Scribus (skraɪbəs/) is free and open-source desktop publishing (DTP) software available for most desktop operating systems. It is designed for layout, typesetting, and preparation of files for professional-quality image-setting equipment. Scribus can also create animated and interactive PDF presentations and forms. Example uses include writing newspapers, brochures, newsletters, posters, and books.
Scribus is written in Qt and released under the GNU General Public License. There are native versions available for Unix, Linux, BSD, macOS, Haiku, Microsoft Windows, OS/2 (including ArcaOS and eComStation) operating systems.
Scribus supports most major bitmap formats, including TIFF, JPEG, and PSD. Vector drawings can be imported or directly opened for editing. The long list of supported formats includes Encapsulated PostScript, SVG, Adobe Illustrator, and Xfig. Professional type/image-setting features include CMYK colors and ICC color management. It has a built-in scripting engine using Python. It is available in 60 languages.
What is Scribus?
Scribus by The Scribus Team (developed by Petr Vaněk) is open-source Windows software in the customisation category. It ranks 2nd by popularity among customisation in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2003. It is written in C++. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux, Unix, macOS, OS/2 and BSD. Its interface is available in 45 languages.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit and 32-bit Windows. The main installer is 124.3 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.6.6, released on April 13, 2026. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 8 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 1.6 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 110,086 times. The source code on GitHub (scribusproject/scribus) has 641 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 33 of our languages. On Windows it registers 1 file type, including .sla. Similar programs include PowerToys, Mattermost and Rainmeter.
Project description on GitHub: “Community mirror of the official Scribus SVN svn://scribus.net. Please submit PRs & Bugs to https://bugs.scribus.net .”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Also runs on Linux, Unix and macOS
- Mature project (since 2003)
- Interface in 45 languages
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Scribus is an open-source customisation tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is Scribus safe to download?
- The file is served by sourceforge.net; check that it is the publisher’s official mirror
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
4C7313DA22B8DAA025DAB0A2D57E82E8B1827C8A46A02DB1D4E78B6037B40264· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 8 versions ›8 versions over 5 years · about 1.6 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6.6Latest | April 13, 2026 | 124.3 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.6.5 | December 14, 2025 | 124.3 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.6.4 | April 20, 2025 | 124.5 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.6.3 | January 8, 2025 | 124.2 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.6.2 | June 15, 2024 | 123.2 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.6.1 | January 7, 2024 | 125.0 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.6.0 | January 4, 2024 | 125.0 MB | 32-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.4.8 | March 30, 2021 | 95.9 MB | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Scribus.Scribus -echoco install scribus -yscoop install extras/scribusdownload /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask scribusflatpak install flathub net.scribus.ScribusInformation
- Publisher
- The Scribus Team
- Developer
- Petr Vaněk
- Category
- Customisation
- Licence
- GPL-2.0-or-later
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/scribusproject/scribus
- Written in
- C++
- Interface languages
- English, Croatian, Classical Chinese, Hungarian, Dutch, and Basque +39 more
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Other platforms
- Linux, Unix, macOS, OS/2, BSD
- Version
- 1.6.6
- Released
- April 13, 2026
- First release
- 2003
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 8
- Updates / year
- 1.6
- Chocolatey downloads
- 110,086
- GitHub stars
- 641
- GitHub forks
- 146
- Website
- scribus.net
- winget ID
- Scribus.Scribus
- Chocolatey package
- scribus
- Scoop package
- extras/scribus
File types it opens (1)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Scribus free?
Yes. Scribus is open-source software under the GPL-2.0-or-later licence.
Is Scribus safe to download?
The download comes from sourceforge.net; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Scribus with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Scribus be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Scribus run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Scribus?
The versions page lists all 8 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
What are alternatives to Scribus?
PowerToys, Mattermost, Rainmeter, TranslucentTB and Lively Wallpaper. The alternatives page compares them.
