Best Brochure Makers (2026): 11 Tools Compared

A good brochure still earns its place. It sits on a reception desk, goes home in a bag after an event and gets passed to the person who makes the final decision.

The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you'd like a walk-through of a classic tri-fold first, my guide on making a tri-fold brochure from layout to print takes you through it step by step.

Brochure makers side by side

I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site says the tool, or a plan or version of it, is free or open source. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Adobe Express	Online design app	Brochures alongside social graphics	Yes
Canva	Design platform	Drag-and-drop brochures plus printing	Yes
DocHipo	Online design tool	Simple brochures for small teams	Yes
EdrawMax	Diagram and design software	Brochures next to diagrams and charts	Yes
Heyzine	PDF to flipbook converter	Turning a PDF brochure into a flipbook	Yes
Marq	Brand templating platform	Keeping brochures on brand across locations	Not stated
Microsoft Word	Document editor with brochure templates	Editing a brochure in Word	Not stated
Piktochart	Visual content maker	Brochures with charts and data	Yes
Venngage	Infographic and design platform	Accessible business brochures	Yes
Visme	Visual content platform	Interactive brochures and documents	Yes
Visual Paradigm Online	Web design and diagram suite	Brochures that become flipbooks	Yes

Eleven brochure makers to try

Adobe Express

Best for: Marketers who want brochure templates in the same app they use for social posts, flyers and quick videos.

Canva

Best for: Small businesses that want a drag-and-drop brochure from a large template library and the option to order prints.

DocHipo

Best for: Owners who want a straightforward brochure maker with templates and a quick sign-up to start designing.

EdrawMax

Best for: Teams that already make diagrams or floor plans and want brochure templates in the same desktop or online app.

Heyzine

Best for: Anyone with a finished PDF who wants a page-flip digital brochure to share, download or embed on a website.

Marq

Best for: Franchises and multi-location brands that want locked brand templates so local teams can make brochures without breaking guidelines.

Microsoft Word

Best for: Office users who'd rather open a brochure template in Word and edit it like any other document.

Piktochart

Best for: Nonprofits and reporting teams who want a brochure that mixes text with charts, icons and simple infographics.

Venngage

Best for: Businesses that want brochure templates with accessibility features from a platform known for infographics and reports.

Visme

Best for: Sales and training teams who want a brochure that can be shared online as well as printed.

Visual Paradigm Online

Best for: Educators and small firms who want a brochure maker inside a wider suite that also turns documents into flipbooks.

Which brochure maker fits your project

• Brochures alongside your social graphics: Adobe Express.
• A simple brochure for a small team: DocHipo.
• Brochures next to diagrams and floor plans: EdrawMax.
• Turning a finished PDF into a flipbook: Heyzine or Visual Paradigm Online.
• Keeping local teams on brand: Marq.
• Editing it like any other document: Microsoft Word.
• Mixing text with charts and data: Piktochart or Venngage.
• Sharing a brochure online as well as printing: Visme.

The text size most brochures get wrong

GOV.UK guidance on accessible communication formats suggests a minimum 12 point text size, and considering 14 point text if your audience includes people with sight loss. It also describes large print, audio and Easy Read as formats some readers need.

Brochure templates often shrink body text to squeeze everything into three folds. On screen it looks fine. Printed, it's the reason people hold your brochure at arm's length and then put it down. Cut words before you cut the font size.

Print brochure, digital flipbook or both?

A printed brochure works where people pick things up: events, shops, clinics and offices. Design for the fold first, because that's what people see before they open it.

A digital flipbook works where people browse: email, your website and social posts. It's easier to update and you can share it with a link.

Many businesses need both. Design the printed version, export it as a PDF and turn that into the digital one, so the two always match.

Seven checks before you send a brochure to print

1. Is the body text at least 12 point?
2. Does the front panel say what you do in five words or fewer?
3. Is there one clear next step, such as a phone number or web address?
4. Have you allowed for bleed and the fold lines?
5. Are your photos high enough resolution for print?
6. Has someone outside the business read it for typos?
7. Do your colours still work when printed?

If the print job is a box rather than a leaflet, our guide to packaging design software rates tools.

Signs your brochure needs a rewrite

• The front panel lists services. Lead with the outcome.
• Every panel is full. Cut a third of the words.
• There's no next step. Add one contact route.
• The text looks tiny printed. Go up a point size.

Do you make a brochure maker? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on brochure makers

Write the brochure before you open any tool. Give each panel one job: what you do, who it's for, why you, and what to do next. When the words are right, any of these tools will make it look good, and you'll spend a fraction of the time dragging boxes around.

If you're printing flyers or leaflets too, my checklist of seven things to remember when you're designing a leaflet for print applies to brochures as well.

Frequently asked questions

What is a brochure maker?

It's a tool with folded and multi-page brochure layouts that you fill with your own text, images and branding, then download to print or share.

Are brochure makers free?

Most of the tools above have a free version. Check the free plan column, then confirm print-ready downloads on each vendor's site.

What size text should a brochure use?

GOV.UK guidance on accessible formats suggests at least 12 point, and 14 point if your audience includes people with sight loss.

What's the most common brochure fold?

The tri-fold, which turns one sheet into six panels, is the classic layout for leaflets and small business brochures.

Can I make a digital brochure?

Yes. Several tools turn a PDF into a page-flip digital brochure you can share with a link or embed on a website.

Should I design my brochure in Word?

You can, using a brochure template. Design tools give you more layouts, but Word suits people who'd rather edit a familiar document.