The considered choice / Electric Zine Maker
Electric Zine Maker alternative that runs in the browser with A4
Electric Zine Maker is a downloadable Windows and Mac art tool with paint and smudge brushes and a 4.9-star rating from 478 reviews, but it has no A4 paper size and its animated interface is not for everyone. Foldpic runs in the browser, supports A4, Letter, A3 and Tabloid, and focuses on photos and templates.
As of September 2026. About Electric Zine Maker: Name-your-own-price Windows and Mac art tool for painting and printing zines, by Nathalie Lawhead. alienmelon.itch.io/electric-zine-maker
Electric Zine Maker is one of the most loved tools in zine culture: name your own price, painting and smudging tools, any installed font, several fold templates, and a playful, maximalist interface. Its comments are full of people saying it let them be creative without worrying about messing up.
The same comments list the friction: A4 is the most requested missing feature, Mac keyboard shortcuts collide with system features, some Windows users report save failures, and the animated interface has been described as hurting the eyes. Foldpic is a different kind of tool, so this page is about fit rather than which is better.
Side by side
| Electric Zine Maker | Foldpic | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs where | Download for Windows and Mac (Linux via Proton) | Any modern browser, no install |
| Price | Name your own price | First project free up to 16 pages; paid tiers planned |
| Paper sizes | US Letter; A4 repeatedly requested, not available | A4, US Letter, A3, Tabloid |
| Formats | Several fold templates including quarter-size, mini-booklets and T-cut | 8-page one-sheet zine, stapled booklet 8–32 pages, accordion album |
| Drawing tools | Paint, smudge, any installed font, image import | No painting; photo slots, text slots, styles and templates |
| Interface | Animated, maximalist; some users find it overstimulating | Calm, paper background, one accent colour |
| Fold instructions | Templates plus community guides | Numbered fold diagrams and print-settings card in the download |
| Saving | Local files; some reported Windows save failures | Saved on your device as you work |
| Rating | 4.9 stars from 478 ratings on itch.io | New; no ratings yet |
What Electric Zine Maker is great at
- Drawing and painting a zine by hand, with smudge, brushes and any font you have installed.
- Personality: it is an art toy as much as a tool, and people love it for that.
- Unusual fold formats like T-cut and mini-booklets for experimental zines.
- Supporting an indie developer directly at whatever price you choose.
When to use Foldpic instead
- You need A4 or A3 rather than only US Letter.
- Your zine is made of photos and captions rather than drawings.
- You want to work on a school or work computer where you cannot install software.
- You prefer a quiet interface and templates over a blank canvas.
Questions people ask
Does Electric Zine Maker support A4?
As of September 2026, no. A4 is the most frequently requested feature in its comments. Foldpic supports A4, Letter, A3 and Tabloid.
Can I draw in Foldpic?
No. Foldpic is built around photo and text slots in templates. If you want to paint a zine, Electric Zine Maker is the better tool.
Is Foldpic free like Electric Zine Maker?
Your first project is free up to 16 pages with no account and no watermark on the pages. Electric Zine Maker is name-your-own-price, including zero.
Which one folds the same way?
Both make the classic one-sheet 8-page zine: three folds and one centre cut. Foldpic also imposes stapled booklets and accordion albums.