Comparison
PubKeep vs Affinity for Publisher users.
PubKeep opens the .pub designs you already have, with the layout, fonts and pictures where they belong. Open it and feel at home: the same ribbon and menus you know from Publisher. Affinity is a capable free design app, but it has its own interface to learn, and in our test a .pub file came in with the text reflowed. Here is an honest comparison.
Updated October 2026
Why people pick PubKeep
Your files, and a program you already know.
Your .pub files open as they are.
PubKeep is built to open .pub files faithfully: the layout, fonts and pictures where they belong, page for page. We check its output against Publisher's own. We built it to be the most faithful way to open your .pub files.
Open PubKeep and feel at home.
The same ribbon, tabs and menus you know from Publisher. Text boxes, pictures, master pages and mail merge are where you expect them, so there is no new program to learn. Affinity has its own interface, built for designers, so you learn a new way of working.
The short version
What each one is good at.
Affinity is a free professional app from Canva that combines page layout, vector design and photo editing. It runs on Windows and Mac. It does what Publisher did and a great deal more: master pages, text that flows between frames, styles, and print-ready PDF export. Affinity 3 can open a .pub file, but in our test the text reflowed: headlines broke mid-word and some lines were cut off, so expect to fix every page.
PubKeep is a desktop app for Windows and Mac made for the .pub files you already have. It opens them as they are, so the bulletin you made last year looks the way you left it. Then you keep working with the same ribbon, tabs and menus you used in Publisher: change the date, swap a photo, run a mail merge onto labels, and print or save a PDF.
Side by side
The comparison.
| Feature | PubKeep | Affinity |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A desktop app built for Publisher files | A free professional app for layout, vector design and photo editing, from Canva |
| Opens your .pub files | Yes, page for page, with the layout, fonts and pictures where they belong | It can open one, but in our test the text reflowed: headlines broke mid-word and some lines were cut off |
| Feels like Publisher | Yes. Open it and feel at home: the ribbon, tabs and menus match Publisher's | No. Affinity has its own interface, built for designers |
| Bulletins and newsletters | Master pages, linked text boxes, mail merge from Excel or CSV, Avery labels, and booklet printing | Master pages, text that flows between frames, styles and print-ready PDF, with more to learn |
| Saves as | .pubk (an open format), plus PDF and pictures | Affinity's own .af format, plus PDF and other exports. Neither saves back to .pub |
| Runs on | Windows and Mac | Windows and Mac |
| Cost | $99 once (Founder price through October 31, then $149). 7-day free trial | Free. The optional AI tools need a paid Canva plan |
Also good to know
New designs, one purchase, two platforms.
Built-in templates. Start something new from bulletins, newsletters, programs, flyers, certificates, calendars, cards and labels.
Buy once and keep it. No subscription. The version you buy keeps working, and a year of updates is included.
Windows and Mac. The same app on both, so a Mac user can finally open those Publisher files.
Help when you need it
A real person answers.
Write to hello@pubkeep.com or use Report an issue in the app, and a real person reads it and writes back. PubKeep is rated 4.7 out of 5 from 60 reviews on Trustpilot.
“I was panicked about losing all of the files I have created during my 30-year career as an educator. … I can completely attest to the authenticity of this product; moreover, the personal interaction I receive from Adam, the founder, is beyond my expectations. PubKeep is an amazing resource that has allowed me to continue using a program that I love!”
“I am a new user of PubKeep, I find it so easy to transition from MS Publisher. It opens documents and makes it editable. Also, when I’ve had questions, the support team has been quick to reply with just the right answers.”
“I am so thankful for finding your program! PubKeep has been amazing! … PubKeep has continually updated to fix any issues that have arisen, and in a timely fashion. If you used MS Publisher in the past, I strongly advise trying out PubKeep. You won’t be sorry!”
Which should you use?
Pick by what you do with your files.
Choose Affinity if you design often, want professional tools, and have time to learn a new program. It is free, so the only cost is the learning.
Choose PubKeep if you have bulletins, newsletters or programs made in Publisher and you want to open them as they are and keep working the way you did, without learning a new interface.
Some people use both: PubKeep for their Publisher files, and Affinity for new design work. Try PubKeep free for 7 days with your own files, no card needed. See everything it does on the features page.
If you only need PDFs of a whole archive, PubKeep Converter turns a folder of .pub files into exact PDFs, and your first 3 files are free.
Questions
Common questions.
Affinity 3 can open a .pub file, but in our test the text reflowed: headlines broke mid-word and some lines were cut off, so expect to fix every page. PubKeep is built to open .pub files faithfully, page for page, and we check its output against Publisher's own.
Yes. Affinity is now owned by Canva, and it is free for individuals as one app that combines layout, vector design and photo editing. Its optional AI tools need a paid Canva plan. It runs on Windows and Mac.
If you design often and want professional tools, Affinity is a strong free choice. If you mainly update the same bulletin or newsletter each week, PubKeep opens your existing files as they are and works like Publisher, so you skip the learning curve.
Affinity has its own interface, built for designers, so plan time to learn it. PubKeep has the same ribbon, tabs and menus you know from Publisher. Open it and feel at home.
No. Affinity saves in its own .af format, and PubKeep saves as .pubk, an open format. Both export PDFs. If a coworker still has Publisher, send them a PDF.
Keep reading
Related comparisons.
PubKeep vs Canva
Canva for quick social graphics, PubKeep for your Publisher files.
PubKeep vs InDesign
The professional print standard, or a one-time app that feels like Publisher.
PubKeep vs LibreOffice Draw
A free importer, or a Publisher replacement.
Microsoft Publisher alternatives
Nine options compared, for editing versus just keeping your files.
Start here
Open your .pub files and feel at home.
A one-time $99 Founder price through October 31, then $149. No subscription. No card for the 7-day trial.