Google Docs handles brochures and flyers well enough for most non-commercial use. It does not match Word’s template gallery for ready-made designs, but the column and table tools cover the basic layouts, and the browser-based workflow suits anyone collaborating with someone else on the design.
Why Google Docs for brochures
Docs is free, runs in any browser, and lets multiple people edit the same brochure at the same time. That is genuinely useful when an event committee or marketing team needs to agree on copy without emailing a Word file back and forth.
The trade-offs are worth knowing. Docs has fewer typography controls than Word, no native bleed support, and a smaller built-in template selection. For a polished commercial print job, design tools or Word remain the better choice. For internal use, club newsletters, school flyers, or one-off events, Docs is sufficient.
Setting up tri-fold using columns
Open a new blank document. Go to File > Page setup, switch orientation to Landscape, and set all four margins to 0.5cm or 0.25 inch. Click OK.
Open Format > Columns and choose the three-column option. In the same dialog, set the spacing between columns to around 1.5cm — this gives the fold lines enough room to avoid trapping content in the crease.
Type or paste content into the columns. Docs flows text from one column to the next, so write the inside-fold panel first, then the three internal panels in reading order. To force a panel break, place the cursor where you want the break and choose Insert > Break > Column break.
For the outside of the brochure (cover, back, inside-fold), create a second page with the same column setup. Remember that the fold order reverses the visual reading order on the outside — the cover sits on the right-hand panel of page two. Mock up a folded paper test before designing further. For the panel-by-panel content plan, see how to design a professional tri-fold brochure.
Using tables for flyer layouts
For flyers, tables give more control than columns. Insert > Table and pick a layout that matches the regions you need — a three-row, single-column table for a simple flyer with header, body, and footer; a 2x2 grid for a feature comparison; a single large cell for a poster-style flyer.
Set the table border to 0pt to hide the cell edges, then style each cell with background colour, text alignment, and padding through the Table properties menu. This produces clean colour blocks without needing image editing.
Inserting images and logos
Insert > Image lets you upload from your device, drag from a URL, or pull from Google Drive or Photos. Once placed, click the image and choose “Wrap text” or “Behind text” depending on whether you want body text to flow around it. Resize using the corner handles to keep proportions; side handles distort the image.
For logos that need precise placement, set wrap to “Behind text” and drag freely.
Printing and PDF export
For home printing, File > Print sends the document straight to your printer with the column layout intact. For commercial printers or when sharing the design for feedback, File > Download > PDF Document produces a clean PDF that preserves fonts and layout reliably.
For Word’s flyer template gallery as an alternative path, see free printable flyer templates for Word. For the equivalent business card workflow in Docs, see how to create business cards in Google Docs.