Affinity Publisher replaces the former PagePlus desktop publishing application, from Serif Europe headquartered in Nottingham.
$24.99
Marq
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Marq, formerly Lucidpress, is a design & brand templating platform that enables users to create & share branded collateral. Marq offers consistency so brands can deliver its message more effectively wherever it goes. The vendor states over 5 million people use Lucidpress to create, customize, control & distribute their brand’s content.
Honestly, I thought our department would use this more for creating documentation for our staff and doing some mock-ups and layouts to envision future projects. I also run the social media for us, and I didn't expect to come to rely on Publisher for some of my social media layouts. There are other apps and subscription services that can streamline some social media posts, but with a bit of usage I've come to like using Publisher, as well.
It’s a good platform to provide a hub for locked down template management. If you are needing a service for managing branded assets and users across multiple teams or departments this can be a good fit. However if you are looking for an online design software you may be better served by other platforms
It offers a user-friendly interface and powerful design tools that make creating high-quality graphics and layouts straightforward. However, some features can feel complex, especially for new users, which may require a bit of a learning curve. The integration between desktop and iPad is excellent, but improving compatibility with other popular software could enhance collaboration and efficiency even further. Overall, it’s a robust tool that balances functionality and ease of use quite well.
So far, when we've needed support, it has been top tier. However, I rate it an 8 because sometimes searching for things within the application hasn't yielded answers I've hoped for, so I've had to turn to YouTube or other outside sources. Thankfully there's a fantastic community that surrounds Affinity and their various apps that's been quite beneficial
The features in Affinity Publisher easily stack up against the much more expensive Adobe suite of products. With the ability to open all file types it is a bit of a workhorse for all things. We have been using it for social media template designs as well as client booklets and case studies. It's a very versatile program.
I tried to use Canva as a more affordable option early on but found that the platform didn't really work well with text and creating cohesive design was difficult because of the way the page layouts were. Every page was separate and it wasn't easy to scroll to find errors in margins, font size, and spacing.
