IMG.LY vs InDesign Server

Looking for a modern, flexible, and scalable alternative to InDesign Server? CreativeEditor SDK delivers real-time editing, full customization, and AI-driven automation, all without the complexity of server-based rendering. See why IMG.LY is the best alternative to InDesign Server.

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500M+

video and photo creations are powered by IMG.LY every month
HP
Shopify
Reuters
Hootsuite
Semrush
Shutterfly
Sprout Social
One.com
Constant Contact
Your partner in crime

What makes IMG.LY the best InDesign Server alternative?

Real-Time Editing in the Browser

No need for server-side rendering, IMG.LY provides a fully client-side editing experience with instant updates and seamless collaboration.

Full Customization & White-Labeling

A fully customizable, white-label solution where you control the UI, branding, and functionality.

Extensibility & Plugin System

Supports custom plugins and extensibility, enabling seamless integration of new tools, automation features, and industry-specific workflows.

Openness & Interoperability

Import Photoshop (PSD), Illustrator (AI), and InDesign (INDD) files and export scene files for work-in-progress editing.

What Our Clients Say About Us

IMG.LY’s solution engineers did a deep dive on our business case and helped us implement a custom print kiosk UI.

André Albrecht
Digital Solution Manager
 @ 
Brother

Our customers create over a million personalized postcards each year choosing from over hundreds of templates with IMG.LY’s SDK. It’s the only solution that allows us to build our own specialized, on-brand UI that integrates seamlessly with our platform.

Jeanine Zaalberg
Product Manager
 @ 
Swiss Post

Our app has photo-editing at the very core of its experience and the editor has been invaluable in making that vision happen. There are no other tools on the market up to the quality of PE.SDK.

Toby Green
Lead Developer
 @ 
Elbi

IMG.LY vs. InDesign Server at a Glance

Features

IMG.LY

InDesign Server

Real-Time, In-Browser Editing

Fully client-side, real-time editing with instant updates.

Server-based processing; not designed for real-time, in-browser editing.

Infrastructure & Scalability

Lightweight, cloud-friendly, and highly scalable.

Relies on offline, device-based processing combined with scalable cloud infrastructure.

Customizability

Fully customizable UI and feature set tailored to different use cases.

UI customization achieved by developing custom web or desktop front-ends that communicate with the server.

Creative Automation

AI-powered automation, dynamic content generation, and batch processing.

Supports scripting for automation but requires complex server-side logic.

Advanced Templating Options

Supports dynamic placeholders, constraints, and programmatic content adjustments for scalable design workflows.

Offers templating through InDesign’s layout engine but requires server-side processing and scripting.

Plugins & Extensions

Robust plugin system for extending functionality and integrating custom workflows.

Offers a plugin system that is part of Adobe’s ecosystem.

File Compatibility

Supports PSD, AI, INDD, SVG, PNG, and more.

Native support for INDD and most common formats.

Multi-Platform Support

Works across Web, iOS, Android, React, Vue.js, Flutter, and Electron.

Primarily designed for desktop and server-based workflows; lacks native support for web or mobile platforms.

IMG.LY

InDesign Server

Real-Time, In-Browser Editing

Fully client-side, real-time editing with instant updates.

Server-based processing with delayed rendering.

Infrastructure & Scalability

Lightweight, cloud-friendly, and highly scalable.

Requires dedicated server infrastructure, increasing complexity and costs.

Customizability

Fully customizable UI and feature set tailored to different use cases.

Locked into Adobe’s ecosystem with limited UI customization.

Creative Automation

AI-powered automation, dynamic content generation, and batch processing.

Supports scripting for automation but requires complex server-side logic.

Advanced Templating Options

Supports dynamic placeholders, constraints, and programmatic content adjustments for scalable design workflows.

Offers templating through InDesign’s layout engine but requires server-side processing and scripting.

Plugins & Extensions

Robust plugin system for extending functionality and integrating custom workflows.

No dedicated plugin system; relies on Adobe’s proprietary ecosystem.

File Compatibility

Supports PSD, AI, INDD, SVG, PNG, and more.

Native support for INDD, but limited flexibility for other formats.

Multi-Platform Support

Works across Web, iOS, Android, React, Vue.js, Flutter, and Electron.

Primarily designed for desktop and server-based workflows.

Everything you need

Key Capabilities

Learn more about some of the functionalities of IMG.LY’s SDK

Editing

Transform

A globe
Web
Mobile

Crop, flip, and rotate with ease. Preset crop ratios to common formats.

Filters

A globe
Web
Mobile

Over 60 state-of-the-art filters allow users to control the style and mood of their creations.

Adjustments

A globe
Web
Mobile

Fine-tune designs with an exhaustive set of adjustment operations such as brightness and contrast.

Effect & Blur

A globe
Web
Mobile

Add a unique mood to designs with effects & blur.

Element Snapping

A globe
Web
Mobile

Snap stickers and text to control points for more precise placements.

Blend Modes & Grouping

A globe
Web
Mobile

Define the blending behavior and grouping.

Undo & Redo

A globe
Web
Mobile

Allow users to undo and redo all editing operations.

Printing

Cutout Lines

A globe
Web
Mobile

Create and customize cutout shapes for web-to-print.

CMYK/ Spot color support

A globe
Web
Mobile

Integrate CMYK and Pantone color spaces, customized color libraries, including your brand's colors.

Templating

Design Templates

A globe
Web
Mobile

Create role based design templates to jumpstart users’ creativity.

Text Variables

A globe
Web
Mobile

Enable mass personalization and creative automation by embedding variables.

Placeholders & Lockable Designs

A globe
Web
Mobile

Constrain templates to guide your users’ design and ensure brand consistency.

Configurable Presets

A globe
Web
Mobile

Enforce a consistent aesthetic across all creations by using preset filters, adjustments, fonts, and crop ratios.

Customizability

Build Custom UIs

A globe
Web
Mobile

Use the headless API powering all creative operations to implement an entirely custom UI.

Theming

A globe
Web
Mobile

Change the editor theme to fit seamlessly with your app.

Media Libraries

A globe
Web
Mobile

Set up custom libraries that are easily sortable.

Toolbar Customization

A globe
Web
Mobile

Reposition toolbar elements, change icons, or rename tools to fit your use case.

Internationalization

A globe
Web
Mobile

Add support for additional languages, and customize any button label.

Export Options

A globe
Web
Mobile

Export designs in JPG, PNG, or PDF with custom quality, page ranges, and dimensions.

And there’s more

Check Out Other Use Cases

Learn more about related social media solutions.
Web2Print Designer

Web2Print Designer

Elevate your Web2Print application with best-in-class Design Editor.
Learn MoreOpen Showcase
Creative Automation

Creative Automation

Automate & scale content creation with ease.
Learn MoreOpen Showcase
Variable Data Printing

Variable Data Printing

Enable mass-personalization in your design & print workflows.
Learn MoreOpen Showcase
Photo Prints

Photo Prints

Provide seamless design experience and inspire users with easily personalized templates.
Learn MoreOpen Showcase
Print Personalization

Print Personalization

Streamline personalization for your print products.
Learn MoreOpen Showcase
Apparel Designer

Apparel Designer

Whether t-shirts, hoodies or caps, build for any use case, deploy on any platform.
Learn MoreOpen Showcase

More from IMG.LY

IMG.LY for Brands & Agencies

Automate design processes and generate on-brand marketing materials with ease.
Learn More

IMG.LY for Marketing Tech

Scale and automate any creative workflow.
Learn More

Camera SDK

Make in-app recording easy with our Camera SDK.
Learn More

Photo Editor SDK

Bring beautiful photo editing to your applications.
Learn More

Creative Editor SDK

Empower your users with an easy-to-use design editor.
Learn More

IMG.LY for Social Media

Unleash your users' creativity & leverage user generated content.
Learn More

IMG.LY for DAM

Empower users to create, collaborate , and automate design tasks in your app.
Learn More

Video Editor SDK

Powerful video editor for your iOS, Android, and web applications.
Learn More

More to discover

Explore Our Demos

See how IMG.LY looks and feels.
Check out our
demos

Get in Touch

Contact our sales team to learn more about licensing options and get access to our AI plugins for CE.SDK.

Contact SalesFree Trial

FAQs

What’s the best alternative to InDesign Server?

IMG.LY’s CreativeEditor SDK is a good alternative to InDesign Server. It offers real-time, client-side editing, advanced templating, AI-powered automation, and seamless integrations all without the need for complex server-based infrastructure.

How does IMG.LY differ from InDesign Server in terms of performance?

IMG.LY offers a client-side solution, meaning edits are rendered instantly in the browser, while InDesign Server requires server-based processing, leading to delays and increased infrastructure costs.

Does IMG.LY support advanced templating like InDesign Server?

Yes, IMG.LY provides dynamic templating with placeholders, constraints, and programmatic content manipulation allowing scalable, automated design generation similar to InDesign Server but with more flexibility.

Do I need a dedicated server to run IMG.LY like I do with InDesign Server?

No, unlike InDesign Server, which requires dedicated server infrastructure, IMG.LY runs entirely in the browser or within your existing app, making it easier to scale and more cost-effective.

Can I automate design workflows with IMG.LY?

Absolutely, IMG.LY supports batch processing, generative AI, and dynamic content generation, eliminating the need for complex InDesign scripting.

How do IMG.LY and InDesign Server compare in terms of customization?

IMG.LY is fully customizable, allowing you to tailor the UI, editing tools, and automation features to fit your use case. InDesign Server offers little customization, being locked into Adobe’s ecosystem.

How do IMG.LY and InDesign Server compare in terms of integration?

IMG.LY offers flexible APIs that integrate seamlessly with web, mobile, and headless CMS systems. InDesign Server, on the other hand, is heavily dependent on Adobe’s proprietary ecosystem, making integrations more complex.

What file formats does IMG.LY support compared to InDesign Server?

IMG.LY supports PSD, AI, INDD, SVG, PNG, and more, ensuring compatibility with various design workflows. InDesign Server primarily supports INDD files, making it less flexible.

Is IMG.LY more cost-effective than InDesign Server?

Yes, IMG.LY eliminates the need for expensive server infrastructure and high licensing fees, offering a more transparent and scalable pricing model.

Is IMG.LY a future-proof solution compared to InDesign Server?

Yes, IMG.LY is continuously updated to support the latest creative technologies, AI-powered automation, and modern web standards, unlike InDesign Server, which remains tied to Adobe’s legacy architecture.