Why is Publisher being phased out, and what is Microsoft replacing it with? Will Microsoft 365 be cheaper since they are phasing out the program?

Word is NOT a desktop publishing software. That's what Publisher was for. Word does not have the features needed for a newsletter, where you have the ability to edit and move around text boxes and pictures easily between pages if needed, as you fill and complete your publication. Publisher allows you much more flexibility in design. In Word, you are constantly fighting its constraints because it is primarily for producing documents such as letters, reports, white papers, etc. There is very little design element freedom.

I have been using Publisher for YEARS and have been certified in Word for longer. I know they are meant for different purposes.

Please do not DOGE Publisher!!

I know, it's terrible publisher is being phased out. It's too bad. I agree with you completely! The functionality is just not the same in word or powepoint.... not even close for what I use it for, actually word is completely annoying to try to create anything with graphics, etc. The ease of moving things around, storing in the workspace outside the print area, easy to manipulate insert and move images and text no other programs come close. It's unfortunate microsoft made this choice. Most people I know who use it will be moving from microsoft products to other programs because of this. So whatever there "plan" is that they are mentioning is going to be too late if they don't announce it soon. Some are so annoyed they plan to just use other platforms for all their needs now. There are a lot of choices out there for the other 365 components and team functions, publisher is one program that set them apart. Disappointed in you microsoft :(

Here! Here!
Well said and I share the same experience and sentiment!

Granny, I most certainly agree with you.
We share a same boat.
I use PUBLISHER extensively and want to keep using it.
Word, in which I am well versed, does NOT have the same functionalities.
I have been happily using PUBLISHER since the 1990s.
I am EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED in the discontinuing.

Apparently, though, MS is not caring about what we think and feel.

My only thought concerning Microsoft's decision is that they didn't want to support the product any longer and are trying to push us away from that kind of software. I'm not familiar with Canva but I'll need to investigate. My thought is that there are other companies that might consider buying the code and picking up the product so maybe MS just isn't talking until it's sold. On the other hand, MS did have a product to create websites which I used for years too, and they dropped it without a replacement. Why do this? Let's call it money .......... they want to push into the AI arena further and don't want to add headcount so might shift people to that product from others. It really makes me wonder about MS as a company. There must be millions of us using MS products and Publisher. They don't care about the customer base as much as the decision to make more money. If someone has other alternatives, l'd like to know about that alternative software. Now, let's thing about this further............what else might they drop? If I add software as a need, should I even consider MS products in the future?? I've been around using MS products going way back to MSDOS when Windows was only a way to keep up with Apple.