Adobe Photoshop vs Microsoft Publisher: Which One Is Better in 2024?

Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher are essential tools for businesses and designers. We'll compare Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher to determine which one best meets the needs of professionals in terms of features, usability, and overall value.

A Quick Overview of Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher

What is Adobe Photoshop?

Adobe is a software company known for its creative and design tools. The company offers a range of products under the Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes applications for photography, graphic design, video editing, illustration, and more.

Photoshop offers unique features like intuitive tools to replace backgrounds and advanced generative AI capabilities. The Generative Fill and Generative Expand tools allow users to make complex edits quickly and with more control, setting Photoshop apart from other image editing software.

What is Microsoft Publisher?

Microsoft Corporation is a technology company that offers a wide range of products and services, including software, hardware, and cloud services. Microsoft Publisher is part of the Microsoft 365 suite, which provides various productivity tools for home, business, and enterprise users.

Microsoft Publisher allows users to precisely layout and style text, pictures, borders, calendars, and more, ensuring that everything stays exactly as designed in print, online, or in an email. It offers a wide range of pre-designed templates for creating greeting cards, labels, newsletters, and marketing materials. Integration with Microsoft 365 ensures users always have the most up-to-date version and seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 apps and services like OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, and SharePoint for enhanced sharing and collaboration capabilities.

Features of Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher

Similarities

Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher share several key features that make them both powerful tools for creating and editing visual content. Here are the most important similarities:

• Image Editing: Both applications allow users to edit images, although Photoshop offers more advanced and detailed image editing capabilities.
• Text Customization: Users can customize text in both applications, including font styles, sizes, and colors.
• Layout Design: Both tools provide functionalities for designing layouts, arranging images, and text to create professional-looking documents.
• Templates: Both software offer templates to help users start their projects quickly and easily.
• Layer Management: While Photoshop uses layers extensively for image editing, Publisher also allows for layering of text and images to create complex designs.

Differences

Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher cater to different creative needs, each excelling in distinct areas. Here are the key differences:

• Advanced Image Editing: Photoshop offers sophisticated tools for image manipulation, including AI-powered features like Generative Fill and Text to Image, which Publisher lacks.
• Desktop Publishing: Publisher focuses on creating print-ready documents with pre-designed templates for brochures, newsletters, and greeting cards, a feature not emphasized in Photoshop.
• Layer-Based Editing: Photoshop uses extensive layer management for complex edits, whereas Publisher simplifies layout design without advanced layering.
• Plug-ins: Photoshop supports a wide range of third-party plug-ins to extend its capabilities, while Publisher relies more on built-in features and templates.
• Creative Cloud Integration: Photoshop integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud, offering access to over 20 creative apps, unlike Publisher, which integrates with Microsoft 365 for collaboration and sharing.

User Interface and Usability

Adobe Photoshop's user interface is complex, with numerous tools and options that can be overwhelming for beginners. The software's advanced features require a steep learning curve, making it less accessible for casual users. On the other hand, Microsoft Publisher offers a more straightforward interface, focusing on ease of use with pre-designed templates and simple layout tools. This makes Publisher more approachable for users who need to create professional documents without extensive design knowledge.

Photoshop's user experience is tailored for detailed image editing and manipulation, which can be cumbersome for those unfamiliar with its extensive capabilities. In contrast, Publisher's user experience is designed for quick and efficient creation of print-ready documents, providing a more intuitive workflow. Overall, Microsoft Publisher has a better user interface and usability for those seeking simplicity and ease of use.

Collaboration

Adobe Photoshop integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud, allowing users to share and collaborate on projects across different Adobe applications. However, Photoshop itself lacks robust in-app collaborative tools, making real-time co-editing and commenting features less accessible. This reliance on Creative Cloud for collaboration can be cumbersome for users seeking seamless teamwork within the application.

Microsoft Publisher, part of the Microsoft 365 suite, facilitates collaboration through OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, and SharePoint. These tools enable sharing and distribution of work, but Publisher does not offer extensive in-app collaborative features. The need for external tools may hinder the ease of real-time collaboration within the software.

Overall, neither Adobe Photoshop nor Microsoft Publisher excels in collaboration, each relying on external tools to support teamwork.

Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher Pricing

Adobe Photoshop offers various subscription plans, including a standalone option at NIS 81.00 per month and a Photography Plan at NIS 70.00 per month. The Creative Cloud All Apps Plan costs NIS 205.00 per month. Discounts are available for students and teachers, with the Creative Cloud All Apps plan reduced to NIS 70.00 per month.

Microsoft Publisher is included in the Microsoft 365 subscription plans. The Microsoft 365 Family plan costs £79.99 per year or £7.99 per month, while the Personal plan is £59.99 per year or £5.99 per month. One-time purchase options for Office Home 2024 are available at £119.99. Discounts are offered for students and yearly subscriptions.

Overall, Microsoft Publisher offers more flexible and cost-effective pricing options compared to Adobe Photoshop.

Comparing Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Publisher to Piktochart

Piktochart transforms complex ideas into captivating visuals that inform and engage your audience. With Piktochart AI, you can create stunning infographics, reports, and presentations in seconds, perfectly aligned with your brand. No design experience required.

Pros of Piktochart

• Ease of Use: Piktochart's intuitive interface makes it accessible for users of all skill levels, eliminating the need for extensive design experience.
• Variety of Templates: The platform offers a wide range of professionally designed templates for infographics, presentations, reports, and more, allowing users to start their projects quickly.
• Content Repurposing: Piktochart enables users to turn long videos, webinars, and virtual events into customized bite-sized clips, making content repurposing straightforward and efficient.
• Automatic Subtitles: The tool automatically adds subtitles to videos, which can be customized for different social media platforms, enhancing accessibility and engagement.
• Comprehensive Visual Communication: As an all-in-one tool, Piktochart provides everything needed for creating visual content, from infographics to video editing, streamlining the design process.

Piktochart's Pricing

• Free: $0 (Free forever)
• Pro: $29 per member/month (billed monthly) or $14 per member/month (billed annually)
• Business: $49 per member/month (billed monthly) or $24 per member/month (billed annually)
• Enterprise: Custom Pricing (Contact for details)

What Are Others Saying?

Adobe Photoshop Reviews

Overall, users have given Adobe Photoshop a rating of 4.6 out of 5. While many appreciate its powerful features, they find the steep learning curve and high cost frustrating.

"The learning curve is steep, and the frequent updates can be disruptive." - John D., 3.5 out of 5

"Photoshop is resource-intensive and requires a high-performance computer to run smoothly." - Sarah K., 3.0 out of 5

"The subscription model is frustrating, especially for individual users." - Mike L., 3.5 out of 5

Find more of Adobe Photoshop reviews on G2!

Microsoft Publisher Reviews

Microsoft Publisher has received mixed reviews, with users appreciating its ease of use but finding its design limitations and compatibility issues frustrating. Overall, it has a rating of 4.3 out of 5.

"The program lacks features that can make my work easier." - Verified User in Marketing and Advertising, 3.5 out of 5

"Fast and easy publications." - Przemek P., 3.0 out of 5

"Nice but needs more tools." - Juan N., 3.0 out of 5

Find more of Microsoft Publisher reviews on G2!

Piktochart Reviews

Our users have given Piktochart an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5. They appreciate its ease of use, variety of templates, and the ability to create professional visuals quickly. Here are some of their thoughts:

• "Piktochart is very easy and simple to use online graphics creation tool." - Andrea V.
• "Piktochart offers good looking pre-built templates for creating graphics." - Ganesh P.
• "Easily Create Social Images and Infographics to Boost Business Services." - Rachel L.

Find more of our reviews on G2!

Why choose one over the other?

Why Choose Adobe Photoshop:

• Consumers who need advanced image editing capabilities and AI-powered tools for professional-grade designs will prefer Adobe Photoshop. This software is ideal for creative professionals, photographers, and designers who require detailed control over their visual content.

Why Choose Microsoft Publisher:

• Consumers looking for an easy-to-use tool to create print-ready documents, such as brochures, newsletters, and greeting cards, will find Microsoft Publisher more suitable. This software is perfect for small businesses, home users, and educational institutions needing straightforward layout and design capabilities.

Why Choose Piktochart:

• Consumers who want to quickly create engaging visuals and repurpose content without needing design experience will benefit from using Piktochart. This platform is ideal for content creators, marketing professionals, and educators who need a comprehensive, user-friendly tool for visual communication.

Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Publisher, or Piktochart: Which is the best platform for you?

Whether you're a professional designer, a small business owner, or an educator, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Publisher, and Piktochart each offer unique strengths to meet your creative needs. While all three tools are excellent choices, we believe Piktochart stands out for its ease of use, variety of templates, and ability to create stunning visuals quickly. Give Piktochart a try and see how it can transform your ideas into captivating visuals effortlessly.