QuarkXPress Reviews

Pros

Ever since it was released in 1987 QuarkXPress has dominated the Desktop Publishing.
I use Quarkexpress because when its come to page layout it is the best one out there because of its simplicity.its text tools are very user-friendly and lets you get the job done very quickly and efficiently.
Also, QuarkXPress supports more printers than any other desktop publishing software.

Cons

There is not much not to like about QuarkXpress.
Maybe PDF exports could be easier in the future

Pros

I love everything about QuarkXPress. I've been using Quark since 1990 and also taught Quark for a few years. There is an elegance to the way Quark works that is missing in other page layout software. It was set up by graphic designers for graphic designers. Even though I own Adobe Creative Suite, I prefer to use Quark for print and web projects.

Cons

There is nothing that I dislike about Quark. Even if I run into a snag or problem I am able to find a solution easily with the Quark HELP feature or on their website.

Pros

User friendly!!! The software is like a desk and the many applications are similar to items on that desk. You can easily drag any item to the place you desire. Open boxes for pictures, text etc are so easy and functional. I love this software. Frequent updates which make the products even more so wonderful.

Cons

Need to upgrade my Apple computer as it is not compatible when the software is updated as frequent as it does. It becomes compatible with a new computer OS.

Pros

Nice abstraction features like paragraph and character styles so you can change a style once and QuarkXPress updates your whole document. Master pages are very useful for streamlining the creation of a large document (we used it to automatically show chapter headings on every page of a user manual). 60 days of free tech support is a nice perk.

Cons

Design flaws in software are a constant obstacle. Can't open multiple projects at once, makes transferring things to a new project a huge pain. Table of contents automation lacks customization. Scrolling on a page with 15-20 elements is slow on a modern computer. I call customer support asking for help to get Table styles to work, and they respond that Table styles just don't work on some tables and I have to live with it. User interface hides itself when window is out of focus for no reason, infuriating when trying to follow a tutorial in a web browser. Undo operations frequently crash the program. Anytime you click on one of the palettes in the side bar, the whole user interface goes into a mini-seizure and flashes light and dark. Exporting PDF has no progress bar, the software just goes "not responding" for 10-20 minutes so you have no idea how long you will have to wait. The support community is sparse and their help forum confirmation email didn't send even after requesting new ones, so I wasn't able to join and ask questions.

Pros

QuarkXPress is an easy to use interface with a variety of tools and options that enables the user to create well crafted designs for a wide variety of platforms. You have full control over elements of the design and can incorporate a plethora of different elements. With their conversion and simple importing you can work on a variety of filetypes and incorporate many elements into a piece.

Cons

Although the user interface is pretty intuitive and simple - it is very outdated. The design of the program doesn't hold up to the designs it can produce. This design of the program can be off putting and visually tiring/harsh. There's also the unfortunate fact that Adobe has more options and capabilities that QuarkXPress doesn't which leads me back to alternate programs.

Pros

Massive offer of layouts, options and colour palettes to create and build a web or print magazine. I love the updated Java Script options, the typography menus for modifying and choose the right font and also the tools for publishing and saving a project for online purposes.

Cons

More Java Script layouts and themes should be available, apart from the standard ones. The modification is easy but still there is a need for an update with more modern themes.

Pros

Love the many functions and features it has for our newsletter and magazine publishing. As well for our clients design projects.

Cons

Lots to learn with the many features it has. Must take time out for learning.

Pros

Another reviewer Chadsey really nailed all the pros and cons of this software. It's great that it is subscription based and anytime you need help with something, their customer support is quick to help.

Cons

I think once a new update comes out, the owners of the previous version should get to upgrade for free or at the very least at a significant discount. Not knowing when the new version will come out can prevent you from buying the current version.

Pros

The best part of the QuarkXPress is the variety of different functions that will allow user to work on either small of big scale publishing project. I used it for 4 page marketing booklets and over hundred pages product catalogues. Love it.

Cons

You have to wait before it will run, the software is huge.

Pros

It was really easy to layout a design in Quark. The link system allows your files to be small & agile. And it's Packaging functionality allows you to esily

Cons

I use primarily Adobe products, so the tools are different, look different and/or are in different places, so it takes a little bit of time to get used to.

Pros

Quark is absolutely fantastic for multipage spread layouts or any multipage project that requires standard margins, guides, templates etc.

Cons

If you are a fan of Adobe for your art work and work as a graphic designer it's just much simpler to use Adobe's InDesign as it ties in with all the Adobe programs.

Pros

I use this to create a literary magazine for my job. It allows me to put original artwork and create each page differently every time.

Cons

Sometimes the pictures have been not saving or says they do not save.

Pros

QuarkXPRess can help you create newspaper and magazine layouts and make your work easier.

Cons

It has been outshone by Adobe InDesign and is no longer the industry standard.

Pros

I really like the software ease of use and even with updates that core elements stay the same. I find it easy to create the layout I need without all the extra tools and setting found in some other software.

Cons

I do find the software slow to load and I do have frequent crashes. I also find it does not use all the fonts and font weights that my system has, that I know work within Photoshop for example.

Pros

powerful features. you can control layout of virtually anything you want to print or publish on paper/screen/web etc.

Cons

the features are so powerful they're hard to learn, the volume of features is hard to absorb. There are tutorials but where to start

Pros

I used this software regularly at my previous job, and really enjoyed it. I was able to create beautiful advertisements for print, fairly easily. I was able to teach myself how to use it also. When it comes to design software, this is user friendly.

Cons

It is kind of outdated. These days, people tend to look for Adobe software proficiency. It is a great stepping stone to Adobe.

Pros

There are a variety of tools to accomplish exactly what you need. Options allow you to modify text and photos and to set up pages of all kinds of sizes.

Cons

Some of the shortcuts codes involve three or more buttons, which can be difficult to remember, thus nullifying their purpose.

Pros

I learned this software years ago, and it was great foundational, but overall not as powerful as Illustrator

Cons

I prefer how well Illustrator works with other software.

Pros

Quark is great for print design, text-heavy layouts, and what used to be referred to as desktop publishing.

Cons

They dropped the ball years by being slow to release a compatible version with Mac OSX, and have been struggling to get back in the race ever since. Meanwhile, Adobe InDesign became the industry leader, and there's no going back to Quark. It just doesn't have the smooth cross-application compatibility you get staying in the Adobe Suite.

Pros

This program it is very precise, measurements can be exact and the dialog box for PDF output selection is also very detailed. Also outputting linked files and fonts into one location is easy.

Cons

The need to purchase 3rd party plugins to get many things done. Quark should address those needs in their next version.

Pros

I used it in college, and it was a great beginner tool for learning how to do page layouts, and is relatively cost efficient.

Cons

It doesn't integrate well with other software, and it falls short on the graphical layout side. Only ended up using it for text only event programs.

Pros

I was able to learn how to use this software with very little training.

Cons

Nothing to say about what I like least. It works as it should.

Pros

Very good for text formatting, easy to use, especially when formatting books and larger texts.

Cons

I wish there was a way to connect the app with software that works with vectors (Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Corel Draw..)

Pros

Easy to use. Has lots of features. Integrates well with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Love that you can create digital and interactive files.

Cons

Some features are hard to find. Would like to see more training available.

Pros

Quark really is the best when it comes to page layout and typesetting design. The features and abilities far surpass other layout programs.

Cons

Although recent versions have been improving, Quark can be rather intimidating to learn and not the most user friendly.