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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Microsoft Publisher

    Score8.4 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Publisher is a desktop publishing application available with an Office 365 subscription, or as a standalone download.

    $139

    one time purchase

    SmartDraw

    Score8.4 out of 10
    N/ASmartDraw is a diagramming and flow chart building tool from SmartDraw Software in San Diego, California.

    $131.40

    per year (for a single user on an individual plan)

    Pricing
    Microsoft PublisherSmartDraw
    Editions & Modules
    Microsoft Publisher
    $139
    one time purchase
    Team
    $119.40
    per year per user (3 minimum)
    Individual
    $131.40
    per year single user
    Enterprise
    Contact Sales
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Microsoft PublisherSmartDraw
    Free Trial
    NoYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Microsoft PublisherSmartDraw
    Considered Both Products
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    SmartDraw Software
    Chose SmartDraw
    SmartDraw is NEXT LEVEL! Microsoft is yesterday's news when it comes to creating charts. SmartDraw allows you to create and deliver dynamic charts and diagrams that truly convey the data you are inputting turning it into a stunning visual explanation.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    92%
    Would buy again
    12 Answers
    88%
    Would buy again
    7 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    10 Answers
    86%
    Delivers good value for the price
    6 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    92%
    Happy with the feature set
    12 Answers
    75%
    Happy with the feature set
    6 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    80%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    4 Answers
    83%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    5 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    83%
    Implementation went as expected
    5 Answers
    86%
    Implementation went as expected
    6 Answers
    Best Alternatives
    Microsoft PublisherSmartDraw
    Small Businesses
    Adobe InDesign
    Score9.2 out of 10
    OmniGraffle
    Score9.8 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Adobe InDesign
    Score9.2 out of 10
    OmniGraffle
    Score9.8 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Adobe InDesign
    Score9.2 out of 10
    OmniGraffle
    Score9.8 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Microsoft PublisherSmartDraw
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.4
    (13 ratings)
    2.8
    (14 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    8.3
    (5 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.0
    (3 ratings)
    8.4
    (2 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Microsoft PublisherSmartDraw
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Publisher is well suited for almost any situation. It is something that I'm sure has far more advanced tools than I use or am aware of, but it is also very simple for entry-level users to create professional documents quickly. I have used it for very involved brochures in real estate scenarios and I have also used it for very simple "Construction Zone" signs at a job site under construction. There are so many uses for this program!
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SmartDraw Software
    I believe SmartDraw is a great tool for small- to mid-sized organizations for simplifying the production and management of org charts. We've also had the PMO experiment with the use of some of their flow charts as well. If an organization has an HCM with the capability of producing (good!) org charts, that is likely the best option... but many that I have used in my 30-year HR career don't. So there is definitely a need for SmartDraw in the market!
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Microsoft
    • Design of my quarterly full color magazine: (usually 28-56 pages in length)
    • Design of the quarterly planning system used by me and others in the annual conference.
    • Design and layout of any document that requires graphics/photos.
    • Simple to use with ample flexibility and strength of features
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SmartDraw Software
    • Provides examples to work off of--these are helpful when you don't know exactly where to start.
    • Provides a number of stylistic options without making things too complex, so you can be creative without getting overwhelmed.
    • Provides a wide variety of templates, meets a wide variety of needs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Microsoft
    • Formatting in general. It's a pain to refine a layout in Publisher in my opinion.
    • Microsoft is so invested in their approach to software and making it look and feel like an Office 365 application that they inadvertantly cripple applications like Publisher.
    • Earlier versions of Publisher gave you a lot more latitude and creative freedom. They were also much easier to work with. Not everything has to look like it's part of Office 365. They did the same ... thing to Access.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SmartDraw Software
    • A month-to-month plan would be ideal for users that don't have a need to create many projects
    • The sidebar navigation can be a little confusing with all of the tools listed.
    • Offering customizable plans with only the feature you need would simplify navigation
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Microsoft
    We use this product 2-3 times a month and have not been able to find a comparable alternative.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SmartDraw Software
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Microsoft
    There are a few quirks with Microsoft Publisher that make some functions a little tricky for new users at first, but most of our employees are able to figure out the quirks and work around them to use the product for their job. It is relatively high on the scale of usability.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SmartDraw Software
    I rated 8 because its simple to use and easy to create network topologies quickly. I liked the drag and drop option which makes designing the network topology and flow chart easier. In general its does what it needs to.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Microsoft
    While I have not directly used support for Microsoft Publisher, I have used their help files and found them to be useful. I have also found that most answers that I need can be found through simple web searches and chat platforms. In all though, there are very few times when the preloaded help files have not given me the answers that I need.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SmartDraw Software
    They are always very helpful, we get computers every two years and I have to call them to move the license from one computer to another and they do it with a smile in their voice!
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Publisher is more for beginners, or for basic needs, anyone with some familiarity with the Microsoft suite should be able to use it easily. If you’re looking to create something more graphic and advanced, you’d probably want to look into something like InDesign, which is not as user friendly if you’re not familiar with it at all. For basic needs the average employee should be able to use Microsoft Publisher with ease.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SmartDraw Software
    We have used Corel Draw and Adobe Acrobat. Both of those tools were good when they came out but the abilities of SmartDraw far outweigh both those tools. Corel Draw was also more complex to operate and do tasks, as was Adobe Acrobat in which some basic tasks took additional steps to complete.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Microsoft
    • we have invested on our Microsoft license for our team and that has made a very big productivity for making banners and holdings for our projects as making it from third party would cost much higher and the return is very well over the comparison with third-party vendors
    • Functionality is very easy, so we don’t have to train much to get it in production and use it efficiently so we don’t have to invest much on training and learning things and we can work on it directly with a very basic knowledge as well
    • It has functionality to get stored and share things directly to the OneDrive and using curated links, which is very secure and reliable to transfer files without losing picture and banners quality and share them in lossless quality.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    SmartDraw Software
    • SmartDraw has provided good return for our internal purposes. Using it to understand an organization's structure and inner workings has been valuable. On the client side, creating steps and businesses processes has also been a big plus. It has helped decrease confusing reporting structures and has provided a detailed map for individuals to understand where they fit within their organization.
    • Unfortunately, SmartDraw has been somewhat inefficient with some of the more complex projects on our plate and has really deterred certain employees from even wanting to use it.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    SmartDraw Screenshots

    Screenshot of where to create diagrams, including: flowcharts and swimlanes, organizational charts, mind maps, CAD drawings & floor plans, project charts, network diagrams, and wireframes & mockups.Screenshot of a workspace that combines brainstorming with technical diagrams. SmartDraw can be used to visualize processes, organizations, roadmaps, and even generate diagrams from data.Screenshot of SmartDraw's templates and tools used to make flowcharts, swimlanes, and process maps.Screenshot of the org chart tool, used to document organizational structure and work as a team to plan for growth or manage change. Data can be imported to generate a chart automatically.Screenshot of the CAD drawing and floor plan tools, used to design a home or optimize office space to improve traffic flow in a retail space.Screenshot of an example of the built-in templates for landscapes, gardens, backyards used to design outdoor spaces. Users can drag-and-drop flowers, shrubs, and other plants, or add sprinkler systems, lights, and walkways, and apply photo-realistic textures for a professional finish.