus has been generally positive. I'm impressed with the features of this desktop publishing software. It has enabled me to create professional documents efficiently and effortlessly. I would recommend Scribus to anyone looking for a reliable tool for creating professional documents Pros I recently used Scribus to create documents and I must say that I was impressed by its features. What I like most about this software is its ability to seamlessly handle different types of content such as images, text, tables, and graphs. The layout is intuitive and it's easy to customize the elements to achieve a professional final output. Cons However, I have to admit that I encountered some issues when using Scribus. Firstly, there are times when images don't display correctly, which can be quite frustrating. Additionally, the exporting process can take some time, which can slow down the workflow. Although these issues are minor, they can still impede the user's efficiency. Review Source Gabriele R. amateur things-maker Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scribus has been an important part of my open source suite of software for years!" October 6, 2023 4.0 Pros Scribus is useful, easy to learn but deep enough to be an important tool for creativity! Cons Maybe it's a bit rough around the edges, sometimes... Review Source Sunjida A. Motion Graphics Designer & Video Editor Media Production Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Works perfectly for publishing media and is an open source." September 21, 2022 5.0 It works great to make some publishing designs. Compare to other software I love the performance of Scribus and its open source. Pros Scribus is great in terms of publishing software. It's easy to operate. I use it to create book covers and some magazine layouts Cons I didn't get any major issue. It's okay to me. Alternatives considered [Affinity Publisher](https://www.capterra.com/p/229592/Affinity-Publisher/) Reason for choosing Scribus Pricing. Review Source William C. Director Publishing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Ideal software for publishing" April 13, 2022 5.0 Pros I found it fairly easy to create book covers with Scribus, as well as signs and posters. Cons Some difficulty embedding certain fonts when exporting to PDF. Review Source Fray Agustin G. Director de albergue Civic & Social Organization Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Diseño editorial gratuito" September 28, 2024 5.0 Pros Sirve para maquetación editorial, fácil de utilizar y cuenta con una gran comunidad de aprendizaje Cons Crear continuidad del texto es algo complicado, al igual que la paginación Switched from [Adobe InDesign](https://www.capterra.com/p/233314/Adobe-InDesign/) Por motivos de licenciamiento, trabajo en varios con varios equipos de computo y es necesario tener una herramienta accesible en todos ellos Review Source BB Bruno B. Docente - Diseñador Primary/Secondary Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scribus- MAquetación y Diseño de Publicaciones" October 17, 2022 4.0 Teniendo en cuenta que no tiene costo y sus herramientas son muy buenas es un Software totalmente recomendado. Pros Primeramente es gratis, muy bueno para introducción del mundo de la edición de publicaciones sin realizar una inversión . Sobre todo cuando se encuentra comenzando sus actividades profesionales. Otra ventaja es que funciona en multiples plataformas, LINUX, Windows y Mac OS. Cons El soporte no es muy bueno y muchas veces se presentan problemas con la conexión con drivers de impresoras profesionales así cómo perfiles de color para imprenta. También tiene dificultades en maquetear para HTML. Tampoco no es muy requerido por la industria profesional. Review Source Juan M. Autonomo Graphic Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Programa de maquetación de código abierto" October 9, 2022 5.0 Es idela para trabajos rápidos de maquetación de folletos, revistas o libros cortos, ya que cuando se trabaja con grandes documentos le cuesta un poco más mover la información. Es tan bueno para preparar documentos para imprenta en formato pdf o eps como cualquier otro programa del mismo tipo. Pros Es muy fácil de usar con opciones muy parecidas a los programas de maquetación editorial y de revistas de pago. Lo mejor es que es gratuito y de código abierto. Cons Una de sus ventajas es también una desventaja, al ser de código abierto no dispone de actualizaciones periódicas que permitan la integración de nuevas funciones con agilidad, como hacen otros programas. Review Source LW Liz W. Kosmetikerin Cosmetics Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Kostengünstiges Programm zur Gestaltung von Werbematerialien" October 15, 2022 5.0 Ich bin begeistert, was einem hier geboten wird! Pros \- einfache Lösung zur kostengünstigen Gestaltung von Werbemitteln und -anzeigen (wie z.B. Broschüren, Visitenkarten, Beschilderungen, Werbeanzeigen für Facebook, etc.) - bietet sehr viele Funktionen und Einstellmöglichkeiten - die Abspeicherung eines Projektes im hauseigenen Scribus-Format ermöglicht es einem zügig und unkompliziert Änderungen an diesem vorzunehmen und dieses im gewünschten Endformat nochmal neu abzuspeichern., somit sind Anpassungen auch noch nach längeren Zeitspannen kein Problem - nach gründlicher Einarbeitung in die Funktionsweise von Scribus ist die Handhabung sehr einfach Cons \- die Anwendung der Software ist nicht selbsterklärend, es erfordert etwas Einarbeitung in die Funktionen und Abläufe bevor einem die Anwendung leicht von der Hand geht., dies ist jedoch bei anderen Software dieser Art auch nicht anders, vorallem wenn es um größere Projekte geht Review Source SW Stefan W. Autor Newspapers Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Scribus auch für Hochzeitszeitungen geeignet!" January 6, 2023 5.0 Hochzeitszeitungen, Flyer ausprobieren, ein Buch habe ich noch nicht umgesetzt, wäre aber natürlich möglich. Pros Die einfache Einarbeitung. Nach und nach steigt man immer tiefer ein, wer jedoch nur mit ersten und einfachsten Möglichkeiten dieses Programmes arbeiten möchte, erzielt auch schöne Ergebnisse. Cons Im Endeffekt muss man sich eine Druckerei suchen, die z.B: eine Hochzeitszeitung dann auch druckt. Das ist möglich, Vorschläge direkt aus dem Programm heraus wären jedoch schön. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Programmer Computer Software Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "scribus open source" May 15, 2023 4.0 Pros \- PDF support- open source- wide range of tools and features for layout and design- pritty large community Cons \- can be more challenging to learn- limited templates- Scribus may encounter occasional stability issues, such as crashes or glitches Review Source JJ Jeremy J. Business Consultant Professional Training & Coaching Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Tool for Open-Source Design" October 17, 2022 4.0 Pros Scribus allows me to select and convert colors in bulk, which saves a ton of time in my workflow. It is moderately easy to use, and I have found myself using this program to make other quick changes to content as well. Cons This software has crashed on me a few times, and I have experienced other glitches as well. These issues are not frequent, but I have experienced them occasionally. Review Source PW Paavo W. Systemadministrator Civil Engineering Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Ein übersichtliches aber gutes Programm" January 23, 2023 5.0 Es ist ein gutes Programm, wodurch man Bilder und Text super einfach und schön zusammenschieben und bearbeiten kann. Es erfüllt alle Anforderungen die ich brauche und ist einfach, aber dennoch mit einer großen Palette von Funktionen gesegnet. Pros Meiner Meinung nach ist das Einfügen von Bildern, sowie die Textfelder die wichtigste Funktion. Beides ist leicht verständlich und schon nach ein paar Minuten weiß man, wie man die wichtigsten Funktionen benutzen kann. Cons Für meine Zwecke hatte die Software alle notwendigen Funktionen. Deshalb habe ich keine Funktion, die schlecht wäre. Reason for choosing Scribus Mir wurde es von einem Bekannten vorgeschlagen, da er diese Software auch verwendet. Review Source BG Benjamin G. Research engineer Research Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Excellent publishing software" June 15, 2023 5.0 Nothing to complain about for a free software application that's easy to use (even for professionals). Pros Almost the only free, open-source desktop publishing software with a graphical user interface! Professional work is easy to do. Cons Occasional crashes, some bugs with the text editing interface, which is not taken into account in the history. Review Source Similar Products Featured