Printable planners have become a top trend in digital products — loved by entrepreneurs, students, moms, and goal-getters. Whether it’s daily agendas, budget trackers, meal plans, or self-care journals, printable planners help people stay organized while offering creators a great opportunity to earn passive income.
But to create professional, eye-catching, and functional planners, you need the right design tools.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the best design tools for making printable planners — covering both free and premium options. We’ll break down the features, ease of use, pricing, pros and cons, and who each tool is best for.
Why You Need the Right Tool for Designing Printable Planners
Before we dive into tools, let’s be clear on why your choice matters.
Creating printable planners involves more than just typing text and dragging boxes. You need:
- Custom page layouts
- Beautiful fonts and graphics
- Alignment and spacing control
- Editable templates (if selling digital planners)
- Export quality for printing (PDF at 300 DPI)
A professional design tool makes all this easier and ensures your planner stands out in a crowded marketplace.
1. Canva – Best for Beginners & Fast Design
⭐ Best for: Beginners, Etsy sellers, bloggers, teachers
Why It’s Great:
Canva is the most beginner-friendly design tool on the market. It offers thousands of planner templates, drag-and-drop editing, and tons of free design elements — perfect for those with no graphic design background.
Key Features:
- Easy drag-and-drop interface
- 1000s of free templates (daily, weekly, monthly planners)
- Access to stock photos, icons, shapes, and fonts
- Save as high-quality PDFs for printing
- Team collaboration tools
Pros:
- Extremely easy to use
- Free version is powerful
- Large library of ready-to-edit templates
- Cloud-based — works on any device
Cons:
- Limited design freedom compared to Adobe tools
- Some fonts/elements are Pro-only
- Cannot embed fonts into exported PDFs (not ideal for commercial licenses)
Pricing:
Free plan available; Canva Pro costs $12.99/month (or $119.99/year)
2. Adobe InDesign – Best for Professional Planner Layouts
⭐ Best for: Professional designers, digital product sellers
Why It’s Great:
Adobe InDesign is an industry-standard tool for print design. If you’re creating detailed planner books, journals, or workbooks, InDesign gives you full control over layout, typography, and print-ready files.
Key Features:
- Master page layouts
- Precise alignment and grids
- CMYK and bleed settings for professional printing
- Fonts embedding and licensing control
- Export to PDF with hyperlinks (great for digital planners)
Pros:
- Ideal for multi-page planners or journals
- Full creative control
- Suitable for print and digital formats
- Seamless integration with Adobe Fonts and Illustrator
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve
- Expensive for hobbyists
- Requires a powerful computer
Pricing:
Starts at $22.99/month (or part of Adobe Creative Cloud Suite)
3. Affinity Publisher – Best InDesign Alternative (One-Time Purchase)
⭐ Best for: Budget-conscious professionals
Why It’s Great:
Affinity Publisher is often considered the best budget-friendly alternative to InDesign. It’s great for creating printable planners, books, and worksheets with professional-level features.
Key Features:
- Master pages and templates
- Guides and column controls
- Page numbering and auto-layouts
- Supports vector graphics and custom fonts
- Print-ready PDF export with bleed and margins
Pros:
- One-time payment
- Professional-grade layout tools
- Works offline
- Integrates with Affinity Photo and Designer
Cons:
- Slight learning curve
- Smaller design community than Adobe
- No cloud or mobile access
Pricing:
One-time purchase — $69.99 (no subscription)
4. Microsoft PowerPoint – Surprisingly Great for Simple Planners
⭐ Best for: Teachers, course creators, coaches
Why It’s Great:
While PowerPoint is known for presentations, many printable creators use it to design planners thanks to its simplicity and formatting tools.
Key Features:
- Easy layout tools
- Align, group, and arrange elements
- Use tables for tracker layouts
- Export to PDF for printing
- Add hyperlinks for digital planners
Pros:
- Familiar and easy to use
- Great for beginners
- Can duplicate slides for multi-page planners
- Easy to create horizontal or vertical layouts
Cons:
- Not built for print design
- Limited graphic features
- Export quality not as sharp as professional tools
Pricing:
Comes with Microsoft Office; standalone available at $159.99
5. Adobe Illustrator – Best for Custom Illustrations & Layouts
⭐ Best for: Creatives who want to add custom graphics
Why It’s Great:
Adobe Illustrator is ideal for adding hand-drawn or vector graphics to your planner. If you want to create your own planner icons, borders, or layouts from scratch, Illustrator gives you total freedom.
Key Features:
- Create custom illustrations and shapes
- Work with vector graphics (scalable)
- Advanced typography and color tools
- Perfect for decorative planner elements
Pros:
- Ideal for making printables that stand out
- High-resolution, print-ready designs
- Integrates with other Adobe tools
Cons:
- Not beginner-friendly
- Time-consuming for full planner design
- Requires subscription
Pricing:
Starts at $22.99/month
6. Google Slides / Google Docs – Free and Functional
⭐ Best for: Beginners and minimal planners
Why It’s Great:
Google Slides or Docs can be used to create simple printable planners for free. They’re especially useful for students, teachers, or small creators starting on a budget.
Key Features:
- Easy text formatting and table creation
- Insert shapes, lines, and images
- Free fonts and icons via add-ons
- Shareable links and cloud-based storage
Pros:
- 100% free
- Cloud-based and easy to share
- Beginner-friendly
- Works on any device
Cons:
- Basic design capabilities
- Not ideal for complex layouts
- Limited export options (PDF only)
Pricing:
Free with a Google account
7. Templett & Corjl – Best for Selling Editable Planners Online
⭐ Best for: Etsy sellers and online shop owners
Why They’re Great:
Templett and Corjl are online platforms that let customers edit your printable planners in their browser. You create the design once and sell a customizable template, which boosts value.
Key Features:
- Editable in-browser by buyers
- You upload your designs as templates
- Buyers don’t need design software
- Ideal for wedding planners, budget sheets, etc.
Pros:
- Sell once, earn many times
- Increases perceived value of your planners
- Integrated with Etsy
Cons:
- Monthly fee (after sales)
- Platform-dependent
- Not suitable for non-editable products
Pricing:
Templett: Free to start, pay per sale
Corjl: $9.99/month after trial
Tips for Designing a Planner That Sells
Regardless of the tool you choose, here are a few tips to design printable planners that are beautiful and functional:
- Start with a goal – What is the user trying to achieve? (e.g., productivity, budgeting, meal planning)
- Use clean, consistent fonts – Choose 1–2 easy-to-read fonts.
- Keep it uncluttered – Use whitespace to improve usability.
- Design in CMYK and 300 DPI – For best print quality.
- Test print your planner – Check margins, alignment, and print quality.
- Include instructions or a cover page – Especially helpful for digital products.
Final Thoughts
Creating printable planners is a fun and profitable way to turn your creativity into income. But the key to a planner that stands out — and sells — lies in the design.
Whether you’re a total beginner using Canva, a professional designer with Adobe InDesign, or an Etsy seller leveraging Templett, there’s a design tool out there perfect for your style and goals.
The best part? You don’t need to be a professional designer to get started. With the right tools and a little practice, you can create planners that inspire, organize, and earn money while you sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Do I need design experience to make printable planners?
No! Tools like Canva and PowerPoint are beginner-friendly and offer templates to help you start without any design experience.
Q2. What file format should I use to sell planners?
Always export your planners as high-quality PDFs at 300 DPI for print. If selling editable templates, use platforms like Templett or Corjl.
Q3. Can I sell Canva designs on Etsy?
Yes, but you must use Canva’s free elements or have a Pro license, and follow their content licensing terms. You cannot sell Canva’s stock templates as-is.
Q4. What makes a good printable planner?
A good planner is clean, easy to use, and helps the user accomplish a specific goal. It should have enough structure to guide them, but enough flexibility to personalize.
Would you like me to create a planner template for you or help brainstorm planner niche ideas that sell well? Just let me know — I’d be happy to help!