Microsoft Office has long been the go-to suite for professionals and businesses alike, but with its high price tag and restrictive licensing model, many users have turned to alternative solutions in recent years. One such option that often gets overlooked is Microsoft Publisher.

Released back in 1982 as a direct competitor to Aldus PageRank (now part of Adobe Systems), this powerful DTP (Desktop Publishing) tool offers an impressive array of features at a fraction of the cost compared to its more famous sibling, Microsoft Office Word. But how does it stack up against other popular alternatives like Scribus? Let's dive into our top 6 picks for free and affordable MS Publisher replacements.

1. Adobe InDesign

Adobe is no stranger to the world of professional publishing software. Their flagship product, Adobe InDesign, has been a favorite among graphic designers and typesetters alike since its release in 1993. With features such as master pages, layers, text & image editing tools galore plus support for popular file formats like PDF/X-1a (Portable Document Format eXtended), it's little wonder why many still choose this industry standard over cheaper alternatives.

2. Scribus

Scribus is another free and open-source DTP application that competes directly with commercial offerings from big names such as Adobe. Developed by the now defunct German company, SourceForge GmbH under the GNU General Public License (GPL), it first saw light of day back in 2000 - making it one heckuvalot older than its main competitors! Despite this age gap however; Scribus still packs a punch offering many advanced features including support for vector graphics via PostScript & PDF as well as import/export capabilities across various file formats.

3. Affinity Publisher

Affinity is an interesting case - while their eponymous suite of creative applications (including photo editing software like Affinity Photo) were initially developed by UK-based company Serif Ltd., they later sold off all rights to US tech giant, Adobe Systems Inc. in 2012 for a rumored sum somewhere northwards of $100 million USD! Despite this changeover though; these consumer-grade alternatives remain remarkably feature-rich still today offering support for many popular file formats including PSD (Photoshop Document), AI & EPS too.

4. Swift Publisher

Swift is another lesser-known player in the DTP market, but don't let its unassuming name fool you - beneath lies a powerful tool capable of handling even the most demanding publishing tasks with ease thanks largely down to its impressive feature set which includes support for popular file formats like PSD (Photoshop), AI & EPS as well as advanced text & image editing capabilities galore.

5. PrintMaster

Last but certainly not least on our list is QuarkXpress's long-lost cousin - Corel's very own Printmaster! Originally released back in 1987 under the Aldus banner (which would later merge with Adobe), this powerful DTP application has seen many different iterations over the years including a recent rebranding as part of Microsoft Office's suite lineup. While its popularity may have waxed & waned somewhat since then, PrintMaster remains an excellent choice for anyone looking for professional-grade publishing capabilities without breaking the bank - especially considering you can still pick up older versions at discounted prices online today!

In conclusion therefore if you're in search of a worthy Microsoft Publisher alternative that won't dent your wallet too much either then look no further than these five fantastic options above! Whether it's Adobe InDesign's industry-standard features or perhaps something more budget-friendly like Scribus instead; there'll surely be an option out there waiting just for YOU...

Scribus microsoft publisher