Laidout

Laidout is free Linux desktop publishing software for arranging pages into print impositions, including folded booklets and polyhedron nets. It supports single pages, custom folded book signatures, accordion folds and other net layouts. Its graphics tools include paths, ellipses, rounded rectangles, gradients, point sets, color meshes, warped images and captions. Laidout imports SVG, images, Scribus files and OFF polyhedra; it can also import PDF pages as rendered images, although PDF page import for reimposition is under development. Export options include PDF, SVG, Scribus, images, HTML galleries, Podofoimpose plan files, Page Atlas images and PostScript. Command-line operation allows batch importing, reimposing and exporting without opening a window. The software is released under GPL 3.0. The homepage identifies version 0.097 and describes the stable release as old, suggesting a development snapshot or compiling from source where possible. The FAQ says scripting is not well debugged or documented, and proper color management has not been a development priority; it suggests exporting to Scribus for color work. The maker says Laidout currently works only on variations of Linux.

Laidout provides specialized imposition tools and broad import and export options for Linux users. Its old stable release and stated scripting and color-management limitations are worth weighing before adopting it.

Laidout may suit Linux users preparing folded print layouts, book signatures or polyhedron nets, including poster layouts for small-sheet printers. Users needing mature scripting or color management should consider its stated limitations.

Laidout is Linux desktop-publishing software built around arranging pages for folds, signatures, and other impositions. It suits print specialists making booklets, accordion pieces, posters from small sheets, or polyhedron nets. Its focused layout capabilities and free GPL license are attractive, but the aging stable release, Linux-only support, and weak scripting and color-management story limit its audience.

Overview

Laidout takes a specialist approach rather than trying to be an all-purpose page-layout suite. Its central job is placing pages into physical arrangements that can be cut and folded, including custom book signatures and unusual net patterns. That makes it a logical choice when the imposition itself is the difficult part of a print project. For conventional publishing work that depends on current releases, broad operating-system support, or mature production controls, the qualifications are more serious.

The homepage identifies version 0.097 as the stable release and describes it as old, dating from November 2018. A 2021 unstable snapshot and source compilation are suggested where possible. Users therefore need to accept an older stable base or be comfortable with development software and compiling.

Key features

Laidout supports single-page arrangements, custom folded book signatures, accordion folds, and polyhedron unwrapping. Its Paper Group tool is aimed at posters when a printer can handle only smaller sheets, turning a hardware constraint into a layout task the application can address. These modes are valuable for niche print fabrication, but they do not replace the broader workflow controls of a conventional publishing package.

The drawing model includes paths and variable-width paths, ellipses, rounded rectangles, gradients, point sets, color meshes, warped images, and captions. This gives users enough native objects to build and adjust impositions without treating every page as a fixed image. Imports cover SVG, images, Scribus files, and OFF polyhedra. PDF pages can be brought in as rendered images; PDF-page import intended for reimposition is still under development, so PDF-heavy workflows should not assume editable page-level handling.

Exports include PDF, SVG, Scribus, images, HTML galleries, Podofoimpose PLAN files, Page Atlas images, and PostScript. Command-line operation can batch-import, reimpose, and export without opening a window, a meaningful advantage for repeatable jobs or build-style pipelines. Scribus exchange is supported with limitations, and Gimp palettes can be imported. Scripting is not well debugged or documented, and scripts cannot reach every object type, making automation harder to maintain than the batch command line alone suggests.

Pricing

Laidout is free under GPL 3.0. The Free (GPL 3.0) plan costs nothing and includes Linux support and version 0.097. There is no free trial because the software itself is free. The license is the main economic advantage: there are no seat charges or recurring renewal terms stated, but users take on the practical cost of an old release and any source-building work required.

Platforms

Laidout supports Linux, including variations of the operating system. The maker describes Mac support and Windows Subsystem for Linux support as uncertain, so users on those platforms should not treat it as a dependable native option. PDF export is supported; master pages and preflight tools are not.

Who it's for

Choose Laidout if you need custom folded signatures, accordion or polyhedron-net impositions, small-sheet poster assembly, or command-line batch processing on Linux. It is especially suited to technically inclined print users who can work around an old stable release and limited scripting documentation.

Look elsewhere if you need reliable Windows or macOS support, master pages, preflight checks, or prioritized color management. The FAQ says color management has not been a development priority and recommends exporting to Scribus for that part of the workflow.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Specialized folds, signatures, and polyhedron nets handle impositions that ordinary page-layout tools may not target.
• Pro: PDF, SVG, Scribus, image, HTML gallery, PLAN, Page Atlas, and PostScript export cover varied downstream workflows.
• Pro: Command-line batch processing supports repeatable import, reimposition, and export jobs without a graphical session.
• Con: The stable 0.097 release is old, with development builds or source compilation suggested instead.
• Con: Linux is the only clearly supported platform, while Mac and Windows WSL support remain uncertain.
• Con: Scripting is poorly documented and incomplete across object types, and color management requires handing work to Scribus.

Alternatives

For a wider directory of publishing tools, browse Desktop Publishing Software.

Flipsnack is the better fit for Android, iOS, or web-based flipbooks, with a free tier that does not expire but caps users at five flipbooks, 15 pages each, and a 100 MB PDF upload.

InPage suits users who need Windows or mobile support and a paid publishing product with a free edition and trial options.

QuarkXPress is the alternative for a conventional paid publishing suite on Windows, macOS, web, or mobile, with annual prepaid subscriptions and trial access.

Affinity is preferable for free individual vector, pixel, and page-layout work on macOS or Windows, with export tools and Canva integration.

Blurb BookWright targets offline book design on macOS or Windows with templates and layout suggestions, plus a separate softcover-book offering.

iStudio Publisher is a Mac-only publishing alternative with a free download and trial availability.

VivaDesigner is the choice when you need Linux alongside macOS, Windows, web, API, or self-hosted deployment and a free edition after its trial period.

Kindle Create is a free macOS and Windows tool focused on formatting books for publication through KDP.

Verdict

Laidout is worth choosing for Linux users whose defining requirement is specialized imposition: folded books, accordion layouts, polyhedron nets, or scripted batch conversion. Its zero price, GPL license, and unusually broad import and export paths reinforce that niche. Look elsewhere if current software, cross-platform support, dependable scripting, preflight, or color-managed production is more important than those specialized layouts.