Adobe InDesign vs Laidout

Struggling to choose between Adobe InDesign and Laidout? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Adobe InDesign is a Photos & Graphics solution with tags like page-layout, typography, graphics, publishing, print-design, digital-publishing, ebooks.

It boasts features such as Page Layout, Typography Tools, Image Editing, Interactive Elements, Preflight Checking, Color Management, EPUB Export, PDF Export, Print Production Tools and pros including Powerful layout and design features, Tight integration with other Adobe apps, Industry standard for print design, Many templates and assets available, Can create interactive documents, Great typography controls, Good collaboration features.

On the other hand, Laidout is a Office & Productivity product tagged with desktop-publishing, vector-graphics, diagramming, math-typesetting, technical-illustrations.

Its standout features include Vector graphics editing, Page layout and typesetting, Diagramming and flowcharting, Math typesetting, Technical illustration, Scriptable using Python or Scheme, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows), Powerful technical illustration tools, Advanced typography and math typesetting capabilities, Extensible and customizable via scripts.

Feature	Adobe InDesign	Laidout
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Photos & Graphics	Office & Productivity

Product Overview

Adobe InDesign

Description: Adobe InDesign is professional page layout software used to design and publish print, digital, and eBook layouts. It allows precise control over typography, images, graphics, and multi-page documents.

Laidout

Description: Laidout is an open-source desktop publishing and vector graphics editor software for Linux. It specializes in creating technical documents and has advanced tools for diagramming, math typesetting, and technical illustrations.

Key Features Comparison

Adobe InDesign Features

• Page Layout
• Typography Tools
• Image Editing
• Interactive Elements
• Preflight Checking
• Color Management
• EPUB Export
• PDF Export
• Print Production Tools

Laidout Features

• Vector graphics editing
• Page layout and typesetting
• Diagramming and flowcharting
• Math typesetting
• Technical illustration
• Scriptable using Python or Scheme

Pros & Cons Analysis

Adobe InDesign

Pros

• Powerful layout and design features
• Tight integration with other Adobe apps
• Industry standard for print design
• Many templates and assets available
• Can create interactive documents
• Great typography controls
• Good collaboration features

Cons

• Expensive subscription pricing
• Steep learning curve
• Overkill for simple documents
• Not intended for web design
• Requires constant updates

Laidout

Pros

• Free and open source
• Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows)
• Powerful technical illustration tools
• Advanced typography and math typesetting capabilities
• Extensible and customizable via scripts

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Limited user community and documentation
• Development seems stagnant
• User interface not very polished

Pricing Comparison

Adobe InDesign

• Subscription-Based

Laidout

• Open Source