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Publishing · head to head

Affinity Publisher vs Marq

Affinity Publisher logo

Affinity Publisher

Publishing

Desktop page layout application, free since the Affinity range was relaunched by Canva

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Marq logo

Marq

Publishing

Web-based design and publishing for brand templates

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Affinity Publisher it cannot open native InDesign documents, only IDML exports, so inherited client archives either come across imperfectly or have to be rebuilt from scratch.; Marq enterprise pricing requires sales consultation with no online quotes
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Publisher and Marq actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Publisher and Marq differ
AttributeAffinity PublisherMarq
Pricing modelFree, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsmacOS, Windows, iPadOSWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Affinity Publisher

  • Master pages and text flow
  • Prepress output
  • Unified application
  • IDML import
  • Data merge
  • Cross platform files

Only in Marq

Nothing recorded that Affinity Publisher does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Affinity Publisher

  • Freelance designers and small studios that cannot justify a monthly page layout subscriptionnot Marq
  • In-house marketing teams producing brochures, reports and price lists for commercial printnot Marq
  • Print buyers who need to check and correct supplied artwork without a design suite licencenot Marq
  • Schools, charities and community publishers where a zero licence cost decides the toolnot Marq

Marq

  • Design automation for print materialsnot Affinity Publisher
  • Team-based design collaborationnot Affinity Publisher
  • Brand asset managementnot Affinity Publisher

Where each one falls short

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

Affinity Publisher

  • It cannot open native InDesign documents, only IDML exports, so inherited client archives either come across imperfectly or have to be rebuilt from scratch.
  • There is no scripting or plugin interface, so studios that automate catalogue or variable data production still need InDesign alongside it.
  • Signing in through a Canva account is now part of using the free application, which is a problem for regulated or offline environments that forbid cloud accounts.
  • The roadmap belongs to Canva, and the 2025 relaunch already reset the licence model that earlier perpetual buyers paid for, so long-term direction is outside your control.
  • Commercial printers and freelance collaborators still expect InDesign packages, so handoff usually means delivering flattened PDFs rather than editable files.

Marq

  • Enterprise pricing requires sales consultation with no online quotes
  • 3 project limit on free tier restricts heavy users

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Publisher

Free
  • AffinityFree
    • Free for everyone since the 2025 relaunch
    • Layout, vector and photo tools in one application
    • Requires a Canva account to sign in

Marq

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 25MB storage
    • 3 project limit
    • basic template library
  • Pro$10/month
    • 2GB storage
    • 5 free design imports
    • premium library
  • Team$10/month
    • 2GB+ shared storage
    • 15 free design imports
    • admin/user roles
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Unlimited storage
    • 30+ design imports
    • unlimited automations

Which should you pick?

Choose Affinity Publisher if

  • You need master pages and text flow.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iPadOS.
  • You also want prepress output.
Affinity Publisher review

Choose Marq if

  • You want to start without paying.
Marq review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Publisher or Marq better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Publisher starts at Free and Marq at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Publisher or Marq?
Affinity Publisher starts at Free and Marq at Free.
Does Affinity Publisher or Marq run on more platforms?
Affinity Publisher runs on macOS, Windows, iPadOS. Marq runs on Web.
Can I use Affinity Publisher for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Affinity Publisher best used for?
Affinity Publisher is most often used for freelance designers and small studios that cannot justify a monthly page layout subscription, in-house marketing teams producing brochures, reports and price lists for commercial print, print buyers who need to check and correct supplied artwork without a design suite licence, schools, charities and community publishers where a zero licence cost decides the tool. Of those, freelance designers and small studios that cannot justify a monthly page layout subscription and in-house marketing teams producing brochures, reports and price lists for commercial print are not what Marq is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Publisher do that Marq cannot?
Affinity Publisher covers Master pages and text flow, Prepress output, Unified application, IDML import.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Affinity Publisher: Is Affinity Publisher really free now?

Yes. Since the 2025 relaunch the unified Affinity application is free. Artificial intelligence features need a paid Canva plan.

Marq: What storage limits apply to each paid plan?

Pro and Team plans both include 2GB+ shared storage. Enterprise plans offer unlimited storage. Free plan limited to 25MB.

Source
Affinity Publisher: Can it open InDesign files?

Only IDML interchange files, and complex layouts lose fidelity. Native INDD files cannot be opened at all.

Marq: Can I upgrade from monthly to annual billing for cost savings?

Pro and Team plans offer annual billing at $120 per year (equivalent to $10/month), versus month-to-month at $10/month. Contact sales for Enterprise annual options.

Source
Affinity Publisher: What happened to the perpetual licences people bought?

Canva made the relaunched application free to everyone, which superseded the paid version 2 licence model.

Marq: How many team members can be added per plan?

Team plan supports 2-20 licenses with 1 primary user and 1 secondary free license included. Pro plan limited to 1 user. Contact sales for Enterprise member scaling.

Source
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