Best Adobe InDesign Alternatives in 2025
Looking for alternatives to Adobe InDesign? In this comparison, we take a closer look at Adobe InDesign alongside similar software solutions including Adobe InDesign, iTop PDF, Adobe Acrobat Standard, Adobe Acrobat DC, PDF-XChange Viewer, Adobe Illustrator, PDF-Creator, soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium, Ashampoo PDF Pro, Adobe Reader and PDF-XChange Editor.
Our detailed comparison table highlights key features, pricing, and performance of these leading solutions, empowering you to make an informed decision. Whether you're seeking robust functionality, user-friendly design, or cost-effective alternatives, explore how Adobe InDesign, iTop PDF, Adobe Acrobat Standard, Adobe Acrobat DC, PDF-XChange Viewer, Adobe Illustrator, PDF-Creator, soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium, Ashampoo PDF Pro, Adobe Reader and PDF-XChange Editor stack up to find the perfect software for your goals.
Primary Function
 Adobe InDesign
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Desktop publishing software application for creating multi-page layouts for print and digital media. |
 iTop PDF
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PDF editor with basic editing functionalities and a user-friendly interface for managing PDFs on multiple platforms. |
 Adobe Acrobat Standard
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PDF document software with features like editing, filling forms, digital signatures, and password protection. |
 Adobe Acrobat DC
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Comprehensive PDF software suite with advanced features including OCR, editing, e-signatures, and document cloud integration. |
 PDF-XChange Viewer
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Free PDF viewer focused on annotation, commenting, and easy navigation with some advanced features. |
 Adobe Illustrator
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Vector graphics editor designed for creating complex illustrations, logos, and graphic designs. |
 PDF-Creator
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PDF creation software with batch conversion and optimization features for various file formats. |
 soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium
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Comprehensive PDF editor offering annotation, OCR, image editing, encryption, and extensive format support. |
 Ashampoo PDF Pro
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PDF editing software that supports OCR, easy editing of text/images, annotations, and security options. |
 Adobe Reader
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Free software primarily for viewing and navigating PDFs with annotation capabilities. |
 PDF-XChange Editor
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Feature-rich PDF editor with advanced editing features, annotations, digital signatures, and cloud service integration. |
Platform Compatibility
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Adobe InDesign
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Requires 64-bit multi-core Intel processor; designed mainly for desktop environments (Windows/Mac). |
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iTop PDF
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Available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices supporting multiple platforms. |
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Adobe Acrobat Standard
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Available on Windows; supports Android and iOS devices via mobile app. |
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Adobe Acrobat DC
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Supports Windows and macOS desktop platforms; mobile apps available for iOS and Android. |
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PDF-XChange Viewer
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Supports Windows operating systems; mobile app not available. |
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Adobe Illustrator
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Available on both Windows and Macintosh computer systems; no online version currently. |
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PDF-Creator
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Supports Windows operating systems including Windows XP to 10. |
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soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium
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Supports Windows operating systems; includes cloud storage integration. |
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Ashampoo PDF Pro
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Supports Windows OS; no mention of mobile apps or other OS compatibility. |
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Adobe Reader
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Available on multiple platforms including Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Android; supports frequent updates. |
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PDF-XChange Editor
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Available on Windows 7/8/10 operating systems with extensive compatibility features; cloud platform support included. |
Key Advanced Features
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Adobe InDesign
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Advanced typographic options, multi-page layouts, built-in PDF export, seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud suite. |
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iTop PDF
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Basic editing tools including markup, image insertion; supports secure password protection; user-friendly for team collaboration. |
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Adobe Acrobat Standard
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Form creation/filling features, digital signatures, password protection/security features; shared review capability. |
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Adobe Acrobat DC
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Automatic form recognition, OCR technology for scanned documents, extensive editing and encryption options, e-signatures integration. |
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PDF-XChange Viewer
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Annotation tools including highlighting and stamping; limited integration features but provides OCR functionality in paid versions. |
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Adobe Illustrator
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Industry-standard vector graphics editor with extensive toolset including brushes, gradients, patterns; supports various file formats like AI and EPS. |
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PDF-Creator
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Batch conversion feature for multiple file formats; file optimization; digital signature and encryption support. |
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soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium
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High-quality OCR technology, image editing within PDFs, editable text options, encryption and password protection support. |
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Ashampoo PDF Pro
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OCR accuracy for scanned documents, document editing (text/images), markup tools including tracking changes and annotations; encryption options available. |
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Adobe Reader
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Basic annotation features like highlighting and stamping; primarily a viewer with frequent security updates but minimal editing capabilities. |
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PDF-XChange Editor
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Advanced editing tools including digital signatures support, customizable user interface, integrated cloud services (Dropbox/Google Drive/OneDrive), OCR capabilities for scanned documents. |
Choosing the right software isn’t just about features. Size, license type, user ratings, and popularity also matter.
This quick comparison shows how Adobe InDesign stacks up against Adobe InDesign, iTop PDF, Adobe Acrobat Standard, Adobe Acrobat DC, PDF-XChange Viewer, Adobe Illustrator, PDF-Creator, soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium, Ashampoo PDF Pro, Adobe Reader and PDF-XChange Editor in these key areas—helping you find the best alternative for your needs.
Size
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Adobe InDesign
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|
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iTop PDF
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Adobe Acrobat Standard
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Adobe Acrobat DC
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1.1MB |
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PDF-XChange Viewer
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15.8MB |
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Adobe Illustrator
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3MB |
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PDF-Creator
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2.3MB |
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soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium
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99MB |
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Ashampoo PDF Pro
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900.4MB |
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Adobe Reader
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36.1MB |
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PDF-XChange Editor
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377.2MB |
License
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Adobe InDesign
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Commercial |
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iTop PDF
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Commercial |
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Adobe Acrobat Standard
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Commercial |
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Adobe Acrobat DC
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Commercial |
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PDF-XChange Viewer
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Freeware |
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Adobe Illustrator
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Commercial |
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PDF-Creator
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Demo |
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soft Xpansion Perfect PDF Premium
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Commercial |
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Ashampoo PDF Pro
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Commercial |
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Adobe Reader
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Freeware |
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PDF-XChange Editor
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Commercial |