The 5 Best Free and Low Cost Programs to Make a Digital Planner

Creating digital planners to sell is a fun adventure, but the first tech question I always get is:  What are the best programs to make a digital planner? I’m a geek through and through so I love this question.  But the answer is: “It depends…”, don’t ya just hate that answer?  I know I do.

But selecting the right program to create your digital planner feels overwhelming, and selecting the right one to start with is a crucial step.  Let me see if I can help you get started. If you’re new to creating a digital planner, it’s important to find a program that is user-friendly and offers the features you need. One option is to convert a printable planner into a digital format, which can be a great starting point for beginners. By doing so, you can familiarize yourself with the process of creating a digital planner while still working with a layout that you’re comfortable with.

There are 5 free or low cost programs I recommend to make a digital planner.

1. Affinity Publisher
2. KeyNote
3. PowerPoint
4. Google Slides
5. Canva

Each tool has a caveat as to what platform it works best for or the kind of planner it works best for.  Below I will share the inside scoop on each tool and its best use case.

1. Why Affinity Publisher is one of the Great Programs to Make a Digital Planner

Affinity Publisher gives you a professional-grade tool for layout, design and typography. 

It’s a low cost – one time fee tool that works on any platform. The universal license includes the entire Affinity Suite.  The suite as a whole makes a great tool set to make a digital planner, and it is my favorite in the line up. 

I probably should have saved this tool for last, but the professional output of this tool means I always lead with it. 

Just in case you’re wondering… they do not have an affiliate program, so I get nothing by recommending this tool. 

It’s simply my favorite tool. I do have a few training classes that teach how to use Affinity Publisher to make digital planners. I started them to help a few friends out and they have grown. I believe in total honesty… haha

Pros for Using Affinity Publisher

• Low cost – one time fee software (my favorite)
• Works on Mac/PC
• The number of pages you can create isn’t limited
• Includes the ability to import dates and some hyperlinks 
• Professional tool with a professional output
• Flexible design tool with the ability to create Master Pages so it’s possible to create template for repeating pages like the daily planner page
• Includes a hyperlink manager 
• Includes a style manager (fonts and colors)

Cons for Using Affinity Publisher

• It’s not free 
• There is a learning curve because it’s a professional level software for publishing
• Limited commercial use (PLR) templates, so you will most likely have to start your planner from scratch

Affinity Publisher is Best For

In my opinion Affinity Publisher is best for those that have a little experience making digital planners. 

It can be overwhelming to learn the process of making a planner and learning the software.

With this said, if you are patient, willing to learn and you have a complex digital planner system in mind this is the best software to make a digital planner. It just has too many time saving features once you learn the ins and outs of making a planner. Additionally, there are easy ways to date digital planners within the software, allowing you to quickly organize and navigate through your planner without hassle. The customizable templates and layout options also make it straightforward to design a planner that suits your specific needs and preferences. Overall, if you are looking for a comprehensive and efficient tool to create digital planners, this software has everything you need.

Caveats of Using Affinity Publisher to Make a Digital Planner

It does work for all planner types and all platforms, but there is a one time fee.  And while I feel it’s a low cost software, you may not.  Check out the pricing page for Affinity Publisher here, to decide if it’s a good tool for you. 

2. Why KeyNote is one of the Good Programs to Make a Digital Planner

If you are using a Mac, KeyNote is a great program to get started with!  It is included with your computer and it can make complex planners.

It does lack some of the advanced features that will increase your planner making speed.  But I know lots of creators that use KeyNote to make really nice digital planners. And I use it all the time as one of my primary programs to make a digital planner.

Pros for Using KeyNote

• Free software included with Mac computers
• Flexible design tool it includes Master Slides so it’s possible to create template for repeating pages like the daily planner page
• Easy to use if you are familiar with Apple software
• There is a plethora of commercial use templates for purchase so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Cons for Using KeyNote

• Using the PC version does not create stable hyperlinks, so this is only a good tool for Mac users.
• Does not include the ability to import dates and hyperlinks (there are other tools for this if you aren’t creating PLR digital planner templates)
• Table design can be a bit challenging if you want a special look for the tables in your planner.
• Setting master styles using KeyNote is more challenging than other tools.  It’s possible it’s just not intuitive.

KeyNote is Best For

This software is best for a Mac user that is just getting started with digital planner creation.  KeyNote is flexible and it can be used for larger digital planners.  It’s not my favorite because I like the ability to import dates, add glow effects to my fonts, and some of the extra’s that Affinity Publisher has built into the tool.

Caveats for Using KeyNote to Make a Digital Planner

KeyNote hyperlinks are not stable when used on PC, so it’s only viable for Mac Computers.  It’s possible to create extremely large planners on KeyNote. It’s best for one off planners because adjusting the style to create additional planners can be frustrating. (note this is my opinion and experience – if you are a master with KeyNote, this might be easy for you.)

3. Why PowerPoint is a Good Program to Make a Digital Planner

PowerPoint is aMicrosoft slide presentation software. It has the same functionality as KeyNote, but it works on PC’s for digital planner creation.  Much like KeyNote links are only dependable on Macs, the full Windows version of PowerPoint is needed for the hyperlinks to work dependably. 

Pros for Using PowerPoint

• PowerPoint is included with the Microsoft Office suite so it may have come on your computer
• There are a lot of commercial use templates to start off your planner that are built on the PowerPoint platform.
• Includes Advanced Features out of the box.
• User friendly

Cons for Using PowerPoint

• It’s not free software, it requires the Office 365 subscription.  
• The free version lacks important features you need to make a digital planner

PowerPoint is Best For

This is the tool I recommend for Windows users that don’t want to purchase Affinity Publisher.

Caveats for Using PowerPoint to Make a Digital Planner

This can get confusing for some.  If you are a Mac user, I don’t recommend using PowerPoint because the hyperlinks can be flaky. 

4. Why Google Slides is an Okay Program to Make a Digital Planner

Google Slides is a free software that can be used to make digital planners.  It’s easy to make a Google account and get started. 

It’s a great option for making very simple planners.  The downfall of Slides is the very limited formatting options, and you may get Frustrated trying to get your page templates set up. 

But it is a great option to make a free digital planner and get your feet wet.

Pros for Using Google Slides

• Free to use with a Google account
• User friendly
• It can be accessed from any platform…Mac, PC and Linus

Cons for Using Google Slides

• Design option are extremely limited
• Limited customization

Google Slides is Best For

Google Slides is a great tool to start out with, and learn about making digital planners.  But it’s not a recommended tool to make digital planners to sell because of the limited design and customizations.

Caveats for Using Google Slides to Make a Digital Planner

While Google Slides is free and it works on any platform, I found it clunky to work with.  I have made a few planers on this platform and while they were okay they just weren’t as professional as I would have liked. 

5. Why Canva is an Okay Program to Make a Digital Planner

Canva has a host of free templates and design elements.  It’s a fun tool with both a free and paid level. It has a drag-and-drop interface that can help simplify the design process.  

The big limitation is that working with a lot of pages can be overwhelming. It’s not my favorite tool for digital planner creation because of the inability to template pages and track hyperlinks, (only available in Affinity Publisher).  But I do enjoy working with Canva on smaller digital planner projects. (Planners less than 30 pages and few tabs/hyperlinks)

Pros for Using Canva

• There is a free version.
• Its an easy drag and drop editor
• Includes a lot of templates

Cons for Using Canva

• Limit to the number of hyperlinks in a planner
• Difficult to track hyperlinks
• Overwhelming for larger planners.
• No master page/slide functionality making tab changes a nightmare.

Canva is Best For

Canva is great for creating smaller hyperlinked digital planners (less than 30 pages).  Because it has a free level and its a great tool for beginners.

Caveats for Using Canva to Make a Digital Planner

Canva is accessible from any computer platform! It has a free level.  But I would not recommend creating a full planner on this platform.  It has a limit to the number of pages you can add to a design, and a limit to the number of hyperlinks you can add.  Definitely play with Canva, but when it’s time to make your first big planner switch to a more stable design platform.

What is the best program to make a digital planner?

In my educated opinion, if you are making a planner for yourself and you have a Mac, KeyNote is the best place to start.  If you have a PC, then use PowerPoint.  

If you are past the beginning stages and you’re ready to invest in a professional tool to make a “your niche digital planner” then go with Affinity Publisher.

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, you’ll find targeted answers to common queries about creating and selling digital planners. Each answer is tailored to help you navigate the versatile tools and platforms available for digital planner creation.

What are the best apps for creating a personalized digital planner on Android devices?

If you have an android device like a ChromeBook your going to be limited to web-based tools.  So creating a small planner in Canva or Google Slides.  You could also experiment with PowerPoint in the Office365 online space. I say experiment because I have not tried this, and it’s not a method I recommend.

Can you recommend any programs for designing digital planner templates?

For designing digital planner templates, Affinity Publisher, PowerPoint and KeyNote are highly recommended. These programs give you extensive control over the design process, allowing for intricate and professional templates.  I often use Canva as well for the templates.

How can I develop a digital planner that I can sell online?

If you want to develop a digital planner for online sales, start with a reliable design tool like Affinity Publisher (or any of the tools I share in this post), then incorporate unique layouts and content that cater to your target market. There are several aspects of making a digital planner to sell that you may not have thought of, I give you some starting points in this post… 

How To Make a Digital Planner

Which platforms allow for creating and selling digital planners, such as on Etsy?

Platforms like Etsy provide a marketplace for creating and selling digital planners. Etsy specializes in handmade and digital products, making it a popular choice for reaching customers interested in personalized organization tools. There are several marketplaces you can list your products, but beware you pay for that traffic with fees and with a little know how you can get traffic to a shop that is yours on a platform like WooCommerce without the fees.

What are the steps to creating a digital planner in Canva for commercial purposes?

When creating a digital planner in Canva, start by selecting a template or create your design from scratch. Customize the layout, pages, and elements to fit your brand, then save the design as a PDF. Remember to set your Canva account to the right licensing for commercial use.

It’s important to make sure you are using the free elements if you are going to sell the planner, so watch for those little crowns on the elements when you are making your amazing design.

Which tools are widely used for adding tabs and other features to digital planners?

All 5 of the software I share in this post can be used for adding tabs and interactive features to digital planners.  The interactive features enable your users to navigate the planner efficiently. These features can greatly enhance the user experience of your digital planner.

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