
While everyone has a story to tell, how you present it makes all the difference. Flipbook has been touted as one of the best ways of presenting material and I embarked on a search for the most suitable software. Since I had heard about it, my first stop was the calameo publishing platform. My second stop, YUMPU Publishing, which is the best free alternative calameo magazine publishing software, was much more satisfying!
Before everything else, I want to make it clear that I was very new to publishing using flipbook software.
“Unfortunately, I had to go through a harrowing experience trying to understand how calameo programa works.” |
In the end, I had to give up and look for another less complicated option.
To cut a long story short, looking for the software that fit my publishing needs was no easy task.
Admittedly, there are so many of them in the market and some, such as issuu, are good enough.
However, I did not want good, I wanted the best.
This meant a powerful, easy to use and cost-free tool.
It was, therefore, a great relief when I finally discovered the website YUMPU Publishing., to publish my flipbooks with.
Table of contents:
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- Why I Needed Flip book Software
- How I Made My Choice
- Page Flipping
- Mobile Devices Support
- Alternative Calameo – Extra Interactive Elements
- Cloud Storage
- Efficient General Performance
- Search Engine Optimized
- Importing
- How to Create a Flipbook
Why I Needed Flip book Software
There are many advantages of using flipbook as a form of presentation.
The greatest is the ability to consolidate your ideas in a user-friendly format.
You are able to re-invent your files by putting them in a beautiful design.
In addition, you can reach a wider audience through various platforms without having to pay for printing costs as well as add extra features including animations, background sounds, and characters.
Owing to the flipping motion, flipbooks are far more attractive to tablet and mobile readers than any other form of presentation.
When reading a flipbook, you get the same experience as that of going through a printed book but without having to pay for the extra cost of printing.
In addition, readers can access the book from any part of the world, thereby saving a lot in terms of shipping costs.
“If you want your clients or friends to read your material, all you need is to create a flipbook and share its link or put it in email and send it to anyone.” Regardless of how large the flipbook is, you just need one shareable link which you can post on any social media platform or website.
Remember, one of the most important features of publications is its beautiful and professional look.
How I Made My Choice
Like I have mentioned, there are many companies offering free digital magazine software like the Calameo alternatives YUMPU Publishing, Calameo vs Joomag, Fliphtml5, Flipsnack Review, Anyflip and so on.
Most of them are just one company appearing under different brand names.
For instance, calameo publishing which also appears as calameo programa and alternative calameo.
This leads to confusion as you try to pick the best one among them for you.
In addition, most of them can’t beat the efficiency of the free YUMPU Publishing software in several features. Therefore I created this YUMPU Publishing Review.
Page Flipping
The most important feature of any flipbook software is its ability to offer a masterful page flipping effect.
Unlike many other similar products, the YUMPU Publishing software implements page flipping animation perfectly.
In addition, it beats alternative calameo in shadow simulation and page flipping sound.
I was able to add several types of multimedia objects to my magazine.
There is also a link tool that enabled me to flip my work to a particular page, open an email address, and external links with URL addresses and play videos attached to the magazine or obtained from Vimeo and YouTube.
In addition, it is possible to view images on a slideshow in the browser window as well as customize the colour of the background, the size of the window and the font style.
Mobile Devices Support
Digital publishing work involves the use of Adobe Flash Player installed in browsers.
Since it is not present in Android and iOS phones and tablets, HTML5 is used.
This software is designed to support this standard to enable proper publication in mobile devices.
On the preview window, I could view how the appearance of the publication on a phone or a tablet in Android and iOS modes as well as on laptops and desktops in Flash and HTML5.
In addition, I could add a customized image and my logo using the appearance settings.
The Flash toolbar’s colour, transparency and texture could also be easily adjusted.
By applying the flipping effect, I could choose the publication’s mode of display on mobile devices.
In HTML5, I could customize the preloader with an image and title it.
Moreover, the HTML5 version allows one to change the colour of page links and include background music.
To create the look of a real book, you just have to apply the hard cover.
Unfortunately, some of these features were absent from alternative calaméo.
Alternative Calameo – Extra Interactive Elements
I wanted my publication to look as professional and attractive as possible.
Therefore, I needed the kind of free software that had enough elements to enable interaction.
While the features included in alternative calameo are not enough, I discovered that I could easily add links and videos to my digital publication in a user-friendly, easy use interface even without any particular skills when using YUMPU Publishing. The video tools enabled me to embed video files in whichever format I chose including FLV, MP4 and F4V.
Additionally, I could easily adjust the functionality and the appearance of the video player.
By picking one of the player skins, I could pick the colour and look of the control buttons.
It is also easy to turn the autoplay on and off when clicking a page open as well as set the location, transparency, direction and size of the video player.
With the use of the audio tools, I could play the recording of my voice and play music in MP3.
Playback of single or multiple files is supported by the audio player.
I realized that my readers can switch between audio files. Like in video, you can set the location, size, tilt angle as well as choose the skin of the player.
In addition, I was able to configure the autostop and autoplay features when opening or closing the page.
Cloud Storage
I could easily upload my publication to the internet courtesy of the software’s cloud feature.
With just a single click, my magazine was made available on the internet through the interface on the software.
Since it was also available on my control panel, I could easily update or remove it at will.
In addition, you can download or rename as well as temporarily hide or set a password.
The control panel also enables you to add to the digital bookcase, rename as well as remotely manage the publications through the web interface on the computer.
Efficient General Performance
Flipping book software should allow you to work fast and efficiently without unnecessary delays.
When I tried programa calameo, it took too long to apply the settings and import the files.
Consequently, you waste a lot of time that could have gone to the creativity involved in making the flipbook as well as the actual task of creating it.
Thankfully, there were no such drawbacks with the product.
Search Engine Optimized
The goal of my flipbook was to ensure that as many people as possible viewed my content.
Since it has been optimized for search engines including Google, the software was a great help when it came to attracting more audience.
In addition, the Google Analytics feature enabled me to compile and analyze information on the views of my flipbook.
Importing
You can select the preset profiles of settings provided for conversion or manually adjust the settings by use of the custom values which include the size of pages, compression ratio, the conversion engine type, rasterization parameters and the level of DPI.
In addition, you set a collection of the pages for importing, apply the automatic transfer of the links and the content table.
Then you can choose the landscape page orientation and put in a customized watermark.
How to Create a Flipbook
- you first import PDF documents
- add media, create a contents table if necessary, and use the settings to include videos and audio tracks with just a click of a button
- now you can export the file
- finally, upload the results to the internet to be accessed by your readers
If you like, you can store it in a USB drive, CD or any other type of digital storage.
If you want to create a professional and attractive flipbook that readers will find hard to keep their eyes from and that is free, your only choice should be YUMPU Publishing.
With so many features, the flipbook software offers you the chance to choose the appearance and the format in which your content will be displayed. Besides, the software works with windows, linux and mac.
In addition, the software ad-free and gives you pure conversion of PDF documents to a flipbook.
The free flipbook software is the fastest of its kind. It enables the creation of an e-paper in less than 2 minutes.
Furthermore, you don’t need to be a technology expert to do.
All you have to do is upload your PDF documents to the software and it is instantly turned into a beautiful HTML5 flipbook.
You can also publish an online catalog easily and quickly.
Once you have it, you can put links to your business website and share it on your social media sites.
In addition, there are no irritating loading times and delays.
SimilarCalameo Alternative and issuu are therefore no match to this software.
January 2, 2018 at
From what I’ve seen by just looking at both YUMPU Publishing and the Calameo software, it seems that what Calameo offers for 53 Dollars monthly, YUMPU Publishing does for free. Haven’t tested any of them but I will start with YUMPU Publishing.
January 2, 2018 at
YUMPU Publishing is one of the (if not the) best flipbook creator so it’s a good idea to start with it. You’ll probably never need anything else :).
January 3, 2018 at
I was on the Premium Calameo Plan and was happy with it. That was until I tested YUMPU Publishing and realized I was paying for something that I could get for free. YUMPU Publishing is a good alternative Calameo and it’s free.
January 10, 2018 at
YUMPU Publishing is faster than Calameo although this last one has 2 paid plans! I was surprised to find this out but YUMPU Publishing is better in almost every way.
January 11, 2018 at
Yes, Adeline, although YUMPU Publishing is free it is a great option that can rival almost any paid option out there.
Claire, yes, I also noticed that it is faster in most cases. Why is a free option faster than a paid one? We don’t know.
January 19, 2018 at
For me, the most expensive Calameo plan is better than YUMPU Publishing but then again, YUMPU Publishing is free and that plan costs a lot so… If you want everything to work perfectly and no ads, then the Platinum plan from Calameo is perfect. If not, YUMPU Publishing is great.
January 19, 2018 at
Yes, YUMPU Publishing might have some ads but since it is free that is understandable. And you can always get rid of the ads if you want and it doesn’t cost much to do it.
January 23, 2018 at
How is a flip book different from or better than a blog?
January 24, 2018 at
Hi Tim,
well, with a simple blog you do not have a digital magazine with a flip effect. It is something different, that engages your readers (I can tell from my own experience) with interactive features! It is a nice bonus to integrate a flip book into a blog, as it will make your readers stay longer and engage with your content. In addition it is also ideal to promote certain products or stories that you write about on your blog or website. You could for example send your blog subsribers a weekly newsletter, update your readers with a digital magazine including new product reviews and link back to your website or blog from within the flip book,… there are so many possibilties! And it most certainly will get you more traffic back to your website or blog!
January 24, 2018 at
I’ve found the Premium plan from Calameo and the free YUMPU Publishing to be nearly of equal value. It’s nice to see a free software doing things so well and actually being better than a paid product in some instances.
February 2, 2018 at
I never thought I would be using a flipbook software that was free as much as I did. It does have a few ads but it was to be expected. I like the nice speed at which this works and the settings that are available.
February 3, 2018 at
I have tried a few other flipbook software but the Calameo alternative YUMPU Publishing still seems to hold up against most of them, whether paid or free. It’s very easy to use and the results are always professionally looking.
February 3, 2018 at
Ben, YUMPU Publishing can hold its own to most flipbook creators out there.