Adobe Muse EOL announcement - Alternatives to Adobe Muse?

[Preran]

Hi all,

For those of you that haven't received the email around the Adobe Muse EOL, see the FAQ Product Announcement that tries to answer some the common questions around the announcement including the reasons behind the decision.

Before we proceed with discussing alternatives, the Muse application will continue to open on your computer. You will be able to continue to edit existing or create new websites with the application. Adobe Muse will continue to be supported until May 20, 2019 and will deliver compatibility updates with the Mac and Windows OS or fix any bugs that might crop up when publishing Muse sites to the web. However, it is quite possible that web standards and browsers will continue to change after Adobe stops support for the application.

While there is no 1:1 replacement for Adobe Muse at this stage, the FAQ link above provides some alternatives. Also, Adobe is making our own investment in DIY website creation and welcomes all Muse customers to join our upcoming pre-release program for a new format that will be introduced this year as part of Adobe Spark. Build a beautiful website—in minutes | Adobe Spark

That being said, I would like to open up this discussion for discussing other solutions and migration paths. It would be ideal if we could focus our efforts on the topic at hand.

Thanks,

Preran

[shantm4422818]

Adobe has been a supplier of software for my small advertising company for well over a decade. Used to just LOVE you, now I just HATE the company. It’s really simple, in business you need to make your clients feel SPECIAL. I don’t know who yet, but someone really screwed this up for MANY clients of yours. At least an honest explanation from corporate would have helped with the break-up.

Time will now tell what outcome this has had. Good luck!

A totally disappointed, frustrated and dissatisfied customer,

S.M.

[oms80311961]

it has been promised by adobe that "the Muse application will continue to open on your computer. You will be able to continue to edit existing or create new websites with the application. Adobe Muse will continue to be supported until May 20, 2019 ". But this is not true. Once your subscription is expired, you can not open application Muse. I am being prompted to renew the subscription but I failed to renew subscription beside my all efforts. I contacted Adobe staff and their reseller, they are unable to raise invoice for renewal.

[pziecina]

oms80311961  wrote

it has been promised by adobe that "the Muse application will continue to open on your computer. You will be able to continue to edit existing or create new websites with the application. Adobe Muse will continue to be supported until May 20, 2019 ". But this is not true. Once your subscription is expired, you can not open application Muse. I am being prompted to renew the subscription but I failed to renew subscription beside my all efforts. I contacted Adobe staff and their reseller, they are unable to raise invoice for renewal.

You can no longer purchase Muse as a single app subscription. If you wish to continue to use Muse then you will have to purchase the full, (all apps) subscription. Personally though I would recommend moving to another program anyway, as even though Muse created sites will continue to work, as OS's update Muse users may see more and more bugs arise, that will never be fixed.

Please don't shoot the messenger.

[Path11]

I'm sitting here going through my full subscription and deciding my direction. Even though Muse will continue to work, you make an excellent point that as OS' change, things break and there is no one home to fix them. I primarily do video so I have held on to my full subscription because the mix of programs gives me little choice BUT... this isn't the first time I have spent a ton of time and money learning an Adobe product just to have the rug pulled out from under me. I go back to the Macromedia days and don't even want to think of all the money, and more importantly, the time that has gone into the garbage can.  Version 15 of Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve just came out and frankly, I'm ready to just keep the ten buck Photoshop/lightroom and jump ship from Premiere/After Effects. And Muse? would love to hang on but with twenty years experience selling high end CAD systems, I know what happens every OS upgrade even to companies dedicated to keeping their systems serviced...Muse will be a tattered rag very, very shortly. Partly I'm jumping because of better value (less buggy, full studio version for $300 and free updates and their stuff is amazing and grows in leaps and bounds listening to their users), partly because I just don't feel great standing on Adobe shaky ground anymore. Web software wise, maybe I'll just take the savings and hire a Wordpress guru LOL.

[gunawanleonardy]

If We Subscribe to Adobe CC Full Apps, and Then use Previous App Option ,Can we USE MUSE ? thanks in advanced .

[Nancy OShea]

gunawanleonardy  wrote

If We Subscribe to Adobe CC Full Apps, and Then use Previous App Option ,Can we USE MUSE ? thanks in advanced .

Yes, you can.

[rayek.elfin]

Just noticed that Humble Bundle is doing a deal: get Xara Designer Pro X for peanuts (less than 10 times the usual asking price).

Designer Pro is not only an Illustrator alternative with pretty decent InDesign-like layout features, but also includes all the Xara Web Designer Pro web page builder options.

If you're looking for a Muse alternative on a budget, can't really go wrong with this one. At the very least you'll be getting a very capable layout app with good web export options (including responsive and parallax, etc.)

Humble Software Bundle: Ultimate Creative Design by MAGIX (pay what you want and help charity)

[Ussnorway]

I code in my head and have no trouble with 3d or any other math based systems but I'm the only person I know that does this so 'most schools" around here arn't churing out coders

imo some people are coders and some are artist, I can't do that they do

[Path11]

I get what you're saying. I lean toward the logical side, what makes 3D hard is the "art" side and working anatomy like an artist does naturally. So much of web graphics is really math, keeping a balanced look, basic rules for font sizes, etc. It would be nice to find another Muse but, I think everyone is going to have to break down and learn a little coding and, if you are heavy into art you may find you enjoy coding, it really can be an artistic endeavor, you just see it in your mind as you work vs on the screen or canvas.

[sebrame]

Well, I have finished migrating all of my sites away from Muse. I did a 3 week trial of the platforms that I felt best met my needs. I discarded hosted solutions such as Webflow, Without Code, etc. I was trying to find a platform that...

- had the least financial impact on me, and therefore my clients, but mostly me. I didn't feel comfortable passing on additional costs to them simply because Adobe chose to eliminate my previous platform.

- would allow me to build sites with no manual coding, or as little as possible.

I did a 3 week trial of 3 platforms - Oxygen, Elementor Pro and Thrive Architect, all WordPress 'page builders'. I finally settled on Elementor Pro. Then I was able to reconstruct 7 sites with Elementor in less than 2 weeks - and with zero manual coding. Some sites I simply duplicated the previous design, but I had given my clients the option of taking the opportunity to go with a fresh design for their site. Some accepted.

[Studio96]

Hi sebrame,

I've jumped back in at the last post to see how things have developed with other recommendations. When you say that you have adopted Elementor, though I see you reference Wordpress, is it fairer to say that you have adopted Wordpress? I just can't get used to it. I'm going to a local meet up soon but I just can't intuit it.

I'm having more luck with Wix, to be honest (I've looked at Pinegrow, Webflow, Wappler, Sparkle, Blocs, W/O code as contenders but not all suit the client model.

Like you I also want to either replicate or offer the client a chance to redesign. So, had you had prior WP experience or is the Elementor the best fit for you in terms of them / design management? I've also have Beaver Build recommended to me but really wanted to get the fundamental of WP first. Though Wix wasn't my original future model, I've snapped into it really well.

I'd welcome your thoughts.

[sebrame]

Correct. As stated, Elementor is a WordPress 'page builder', allowing more drag-and-drop functionality to WordPress than was ever available before. I had played around with earlier iterations of page builders, Divi for example, but they were, at the time, merely themes that were attempting to act as drag-and-drop platforms.

With Elementor, and the newer page builders, you're somewhat shielded from the underlying theme, although if you want, you can still integrate the theme's functionality if Elementor doesn't specifically provide for it. Interestingly, Oxygen totally nullifies the underlying theme.

What made Elementor stand out was the rapid development of the plugin, along with a very large base of plugins adding functionality to Elementor - just like 3rd party Muse widgets did. Plus, you still have access to the literally tens of thousands of WordPress plugins.

Don't get me wrong - I despise WordPress, but it works, and Elementor actually makes it a bit enjoyable, once you get the hang of it.

As I said, hosted platforms such as Wix failed my trials in the financial aspect.

[socialwurks]

Link is not working?

[fotoroeder]

Which link?

Adobe Muse Templates | Muse Themes | Muse Tutorials

??

Uwe

[BenFrank]

Has anyone considered a class action lawsuit?

[Nancy OShea]

Don't waste your time & money.  Adobe owns the software they make.  If they choose to stop development that's their prerogative.   It's certainly not illegal or class actionable.  

[LindaFazili]

Hi Preran, can you give me an update on the alternatives of Muse? I signed in at your link 'Build a beautiful website—in minutes | Adobe Spark' twice, but today after 6 months i still did not receive an invitation to test the new DIY website builder in Spark. Is the trial version available yet?

I am a CC member for years and i really need a replacement for Muse. It is still unbelievable that Adobe decided to quit Muse before an alternative was available (and did not reduce my annual payment).

By the way, the link is not working anymore...

I am looking forward to hear from you. Kind regards, Linda Fazili

[fotoroeder]

Simply watch your CC:

Spark has no trial version. You don`t have your own domain. Spark is nice to watch, annoying to work properly for me personally, though.

Kind Regards,

Uwe

[LindaFazili]

I know where to find my apps, but Adobe gave Spark's future possibilities as an alternative 6 months ago so i signed up. I was just curious about the release date. I hope that with CC libraries you can adjust pages easily.

[Nancy OShea]

I don't know if the Spark Pre-release program is accepting new people.  That post was from March and this is October.    Spark is OK for a one page newsletter or story telling but I can't imagine using it as a main web site.

Adobe Portfolio supports custom domain names.  And Portfolio can be used to create multiple sites now.

• Adobe Portfolio | Build your own personalized website
• How-do-I-create-multiple-websites-on-Adobe-Portfolio-?mobile…

[rayek.elfin]

LindaFazili  wrote

Hi Preran, can you give me an update on the alternatives of Muse? I signed in at your link 'Build a beautiful website—in minutes | Adobe Spark' twice, but today after 6 months i still did not receive an invitation to test the new DIY website builder in Spark. Is the trial version available yet?

I am a CC member for years and i really need a replacement for Muse. It is still unbelievable that Adobe decided to quit Muse before an alternative was available (and did not reduce my annual payment).

LindaFazili​ As Nancy mentioned, Spark will be VERY disappointing to existing Muse users. Adobe is obviously moving into a different direction, and a product such as Muse which provides the user with full (more or less) control over their web pages and output is no longer viewed as acceptable by Adobe management and they prefer their users to be locked in their ecosystem of marketing services as much as possible.

We see this even in products like InDesign, which only publishes to the web via their own web space/service (while the functionality to export to html pages locally is built-in, but not accessible by default).

Of one thing we can be ABSOLUTELY certain at this point: Adobe has NO intention developing or offering a similar product like Muse. Anything they will offer their users WILL be tied to their ecosystem of online ("cloud") based services.

In your own interest I urge you to look elsewhere, and preferably choose an alternative which allows you to regain control and work with the files locally. Any product that foregoes a custom intermediate proprietary file format and works directly with local web files directly will give back control to YOU.

Alternatives such as Pinegrow, Wappler, or even WordPress with Elementor. Or Dreamweaver with various plugins for visual development. These all give you full control over your files (Elementor and WP require a local server for this). Other options like Webflow,  Sparkle, etc. either work with their own proprietary file format (just like Muse, btw), and/or hook you into an online export service. Or worse.

Just don't expect Adobe to give you what you want at this point anymore.

[greenskin]

I for one wouldn't count on Dreamweaver being around much longer!

At last years Adobe Max it didn't really get too much exposure and this year nothing! This was the trend with Adobe Muse so I'm going to say Dreamweaver is next! Either they integrate it heavily into their Creative Cloud like InDesign, etc... or it is gone and will join Muse!

Adobe has left the "web design building"!

[Peter Villevoye]

Adobe has left the web design building !

Well, not really, or even not at all.

Adobe is steadily disconnecting (web) design from (web) development.

Muse (with its entangled design and development) already proved to be too difficult to maintain, and Dreamweaver (the ultimate development kitchen sink but flawed design tool) might be the next candidate up for elimination.

However, Adobe XD is an amazing design tool with a vengeance, in a head-to-head battle with Sketch and many others, to at least earn its place in the hot tub of tools for UX design.

We've grown so accustomed to Adobe tools creating not just the design but also to readily deliver a final end product, that it's hard to believe that XD is 'merely' a web and app and interface design tool, willingly not capable of building such a result. But that's how the world of web and apps and interfaces currently works.

[greenskin]

I see where you are coming from but from a Web Designer/Web Developer point of view I don't see it that way!

Adobe XD looks a great product, but today's world for us Full Stack Designers means we develop the site as well into its full glory and not hand it over to be interpreted! For now XD is still limited in the real world especially when it comes to collaboration!

Adobe has nothing more to offer us Web Designers/Developers except for that insult they call Spark!

Adobe has left the "web design building"!

[Peter Villevoye]

Let's agree that this is also a difference in interpreting what "the real world" is. There are many realities...

I just spent nine full days at an extremely popular international design fair here in the Netherlands, and noticed that most of the thousand designers I talked to were already in this "design-only" workflow. Many of them were obviously using tools like Sketch plus a slew of plugins and indeed collaboration platforms, various competing ones though. And a surprising lot of them (about a third) were already working with Adobe XD or at least seriously looking into it. (The new animation features in XD sure got a bunch of oohs and aahs...)

Maybe I generalised our industry too much by stating "that's how the world of web and apps and interfaces currently works". But it's at least a workflow on which Adobe is counting.