Whether you’re designing a flyer, magazine, book, or poster, having the right desktop publishing (DTP) software is essential for professional-looking results. The good news is, Mac users have plenty of excellent options—both free and paid—to choose from.
We’ve tested and compared the leading DTP tools for macOS to bring you this curated list of the best applications available in 2025. Whether you’re on a tight budget or need professional-grade features, there’s something here for you.
Here are our top picks, ranked:
1. Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign remains the industry standard for professional desktop publishing. It handles everything from business cards and flyers to full-length magazines and interactive digital publications.Over the years, Adobe has refined InDesign with a cleaner, more intuitive interface reminiscent of Microsoft Office. Recent updates allow you to preview files directly in macOS Finder without opening the app. Seamless integration with Adobe Illustrator lets you drag and drop graphics directly into your layouts.
Features like Auto Style suggest layout options automatically, and built-in Adobe Firefly AI helps generate images on the spot. For print projects, the PreFlight feature checks that your files meet all professional printing standards.
Pricing: $22.99/month | Educational discounts available | Free trial
Pros:
- Industry-standard for professional DTP
- Powerful layout and template options
- Works for print and digital publishing
- Includes AI image generation
- Native support for Apple Silicon Macs
- Cons:Limited PDF editing
- Subscription-only model
2. Swift Publisher
Ideal for beginners or those seeking an affordable one-time purchase, Swift Publisher offers a user-friendly experience without sacrificing functionality.Its Microsoft Publisher-like interface will feel familiar to many users. It includes pro features such as master pages, guidelines, grid layers, and table formatting. You can also set bleeds and adjust DPI for professional printing.
The software includes 500+ templates for various projects and lets you easily customize text, images, and other elements.
Pricing: Starts at $19.99 (one-time purchase)
Pros:
- One-time purchase
- Easy learning curve
- Template-rich
- Supports both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs
- Cons:Limited image editing
- No built-in stock media
3. Scribus (Free)
Scribus is a powerful open-source option for those on a budget. While it behaves more like a word processor, it supports basic layout work for books, newsletters, and posters.It includes surprising advanced features like CMYK support, ICC color management, and PDF export. However, it lacks native support for Apple Silicon Macs and can be unstable on newer macOS versions.
Pricing: Free
Pros:
- Free and open-source
- Strong layout capabilities
- Great for books and PDF publishing
- Cons:Steep learning curve
- No native M1/M2 support
- Limited file compatibility
4. Pages (Free)
Pre-installed on every Mac, Apple Pages is more than a word processor—it’s also a capable page layout tool. It includes templates for posters, flyers, magazines, and more.It’s especially popular among self-publishers thanks to direct publishing to Apple Books. You can also import Microsoft Word files.
Pricing: Free
Pros:
- Free with macOS
- Clean and intuitive
- Apple ecosystem integration
- Cons:Best for word processing
- Limited advanced DTP features
5. Affinity Publisher
A strong one-time-purchase alternative to Adobe, Affinity Publisher offers professional tools for magazines, brochures, social media content, and more.It supports Pantone, CMYK, and ICC color management, and works seamlessly with other Affinity apps like Designer and Photo. It also supports iPad for on-the-go editing.
One downside is the lack of right-to-left and vertical language support.
Pricing: $69.99 (one-time) | Free trial available via Affinity Suite
Pros:
- No subscription required
- Professional print-ready features
- Cross-platform with Windows
- Cons:Limited support for certain text formats and languages
- Learning curve for new users
6. iStudio Publisher
A Mac-exclusive app, iStudio Publisher strikes a balance between pro and casual use. It supports RGB and CMYK color spaces and allows easy drag-and-drop editing.It doesn’t support .docx files but can import text from RTF, PDF, or TXT files. Video tutorials help new users get started quickly.
Pricing: $17.99
Pros:
- Mac-native experience
- Good value
- Color space support for print
- Cons:No third-party integrations
- Limited file import options
7. QuarkXPress
A classic in the DTP world, QuarkXPress is still a powerful contender. It supports advanced typography, imports InDesign files, and converts PDFs and AI files for editing.It offers both subscription and perpetual license options.
Pricing: From $28.99/month or $559 one-time
Pros:
- Professional-grade toolset
- Import InDesign files
- Flexible purchase options
- Cons:Expensive
- Complex for beginners
8. VivaDesigner (Free)
VivaDesigner is a hidden gem with a free version available. It opens and edits InDesign files and works both online and as a desktop app.It supports team collaboration and recently added AI tools for auto-formatting and translation.
Pricing: Free | Paid from $139
Pros:
- Free tier available
- InDesign import
- Online/desktop hybrid
- Cons:Not enough learning resources
- Can be overwhelming
9. Marq
Formerly Lucidpress, Marq is a cloud-based design tool perfect for quick and easy projects. It includes templates for flyers, magazines, and more, and supports high-DPI printing.
Pricing: Free for 3 docs | Paid from $10/month
Pros:
- Browser-based—no install needed
- Free plan available
- Good for quick projects
- Cons:Web-only
- Limited advanced features
10. Canva
Canva is ideal for teams and multimedia projects. It offers millions of stock assets, AI-generated content and images, and branding kits to ensure visual consistency.
Pricing: Free | Paid from $15/month
Pros:
- Great for collaboration
- Huge media library
- AI-enhanced design
- Cons:Web-based
- Limited offline functionality
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