--- title: "Adobe InDesign Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Adobe InDesign the right Publishing and Subscriptions solution for you? Explore 344 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/233314/Adobe-InDesign/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-09-28" --- Adobe InDesign 4.8 (344) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/233314/Adobe-InDesign/alternatives/) 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 September 28th, 2026 # Reviews of Adobe InDesign Ease of use 4.1 Customer Service 4.2 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews JO Joshua O Instructional DesignerFacilities Services, 1,001 - 5,000 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “InDesign is incredible tool for designing templates and documents that allows for great flexibility and customization.“ December 10, 2025 JR Josep R Graphic designerFurniture, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It does not offer many options for simple photo editing, nor does it offer many vector editing options, so for any minor touch-ups you will need to use other software.“ September 29, 2025 RQ Renea Q Graphic DesignerGraphic Design, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “It’s an incredibly powerful tool with virtually unlimited options for layout, typography, and customization, making it ideal for crafting professional, detailed templates that I sell to clients.“ October 31, 2024 Kwesi R DesignerDesign, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Also as part of the CS subscription based model it can be costly to run particularly for hobbyist or freelancers.“ March 25, 2026 RQ Renea Q Graphic DesignerGraphic Design, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “InDesign shines with its extensive export options and seamless integration with other Adobe products like Photoshop and Illustrator, which are essential when working on intricate projects across multiple platforms.“ October 31, 2024 VL Vivien L Graphic designerDesign, Self-employedUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “My least favorite part is not being able to work with vector graphics directly in the program and having to switch back-and-forth to illustrator.“ October 10, 2025 DB David B MarketingMachinery, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “InDesign is a top-tier tool for publishing and layout design. Once you get used to its workflow, it becomes an invaluable resource for creating magazines, books, and marketing materials.“ March 24, 2025 TS Travis S Communications DirectorReligious Institutions, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I do not use it for creating web pages or other formats that it can create.“ August 19, 2025 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 344 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Joshua L. Head of Brand and Design Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The industry leader in desktop publishing" November 10, 2025 5.0 Having switched from Quark XPress many many years ago, InDesign has evolved into a power piece of desktop publishing software. It's range of features and integration with the rest of the Adobe suite make this an essential application for our design team. Pros Adobe InDesign allows my team and I to consistently create high quality, professional print ready publications. Cons It's inability to work effectively from files saved on network drives means i have to copy files to a local drive before working on them. Switched from [QuarkXPress](https://www.capterra.com/p/178598/QuarkXPress/) InDesign surpassed Quark in terms of functionality and reliability Review Source AM Anna M. Owner, designer, web designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Number one design tool" March 25, 2025 5.0 It’s my number one tool, I design 99% of my designs using InDesign. I love the fact that it has advanced text options while being vector programme at the same time. In designing layout options are crucial and it has the best layout options for print and web (and mobile) Pros I think it is the most powerful tool for a graphic designer. The combination of all the options for typesetting and designing and vector editing and creating makes it number one for me. Cons Limited options for gradients and also the lack of angled grid lines. Switched from [QuarkXPress](https://www.capterra.com/p/178598/QuarkXPress/)[CorelDRAW](https://www.capterra.com/p/124823/CorelDRAW/) Cause InDesign is much better especially for publications. It works with vectors and text si it was almost like combination of the two software I used before. Review Source LL Lydia L. Lydia Lee Photo Photography Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The reference to design my photo albums and printed materials" August 6, 2026 5.0 Adobe InDesign is a demanding tool but essential as soon as you want to offer professional quality printed products to your photo clients. Pros For creating photo albums, portfolios or catalogs made for print, InDesign stays an essential tool in my work. The smooth integration with Photoshop and Lightroom really helps to import my already edited photos. The final result in high quality PDF is perfectly adapted to professional printers requirements. Cons The software is complex and needs real time to learn, especially to master paragraph styles and master pages. The Adobe Creative Cloud subscription is also a monthly cost that is not negligible for an independent activity. Review Source JI Jennifer I. Graphic Designer Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Consider another option" October 29, 2025 1.0 I've been using InDesign since it was Aldus PageMaker (over 30 years), and have never been more disappointed. Adobe is moving into a subscription-based model to boost profits while cutting corners (a recent forced "upgrade" removed access the entire Pantone library of colors). If you're looking to get started in layout, use a web-based option, or consider QuarkXpress or Corel Draw. These fat-cat companies need to be called out on their cheap practices. Pros I've been using InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop for decades. They do the same functions as expected, until recently when they refused to pay for Pantone color access. Makes me wonder how much functionality will be lost in future "upgrades." Cons Subscription based, no Pantone color library access. Less and less features, more and more cost. Web-based, free options are taking the design world by storm and will soon out-pace Adobe products, and similar. Review Source Aneesa A. UI UX Financial Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great software to use" July 4, 2026 5.0 Overall experience with Adobe InDesign is that it's a great software to use and I love using it when I am working on Print on demand Pros What I like most about Adobe InDesign is that I like teh alignment and grid tool for when I am working on print-on-demand work Cons What I least liked about Adobe InDesign is that the software can be very slow, and sometimes it gets stuck and shuts down. Review Source CH Clifford H. Graphic Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The industry standard these days - popular, low cost, fairly easy to use." April 11, 2025 3.0 As you might expect, it's compatible with other Adobe products (Illustrator, Photoshop etc) which is helpful when you're designing and you get various files you need to import into the layout. Pros It's the industry standard these days - everybody uses it. Cons I personally prefer Quark Express for DTP design, though I realise Indesign is preferred by others, and Quark can work out more expensive. Alternatives considered [QuarkXPress](https://www.capterra.com/p/178598/QuarkXPress/) Reason for choosing Adobe InDesign Everyone was switching to Indesign from Quark, so I needed to be compatible. Switched from [QuarkXPress](https://www.capterra.com/p/178598/QuarkXPress/) Everyone was switching to Indesign, and at the time it was cheaper. Review Source VL Vivien L. Graphic designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My favorite DTP program" October 10, 2025 5.0 Pros InDesign being an Adobe product makes it so easy to use and connect with other Adobe programs, all the features that it offers makes my work so much easier. Cons My least favorite part is not being able to work with vector graphics directly in the program and having to switch back-and-forth to illustrator. Switched from [QuarkXPress](https://www.capterra.com/p/178598/QuarkXPress/) It became the new industry standard and being an Adobe product was a must for me Review Source Charles A. Creative Director Cosmetics Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Still the best despite all the competition out there." February 21, 2025 5.0 I use it regularly though not as much as Illustrator. It does the job and makes things look beautiful and nice with the right steps. I tried to not use Adobe but I can't, it's engrained into half the things I do in a day, Pros It's just as good as it used to be. Easy, intuitive. Good for PDFs, books and syncs well with what the printers also use. Cons Nothing. It's just a useful application which hasn't changed much over the years, and I hope it doesn't. Switched from [QuarkXPress](https://www.capterra.com/p/178598/QuarkXPress/) It was a long time ago when Adobe Indesign came out and Indesign was part of the Photoshop package. Review Source Kim Z. Creative Manager Airlines/Aviation Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Adobe is Awesome" December 29, 2025 5.0 Ive been using it since before when it was Pagemaker and then went to Indesign. Adobe has great software for designers. Pros Great software, I like the automatic numbering of pages for books, programs, etc. I love how you can drag drop from other adobe softwares. You can set up master style sheets for headlines, body text, subheads, etc, so everything with match exactly. I highly recommend this to anyone. Cons You cannot draw in it. I wish they would bring some features from Illustrator into InDesign so you can draw more. Wish I could make printer pdf spreads from pdfs like you used to be able to do directly in the software. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Create multipage layouts for professional looking books and brochures" March 25, 2026 5.0 Pros Once you get past the learning curve, InDesign is perfect for your print design needs. As a part of the Creative Suite, it seamlessly integrates with other programs meaning that assets and design elements can easily be shared. Also it is very easy to create templates for future projects. Cons You will need to use Photoshop or Illustrator for image/vector file editing support. Also as part of the CS subscription based model it can be costly to run particularly for hobbyist or freelancers. Review Source SP Sean P. Compliance Manager Oil & Energy Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Short Learning curve - A must have for text-based content creation." November 3, 2023 5.0 Coming from using photoshop for creating designs for flyers and brochures - company profiles ect... and this has been an absolute eye-opener. Now I feel like i know what the pros do. I can edit elaborate,(and readable, text-heavy + image-rich content with huge page-counts without creating monstrously big file-size. - nothing can convert into pdf as efficiently as Adobe InDesign. I have found myself almost fully ditching Photoshop, Microsoft Word and others for weeks at a time because editing here feels effortless for me (someone that loves beautifully designed and thought out documents) . The only big gripe for me is that InDesign isn't very well adopted by my collogues... so when they need to edit a file that i made - they cant easily open it like they would an MS Word document. Pros IT just works! - it looks like a photoshop-ey interface, but the user experience is more fitting to Designers/Nothing else seems to convert my elaborate book designs filled with HD images into PDFs with the level of optimization like InDesign does.It feels like a proper design tool but with a built-in word processor. A perfect middleground between Design and Word functionality.Its an Adobe product so it gets updated often! and now with those nifty Ai tools that automagically makes your work alot easier! Cons Its an Adobe product so its probably on the expensive end for a non-pro user.Coming from Photoshop - I had to rethink the way i designed and that was a small but noticeable learning curve.Lacks some of the granular functionality of Microsoft Word to be considered a possible competitor for word processing. Alternatives considered [Adobe Illustrator](https://www.capterra.com/p/227125/Adobe-Illustrator/) Reason for choosing Adobe InDesign Made for documents and long format text files, books and magazines. Just what i needed Switched from [Adobe Photoshop](https://www.capterra.com/p/229092/Adobe-Photoshop/) Needed more efficient way to make small file size PDFs with very high quality. Review Source TA Tabarak A. Graphic Designer Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Your page‑layout workbench" May 6, 2025 4.0 Pros Adding text boxes, placing images, or changing page templates in InDesign happens almost instantly. The program therefore brings solid help for everyday layout jobs Cons When a document reaches many hundreds of pages, the application pauses while I open the Pages panel or create a print‑ready package.The preflight checker also labels safe fonts as errors now and then, which means another round of checks. Review Source CR Cindy R. IT ADMIN Religious Institutions Used the software for: 2+ years ### "get IN the design" May 28, 2025 5.0 It's pretty easy and straightforward! Anyone can work this thing. Just takes a little bit of elbow grease. Pros I like how flexible and creative you can get! I didn't have a administrative background but this really helped me to get experience and start to learning how to create signs and posters! Cons I hate how laggy it can get. It pout with certain commands or when I am trying to convert it to another doc. Review Source DB David B. Marketing Machinery Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A powerful tool for print and digital publishing" March 24, 2025 5.0 InDesign is a top-tier tool for publishing and layout design. Once you get used to its workflow, it becomes an invaluable resource for creating magazines, books, and marketing materials. Pros Adobe InDesign is perfect for creating professional layouts for print and digital media. It offers precise control over typography, page design, and multi-page documents. Cons It can be complex for new users, especially those unfamiliar with layout design software. The subscription model may also be costly for occasional users. Review Source ES Ellie S. Senior Marketing Campaigns Lead Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great tool, tough to learn" April 24, 2025 5.0 Pros Adobe InDesign is a powerful design tool with a lot of flexibility Cons I personally found that InDesign has a very steep learning curve Review Source KP Kathryn P. Owner Consumer Goods Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Indesign is great for creating professional print" March 18, 2025 5.0 It seemed like Adobe Indesign did a good job being compatible with other Adobe applications. I would recommend using if you need create graphics that need to go to professional print. Pros I used this program for years in a marketing position in real estate. My primary use was to make brochures and ads for both printing in-house and also to newspaper print. I had never work with this program prior to taking the job so I was relieved I was able to pick up the basics in a relatively short amount of time. Cons For me, it was pretty straight forward picking up but I also had previous experience with other Adobe products. For someone who is a complete newbie to Adobe they will have more of a learning curve. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Communications Project Manager Wholesale Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Designed to Perfection" January 13, 2025 5.0 InDesign is a key part of my workflow. It is easy for newcomers to pick up and learn and helps our team create polished and professional designs fast. Pros InDesign is probably the best document layout software on the market. It has tools to make grid-based or freeform layouts for everything from fliers to booklets. It is easy to drag and drop elements to build new and exciting designs. Cons I have very few complaints about InDesign. The process of adding, sizing, and displaying images is a bit antiquated, but otherwise the product is very polished. Review Source JC John C. Video Editor Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "One of a kind tool" February 5, 2025 5.0 Since college, I've trusted InDesign for its design power despite its complexity Pros Adobe InDesign offers precise typography, versatile tools, and pro-level layouts. Cons Steep learning curve and requires a subscription for full access. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Associate Pastor Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Perfect software to create print material" January 23, 2025 5.0 Pros Allows me to quickly create print material and easily exports to pdfs that are easy for my printer to work with. Cons Template master pages can be difficult to navigate and create. Review Source SA Sam A. Photographer Photography Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Industry standard software for a good reason." March 20, 2025 5.0 Pros As part of the Adobe Creative Suite it integrates well and is an industry standard piece of software. Cons Steep learning curve can be off-putting. Review Source AS Allison S. Owner and Graphic Designer Graphic Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Experienced designer's go to for print design." October 29, 2024 5.0 I've been working with Adobe InDesign since it came out and have always been impressed. I've used it for years creating for both print and digital for everything form 300 page books to business cards and flyers. Pros InDesign is the ultimate tool for laying out designs that are a combination of images and copy and is particularly great for text-heavy designs. There's a little bit of a learning curve because some of the features are more advanced, but this is what makes InDesign great - you have more design flexibility, more tools for consistency, and better layout tools. Cons I really like everything about InDesign. Review Source NN Ntuthuko N. Multimedia Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My everyday tool" October 10, 2023 5.0 As a daily user of InDesign, I'm a very and can recommend it anyone, as a Designer it makes my life very easy Pros it's very user centered and easy to use. Cons It has less options to manipulate images Review Source Melanie S. Graphic designer Graphic Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "As a graphic design student..." October 23, 2023 5.0 I am very happy, I hope that every year they get better and better, and that this program reaches its full potential. Thank you Adobe. Pros I'll just be honest, I'm in love with Indesign, thanks to this program I found my passion for editorial design. I don't understand how many people don't like to use it, or simply aesthetically speaking, it doesn't appeal to them. For me it is the opposite, I am very happy with the way it is organized, visually it has a clean and spacious look that does not interrupt you with what you are designing, I like the default work tables, the tools you have to streamline the work of the layout designer, etc. 10/10 Cons I don't like that automatically the quality of the images is lower than the original, because it is difficult to know if the image is like that because of performance or because the image is really in very low quality, but I understand that it is a way to speed up the performance of the file. Review Source Marija Š. Geaphic Designer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best Layout and Publishing software for proffesionals" May 13, 2022 5.0 Adobe InDesign is easy to work with once you get a hang of it. I also have Adobe CC so it is my go to for 99% of all of the publishing and printing projects. Pros Adobe InDesign is NOT an easy drag and drop software, and as such it takes some time to master it, but if you do you will get all encompassing tool for printing and publishing. It offers all the functions to make your designs work in almost any scenarios. Master pages are amazing time savers so you don't need to copy and paste repeating elements on each and every page of your book, magazine or brochure. You can also setup automatic page numbering, chapter naming or Table of contents, which are all huge time savers. It is the best software for text editing especially for the large text blocks like books or magazines. Cons Adobe InDesign's biggest strength is also it's biggest weakness, it should be used as a part of Adobe Creative Cloud collaborative tools, which means if you need Photo Editing or Vector Editing and design you will need to that in Photoshop because these tools are non existent in InDesign. So if you are looking to by cheap software you need to look somewhere else, this is not for you. In order to unlock all of the powerful tools you need to have all of Adobe's Creative Cloud suite of applications. Review Source nA neji A. Editor in chief Newspapers Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Let's Indesign" November 3, 2022 5.0 Well, during several years we had been using Indesign and it had been successes whth. We used to use Quarkspress but we changed mind and had no reason to regret. In paper projects which are our main activities; nothing stopped us to got ahead whith Indesign and Adobe in sum. Pros As I said before, you can't not adopt Indesign as partner when you decide to do some publishing works, for paper or online forms. I can pretend that it is a publishing portal as long as it collaborate whthdifferent Adobe tools. It can even be enough to you if all elements are ready to insert. Cons I had some problem with switching between Machintosh and Microsoft Indesign. Sometimes you have to do this, but the rivality between the Apple and Microsoft make the shipping hard and may break some links inside the product not yet finished. Review Source Similar Products Featured