9 Best Flipbook Software You Need to Know! [#1 + Comparison]
I thought I was using the best flipbook software available until someone pointed out that I’d never really checked if that was actually true. I did my homework and found that there are many options for creating flipping books from PDFs, so set out to find which one was the best. And I have found the best flipbook software: Yumpu Publishing.
I considered what good publishing software would mean to me and decided to review nine of the best.
Here’s what I found out, including one clear winner which calls itself …
…Nah I will share with you my absolute favorite software at the very end of this article :P
Trust me; you’ll be glad I told you the name.
I’ll tell you what other flipbook software reviews don’t
Do you love to read reviews before you jump in and buy things?
I do too.
But how do you know when you can trust those reviews?
The web is burgeoning with top 5 this and top 10 that, but I’m not convinced that all these reviews are always trustworthy.
I use software like flipbook makers all the time.
My job involves making flip PDF magazines and eBook content pages into glorious page flipping publications ready to share on social media, embed and enjoy.
I was under the impression for years that I was using the best flipbook softwareout there, largely based on the flipbook service reviews I’d read.
That was until someone pointed out that unless I genuinely knew and trusted these reviewers, I was simply lapping up the advertising that the developers had produced themselves.
Imagine how silly I felt right then, assuming that because someone else said my choice of product was the best free flipbook software that it was indeed the best.
I knew I had to do something to validate my choice of the best flipbook software, and that involved some work on my part.
With plenty of online flipbook software choices out there, finding the best flipbook software was going to take some time and effort, but in the end, it would all be worth it.
I want to share with you what I found out so that you can easily choose the right software to make professional interactive flipbook publications too.
By using the top flipbook software, I went from under 20 subs to over 200!
Before I began my investigation, I was pretty sure I was using the best flipbook software available.
Lots of my colleagues used it, many of my clients recommended it, and those online reviews said it was one of the top-rated platforms out there.
And yet, none of this was really sitting right with me.
As a package of software, it was OK.
It allowed me to embed video files or audio files into my flip magazine, and it worked for PC as well as for Mac. So this HTML5 flipbook software for mac was kind of ok.
However, what it didn’t do was make my digital publications viewable on smartphones or tablets, which was really where my strategy started to fall apart.
When I started using a flip book maker, everyone read my content on their desktop computer devices (windows and mac).
Whether it was a page turning brochure for our products or the monthly newsletter didn’t matter; our clients were all sitting comfortably at their desks, enjoying the page flipping work I was making.
However, the world has changed a lot in the last decade or so.
Today, the majority of my clients want to have the flexibility to read my pageflip content on their smartphone or iPad screens too.
The flip PDF to flipbook software I was using just wasn’t capable of this, which meant I had to use a third-party app to perform a further conversion so that it was compatible with their mobile device (iPad, iPhone, Android phones,…).
So now, despite apparently using the best flipbook software available, I had to do everything twice.
Double the time, double the effort, double the stress.
However, my frustration was short lived as soon as I realized that mine wasn’t the only electronic flipbook maker out there.
Now that I’ve found what I actually consider to be the best professional flipbook software available, I do not have to do my job twice.
Because my favorite product is HTML5 page flip software format, it’s instantly compatible with mobile devices of all shapes and sizes, with no need for me to manually convert anything.
Not only have I saved myself time with my new flippingbook software, I’m also enjoying a much wider readership as a result.
I was a little slow to realize just how big the demand for mobile content was, but now that I provide free HTML magazines, I’ve got more subscribers than ever before.
One particular magazine was struggling with around 17 or 18 subscribers for years; now it’s got over 200 regular readers and that number is growing month on month.
Understanding flipping book software can help you decide which ones are best
Before we launch into my reviews of some of the best digital flipbook maker software out there, I think it’s important we all understand exactly what digital flipbook software is.
We need an understanding of some of the features available, so we can make sure any flip page software under consideration can at least meet those basic needs.
For me, I began by asking some key questions about flipbook magazine software, to test my understanding and ensure I could undertake a fair review and comparison.
To help you draw your own conclusions about which programs are best suited to your needs, we need to think about:
What is a flipbook?
In essence, a flipp book or flip catalog is the evolution of a-PDF document .
Where we used to send physical flip books out to clients and customers, this evolved into sending an electronic alternative, usually as PDF files .
However, all these PDF file brochures and flash flipbooks were simply a digital image of our physical print publications, with no interactive elements or excitement to them at all.
Some publishers started to imagine how great it would be to flip PDF documents like you were flipping a glossy magazine.
How wonderful would it be to add in hyperlinks to further information or to include free interactive multimedia elements such as videos or audio.
This is how flipbook creation was born.
With flip builder software, you can create interactive digital flipbooks which have the beauty of a printed magazine and the interactivity of a web page.
The best flipbook software will make this all easy to do, helping you stay ahead of the times and get more people reading your content.
Why do I need software for that?
Making PDF page flip magazines is not an easy task, even if you are particularly computer savvy.
Thankfully you do not need to be a page flipper expert to create a flipbook or these eye-catching digital publications, because others have already done it for you.
With some of the best 3D flip book software, online flipbook creation is simple, requiring nothing more complicated than an upload of the full version of your magazine and some settings to be entered.
Which flipbook software providers exist?
There are numerous flipbook software freeware companies out there, from big names like Calameo and Issuu to smaller providers such as FlipHTML5 web page and membership only flip book software providers.
The best flipbook software available today for you will depend on your own needs, budget and preferences.
But here is a short list:
- Instant Flipbook
- Flip HTML5
- Yumpu
- Flip PDF Professional
- Anyflip
- FlippingBook
- Calameo
- Issuu
- KVISoft Flipbook Maker
- Pub HTML5
- …..
What is flipbook software?
Professional flipbook software basically takes all of the coding and complication out of creating an e flip magazine.
You don’t need to understand HTML5, jQuery or the computer program behind making a PDF page flip in order to use it, because all free flipbook software has a simple user-interface which walks you through the process.
How to use flipbook software?
Most of the best flipbook software solutions will have in built usability which will hold your hand through the creation process.
As a general rule, you will register to use the e page software, and then it’s just about uploading your online publication ready for conversion to a flipping book.
You will usually have some settings to take care of, such as deciding who can view your publication, when it should be published and how it can be categorized, but essentially that’s all the basics you’ll need.
The best flipbook software often has tutorials and how to guides too, which will ensure you don’t struggle to make use of the technology.
In order to seek out the best flipbook software available, I had to think about some of the features I really wanted to see in my prefered software.
As much as I was aware that there are some free flip book software packages out there, I was also willing to pay a price (within reason) for something which ticked all my boxes.
Among other things, I was looking for free flip book software that would:
- Be easy to use
- Output in HTML5 (for compatibility across-platforms)
- Display on mobile devices of all sizes and every operation system (iOS, Android) and every computer (Windows, Mac)
- Offer a gratis trial and affordable ongoing subscription charges
- Offer tutorials and amazing support
- Provide analytics and interesting data for my publications
- Come with SEO built-in (Search Engine Optimization)
- Make it easy for sharing on social media (Facebook, Twitter etc.) and otherwise
- Possibly include an offline flipbook creator for remote working
Maybe this was a lot to ask of an e flipbook creator free from charge, but I had to aim high.
After all, I was looking for the very best flipbook software on the planet!
Let’s reveal the winner of the best flipbook software
A quick Google search revealed so many possibilities for flip book software.
How was I going to choose the very best flipbook software for my needs?
I decided to start by comparing the features and benefits of the tools available and see which best online flipbook creator free options were comparable to the one I was already using.
[2019 Update] Here’s what I found:
1. iMag
This tool I just discovered recently by my research last week. I didn’t know about this software before, but it is definitely worth a try.
Imag is used by big brands such as Adidas, Samsung, Chevrolet and many more.
They offer a few amazing features such as the possibility to share an excerpt of your magazine, add audio, video and links, Google Analytics, privacy settings and more.
Unfortunately, there is no free plan with this software, but their pro plan starts at only $1 for the first month and then $15 per month.
2. Bote
Bote is a well-known digital publishing platform with a huge community of over 150 million users.
Who does not want to benefit from a large user base to reach?
Other features include SEO optimization, Amazon cloud hosting for your documents, embed Wizard, no page limit per magazine, personalized advertising video and many more!
Bote also has no free version, but the starter plan is only $12 and comes with a 14-day free trial.
3. FlippingBook
I was looking for flipping book software free to use and this one looked good on the face of it.
Its cross-platform capabilities were good, and it used HTML5 which is always a positive when you are looking for something that will work on a range of devices.
However, the price was somewhat disturbing.
To access this FlippingBook software, I’d need to firstly buy into a lifetime license, which is a pretty big commitment when it costs several hundred dollars.
Not only that, but there’s also a monthly subscription to pay on top, which despite its handy features make it out of the running for me.
4. Flipsnack
I loved my trial of the cloud service Flipsnack.
It has a modern, bouncy user interface and plenty of fun features to help you make your publications more unique.
The support team is said to be excellent to contact so if you are just starting out on using flip book software for website or social embedding, it’s not a bad selection.
However, for an experienced publisher like me, it’s not the best flipbook software choice purely due to the limits on uploading.
Just five pages are allowed on the free version, and even on the paid plans you are limited to 500 pages.
You also only get nice design flip book templates in the paid version.
I don’t often publish content heavy flip books, but I’d like the option, particularly for $24 a month, so for me, this was not the best flipbook software I could use.
5. Calameo
If you love your features and tools, you’ll love Calameo.
It’s a real good flipbook creator in itself and offers a fairly generous package even on the free subscription.
If you are looking for the best flipbook software with which to host your own publications on your website, this would be fine.
However, if you are looking for a readymade audience to connect with, which I am, this has some limitations.
The main issue is that the majority of the readership is French speaking, so unless you are in the European or Canadian marketplace, it’s unlikely to present many new opportunities.
6. Publitas
As reputations go, Publitas has a kind of strong following, but is it the best flipbook software out there?
It allows embedding, has good support for cross-platform compatibility and even includes a degree of cloud storage, so you’re not reliant on your own servers or hardware for your paper trail.
It does integrate with Google Analytics, which is always a positive, but I had issues with the pricing structure compared to other providers.
There are five versions to choose from, each with various features either included or missing, and I couldn’t quite figure out which one would give me all of the things I was looking for.
7. iPaper
For a top end offering, iPaper has it all.
A beautifully designed website, a impressive client list and a user interface which puts others to shame. If you’re looking for a premium service, this is a fairly robust choice.
However, as with many premium things, there comes a premium price tag too.
If you want to use your own branding, the cost will begin at around $135 a month, which prices most small and medium businesses out of the running right away.
8. Anyflip
I love this Issuu alternative tool for its interactivity.
If you want to create a digital publication which looks like a magazine but behaves like a website, this is a solid choice.
They also have design flipping book templates.
Integration of links, video, audio and more are all simplified on this platform, and there’s an easy route to monetization which is great for small publishers like me.
However, the audience available is somewhat lacking.
If you’re looking to host your publications yourself, that’s not really a big deal.
For me, I rely on gaining new followers and traffic from the platform itself, so I’m looking for a package that offers good readership as well.
9. Yumpu
You might have noticed already that I’ve not really hit the nail on the proverbial head with my choices thus far.
That’s OK, because I’ve saved the best for last, as should always be the case (wink, wink).
The company Yumpu Publishing was ticking all my boxes when it came to features, pro support, functionality, compatibility, unlimited pages and so much more.
Where is the catch, I thought?
It seemed I could do pretty much everything I wanted with this particular tool, so when was the blow going to come?
It had to be the pricing, right?
Wrong.
Actually, Yumpu Publishing is completely free to use, no catches, no problem.
You do have to put up with a little branding on your PDF file publications, but that’s only fair to the developers.
If it bothers you, the AdFree plans start from a very affordable $19.95 too, so even the upgrade from the free plan isn’t going to break the bank. There is even a 30-day free trial with the AdFree plan so you got literally nothing to lose. This plan comes with advanced features such as Google Analytics, SEO optimization, password protection, no advertisement and many more!
They also offer other paid version in case you are interested in even more diversified plans.
I feel like I’ve definitely picked the nine best flipbook software solutions to review and have come out with one clear winner.
From my experience I can tell, Yumpu Publishing is the very best there is, without a shadow of a doubt, and the results I’ve been getting since I began using this software really do speak for themselves.
No wonder this professional version is popular among big brands like Adidas, Ikea, BMW,…
To create a professional interactive flipbook with this service you just have to follow these 4 simple steps:
Have your PDF documents ready. Select the files PDF you want to add to the magazine or create a new PDF by converting a word document into PDF files.
- Go to Yumpu Publishing(no download needed)
2. Register for a free account (you will get an activation email)
3. Upload or drag and drop your PDF to flipbook converter and convert PDF file to flipping book (takes about 2 minutes)
4. Make any preferred changes to your flipbook and customize it. Give your pdf flipbook a title, add tags, rich media, images, videos, a link, audio and much more. Click on edit magazine to get the ability to make even more changes in the editor .
You now successfully created your flash magazine with flipping effect!
Now you can go on and share it easily on various social networks or even embed it on your own website.
The perfect solution.
My favorite feature of this software though is that the flipbooks created with this tool are search engine optimized. Meaning my flipping books will also be visible in Google and other search engines .
This way my users and readers can find all my new creations easily.
More subscribers, more efficiency, less expense
When I started using this software for myself, I was astounded at the outcomes. Almost instantly I was getting more traffic to every piece of content I uploaded.
Even better, my clients, prospects, and colleagues can now view my publications on any platform they choose… smartphone, tablet, PC; because this software is responsive and makes my flipbooks look great on every screen size there is.
I’m so happy I found the digital publishing platform Yumpu Publishing, and have never looked back since I made the switch.
I spend less on my best flipbook software than I did with my previous provider, and find I work far more efficiently thanks to the intuitive user interface and simple controls.
If you’re looking for the best flipbook software solution for any type of publication, I urge you to try out this platform which has changed my professional life for the better.
Comment below this article and let me know about your favorite software!
