Top 10 Best Layout Design Software of 2026

Adobe InDesign is the industry-standard desktop publishing software for creating professional layouts for print and digital media, including magazines, books, brochures, and interactive PDFs. It provides precise control over typography, images, and multi-page documents with advanced features like master pages, data merging, and scripting. Deep integration with other Adobe apps like Photoshop and Illustrator makes it a cornerstone of professional design workflows.

Figma is a cloud-based collaborative design platform specializing in interface and layout design for web, mobile, and apps. It offers powerful vector editing, auto-layout for responsive designs, component libraries, and interactive prototyping tools. Users can work simultaneously in real-time, making it ideal for team-based UI/UX workflows from wireframes to high-fidelity layouts.

Adobe Illustrator is a professional vector graphics editor renowned for creating scalable illustrations, logos, icons, and layouts. It excels in precise path editing, advanced typography, and artboard-based layouts ideal for print, web, and branding projects. While versatile for layout design, it shines in vector-heavy tasks rather than extensive multi-page documents, with strong integration into the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem.

Affinity Publisher is a professional desktop publishing software for creating high-quality layouts like magazines, books, brochures, and reports. It provides advanced tools for typography, master pages, text flow, and precise object management, rivaling Adobe InDesign. As part of the Affinity suite, it offers seamless integration with Designer and Photo, all via a one-time purchase model without subscriptions.

Sketch is a vector-based design tool optimized for UI/UX layout design, enabling users to create artboards, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups with precision. It excels in managing reusable symbols, components, and libraries, making it ideal for designing digital interfaces like websites and mobile apps. With a focus on macOS, Sketch offers a lightweight alternative to bloated suites, supported by a rich ecosystem of plugins for extended functionality.

Affinity Designer is a powerful vector graphics editor that excels in creating precise layouts for posters, brochures, UI designs, and illustrations using artboards, advanced typography, and shape tools. It offers a unified workflow with switchable personas for vector, pixel, and export modes, enabling seamless transitions between design phases without leaving the app. While not a full desktop publishing suite, it handles complex single- or multi-artboard layouts efficiently with snapping, grids, and PDF export capabilities. Cross-platform support ensures consistency across desktop and tablet.

CorelDRAW is a professional vector graphics suite designed for illustration, page layout, and graphic design, enabling users to create logos, brochures, flyers, and multi-page documents with precision. It combines vector editing, photo retouching via Corel PHOTO-PAINT, and typography tools for both print and digital outputs. Ideal for layout design, it offers advanced features like non-destructive editing, PowerTrace for bitmap-to-vector conversion, and robust color management for professional workflows.

Canva is a web-based graphic design platform specializing in layout creation for social media graphics, presentations, posters, infographics, and marketing materials through an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. It provides access to millions of templates, stock photos, icons, fonts, and animations, enabling quick assembly of professional-looking designs without advanced skills. While excellent for rapid prototyping and collaborative workflows, it falls short on precise vector control and complex typesetting compared to dedicated layout software like Adobe InDesign.

QuarkXPress is a veteran professional page layout software designed for creating complex print and digital publications with exceptional precision. It offers advanced typography controls, precise object manipulation, and robust color management, making it ideal for high-end magazines, books, and brochures. The software supports multiple output formats including PDF, EPUB, and HTML5, bridging traditional print workflows with digital publishing needs.

Inkscape is a free, open-source vector graphics editor primarily designed for creating scalable illustrations, logos, and diagrams. It supports basic layout design through multi-page documents, object grouping, and alignment tools, making it suitable for posters, flyers, and simple brochures. However, it lacks advanced features like text threading, master pages, and professional typography controls found in dedicated layout software.