Affinity Publisher vs. Formstack Documents

If you are looking to get started using a publishing / creation application, Affinity Publisher is the one to go for. With a quick learning curve on all the basic functions, you'll be flying in no time. And then there is a whole heap of great features to get into as you become more comfortable with the software. The only down side is if clients are using Adobe programs, there are sometimes problems working with imported layers, but this is minor compared to the ease of use and features.

Incentivized

[Formstack Documents (formerly WebMerge) is] well suited for a mid-size organization that has multiple data inputs and needs to provide structure and professional document generation. As helpful as it is, the cost would prevent smaller businesses from realizing the cost savings that a larger one will.

Incentivized

• Supports just about any format you'll need for your project.
• The variety of templates makes startign projects simple.
• The program is just really powerful and fairly priced.

Incentivized

• Excellent integration with other popular platforms
• Clear and usable documentation to walk through setup in a number of scenarios
• Responsive support that provided appropriate answers when we had questions
• Flexibility in use cases that support multiple modes of use

Incentivized

• Menu differences can be an impediment to new users from other softwares
• Some functions are not in places I would expect

• We've had some issues with document formatting when the Formstack document comes through. Nothing outrageous, but it has been very inconvenient and annoying.
• The Formstack website is not attractive or user friendly.
• I think it could be clearer to Formstack users that it is a tool that needs another tool, not a tool all its own.

Incentivized

Ease of use, nice functionality that saves time

It offers a user-friendly interface and powerful design tools that make creating high-quality graphics and layouts straightforward. However, some features can feel complex, especially for new users, which may require a bit of a learning curve. The integration between desktop and iPad is excellent, but improving compatibility with other popular software could enhance collaboration and efficiency even further. Overall, it’s a robust tool that balances functionality and ease of use quite well.

Incentivized

Our team typically uses other online resources instead of contacting developers/manufacturers for support. That being said, there is a forum and a growing, vibrant community of users available to answer questions and "make the switch." A simple "whatever function we used to use in Adobe InDesign," followed by "Affinity," usually gets us on the right track to an answer. YouTube and their forums are our team's go-to sources for help.

Incentivized

Support was always readily available and happy to assist whenever I had a question or needed help. Great experience every time.

Incentivized

Affinity Publisher is a more cost effective way to achieve the same goals as InDesign and Quark. I'm sure there are various differences that Affinity may lack, however we have yet to run into one that our business has needed, or even recognized. It has completely replaced any desktop publishing for our organization without issue.

Incentivized

Each of the programs above answered a specific call to action. While each addressed a small portion of our need, they never quite fit the bill for what we needed. It was actually a representative from three of the ones above which selected WebMerge. They wanted to sell their product, but knew that we would be unfulfilled if we went with them

Incentivized

• I wish we could push it out to all staff but we can't quite afford the cost.
• Amount of features can be overwhelming for first time users and take more time.
• This program will save time once employees figure it out.

Incentivized

• The return on investment has been very good. It's very cost effective product. Our service team is on the phone and it takes away from the customer service if they are having to input the same information on applications. Web Merge eliminates additional key strokes while giving customers more time to run their business.

Incentivized