Xara Product Review 2017

by Tony Thomas


It is a bit different reviewing Xara software this year since they have moved to the 365 model. Instead of annual upgrades, continuous, incremental improvements are made to the software. The obvious benefit of this model is that users receive new features as they become available, rather than having to wait for an annual feature "roll up".

Xara Web Designer Premium is a slimmed down version of Designer Pro with a subset of features that are will benefit web designers. Instead of having to code websites by hand, the program provides an easy to use WYSIWYG interface. This allows web design creators to focus on graphic design rather than code. An entry-level version of Web Designer is also available at an extremely attractive price.





By contrast, Xara Designer Pro is a full-orbed vector drawing, photo editing, graphic design and layout program that enables professional designers to develop and implement all of their creative concepts in a single package. The simplicity of its UI can be deceptive, as it is capable of producing amazing output that is only limited my the creativity and skill of the user.

New features common to both programs include:

Full-width slideshows
23 new photo grids
Larger library of vector images and stock photos
Improved import and export for Word, PDF, Powerpoint and SVG
Can now export images as a group with separate settings
Google Forms widget added to the content catalog
New Smart Shapes
More filters added: now 115 in total

In addition Designer Pro also now has the ability to automatically add a TOC (table of contents) to any document which is a huge time saver for those who work in long form documents.





My test drive of both of these programs demonstrate their maturity and stability, as well as speed of task execution. Both are highly recommended!

Disclaimer: Xara has provided review copies of these programs for evaluation.

Xara Web Designer Premium 365

by Tony Thomas

Web design today usually requires you to learn how to code. That means mastering languages like HTML, CSS, Javascript, Python, Ruby on Rails, among others.  By contrast, Xara Web Designer enables you to create compelling, graphical, websites in minutes without having to write a single line of code.

The code produced by Web designer is W3C standards compliant and uses technology like XHTML, CSS and Javascript.  I tested and analyzed some of the code produced and was impressed with its cleanliness and error-free operation.  The program uses the powerful Xara vector graphics engine to produce high-quality, responsive,  WYSIWYG output that is tailored for the web.

The latest version of Web Designer Premium provides a number of new features in the same interface that we have come to know and love over the years.   They include:

Enhanced "on reveal" animations.
Enhanced “sticky objects”.
The Font Awesome collection  now includes Material Design icons.
Xara Online Designer (beta)
All business themes now included at no additional cost.
New online contact catalog.
Photo grids.
Access new features 365 days a year.
New smart shapes, templates and other content.

Like many other software companies, Xara is moving to an instant update policy (called “The 365 Day Update Guarantee) so that users can receive new features as they are created rather than having to wait a full year for the next upgrade cycle--hence the new name, Xara Web Designer 365.  They also have a new “Online Designer” option that is currently in beta that allows you to produce simple websites without using any programs.

As usual, using the program was a dream.   Although I am very familiar with its operation, a new user can get up and running without much trouble and begin to create beautiful web pages in just minutes using the supplied templates.  Compared to many other options, often with high recurring costs, Xara Web Designer is a professional quality design tool that will enhance any web designer’s ability to easily produce wonderful web sites without much effort.

www.xara.com

Xara Web Designer produced webpage in Chrome

Full Disclosure: In compliance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255, I hereby disclose that the manufacturer or retailer mentioned in this article provided the product for review purposes with the knowledge that I would provide a full, unbiased and impartial review.