There is so much scrapbooking software out there, it’s very hard to choose a good one.  My own preference , as I’ve raved before,  is Creative Memories StoryBook Creator, but there are many others which offer pre-designed templates and lots of features to make things quick and easy.  And then are the purists who prefer Photoshop or Photoshop Elements and doing things the hard way.   If you’re not really familiar with the software and not sure what you you need, it’s tough knowing where to sink your hard-earned cash.

Help is on the way, though.  I found this article today that helps narrow those choices and gives us a few guidelines on what to look for in a good program.

5 Tips in Buying the Best Digital Scrapbook Software – Chad Wilson

Since Internet allows you to do this easier and faster, it is not surprising that traditional arts and crafts are now available online. Take the case of scrapbook. Before, it is made with your bare hands so output takes too much time to finish. Not to mention the costly tools and paper materials that you can only use once. Also, traditional scrapbook is time-consuming and prone to mistakes which in effect cause additional costs for the materials. On the contrary, digital scrapbook is more convenient and practical. You don’t have to pay for those materials because all embellishments needed for your project is just a click away. By using digital scrapbook software, you can save time, money and effort because errors are easy to correct. There will be no cutting and pasting of paper materials and no need to buy those expensive tools. You can finish a scrapbook in sooner than you expect.

But don’t think that all digital scrapbook software programs are the same. There are those that are difficult to understand and navigate. Some scrapbook software programs are loaded with tools that are actually not important. They are just added to lure you or to sensationalize their marketing campaigns. In worse cases, some digital scrapbook software programs are just image editing programs which are advertised as scrapbook software programs.

However, there are also scrapbook software programs that user-friendly but have very limited tools. Some have very minimal choices of templates and applications so your creativity is also restrained. Although getting scrapbook software is still less expensive than the materials you use for traditional scrapbook, there are still programs that are unbelievably expensive for most scrapbook lovers.

And so, to help you decide which software to buy, here are some pointers that you can follow.

1. The software must have a free trial. It is necessary that you choose a software program that offers free trial period. This will help you assess whether the software is user-friendly or not. Having a free trial download gives you an actual feel of the software. Never buy a digital scrapbook software program that does not have free trial version because you are not sure what it has to offer.

2. It must be equipped with customizable layouts. When you buy a scrapbook software program, make sure that it gives you full control over your project. It must allow you to maximize your creativity by letting you change the look, the size and the position of each element in your scrapbook. Aside from customizable layouts, there should also be a wide range of templates to choose from.

3. Choose a software program that offers professional digital scrapbook contents. Never buy a program that only supplies you with numerous clip arts because clip arts are not exactly appealing in scrapbook. Good scrapbook software must contain backgrounds, templates and embellishments that are used for real scrapbooks. In fact, there are those that can give you scrapbook contents and elements that are designed by popular scrapbook designers.

4. When buying a digital scrapbook software program, make sure to buy the one with active online community forum or technical support from the software company. This is to ensure that a knowledgeable person is ready to help you in case you encounter glitches in the software. This will also help you asses whether the software is worth buying since members of the forum give their opinion about the software. Usually these opinions are experience based so you’ll have the idea if the software is easy to use and reliable.

5. Get a software program that offers instructional or video tutorials on digital scrapbooking. Check the website of the software company and see if they have this tutorial video. Also, see to it that there is a HELP menu in the software so you won’t get lost with your project.

Now, you are ready to buy the digital software program and start creating your scrapbook. Remember not to buy those programs that only show you great packaging and misleading marketing strategies. Buy only the one that has the five qualities mentioned in the pointers so you’ll sure to enjoy it for years.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/scrapbooking-articles/5-tips-in-buying-the-best-digital-scrapbook-software-2685580.html

For more tips and applications go to http://scrapbooking-digitized.com