Blurb BookWright vs Scribus
Blurb BookWright
store.blurb.comScribus
scribus.netSide by side
| Figure | Blurb BookWright | Scribus |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 10 | 2 |
| Spec score · Desktop Publishing Software | 9.4 (#1) | 8.4 (#7) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | BookWright supports importing photos from Adobe Lightroom, SmugMug, and Dropbox through Photo Manager. | GetApp user reviews mention GIMP, Adobe InDesign, Canva, Inkscape, Photoshop and Acrobat in Scribus workflows. |
| License | Blurb grants a royalty-free, nonexclusive, nontransferable internal-use copyright license for BookWright and retains proprietary rights in the software. | The main program is GPL version 2 or later; portions also use LGPL, 3-clause BSD, MIT and public-domain terms. |
| Rating on G2 | 3.7 out of 5 from 15 reviews | 4.1 out of 5 from 27 reviews |
| Rating on GetApp | 4.5 out of 5 from 13 reviews | 4.4 out of 5 from 19 reviews |
| Security | Blurb says it uses industry-standard encryption, firewalls, intrusion detection, controlled facilities, access controls, audits and vulnerability scans. | The listed release directory includes detached signature files for source archives and Windows packages. |
| Support | Blurb directs customers to its Help portal for answers and customer support contact. | The official Scribus site could not be accessed during research, so its support options could not be confirmed. |
| System requirements | Windows support is listed as Windows 7, 8 or 10; macOS support is 10.13 or later; both require 2 GB RAM, 500 MB storage and 1280×800 resolution. | Homebrew's current cask supports macOS versions from Big Sur through Tahoe and Linux x86_64 AppImage packages. |
| What it does | BookWright is Blurb’s free desktop application for designing and publishing books and other printed projects. | Scribus is a desktop publishing application for arranging text, images and graphics into precise print or PDF layouts. |
Plans
Blurb BookWright
- BookWright softwarePrice not published
- Softcover photo book$12 a month
- ImageWrap Hardcover photo book$32 a month
- Linen Hardcover with Dust Jacket photo book$32 a month
- Layflat photo book$60 a month
- BookWrightFree
- BookWrightFree
- Paperback book, Economy Color, 5×8 in$3.99, paid once
- Paperback book, Standard B&W, 5×8 in$4.99, paid once
- Premium Magazine$7, paid once
In their own words
Blurb BookWright
Blurb BookWright is desktop software for designing custom books, including photo books, paperbacks, hardcovers, magazines, notebooks, and wall art. It provides customizable templates, freestyle grids, typography and cover tools, bleed lines, and trim guides. Image tools support scaling, cropping, enhancement, and auto-retouching powered by Perfectly Clear by EyeQ. Text Flow fits text into frames and accepts Rich Text Format imports, while Photo Manager imports photos from Adobe Lightroom, SmugMug, and Dropbox. Users can work offline in the desktop software, but publishing requires an internet connection and a free Blurb account is needed for features and publishing options. Finished projects can be printed on demand, ordered in bulk, or purchased as PDFs. BookWright is free to use; users pay for a book when they send it to print. Listed requirements include Windows 7, 8, or 10, or macOS 10.13 or later, with 2GB RAM and 500MB storage. Books can be up to 440 pages.
Scribus
Scribus is free, open-source desktop publishing software for professional page layout. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with downloads for each platform. Its print workflow supports press-ready output, color separations, CMYK and spot colors, ICC color management, and PDF creation. Scribus also includes illustration tools and a template library. The Windows directory lists 32-bit and 64-bit installers; macOS downloads include Intel and arm64 DMG files; Linux provides an x86_64 AppImage and source archives. The project listing names advanced end users, education, and desktop users as intended audiences. It identifies C++ and Python as programming languages and Qt as a user interface. The release directory includes detached signature files for source archives and Windows packages. Files in the 1.6.4 directory are dated April 20, 2025. Scribus is listed at free. No named third-party integrations are identified, and support options could not be confirmed.