Xara Web Designer Vs Serif Web Plus X2

**megadoc** · 05 March 2009, 09:32 AM

Hello All,

XWD look pretty good so far...very easy to use and if I have read some of the posts correctly, you can copy and past from Xara Extreme? Very nice... Am using the Serif Web Plus X2 product and it is pretty good actually, it doesn't do text repel and the templates are horrible --- it is an easy to use web builder with some decent features --- looks like XWD has most of the same features --- with XWD being based on Xara Extreme and SWPX2 being based upon Page Plus X3... ALL of these programs are excellent values for the dollar, especially if you pay attention to the promotions and sales when you buy them.

Would anyone else like to join me in comparing the 2 products? Also, if Coffee Cup ever gets to the point where you could utilize ALL of their software with VSD (Visual Site Designer) they would have a winner there, it's also easy to use...and then there is a new version of Wysiwyg Webbuilder coming out. The Net Objects Fusion product looks like junk to me, at least the older demo was.

Very excited about the new Xara Web Designer!

I say buy all the programs you like and there will always be a case where one might be a bit better --- certainly with XWD and a site with lot's of on page text.

**Xhris** · 05 March 2009, 08:46 PM

Yes, I have wanted to know how WD compares to Serif WebPlus. As with all Serif products though, they don't provide a demo unfortunately, so I've never been able to see their software (a really dumb marketing strategy if you ask me). Any good comparisons would interest me.

**w00dy** · 06 March 2009, 01:12 PM

In terms of graphical creativity, XWD beats Serif Webplus X2 by a distance in my opinion but then I can already use Xtreme so the learning curve was minimal.

Serif have spent a lot of time integrating components in Webplus X2 that make it very easy to add interactive elements, both their own generic ones and external scripts. Given a bit of time, I don't think that it will be very long before people find ways of extending XWD using placeholders and this will doubtless be documented on here.

The not so well know WYSISYG WebBuilder is a great little program and I would buy it in from of Serif WPX2 on those grounds, in fact, I'll still purchase the upcoming v6.

I've got Net Objects Fusion 10, don't use it and it's the worst software investment I ever made.

For me Xara Web Designer and Coffeecup could well be a match made in heaven, we'll see but the release of Xara Web Designer will have some of the established players looking over their shoulders.

**megadoc** · 06 March 2009, 04:48 PM

Woody,

Great comments...at this moment --- I am blown away by the design powers of XWD --- very hard for anyone to compete with that, especially if you are familiar with Xara (I'm STILL learning Xara - am a marketing guy, not a graphic designer)...

I do like Serif Webplus X2 --- and like you, will also purchase the newER Wysiwyg product...they seem to have a tech aspect to them that the others don't...with Serif, will most likely build my own templates and plug in all the widgets - I DO NOT LIKE them trying to host some of the apps themselves, like the web forms...better off to plug into outside apps...etc.

Btw, Smartdraw is impressive also...I think the good news is, these software programs are like golf clubs --- use the one that best suites the client project.

Because of the low cost of these products, buy them all and let's face it...many of us here just love software! I know I do!

**megadoc** · 09 March 2009, 01:48 PM

still looking for WYSISYG 6 --- maybe next week --- not sure of all of the capabilities, I know I don't like the templates from demoing about 6 months ago BUT...it looks like it will be easy to drop in PHP scripts...I think I'll take another pass at Joomla again also...must say though, that Xara Web Designer is killer! Can only imagine what the next version will be like...plus you can leverage the power of Extreme...something no one else has.

**w00dy** · 09 March 2009, 04:21 PM

Pre-XWD you had to buy Webstyle templates and were locked into that set of pages, that's all gone now, you're only limited by your imagination. Having used both WWD and SWX2, I've no doubt that I can produce pages far quicker in Xara. The only bottleneck would be the speed with which I could produce/change drop-down menus but it's quite possible that I'll use a standalone program for doing that,

**megadoc** · 10 March 2009, 03:40 AM

Woody,

I'm building basic pages in both apps, cutting and pasting between them --- the graphics look better in XWD...much better...especially smaller fonts (greater detail - less blurring)...have you noticed this?

Regards,

MegaDoc

**megadoc** · 01 May 2009, 06:10 AM

I went ahead and bought Xara Web Designer and have been enjoying using it today - while Serif makes a good product, XWD just looks better - or the finished product does --- now to figure out how to integrate it with Xara Xtreme

**w00dy** · 01 May 2009, 08:25 AM

I can't discern any real difference in the between the two when viewing really small stuff like 8 pix but my eyes aren't the best... I must get some glasses!

I prefer XWD over WPX2, mainly because I enjoy using Xara products. On the downside, building menus is tedious although as John says, you have ultimate flexibility... even if is time consuming. Publishing individual pages from within XWD would be a big bonus.

**handrawn** · 01 May 2009, 08:56 AM

I use the free version of serif [serif webplus SE] it is of course also an older version and does not have all the features of X2

However, my website is a portfolio site - the work is what counts not the site, and for this I've always found Serif excellent

I am not a web builder, but I fancy if you need a site that looks good in itself, XWD has the edge