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Publishing · head to head

Adobe InDesign vs Sigil

Adobe InDesign logo

Adobe InDesign

Publishing

Industry-standard desktop publishing and page layout

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sigil logo

Sigil

Publishing

Open source EPUB editor for working directly on the file, not generating it

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Sigil has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Adobe InDesign subscription only, with no perpetual licence, which remains the most common complaint about it; Sigil it produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
  • They diverge on capability: Adobe InDesign covers Master pages and styles, Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Adobe InDesign and Sigil actually diverge.

Attributes where Adobe InDesign and Sigil differ
AttributeAdobe InDesignSigil
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelSubscription only, single app or Creative Cloud; published on the vendor siteOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOSWindows, macOS, Linux

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Publishing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Adobe InDesign

  • Master pages and styles
  • Typographic control
  • PDF/X export
  • Data merge
  • Creative Cloud integration
  • EPUB export

Only in Sigil

  • Direct EPUB editing
  • Code and preview views
  • EPUB 2 and EPUB 3
  • Regex across files
  • Validation
  • Python plugins

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Adobe InDesign

  • Commercial print work where the printer expects InDesign filesnot Sigil
  • Long documents needing styles and master pages across hundreds of pagesnot Sigil
  • Catalogues built from a data source through data mergenot Sigil

Sigil

  • Fixing an EPUB that a retailer validator has rejected, without re-exporting from the tool that generated itnot Adobe InDesign
  • Correcting the table of contents, reading order or metadata in a file supplied by a conversion servicenot Adobe InDesign
  • Preparing a back-catalogue title where the only surviving source is the EPUB itselfnot Adobe InDesign
  • Applying a consistent stylesheet or a bulk text correction across every chapter of a book at oncenot Adobe InDesign

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Adobe InDesign

  • Subscription only, with no perpetual licence, which remains the most common complaint about it
  • Files are not reliably backward compatible, so a newer version can produce a file an older one cannot open
  • Heavy application with a steep learning curve for occasional users
  • Collaboration is weak compared with browser-based design tools; it is still a single-file desktop model

Sigil

  • It produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
  • Meaningful use requires reading and writing HTML and CSS, which puts it out of reach of most authors who simply want a finished file.
  • There is no cloud storage, sync or collaboration, so the book exists as a file on one machine and version control is whatever you set up yourself.
  • Development depends on a small number of volunteer maintainers, so release timing and platform builds follow their availability rather than a roadmap, and a lapse in maintenance would leave no obvious successor.
  • It provides no distribution, no retailer connection and no Kindle-native output, so it sits in the middle of a workflow that other tools have to complete on both sides.

Pricing, plan by plan

Adobe InDesign

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Adobe InDesign review.

Sigil

Free
  • SigilFree
    • GPL licensed with no cost or account required
    • Full functionality with no feature gating
    • Community support through forums and the issue tracker

Which should you pick?

Choose Adobe InDesign if

  • You need master pages and styles.
  • You work on Windows, macOS.
  • You also want typographic control.
Adobe InDesign review

Choose Sigil if

  • You need direct epub editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want code and preview views.
Sigil review

Questions people ask

Is Adobe InDesign or Sigil better?
Neither clearly leads. Adobe InDesign starts at On request and Sigil at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Adobe InDesign or Sigil?
Sigil has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Adobe InDesign and Free for Sigil.
Does Adobe InDesign or Sigil run on more platforms?
Adobe InDesign runs on Windows, macOS. Sigil runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Sigil for free?
Yes. Sigil has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Adobe InDesign starts at On request.
What is Adobe InDesign best used for?
Adobe InDesign is most often used for commercial print work where the printer expects indesign files, long documents needing styles and master pages across hundreds of pages, catalogues built from a data source through data merge. Of those, commercial print work where the printer expects indesign files and long documents needing styles and master pages across hundreds of pages are not what Sigil is typically brought in for.
What can Adobe InDesign do that Sigil cannot?
Adobe InDesign covers Master pages and styles, Typographic control, PDF/X export, Data merge. Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing, Code and preview views, EPUB 2 and EPUB 3, Regex across files.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Adobe InDesign: Can I buy InDesign outright?

No. It is subscription only, either as a single app or within Creative Cloud. Perpetual licences ended years ago.

Sigil: Can I write my book in Sigil?

You can, but you should not. It is an EPUB editor, not a word processor, and writing long-form prose in it is unpleasant. Write elsewhere, import, then finish in Sigil.

Adobe InDesign: Why do printers ask for InDesign files?

It is the professional standard for print production, and its PDF/X output and colour handling match what commercial presses require.

Sigil: Does it make Kindle files?

Not natively. Produce a valid EPUB in Sigil and let Amazon convert it, or use a separate conversion tool for other Kindle formats.

Adobe InDesign: What is the free alternative?

Scribus is open source and produces press-ready CMYK and PDF/X output, though it cannot open InDesign files and its typography is weaker.

Sigil: Is it safe to rely on a volunteer project for commercial work?

The files it produces are standard EPUB, so nothing is locked in. The risk is that maintenance stops, not that your books become unreadable.

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