10 of the Best Plugins & Tools for Adobe InDesign

InDesign is a powerful program but sometimes, you might need to speed up your workflow or achieve something that’s not quite possible with the tools InDesign offers.

That’s where InDesign plugins come in handy and in this roundup, we’ve gathered the best InDesign plugins that will help you take your InDesign creations to the next level. From improving typography to creating QR codes, there’s something for everyone on this list.

You might also like this extensive collection of Adobe InDesign tutorials.

Aquafads AVE

This nifty plugin allows you to create highly customized eBooks and apps. The free version of the plugin comes with features such as video, sliders, audio, interactive buttons, HTML5 and more.

Active Tables

Create Excel-like tables in InDesign with ease. This plugin allows you to sort tables and create formulas that are not limited to work with data within one table so you can easily copy and paste formulas between tables and place them on any text in your document.

Calendar Wizard

If you’ve ever tried to create a calendar from scratch in InDesign, you know it can be a tedious process. Thanks to this plugin, you will save time and be able to create flexible calendars.

PDF2ID

This premium plugin will save you hours of time every time you need to work with a layout that exists only as a PDF. You can easily convert it to InDesign and edit away.

BookBarCode

If you’re working with book covers on a regular basis, you need to generate barcodes. Instead of using an external app, use this plugin and create fully EAN-13 compliant vector barcodes from an ISBN number.

Proposal (Adobe InDesign Template)

Design beautiful proposals with ease thanks to this proposal template from Envato Elements. The template comes with 40 pages, character styles, and grid-based layout. You will also find master pages and one-click color customizations.

Typefitter

With this plugin, you can easily fix all of the common text problems when working in InDesign. Simply install the plugin and you will be able to easily fix bad breaks, overset text, short lines, unbalanced columns, and more!

Text Count

Use this plugin to get an accurate word count and better control over oversets and space InDesign or InCopy documents. The plugin’s info panel shows real time count and estimate results and offers three new functions for managing overset text.

MathMagic

The MathMagic plugin makes it easy to edit mathematical equations in InDesign documents. You can edit any mathematical expressions and symbols with WYSIWYG interface and various powerful features.

Annotations for InDesign

Load comments and annotations from a PDF file into a source InDesign file. This plugin makes it easy to make adjustments and modify the design based on the client or team feedback.

Creative Agency Brochure (Adobe InDesign Template)

Save time designing brochures by using a premade template such as this one. The template will speed up your workflow and includes 32 pages for portfolio, history, team, and more. You’ll also find premade character and paragraph styles.

InDesign to Markdown

Ever needed to convert your InDesign document to Markdown markup? Thanks to this plugin, now you can! Simply install the plugin and convert away.

Custom Borders and Backgrounds

Spice up your InDesign documents with custom borders and backgrounds. You can easily create patterns for your documents without having to import them from Photoshop or Illustrator.

QR Code Maker Pro

Thanks to this plugin, you can now create QR codes directly in InDesign. The plugin supports Number, Latin, Kanji and UTF-8 mode.

Magazine (Adobe InDesign Template)

Save time creating a magazine layout with this template from Envato Elements. You’ll find 50 pages designed in A4 and US letter size as well as paragraph and character styles.

Conclusion

Adobe InDesign is a great program but you can achieve even more when you add a few plugins to your toolbox. Use this collection to find the plugin for your needs and save time on your design projects.