Free Publishing Software: 6 Ways to Create Books Without Paying

You don't need an expensive licence to design a good-looking book. Several free publishing software options can produce print-ready pages — as long as you pick one that fits the kind of book you are making.

Below are six free options, what each does well, and where you will feel its limits.

What to look for in free publishing software

Before choosing, check these five things:

• Page layout control — can you set page size, margins and columns precisely?
• Long-document features — master pages, sections and automatic page numbers.
• Special content — maths equations, tables and non-Latin scripts if you need them.
• Print-ready export — a clean PDF that looks the same on every printer.
• Hidden limits — watermarks, page caps, or features locked behind an upgrade.

6 free ways to create a book

1. Scribus — free desktop publishing

Scribus is a free, open-source desktop publishing program for Windows, macOS and Linux. It gives you real layout control and professional PDF export.

Good for: people comfortable with design software who want a free alternative to paid DTP programs. Limits: it takes time to learn and is built for one person working on one computer.

2. LibreOffice Writer — free word processor

LibreOffice is a free, open-source office suite. Writer handles long documents with styles, a table of contents and page numbering, and exports to PDF.

Good for: text-heavy books and manuscripts. Limits: precise image placement and complex page designs are fiddly.

3. Google Docs — free and online

Google Docs runs in the browser, saves automatically and is easy to share.

Good for: writing and reviewing text together. Limits: it is a document editor, not a page-layout tool — designed pages such as workbooks or question papers are hard to build.

4. Canva — free plan for short designs

Canva's free plan makes it easy to create attractive one-off designs in the browser.

Good for: covers, posters and short handouts. Limits: it is built around individual designs rather than long, structured books with sections and running page numbers.

5. Reedsy Studio — free for writing novels

Reedsy Studio is a free online writing tool aimed at authors, with formatting for typical fiction and non-fiction books.

Good for: novels and text-only books. Limits: little freedom for custom page design, images or educational activities.

6. Cloord Publisher — free for life up to 100 pages

Cloord Publisher is an online studio for textbooks, workbooks, question papers and novels. The free plan includes every feature — maths equations, multi-language support, collaboration and print-ready PDF export — for up to 100 pages, for life.

Good for: teachers and schools making worksheets, question papers and short workbooks. Limits: for bigger books you can upgrade to more pages; see pricing.

Side-by-side

Which free option should you choose?

• Writing a novel? Start with Reedsy Studio or LibreOffice Writer.
• Designing a magazine-style layout on one computer? Try Scribus.
• Making question papers, worksheets or workbooks — especially with maths or Indian languages? Use Cloord Publisher's free plan.
• Just a cover or poster? Canva's free plan is quick.

FAQ

Is there completely free publishing software?

Yes — Scribus and LibreOffice are free and open source. Cloord Publisher is free for life up to 100 pages with every feature included.

Can I make a print-ready PDF with free software?

Yes. Scribus, LibreOffice and Cloord Publisher can all export PDFs suitable for printing.

What is the best free software for making question papers?

A tool with ready-made question blocks and an equation editor makes question papers much faster. Read our step-by-step guide on how to make a question paper online.