When choosing a desktop publishing tool, I would not look only at the number of design features. The better approach is to balance design control, learning curve, output quality, collaboration, compatibility, and cost.
Adobe InDesign for Professional Publishing
For professional publishing, Adobe InDesign is probably the strongest overall choice.
It is designed specifically for page layout and publishing, with strong typography, multi-page document handling, preflight, PDF output, EPUB support, and integration with other Adobe applications. It is well suited for books, magazines, brochures, reports, catalogs, and marketing materials.
Another advantage is that InDesign supports collaboration and review workflows, which can be useful when designers, editors, and stakeholders need to work on the same publication.
The main drawback is that it can take time to learn, especially for someone who has never worked with professional publishing software. Its subscription model can also be a consideration for individuals or small teams.
Affinity Publisher for Simplicity and Value
Affinity Publisher is a strong alternative for users who want professional page-layout capabilities without adopting the full Adobe ecosystem.
Its interface provides access to publishing, design, and photo-oriented workflows through the Affinity application family.
It can be a particularly attractive option for freelancers, students, small businesses, and designers who want a capable desktop publishing application while keeping software costs under control. Current comparisons also rate it highly for ease of use and value for money.
Scribus for Open-Source Requirements
For teams that specifically need an open-source desktop publishing solution, Scribus is worth considering.
It can handle professional publishing tasks, but the interface and learning experience may feel less polished compared with commercial alternatives. Therefore, I would choose it mainly when open-source licensing or budget constraints are major requirements.
My Practical Recommendation
For a professional publishing team, I would choose Adobe InDesign because its combination of layout precision, typography, publishing workflows, integrations, and production features is difficult to beat.
For a freelancer or small team, Affinity Publisher can provide a very good balance between capability and ease of use.
For an open-source-focused environment, Scribus is worth evaluating.
The most important point is that the “best” DTP tool depends on the workflow. A magazine publisher may need advanced typography and prepress capabilities, while a small business creating brochures may care more about templates, simplicity, and cost.
I would therefore test the shortlisted tools using a real project rather than relying only on feature comparisons. Create a multi-page document, import images and fonts, export a print-ready PDF, make revisions, and see how easily another team member can review the work. That practical test usually reveals more than a long feature list.