Compared with PubKeep
The PubKeep alternative you pay for once.
Korva opens and edits Microsoft Publisher .pub files on Mac, Windows and Linux, then exports print-ready PDF. It's $49 once, updates for your version are free, and the free version lets you finish your first project before you pay anything.
Korva and PubKeep side by side
PubKeep details from pubkeep.com, checked October 30, 2026. Prices and features change, so check both sites before you buy.
| Feature | Korva | PubKeep |
|---|---|---|
| Price for one computer | $49, once | $149 (from November 1, 2026) |
| Updates | Free for your major version | 1 year included, then $49–79 a year |
| Try it | Free version, no time limit: open, edit and export your first project | 7-day trial, then view-only |
| Mac and Windows | Yes (macOS 12+, Windows 10+) | Yes (macOS 13+, Windows 10/11) |
| Linux | Yes: AppImage, .deb, .rpm | No (web version instead) |
| Internet | Licence check at least every 30 days | Check-in at least every 2 days |
| Your files | Everything stays on your computer | Publisher 97/98 files are upgraded on its server |
| A whole folder of .pub files | Rescue Center: check them all, convert the safe ones to PDF | Online converter, first 3 files free |
| Refund | 14 days | 30 days |
Why people choose Korva
- One price, no update plan. $49 for one computer, with free updates for your major version. Over three years that's $49 against about $307.
- Try the real thing. The free version has no time limit. Open any .pub, edit it, and export your first project without a watermark.
- Mac, Windows and Linux. One app on all three; on Windows it comes from the Microsoft Store.
- Offline and private. Nothing is uploaded, and Pro runs 30 days between licence checks.
- Whole archives at once. The Rescue Center checks a folder of .pub files and turns the safe ones into PDFs beside the originals.
- Help with screenshots. 63 step-by-step guides that show where each Publisher command lives in Korva.
Where PubKeep is ahead
If one of these matters to you, PubKeep may suit you better today:
- Spot (PANTONE) colours and true CMYK for offset printing
- Menus in eight languages
- A full editor in the web browser, included with the licence
- Licences for 2 to 25 computers on one key, with invoices
- Opens Publisher 2000 files and upgrades 97/98 ones
Switching takes a few minutes
- Download Korva for Mac, Windows or Linux.
- Open your original .pub files. PubKeep doesn't change them, so they open in Korva with their layout. How to open a .pub file
- Work you changed in PubKeep lives in its .pubk files, which Korva can't open. Export those as PDF from PubKeep, or redo the changes on the original .pub.
- Find your commands. The command map shows where every Publisher command is in Korva.
Questions
Is Korva a good PubKeep alternative?
Korva does the same core job: it opens Microsoft Publisher .pub files with their layout, lets you edit them and exports print-ready PDF, on Mac, Windows and Linux. It costs $49 once for one computer with free updates for your version, and its free version lets you export your first project with no time limit.
How much cheaper is Korva than PubKeep?
For one computer, Korva Pro is $49 once. PubKeep is $149 from November 1, 2026, with one year of updates included and $49 to $79 a year after that if you want more updates. Over three years of updates that is $49 against about $307 (prices checked October 30, 2026).
Can Korva open files I saved in PubKeep?
Korva opens Publisher .pub files, not PubKeep’s own .pubk format. PubKeep never changes your original .pub files, so open those in Korva. For work you changed in PubKeep, export a PDF from PubKeep first, or open the original .pub in Korva and redo the changes.
Does Korva work without the internet?
Yes. Opening, editing and exporting all run on your computer and nothing is uploaded. Korva Pro checks its licence when you are online and keeps working for 30 days without a connection.
PubKeep is a product of Saint Systems. Microsoft and Microsoft Publisher are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Korva is independent and not affiliated with either.
