Understanding Flipsnack’s "Download PDF for print" option

Everything you need to know to create print limitations in Flipsnack

Table of contents:

Key limitations for print use
When to use “Download PDF - Print”
Why Flipsnack isn’t designed for print (yet)
Recommendations for professional printing

Overview

Flipsnack is primarily built for creating and sharing interactive digital publications. While you can download a static version of your flipbook as a PDF for offline use or basic printing, it’s important to understand that Flipsnack is not a professional print-preparation tool. But we are working on improving this.

Key limitations for print use

The PDF-Print download option is a simplified export format. It is not optimized for commercial printing.

Key limitations include:

Low resolution: Exported PDFs are 96 DPI (not 300 DPI, which is standard for printing)
No bleed or crop marks: These are required by most print shops
RGB color space only: No CMYK support for accurate color printing
Font handling: Fonts may not be outlined or embedded

Note: If your design includes spot colors like Pantone, they will not be preserved in PDF for Web or Print downloads

If you upload a professional, print-ready PDF to Flipsnack and then re-download it, the original print specifications will be lost.

When to use “Download PDF - Print”

You can use the PDF - Print option in the following cases:

For personal reference or internal printing (where high resolution and bleed are not essential)
To print simple brochures or handouts from a home or office printer
To share a downloadable version of the flipbook that looks similar to the digital layout

This export is not suitable for offset printing, professional catalogs, or anything that requires color fidelity, trim safety, or production accuracy.

Why Flipsnack isn’t designed for print (yet)

Flipsnack is a digital publishing platform, focused on interactive experiences, online sharing, and analytics. Our design tools and export options reflect this digital-first approach. Currently, we do not support:

CMYK exports
Print bleeds or safety zones
300 DPI output - depends
Print-ready standards (e.g., PDF/X-1a)

However, we know this is important to some of our users. If you need professional print support, please reach out to us via live chat. The more feedback we receive, the more we can prioritize this in our roadmap.

Recommendations for professional printing

If you plan to print your materials, we recommend:

Designing your file in a dedicated print tool like Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher, or Canva
Exporting directly from that tool in CMYK, with bleed and crop marks included
Sharing the original PDF with your printer, not the one exported from Flipsnack