Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Desktop Publishing Software

QuarkXPress vs Scribus

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score QuarkXPress #3 in Desktop Publishing Software 8.9/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit QuarkXPress
Scribus #4 in Desktop Publishing Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Scribus

QuarkXPress leads on 0 checks, Scribus on 1, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreQuarkXPress · 8.9/10
  • Free planonly Scribus

QuarkXPress scores higher on our rubric for desktop publishing software: 8.9 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #4.

Scribus offers free plan; QuarkXPress doesn't.

QuarkXPress is the better fit for mature print and digital publishing teams. Scribus is the better fit for free cross-platform professional layout.

  • QuarkXPress fits best

    Mature print and digital publishing teams

  • Scribus fits best

    Free cross-platform professional layout

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature QuarkXPress 8.9/10 Visit ↗ Scribus 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 8.8
Ranking #3 in Desktop Publishing Software #4 in Desktop Publishing Software
Best for Mature print and digital publishing teams Free cross-platform professional layout
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price Not checked yet Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Tickets, Community, Docs Community
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features QuarkXPress 0/5 · Scribus 0/5
PDF export Not checked yet Not checked yet
EPUB export Not checked yet Not checked yet
Master pages Not checked yet Not checked yet
Preflight tools Not checked yet Not checked yet
Color management Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Collaboration level Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Supports books, magazines, newspapers, brochures and digital publications
  • Exports to PDF, ePub and HTML5 from shared layouts
  • Integrates with Word, Excel, Illustrator, Photoshop and IDML
  • CMYK, spot colors, color separations, and ICC management
  • PDF creation with professional page-layout tools
  • RTL, bidirectional, Indic, and OpenType text support
Cons
  • No free plan or native mobile application
  • Pricing requires choosing between subscription and perpetual licensing
  • Real-time collaboration is listed, but collaboration workflows are not detailed
  • Desktop-focused rather than browser-based
  • Free software may suit self-directed publishing workflows best
  • Professional features can exceed the needs of simple documents
Our verdict

QuarkXPress is desktop publishing and page-layout software for creative professionals producing print and digital content. It covers brochures, books, magazines, newspapers, interactive publications and e-books, with tools for typography,…

Read the review →

Scribus is a free, open-source desktop publishing application for creating page layouts and press-ready documents. It is aimed at publishers, designers, and organizations that need professional layout controls without a paid subscription.…

Read the review →
  1. QuarkXPressDesktop Publishing Software 8.9Paid
  2. ScribusDesktop Publishing Software 8.8Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • QuarkXPress — where it wins

    • Supports books, magazines, newspapers, brochures and digital publications
    • Exports to PDF, ePub and HTML5 from shared layouts
    • Integrates with Word, Excel, Illustrator, Photoshop and IDML

    Where it doesn't

    • No free plan or native mobile application
    • Pricing requires choosing between subscription and perpetual licensing
    • Real-time collaboration is listed, but collaboration workflows are not detailed

  • Scribus — where it wins

    • CMYK, spot colors, color separations, and ICC management
    • PDF creation with professional page-layout tools
    • RTL, bidirectional, Indic, and OpenType text support

    Where it doesn't

    • Desktop-focused rather than browser-based
    • Free software may suit self-directed publishing workflows best
    • Professional features can exceed the needs of simple documents

More comparisons

All desktop publishing software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update