Start with the file you already have
Checked September 9, 2026 using the vendor pages linked below. This is a capability comparison, not a visual-fidelity benchmark. Test your own complex document before moving a folder of files. Prices and account requirements can change. If you are asking what replaces Publisher, the honest answer is that no single program is a drop-in replacement; the right pick depends on whether you need to open old .pub files, build new documents, or both.
| Option | Document workflow | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| stillPUB | Free local browser editor; imports .pub, saves .stillpub, exports PDF, JPG and PNG. | Read import warnings and compare page layout. It does not save .pub or .docx. |
| LibreOffice Draw | Free desktop suite with a documented Publisher import filter and PDF export. | Try the document in Draw and check formatting before saving a drawing copy. |
| Megal Publisher | Online page-layout editor with editable PUB import and its own MPUB project format. | Review its current account, storage and plan terms, and inspect the imported layout. |
| Univik | Offers a browser PUB viewer and separate conversion products. | Distinguish viewing from editing and check the exact product's output formats. |
| Markzware MarkzPortal | Online conversion service supporting Microsoft Publisher files. | Review supported outputs, price and document handling before uploading. |
Free editing or a one-off conversion?
If you need to change the bulletin every week, test editing, saving and reopening in the replacement. If you only need to read or print the document, PDF conversion may be enough. Microsoft documents a Publisher-to-PDF-to-Word route, while warning that the layout can change, especially with graphics. See Publisher to Word.
Other products in the original market survey include Scribus, Canva, Affinity and upload-based converters. Check their current supported input formats: an Affinity .afpub file is different from a Microsoft .pub file. Canva's upload-format list is a useful starting point. This page does not claim that all competitors use the same importer or recover the same content.
Open-source alternatives compared
Of the open-source options, Scribus and LibreOffice Draw both open .pub files, but both are desktop installs with their own learning curve, not a browser tab. Affinity Publisher and Canva sit at the other end: capable page-layout tools for new work, but neither opens a .pub file at all, open-source or not. stillPUB is the only option here that opens .pub files without installing anything.
Check one real document
- Keep the original .pub and a reference PDF if you have one.
- Open a representative document with columns, pictures and multiple pages.
- Edit text, export a PDF, save the editable project and reopen it.
- Compare line breaks, page count, pictures, links and print size.
stillPUB uses libmspub for Publisher import. Shared reader code does not guarantee identical rendering in different applications. Warnings help identify known losses; an empty report is not proof of perfect fidelity.
What stillPUB does not do
stillPUB does not save .pub or .docx, and it is designed for desktop browsers. It saves an editable .stillpub project and exports PDF or page images. Review the opening guide before relying on a converted file.