Browse PDF digitally
Do you want to leaf through a magazine, read a book or view a brochure and are you tired of the classic view of your PDFs? Do you want something more lively and attractive?
Do not worry! On the web, you can find a number of solutions that could make the display of your brochure or magazine more appealing and your reading more enjoyable.
In this article I present what are, in my opinion, the best solutions that we can find in the online world.
To make it easier to read, I have divided the solutions into the following categories.
- Online services: online platforms that allow you to make a PDF file browsable and share it wherever you want, such as on your website or on social networks.
- Downloadable programs on your computer: programs that allow you to transform a PDF file into a book that can be browsed directly from your PC.
- App for mobile devices.
- Plug-in for WordPress.
Online services
Do you want to turn your PDF files into browsable catalogs, but don’t want to download any programs to your computer? Online services can be your solution!
Here are the main ones.
Flipsnack
Flipsnack is one of the leading online services that allows you to turn PDF files into flip books. With this concept we refer to a sort of booklet composed of consequential images: in this way it is possible to leaf through the pages of the file in rapid succession.
To use the service you need to follow the following steps.
- Connect to the site https://www.flipsnack.com/it/
- Register: to use the service you need to have your own account. To do this, click on “Try for free” and enter your credentials (email and password).
- Once registered, you can log in and proceed with the creation of the browsable catalog.
At this point you will need to upload the PDF file you want to convert onto the platform. Flipsnack offers the ability to customize your flip book through videos, images and links. Once the design phase is complete, the browsable book can be published and shared in the way you prefer.
Furthermore, the platform allows you to create an entire flip book from scratch, using the intuitive graphic tool integrated in this service.
The online platform offers a number of subscription plans, divided into standard and business plans. Prices are expressed in dollars and if you subscribe to an annual subscription there is a saving of 20%.
If you have never used the service, you can choose the free alternative which, however, is very limited as it only allows you to:
- create up to 3 catalogs;
- have a maximum of 30 pages per catalog;
- create graphics for catalog.
To get more features, you need to choose a paid plan. Switching from one plan to another can take place at any time.
We can conclude by saying that the software is intuitive, easy to use and is suitable for everyone, both for individuals and for teams.
Issuu
Issuu is another major online service that allows you to browse PDFs quickly and easily.
The platform allows you to import PDF files and instantly create the projects you want. Resources can be shared on social media, imported on the web, for example on the website, or even on your mobile device and more.
Having said that, how do you go about using the online platform?
To use the service you need to follow the following steps:
- connect to the site https://issuu.com/
- to register: also in this case, just like Flipsnack, to use the service you need to have your own account. To do this, click on “Try now” and choose the plan you want. There is a free basic plan that has limited features, or you can choose a paid one depending on the features you need most. The lowest package costs € 24 per month, which can be reduced by 30% if you take out an annual subscription.
Once you have chosen the plan, you will need to enter: name, surname, email and password.
As with almost all registrations, it is possible to register via Google or Facebook credentials.
Furthermore, the service integrates with different tools such as Dropbox, Google Drive and Mailchimp. This allows you to develop projects and quickly share them on the devices you use most.
Flipping book
Flipping book converts PDF files into HTML5 digital flip books. Also in this case it is a platform that can be used online.
To use the service you need to follow the following steps:
- connect to the site https://flippingbook.com/
- register: also in this case, in order to use the platform, you must register by entering your name, surname, email and password.
The service is very simple: once the file is uploaded in PDF format, it will be automatically converted into a browsable book. Furthermore, you can personalize your flip book through images, videos or links.
At this point we just have to share what we have achieved with our audience! To do this, you can decide to:
- send a link to customers/users to view the flip book;
- embed the link directly on your website, on the page where you want to show it.
This service offers monthly paid plans, divided into individuals and teams. Also in this case if you subscribe to an annual subscription there is a saving of 25%. Before purchasing a package, you can take advantage of a free 14-day trial, where no credit card entry is required.
Below are the packages proposed by FlippingBook.
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Programs to download on your pc
So far we have dealt with online services, but on the net we can also find programs that can be downloaded on your fixed devices. This is a different type of service than the previous ones: in these cases you do not work directly on the web, but you need to download the program on your PC. Depending on the device you have (Mac or Windows) you need to choose the right download.
Here are the main software for your computer.
MyFlipbook
MyFlipbook is a software that allows you to create professional browsable files from any PDF document. It is a program compatible with the Windows operating system and is easy to use.
The program can be downloaded from the following address: https://www.myflipbook.net/
Once downloaded, you can use the program in total peace of mind: you can import the PDF file and create the flip book, save it locally on your PC or in HTML5 format in the case of sharing via email or even offline. Furthermore, you also have the option of importing it to your website or publishing it directly online on MyFlipbook.net servers.
In addition to the free version, there is a paid plan, at a cost of $ 49 per year (at the end of the year it will be necessary to buy the version again). This version allows you to perform a number of activities greater than the standard one, for example the pro version allows you to edit the flip book by inserting images, video files, and much more.
Flip PDF Plus Pro
It is a downloadable program on your computer, both Windows and Mac. To download it, click on the following link https://www.flipbuilder.com and click on “Download for WIN” if your device is Windows or on “Download for Mac”.
Once you click on the item, the download will start automatically. Once you have downloaded the program, you just have to open it and import your PDF file to create the flip book.
It is another professional tool that allows you to make the visualization of your magazines/files more attractive.
Mobile app
Up to now we have dealt with fixed devices, but what if we wanted to use the smartphone to make flip books? No problem!
There are a number of apps to download, obviously depending on the operating system you have (iOS or Android) you will be able to find applications rather than others.
Furthermore, if you have registered for one of the online services that I have previously described to you and you want to use it also on a mobile device, there are no problems.
By going to the apple store (iOS) or the play store (Android) you can download the application you want most.
WordPress plugin
Do you have a WordPress site and want to make a flip book quickly? At this point you just have to download and activate one of the following plugins. These are free and constantly updated applications, downloadable on your WordPress site.
These plugins allow you to upload a PDF file directly to the CMS, without the need to download programs to your PC or register on online platforms. This allows you to save time and animate your files, which until now had remained static.
3D FlipBook
3D FlipBook is a plugin that can simulate the book opening process. This plugin can be downloaded and activated on WordPress for free. Once these steps have been completed, you can proceed with the creation of the first flip book. To do this, go to the 3D FlipBook item and click on “Add new”. The following screen will appear:
You will need to add a title and choose one of the PDF files from those published in the system or an image/HTML file. During this phase of the flipbook creation, it is possible to customize the 3D appearance of the display through the “Book Properties” tab. To complete the design, it will be necessary to publish what has been created. At this point the plugin will have automatically generated a shortcode that will have to be inserted in the flip book landing page.
In the event that the file cannot be inserted directly into the WordPress library and only the URL of that file is available, then proceed by clicking on the “Shortcode Generator” item. In this case, you need to enter the URL of the PDF and the shortcode will be generated in a few seconds. Also in this case the shortcode must be inserted in the page section where you want to view the magazine/book.
PDF Flipbook
PDF FlipBook is a plugin that allows you to create browsable catalogs quickly and easily. Operation is similar to the previous one. Also in this case it is necessary to download and activate the plugin on WordPress. At this point you can proceed with the creation of the flip book, with the following steps:
- click on “new Book”;
- enter the title and choose from the PDF files on the CMS;
- click on the item “public:
- copy the shortcode that was automatically generated by the plugin and import it into the desired page.
At this point it will be possible to observe the flip book created.
Flowpaper
Flowpaper is another plugin for viewing PDF files in an attractive way. It allows you to embed PDF catalogs, magazines and brochures as flip books on your website in HTML5 format for free. Once the plugin has been downloaded and installed, you can proceed in three ways:
- embed a PDF using a URL – you will need to add the shortcode to a post and then edit the PDF URL;
- embed a new PDF uploaded to WordPress: this step works exactly like the previous plugins;
- embed a publication uploaded to FlowPaper Cloud: in this case you will need to copy the link created automatically by Desktop Publisher, then create a new post and add the shortcode to your post.
At this point, all you have to do is choose the solution that suits you best!
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