InDesign Free

By Ann Young 2024-12-04, UK Blog

Adobe InDesign

  • Rank
    (4.5/5)
  • Reviews: 310
  • License: Trial version
  • Downloads: 12.7k
  • Version: 14.02
  • Compatible: Mac/Win

Looking for possible ways to get InDesign free without breaking the law? Want to download this desktop publishing software and online publisher for free? In this article, I will tell you how to use InDesign free as well as why it is better to avoid the pirated copies. Moreover, you will discover 4 best free programs like InDesign.

indesign editor interface

FREE InDesign Benefits

  • Professional app with excellent results
  • Collaborative online tools
  • Tools for the creation of interactive ePUB books
  • Passthrough PDF printer
  • Compatibility with Mac HiDPI Retina displays and Windows HiDPI systems
  • Perfect integration with Behance

FAQ

  • Do I need to provide credit card details to get free trial?

No, Adobe does not support this policy.

  • How much does the full Adobe InDesign version cost?

Adobe InDesign is available only with a subscription. The price is $20.99/month. In addition to the software, you will receive 100GB of Cloud storage, Adobe Portfolio, Adobe Fonts and Adobe Spark with premium features.

  • Is InDesign available without a Creative Cloud membership?

No, you may use InDesign only as part of a Creative Cloud membership. There are two plans: Single App plan that includes InDesign only or a plan with a variety of apps. The Creative Cloud plans are suitable for students and teachers, designers, photographers, organizations and businesses.

  • Does the free trial work on both MacOS and Windows?

Yes, this open source InDesign trial is compatible both with MacOS and Windows

  • How long can I use the free trial?

You can use the free trial for seven days from the date of the first launch.

  • Does the free trial include all the features of the complete version?

Yes, it has all the features and updates that the latest InDesign version includes.

  • Can I use the free trial on my smartphone?

No, this free trial can only be used on a computer.

Insecurities of Using Pirated InDesign Version

Many users don’t like paying for the software but prefer to search for hacked versions for hours or hack them themselves. According to various analytical data, up to 80% of softwares is still pirate. And this is not only for personal use. Government and educational institutions are often caught in such a violation. In addition to breaking the law, users lose a lot of the advantages that licensed software gives.

Buying license software, we avoid violating laws

The use of unlicensed software violates the copyright and entails administrative and criminal liability in almost all countries of the world.

You will be unable to install an update

Licensed software always guarantees you a free update for a definite or unlimited period of time. It is worth mentioning that almost any software has some defects. Sometimes it is simply impossible to fully use the program features without fixing these faults. Commonly, pirates hack a certain version of the software. Therefore, there is no possibility of updating the program, which is especially critical if you need to fix any bugs or add new features.

Technical support

By purchasing software, you can usually get free technical support. Sometimes it is impossible to correctly set up the program without technical assistance.

A part of the software may be missing

When hacking software, pirates make significant changes to the program code, removing driver libraries and other elements. They do not care about the problems the user may experience, as this will not affect their profits.

Company reputation

Such programs as Adobe InDesign software are rarely used for personal purposes. They are mostly used by different companies. When enterprises have been certified as meeting ISO standard, the licensed software is a mandatory requirement. The violation of the requirements of the copyright law may adversely affect the company's reputation.

4 Best Free InDesign Alternatives

QuarkXPress is considered to be the closest rival of Adobe InDesign for professional publishing. It is not only the paid software but rather an expensive one. However, if you don’t have enough funds to buy a license, but you need to create a desktop publishing document, there are quite good shareware or free alternative to InDesign and QuarkXPress.

1. Scribus

scribus logo
Pros
  • Easy to use
  • Open source
  • Deep text customization
Cons
  • Can't open other DTP software's native file formats
  • Slow interface

Being distributed under the GNU license, Scribus is not only free but is constantly being improved by its developers. Currently, it is absolutely suitable for professional use. Scribus has a variety of features. If you are experienced in programming, you can write small scripts, create a desktop publishing document, define color schemes, etc.

With Scribus, you can do everything that is available in expensive professional software. The interface here is understandable and intuitive: the display settings and toolbars can be adjusted according to personal preferences in order to optimize your workflow. With Scribus, you can quickly apply templates for several types of folding. InDesign doesn’t include this feature.

2. Canva

canva logo
Pros
  • Integration with stock photo image bank
  • Can be used for free
  • Mobile app available
Cons
  • No page grid
  • No alignment tools

Canva is considered to be more a graphic design than desktop-publishing application. It is great for creating difficult graphic objects like posters and flyers. This application is easy to use. Moreover, it offers numerous free fonts, colors and stock images. The premium version of Canva provides even more interesting features. Though, the free version is more than enough if you are a casual user.

Canva is a good free alternative to InDesign, but it cannot compete with this outstanding software. The target audience of Canva is those users, who tend to quickly and easily create nice-looking graphics. So, Canva is a cost-effective and user-friendly analog to more developed desktop publishing software.

3. LucidPress

lucidpress logo
Pros
  • Ability to work as a group
  • Optimized for weak PCs
  • File protection and security support
Cons
  • No PC version
  • Limited selection of free templates to use

If you don’t use desktop publishing app on a regular basis, you can try LucidPress. There is no need to download and install any software on your PC. You can do everything online. It is very easy to use in comparison with the professional programs, so you will save your time. The main disadvantage of LucidPress is that the free features are very limited. So, each of the documents should contain no more than 3 pages. Furthermore, the amount of server disk space should not exceed 25 MB.

Nevertheless, if you want to try desktop publishing or create an event invitation, you will appreciate this application. Nevertheless, one of the biggest security problems with online desktop publishing is to preserve the idea. That's why, LucidPress has a paid version for professional use.

4. Viva Designer

viva designer logo
Pros
  • CMYK Optimization
  • Wide range of powerful typographic features
  • Built-in word processor
Cons
  • Difficult to use
  • There are no templates and art resources

Viva Designer is a paid program but it is available also in the Free Edition. It is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Viva Designer Free Edition can be used for both personal and professional purposes. Since this version is free, it has some limitations. If we compare it with InDesign, we can see that InDesign has a lot more features. However, Viva Designer has some advantages. The program is extremely user-friendly, even a novice will quickly figure out how to cope with its main functions.

It is compatible with Adobe InDesign, MS-Word and MS-Excel. In the paid version, you can even create and save documents in the InDesign format. If you need to work with layouts on the iPad, try the free mobile version of Quark, which is called “Quark DesignPad”.

Download InDesign Free

download indesign free trial

Download free InDesign editor to test it out for 7 days. You will appreciate the interface, ease of editing and its professional tools.

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