Need that first page of the chapter to have no headers or footers? No problem. Need a bottom right page number on “recto” pages? Done.

The master pages feature is the highlight of this app, in my opinion, as it creates templates based on ODD pages, EVEN pages, FIRST pages, various conditions, and considers not just text layouts but also image layouts. I think anyone who cares about the quality of printed material needs to add this one to his or her toolbox, especially if they’re ready to toss out the subscription model from their budgets. Those fancy PDFs I’d like to give as subscriber bonuses to my new and future readers also benefit from Publisher being cheaper than Adobe InDesign and better at formatting than Microsoft Word. That professional-looking paperback novel sitting on my bookshelf three feet to my left tells me that Affinity Publisher is just right. Maybe Affinity Publisher does exactly what I need it to do without it throwing a bunch of stuff at me that will ultimately confuse me. Do I want to spend $600 a year to design the interiors of two books (and maybe the odd pamphlet) a year, or do I want to spend $50 once for the same ability? (Actually, I bought it during the 50% off sale, so I paid only $25 for it.) Maybe Adobe InDesign is better. As a self-published writer, I need a tool that will help me create the best editions of paperback or hardcover books that I can, and I refuse to pay an expensive monthly subscription for that privilege, especially if I’m designing these interiors only when I’m ready to print, which can be as infrequent as two or three times a year.

Affinity publisher review