Best Book Formatting Software in 2026 (Mac, Windows and Free)

What should good book formatting software do?

For ebooks, it should export a clean EPUB with a linked table of contents, sensible chapter breaks and styles that survive on different e-readers. For print, it should export a PDF at your exact trim size, with mirrored margins, a gutter wide enough for the page count, embedded fonts and correct page numbering. It should also handle front and back matter such as the title page, copyright page, dedication and “also by” list.

Beyond that, the differences are about control and effort. Some tools give you a handful of beautiful templates and few settings. Others give you total layout freedom and expect you to know typography. Neither is better in general. A novel with plain text and chapter headings needs templates and speed. An illustrated cookbook or workbook needs layout control.

Before you choose, check three practical things: whether the tool runs on your computer, whether it exports both EPUB and print PDF (some do only one), and whether the files are standard or locked to one store. A tool that only produces a store-specific file can leave you reformatting if you later publish wide.

Vellum: best for beautiful typography on a Mac

Vellum is the tool many authors name first, and for good reason. You import a manuscript, pick a style, and get polished print and ebook files with very little effort. Its chapter openers, ornamental breaks and drop caps are the sort of detail that usually takes a professional designer. It is a favourite in romance, fantasy and thriller, where a book is mostly text.

It is sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription, with separate tiers for ebook only and ebook plus print. Published prices have been around $199.99 and $249.99, but check the Vellum site for the current figures. You can try it before paying.

The big limitation is that Vellum runs only on macOS. There is no Windows version, and it is not a browser tool. Some Windows users rent a remote Mac, but that adds cost and friction. Vellum is also built for text-led books, so heavily illustrated or multi-column layouts are better handled elsewhere.

Atticus: best cross-platform alternative to Vellum

Atticus aims at the same result as Vellum but works on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebooks, because it runs in a browser. It formats print and ebook files from a single manuscript and includes a writing editor, so you can write and format in one place. Its one-time price has been $147, though it is worth confirming that on the Atticus site.

It is the most common answer to the question “is there a Vellum for Windows?”. You get themes, chapter styles, trim size choices and EPUB and PDF export. It gives you more manual control than Vellum, which suits authors who like to tweak and puts off those who want a one-click result.

Because it is browser-based, you should check how your files are saved and keep your own backups, as you should with any tool. Export the finished EPUB and PDF and store them locally, so you are never dependent on one company’s servers to republish.

Kindle Create, Reedsy Studio and Draft2Digital: best free options

Kindle Create is Amazon’s free tool for Windows and Mac. It converts a Word document into a Kindle ebook with a few themes and can also prepare many paperbacks. Its limitation is that its ebook files are made for Amazon. If you sell on Apple Books, Kobo or elsewhere, you will need a standard EPUB from a different tool.

Reedsy Studio is a free online editor. You write or import your text, and it exports formatted ebook and print files. Draft2Digital offers free formatting for books distributed through it, and it also produces print-ready files. Both are sensible choices if you want something that works with no outlay and are happy with fewer design choices.

Free tools are good enough for many first books. The trade-offs are usually fewer layout options, less polished chapter styling and, in some cases, a link to a particular distributor. Always open the exported files and read them on a real device before you upload.

Word, Calibre, Sigil and design software: when are they the right choice?

Microsoft Word is free if you already own it, and it can make a perfectly good paperback if you set up styles, section breaks and mirrored margins correctly. It is slow and easy to get wrong, especially for page numbers and headers, and exporting a clean EPUB is harder. Our guide to formatting a book in Word walks through the setup.

Calibre and Sigil are free, long-established tools for working with EPUB files directly. They are useful for converting, fixing and inspecting an EPUB, and for authors who are comfortable editing the underlying structure. They are not designed as one-click book design tools.

Affinity Publisher and Adobe InDesign are layout programmes for books where design matters: photo books, cookbooks, workbooks and anything with complex page layouts. They give you complete control but have a steep learning curve, and ebook output from a fixed layout needs extra care. For a plain-text novel they are usually more work than you need.

CruxOne: best for formatting inside a full publishing workflow

CruxOne is an AI book publishing platform for indie authors, used in a web browser, so it works on Windows, Mac and Linux alike. It produces a print-ready PDF plus EPUB and DOCX files, and sits alongside AI writing and editing, cover design sized to retailer trim and spine specs, audiobook narration, translation, and publishing to Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo and 50+ stores.

It has a free plan, and paid plans start at $19 a month (Author), with Pro at $39 and Studio at $89 a month. It makes most sense if you want formatting, cover and publishing in one place. If formatting is the only job you need done, a one-time purchase such as Atticus or Vellum may cost less over several years. The free author tools at cruxone.io/tools, including a gutter margin calculator, are also handy whichever software you choose.

Which formatting software should you choose?

Match the tool to your computer, your genre and your budget.

• Mac, text-led book, best-looking result with least effort: Vellum.
• Windows or any computer, one-time purchase: Atticus.
• Free, selling on Amazon only: Kindle Create.
• Free, selling on several stores: Reedsy Studio or Draft2Digital.
• Illustrated or heavily designed book: Affinity Publisher or InDesign, or a professional designer.
• Formatting, cover, audiobook and publishing in one browser-based platform: CruxOne.

Whatever you pick, test before you publish. Order a printed proof, check the table of contents on a real e-reader or the Kindle previewer, and confirm the gutter is wide enough for your page count. Use a spine width and gutter margin calculator to check measurements, and make sure your trim size matches your cover.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best book formatting software?

For most authors, Vellum on Mac and Atticus on Windows or any computer. If you want free, try Kindle Create for Amazon or Reedsy Studio and Draft2Digital for all stores.

Is there a Vellum for Windows?

No. Vellum runs only on macOS. Atticus and browser-based tools such as CruxOne work on Windows.

Can I format a book for free?

Yes. Kindle Create, Reedsy Studio and Draft2Digital all offer free formatting, and Word is free if you already own it. Free tools usually offer fewer design options.

Can I format a book in Microsoft Word?

Yes, but it takes care. Print needs correct section breaks and mirrored margins, and a clean EPUB is harder to produce. Dedicated tools are quicker and less error-prone.

What file formats do I need?

An EPUB for ebooks and a print-ready PDF for paperbacks and hardcovers. Some tools also export DOCX, which many editors and retailers accept.