Best Vellum Alternatives in 2026
15 desktop publishing software our editors would look at instead of Vellum, in our ranking order.
Vellum: A focused Mac app for turning Word manuscripts into polished ebook and print files. Where it falls short: runs only on macOS.
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Best forBroad publishing without a subscription
A broad desktop publishing suite for design, editing, layout, and print output without a subscription.
5.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit Affinity -
Best forProfessional print-production workflows
A focused choice for multipage layouts, typography, prepress, and PDF production.
4.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit Adobe InDesign -
QuarkXPress not yet scored
Best forMature print and digital publishing teams
A full-featured desktop publisher for teams producing print and digital content.
—not yet scoredVisit QuarkXPress -
Scribus not yet scored
Best forFree cross-platform professional layout
A capable free choice for press-ready layouts across Windows, macOS, and Linux.
—not yet scoredVisit Scribus -
Best forTeams needing broad deployment and versioning
A broad publishing suite for teams that need cross-platform layout and versioning.
- Preflight tools
- EPUB export
- Master pages
10.0/10★★★★★Visit VivaDesigner -
Best forAffordable web-based prepress publishing
A low-cost web publisher with strong prepress tools and limited platform coverage.
- Preflight tools
- Master pages
- Color management
8.0/10★★★★☆Try Megal Publisher -
Best forCross-platform traditional page layout
A cross-platform layout tool with strong typography and long-document controls.
- Master pages
- Color management
- PDF export
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit PageStream -
Best forWindows users needing familiar publication tools
A capable Windows publishing tool, but its scheduled retirement limits its long-term fit.
- Master pages
- Color management
- PDF export
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Microsoft -
Best forWindows page design with integrated graphics tools
A capable Windows layout package for print documents, with integrated graphics and color workflows.
- Color management
- PDF export
5.4/10★★★☆☆Visit Xara -
Best forMac users needing polished print output
A Mac-only desktop publishing tool with print-focused layout and export controls.
- Master pages
- Color management
- PDF export
6.4/10★★★☆☆Try Swift Publisher -
Best forData-rich publishing with database connections
A specialized choice for data-rich documents, with a high-cost paid model.
- Master pages
- Color management
- PDF export
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit RagTime -
InPage not yet scored
Best forUrdu and Perso-Arabic typesetting
A focused Windows desktop-publishing tool for Urdu and Perso-Arabic typesetting.
- EPUB export
- Master pages
- PDF export
—not yet scoredVisit InPage -
Best forPrint shops preparing multi-page documents
A print-focused layout system with preflight, color separation, and imposition tools.
- Preflight tools
- Master pages
- Color management
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Calamus SL -
Best forLow-cost Mac publication design
A focused, low-cost Mac tool for print layouts, booklets, and digital exports.
- EPUB export
- Master pages
- Color management
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit iStudio -
Best forBooklet and zine imposition
A focused desktop tool for turning ordered PDFs into print-ready book and zine files.
- PDF export
5.8/10★★★☆☆Visit site
Vellum Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Vellum?
Affinity: #1 in our Desktop Publishing Software ranking, with an editor score of 5.0 out of 10. A broad desktop publishing suite for design, editing, layout, and print output without a subscription.
Is there a free alternative to Vellum?
Yes. Affinity, Scribus, VivaDesigner, Megal Publisher and iStudio Publisher have a free plan or a free tier (6 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Vellum vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | PDF export | EPUB export | Preflight tools | Color management | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Vellum | Yes | — | macOS | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 6.2 |
| 1 | Affinity | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | — | 5.0 |
| 2 | Adobe InDesign | No | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4.0 |
| not scored | QuarkXPress | No | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| not scored | Scribus | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | VivaDesigner | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux, Web browser | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10.0 |
| 6 | Megal Publisher | Yes | — | web | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 7 | PageStream | No | — | Windows, Macintosh OS X, Linux, Amiga | Yes | — | — | Yes | 7.2 |
| 8 | Microsoft Publisher | No | — | windows | Yes | No | — | Yes | 6.4 |
| 9 | Xara Page & Layout Designer | No | — | Windows | Yes | — | — | Yes | 5.4 |
| 10 | Swift Publisher | No | — | macOS | Yes | — | — | Yes | 6.4 |
| 11 | RagTime | No | — | macOS, Windows | Yes | No | — | Yes | 6.4 |
| not scored | InPage | — | — | Windows | Yes | Yes | — | — | — |
| 13 | Calamus SL | No | — | Windows, macOS | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | 7.0 |
| 14 | iStudio Publisher | No | — | macOS | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | 7.0 |
| 15 | Layout Department | Yes | — | macOS, Windows | Yes | — | — | — | 5.8 |
Guides on Desktop Publishing Software
- 11 Best Free Desktop Publishing Software for Mac and WindowsAug 2026
- Best Desktop Publishing Software of 2025: InDesign, Affinity, Scribus, Canva and MoreAug 2026
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026