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Adobe InDesign

By Adobe

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Adobe InDesign Pros and Cons: Top Advantages and Disadvantages

Quick AI Summary Based on G2 Reviews

Generated from real user reviews

Users find Adobe InDesign very easy to use, enhancing productivity in managing and designing documents effortlessly. (8 mentions)
Users love InDesign for its easy-to-use layout design capabilities, providing professional results and extensive control over details. (6 mentions)
Users value Adobe InDesign for its versatile design capabilities, excelling in both print and digital formats. (4 mentions)
Users value the versatility of Adobe InDesign, suitable for various design projects, both print and digital. (4 mentions)
Users value the fine control over layout and typography in InDesign, enhancing professional document design. (3 mentions)
Users find Adobe InDesign easy to learn and appreciate its powerful layout tools for creating publications. (3 mentions)
Users appreciate the intuitive design and extensive features of Adobe InDesign, enhancing their creative workflows. (3 mentions)
Users appreciate the variety of tools in Adobe InDesign, making it easy to create professional and polished designs. (3 mentions)
Users find the steep learning curve of Adobe InDesign challenging, especially for beginners navigating its complex features. (4 mentions)
Users find the high premium cost of Adobe InDesign burdensome for occasional use and small businesses. (4 mentions)
Users find InDesign's steep learning curve challenging, particularly for beginners attempting to navigate its complex features. (4 mentions)
Users find difficult navigation in InDesign frustrating, especially when seeking key features among numerous tools and options. (2 mentions)
Users find the subscription fee high, making it less accessible for casual users and freelancers. (2 mentions)

Top Pros or Advantages of Adobe InDesign

1. Ease of Use
Users find Adobe InDesign very easy to use, enhancing productivity in managing and designing documents effortlessly.
See 8 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Joneien J.
JJ

Joneien J.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"A great software for creating beautiful presentations and document"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

I find InDesign very easy to use. The way images are linked instead of embedded into the file saves on file size. This also eliminates the need to rep

Atlas B.
AB

Atlas B.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Great for longer documents"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

InDesign integrates well with LucidLink and other Adobe programs, and is my main software of choice for longform documents. Like most Adobe programs,

2. Layout Design
Users love InDesign for its easy-to-use layout design capabilities, providing professional results and extensive control over details.
See 6 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Anshika G.
AG

Anshika G.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

3.5/5

"InDesign Review: Impressive Yet Intimidating"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

Adobe InDesign is hands down my go-to tool for any kind of layout design. What I like best about it is the level of control it gives you over every ti

Joneien J.
JJ

Joneien J.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"A great software for creating beautiful presentations and document"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

I find InDesign very easy to use. The way images are linked instead of embedded into the file saves on file size. This also eliminates the need to rep

3. Graphics Design
Users value Adobe InDesign for its versatile design capabilities, excelling in both print and digital formats.
See 4 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Rakul P.
RP

Rakul P.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Best App for designing and Publishing layouts."

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

The best app with various use cases for designing. You can use this for Flyer design, Poster Design, Post card design, e-book Design, Page layout, Bro

Sanampreet K.
SK

Sanampreet K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"The Ultimate Tool for Professional Layout and Design"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

What I like the best about InDesign, the combination of advanced tools for typography, grids, and alignment makes it easy to create professional, poli

4. Versatility
Users value the versatility of Adobe InDesign, suitable for various design projects, both print and digital.
See 4 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Rakul P.
RP

Rakul P.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Best App for designing and Publishing layouts."

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

The best app with various use cases for designing. You can use this for Flyer design, Poster Design, Post card design, e-book Design, Page layout, Bro

Sarah E.
SE

Sarah E.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"My experience using Adobe Indesign for 10+ years"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

I like the extensive range of features available for automation, organization, editing and publishing anything from flyers to magazines. I can create

5. Design Quality
Users value the fine control over layout and typography in InDesign, enhancing professional document design.
See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Anthony M.
AM

Anthony M.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Essential for graphic design workflow"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

Ease of use; building on a great product that has a long history for quality graphic design

SAKIRA E.
SE

SAKIRA E.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Adobe InDesign: A Powerful Tool"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

InDesign offers fine control over layout, spacing, alignment, and typography, which is ideal for designing professional-level documents.

6. Ease of Learning
Users find Adobe InDesign easy to learn and appreciate its powerful layout tools for creating publications.
See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Anshika G.
AG

Anshika G.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

3.5/5

"InDesign Review: Impressive Yet Intimidating"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

Adobe InDesign is hands down my go-to tool for any kind of layout design. What I like best about it is the level of control it gives you over every ti

Atlas B.
AB

Atlas B.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Great for longer documents"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

InDesign integrates well with LucidLink and other Adobe programs, and is my main software of choice for longform documents. Like most Adobe programs,

7. Features
Users appreciate the intuitive design and extensive features of Adobe InDesign, enhancing their creative workflows.
See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Sarah E.
SE

Sarah E.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"My experience using Adobe Indesign for 10+ years"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

I like the extensive range of features available for automation, organization, editing and publishing anything from flyers to magazines. I can create

KM

Kimberly M.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"InDesign does more than you can imagine"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

InDesign is easy to use and has a ton of features that allow you to create quality products. I use InDesign daily and love how you can Export a docume

8. Tools Variety
Users appreciate the variety of tools in Adobe InDesign, making it easy to create professional and polished designs.
See 3 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Sanampreet K.
SK

Sanampreet K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"The Ultimate Tool for Professional Layout and Design"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

What I like the best about InDesign, the combination of advanced tools for typography, grids, and alignment makes it easy to create professional, poli

Paula L.
PL

Paula L.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Intelligent Design"

What do you like about Adobe InDesign?

I love that Adobe InDesign gives you so many tools when it comes to creating publications and books. It's fairly easy to use - I was self-taught when

Top Cons or Disadvantages of Adobe InDesign

1. Difficulty
Users find the steep learning curve of Adobe InDesign challenging, especially for beginners navigating its complex features.
See 4 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Anshika G.
AG

Anshika G.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

3.5/5

"InDesign Review: Impressive Yet Intimidating"

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

Steep learning curve for beginners.While InDesign is a powerful and professional tool, it definitely has its downsides. The biggest drawback for me is

Sanampreet K.
SK

Sanampreet K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"The Ultimate Tool for Professional Layout and Design"

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

What I dislike about InDesign While the basics are easy enough to pick up, navigating through complex functionalities can be challenging for beginners

2. High Premium Cost
Users find the high premium cost of Adobe InDesign burdensome for occasional use and small businesses.
See 4 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Anshika G.
AG

Anshika G.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

3.5/5

"InDesign Review: Impressive Yet Intimidating"

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

Steep learning curve for beginners.While InDesign is a powerful and professional tool, it definitely has its downsides. The biggest drawback for me is

Lisa P.
LP

Lisa P.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"InDesign - The long running, and proven tested standard for document management"

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

There are no downsides. (well I guess the fact that it is no longer a "purchase" rather it's a membership).

3. Steep Learning Curve
Users find InDesign's steep learning curve challenging, particularly for beginners attempting to navigate its complex features.
See 4 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Anshika G.
AG

Anshika G.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

3.5/5

"InDesign Review: Impressive Yet Intimidating"

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

Steep learning curve for beginners.While InDesign is a powerful and professional tool, it definitely has its downsides. The biggest drawback for me is

Gael  S.
GS

Gael S.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4.5/5

"To export in multiple formats."

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

For novices, InDesign can have a challenging learning curve. Acquiring proficiency in utilizing all the tools and functions can need some time.

4. Difficult Navigation
Users find difficult navigation in InDesign frustrating, especially when seeking key features among numerous tools and options.
See 2 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Sanampreet K.
SK

Sanampreet K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"The Ultimate Tool for Professional Layout and Design"

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

What I dislike about InDesign While the basics are easy enough to pick up, navigating through complex functionalities can be challenging for beginners

Joneien J.
JJ

Joneien J.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.0/5

"A great software for creating beautiful presentations and document"

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

Of course the software has been updated many times over the years, but I find that I don't use any of the newer features. For me I just need the basic

5. Expensive
Users find the subscription fee high, making it less accessible for casual users and freelancers.
See 2 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Sanampreet K.
SK

Sanampreet K.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"The Ultimate Tool for Professional Layout and Design"

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

What I dislike about InDesign While the basics are easy enough to pick up, navigating through complex functionalities can be challenging for beginners

Rakul P.
RP

Rakul P.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Best App for designing and Publishing layouts."

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

Subscription fee of 1800 INR / Month. Which is a bit high for individuals

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Adobe InDesign Reviews (3,352)

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Adobe InDesign Reviews (3,352)

View 1 Video Reviews
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Livia P.
LP
Marketing and Social Media Coordinator
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"A powerful, intuitive design software"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

Indesign is awesome for creating both print and digital catalogues, magazines, flyers and books. I particularly like how you can add interactive buttons, hyperlinks and page transitions, and QR codes. These elevate a basic PDF document, and make them actually fun to flip through. (Plus Illustrator and Photoshop don't have these options).

I also recently discovered the paragraph and character style options, which are SUCH a time-saver for making bulk edits. Similarly, the Find/Change feature allows you to bulk update text rather than manually edit each word.

Also, there are heaps of templates available on Adobe Stock that are great to browse through for inspiration, or download and edit. The stock library has business cards, catalogues, menus, brochures and more.

The layout is easy to navigate, and you can customise the dashboard/panels to your liking. I also like that you can edit the shortcuts, and choose what keys to assign to a shortcut. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

I encountered a steep learning curve when first learning Indesign. As an avid Illustrator and Photoshop user, I found some features (like image frames) very frustrating to adjust to. I also found the difference between shortcuts to be frustrating, like the 'Paste in place' option, which is triggered by different keys in each program.

To use Indesign to it's full ability, you need a powerful computer (especially if your project contains lots of images), otherwise it will quickly become laggy and crash.

The standard plan provides 100GB of cloud storage, which is handy for collaborating with other users, but can be quickly exceeded if you’re working on a lot of projects. So it’s important to have alternative storage options, and only save files to the cloud if necessary.

Indesign is quite costly, so if you're on a budget, I recommend opting for an Illustrator subscription instead, because you can still create magazines, brochures etc, and this way, you can take advantage of Illustrator's other features (although Illustrator don't have all of the same features that Indesign offers). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Archit J.
AJ
Student
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Adobe InDesign Review as an Architecture Student"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

I have been using InDesign for around 4–5 years, and what I like most is how professional my work looks when I prepare layouts. As an architecture student, I need to create portfolios, project boards, presentations, and reports, and InDesign helps me arrange everything neatly. The grid system and alignment tools make it easy to keep drawings, text, and images in proper order. Master pages save me a lot of time when I have to make multi-page documents with the same style.

Another thing I like is the export quality. I can make high-resolution PDFs for printing, or smaller files for sharing online, without losing clarity in the drawings. Over the years, I have also found the integration with Photoshop and Illustrator very useful. I usually edit my renders in Photoshop, then place them directly in InDesign. If I change the render later, the InDesign file updates automatically, which saves me time and keeps the layout consistent. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

In the beginning, it was not easy to learn because there are so many tools and panels. It took me time to understand styles, layers, and master pages properly. Even now, when I work with large files full of images and renders, the software slows down or lags sometimes. Also, some advanced features are hidden deep in menus, so I had to spend time exploring before I got comfortable. The biggest drawback for students is the cost, since it needs a subscription. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Giovana L.
GL
Graphic Designer
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"My favorite Adobe product"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

I love the flexibility with InDesign. I am able to create quick designs for a lot of our editorial projects and can quickly whip up simple graphics if needed right in the program without using multiple programs. I use this program for the majority of my graphic design work daily and love how easy it is to implement changes across team. I utilize this program mostly for editorial assets like email banners, pdf packets, social media posts, zoom banners, zoom backgrounds, one-pagers, pendo guide templates, and so much more. The review integration is great for others that do not use InDesign but need to make comments on the projects. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

One thing I am not a fan of is the customer support at Adobe. I had an issue I was trying to figure out and an employee pretty much told me that he couldn't help because it was ran through another company...but the offer was through Adobe. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Ivars L.
IL
Creative Services Manager
Marketing and Advertising
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"InDesign is still the industry standard for print"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

InDesign is my go-to for client print projects, whether it’s a 20 to 40 page catalogue, a brochure, or a flyer. I use it weekly and it saves a ton of time because I can set up templates, master pages, and styles that keep everything consistent. Preflight checks make sure files are press-ready, and packaging files for printers is simple since fonts, links, and assets are bundled automatically. It integrates smoothly with Photoshop and Illustrator so dropping in images or vector work is painless. The feature set is deep, from typography controls to layout grids, and once you know your way around, it’s pretty easy to use. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

The learning curve is tough for new users and the interface looks old compared to modern tools. If you’re just starting out, implementation is not intuitive. It’s amazing for print, but I’ve seen people try to force it into social graphics or emails, and that’s just not what it’s built for. Large files can also drag. Even on my 2021 MacBook Pro with an M1 Pro chip, a 25 page catalogue with heavy images will slow down. Customer support is basically digging through forums or watching tutorials online because you don’t get much direct help from Adobe. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Kim C.
KC
Art Director
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Still my go-to software until this day"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

The updates to grids and paragraph styles make long documents easier to wrangle, and the interface feels cleaner than past versions. Also, I would like to mention that the interface is still one of the cleanest among design software, so even when I’m juggling text, images, and grids, everything stays organized. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

The 2025 release has felt somewhat rough around the edges. I’ve experienced crashes when deleting pages or exporting files, and the recovery system doesn’t always work as expected. Performance sometimes lags more than it should, and the most recent updates often seem unreliable, introducing bugs and even causing lost presets. While it remains usable for daily tasks, I don’t always feel confident trusting the very latest build due to these stability issues. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Amy C.
AC
Freelance Graphic Designer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"A Powerful Industry Standard Awaiting an AI Boost"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

InDesign is incredibly powerful and reliable for any kind of layout work. Its real strength lies in the final output stage. The ability to package a project, gathering all fonts and linked images, is flawless and essential for working with printers. Exporting high-quality, print-ready PDFs is straightforward and dependable. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

I feel InDesign is falling behind in the AI race. I'm waiting for smart features like an AI-powered layout generator that could suggest creative compositions. An intelligent system to parse PDF comments and apply edits would transform the revision process. The current generative AI for images inside InDesign also feels like a limited version of what Photoshop can do, which interrupts a smooth workflow. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Adelaide R.
AR
Freelance Graphic Designer
Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)
"High Learning Curve, But Huge Payoff"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

Adobe InDesign is perfectly suited for print and layout design. I use it every day as a marketing designer. There are no better programs that I know of that are optimized with a variety of features to support print production and editorial work. It also integrates beautifully with other Adobe products, as do many programs in Adobe CC. Like other CC programs, it's constantly being updated with new features to improve workflow. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

I consider InDesign to be one of the most difficult Adobe products to learn, on par with Adobe Acrobat. I think the learning curve is worth the investment, however, and some of the important specialized features can make ease of use difficult for people who aren't used to pre-production processes. The improvements to InDesign also seem to be less frequent or impactful compared to programs like Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, Express, etc. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Abhishek T.
AT
Associate Software Engineer
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"i was quite impressive"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

What I like best about Adobe InDesign is its balance of creative freedom and structured control. The ability to use master pages and styles to keep documents consistent while still designing with flexibility makes it my go-to for professional layouts. It’s especially powerful when handling multi-page documents like reports or brochures, and I really appreciate how seamlessly it integrates with Photoshop and Illustrator in my workflow. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

“What I dislike about Adobe InDesign is that it has a steep learning curve for beginners, which can make it intimidating at first. Also, very large, image-heavy files sometimes slow down the software. That said, once you get comfortable with the tools and maintain a good workflow, these challenges become manageable. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Madalyn K.
MK
Graphic Designer
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
"A Reliable Tool for Layout Design"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

I use InDesign almost daily, and it's one of my favorite Adobe programs. I love the professional layout capabilities, perfect for milt-page documents and print ready materials. It's also great for brand consistency. Having master pages, paragraph/character styles, and libraries allows my team and I to reuse branded elements with ease. Lastly, I appreciate the precision and control the program gives me when adjusting typography, alignment of text and graphic elements, and spacing. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

Though I love this program, there are a few cons. I think that there is a pretty steep learning curve for beginners with this program, especially when it comes to the document set up. Additionally, because this is considered a "heavy software", it can be slow or buggy at times with larger files or on older machines. This can slow down the design process immensely. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Abdulaziz O.
AO
Graphic Designer Lead
Telecommunications
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
"Suitable for creative Agencies"
What do you like best about Adobe InDesign?

The platform's collaboration tools are a cornerstone for agency environments. Features like real-time co-editing in documents, easy file sharing for feedback, and version history tracking simplify the review and approval process. This is particularly beneficial when working with multiple stakeholders and remote team members, ensuring everyone is on the same page and projects move forward smoothly. The recent integration of AI-powered features through Adobe Sensei and Firefly further enhances productivity by automating repetitive tasks and offering innovative creative possibilities. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Adobe InDesign?

Considerable time it takes for the applications to open and for new apps to install. This sluggishness can be a major source of frustration and a disruption to an efficient workflow. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.