Issuu alternative
A simpler, more branded alternative to Issuu
Issuu is a digital publishing platform for magazines, brochures, and catalogs. In late 2024 it folded its Premium and Optimum plans into a single Unlimited plan, and many customers saw large price increases.
Upload a document and get a link to share. Free.
In short
Choose PDF Deck if you want a clean, branded link for a PDF, deck, or Office file, with view tracking and a password, on your own domain, from $6 a month with a free plan.
Stay with Issuu if you need what it does that we don't: magazine and content publishers who want readers to discover their publication and are happy for it to sit inside issuu's network.
Why people look for a Issuu alternative
The jump from Starter to Unlimited is enormous. There is little between roughly $19 and $188 a month. If you need to remove Issuu branding or use your own domain, you are on the $188 plan.
Your documents sit next to everyone else's. Issuu is a public platform. Readers see recommendations, other publishers, and on lower plans, adverts around your publication.
It is built for public publishing, not private sharing. Sharing a proposal, a price list, or a client report on Issuu feels wrong because the platform is designed for discovery.
Price increases without notice. Customers who were on Premium at $40/month reported being moved to $188/month in the 2024 restructure.
Pricing: Issuu vs PDF Deck
Issuu pricing at time of writing, based on its published plans and help centre. Annual billing; monthly is higher. PDF Deck prices are in US dollars, billed monthly; annual billing saves two months.
Issuu
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Starter about $19/mo (about $31 monthly)
Basic publishing, Issuu branding
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Unlimited $188/mo
Brand customisation, ad removal, lead generation
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Teams Custom
Multiple users, enterprise features
PDF Deck
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Free $0
3 documents, 10 MB files, flipbook, QR code, embed, view tracking, password
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Starter $6/mo
20 documents, 20 MB files, 1 custom domain, no PDF Deck banner
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Pro $15/mo
100 documents, 100 MB files, 1 custom domain, no PDF Deck banner
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Business $38/mo
600 documents, 1 GB files, 5 custom domains, no PDF Deck banner
Feature comparison
| Feature | Issuu | PDF Deck |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, with Issuu branding and public listing | Yes, 3 documents, private by default |
| Entry price | about $19/mo | $6/mo |
| Remove vendor branding | Unlimited, $188/mo | Starter, $6/mo |
| Custom domain | Unlimited, $188/mo | Starter, $6/mo |
| Private by default | No | Yes |
| Adverts around your document | On lower plans | Never |
| Password protection | Paid plans | Every plan, including free |
| View tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Flipbook mode | Yes | Yes |
| Plain PDF and presentation modes | No | Yes |
| QR code per document | No | Yes |
| Embed on your website | Yes | Yes |
| Share PowerPoint, Word, Excel | Via PDF | Yes, upload directly |
| Public reader network | Yes | No |
What Issuu does better
We'd rather you knew this before you signed up than after.
- A large public reader network, useful if you want a magazine to be discovered.
- Publishing tools: article extraction, social snippets, and a mobile reading app.
- A mature flipbook reader that most people have seen before.
- Lead-capture forms and commission-free selling on the Unlimited plan.
PDF Deck does not currently offer:
- Data rooms, NDA gates, or dynamic watermarks
- Self-hosting or an open-source edition
Who should choose which
Issuu is the better fit for magazine and content publishers who want readers to discover their publication and are happy for it to sit inside issuu's network.
PDF Deck is the better fit for businesses sharing brochures, catalogs, reports, and proposals who want the document on their own domain, private by default, with no adverts and no $188 bill.
Moving from Issuu to PDF Deck
There is nothing to migrate except your files. Download them from Issuu, upload them here, and replace the links you have published. If you use a custom domain, point it at PDF Deck from your workspace settings and the change takes a few minutes. Your existing Issuu links keep working until you close that account, so there is no gap.
Frequently asked questions
Is PDF Deck a cheaper Issuu alternative?
For branded, private sharing, yes. Removing Issuu branding needs the $188/month Unlimited plan; PDF Deck removes its banner and adds a custom domain on the $6/month Starter plan.
Can I make a flipbook on PDF Deck?
Yes. Upload a PDF and choose flipbook mode. You can also present the same file as a scrolling PDF or in presentation mode.
Will my document be public on PDF Deck?
Only to people you give the link to. There is no public directory, no recommendations, and no adverts. You can also add a password.