Atticus Alternative for Windows & Mac
The Atticus Alternative That Lives on Your Desktop
Same EPUB 3, same PDF/X-1a, same one-time-purchase model. Different where your files live and how you work. If you’ve been wanting Atticus’s feature set in a desktop app that works offline, this is it.
No credit card required. Full features during trial.
Full disclosure
We built Lacuna, and yes, we’d love to be the alternative you choose. But Atticus is well-made software with a real community, and we’ve built this page to help you decide based on facts, not marketing. If Atticus’s browser-first workflow works for you, stay there. If you’re here because you wanted a desktop app, read on.
Why Authors Look for an Atticus Alternative
Four common reasons. None of these are knocks against Atticus. They are real differences in design philosophy.
You want a desktop app
Atticus runs in your browser. That is a design choice that gives Atticus cross-platform reach. Some authors prefer a native desktop app for offline reliability and the feel of a dedicated tool. Lacuna runs as a desktop app on both Windows and Mac.
You want files on your own computer
Atticus stores manuscripts on Atticus’s servers. Lacuna stores them on your computer. Both are valid models. If you prefer the local-file workflow, Lacuna’s model fits.
You want full offline use
Atticus’s offline mode covers writing. Export needs the internet. If you have ever been on a flight only to find you cannot export when you land, Lacuna works fully offline, including export.
You want more customization room
Atticus has a custom chapter theme builder. Lacuna has 32 pre-made styles plus per-section style overrides. You can tune individual sections without touching the rest of the book. Different approach to the same goal.
Atticus vs Lacuna: Side-by-Side
The differences in plain language. Where the two tools match, and where they don’t.
| Feature | Atticus | Lacuna |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | In your browser | Desktop app on Windows and Mac |
| Where your files live | On Atticus’s servers | On your computer |
| Offline use | Writing only; export needs internet | Full use offline, including export |
| Sync | Cloud sync required | No sync needed (local-only) |
| Speed and performance | Browser + cloud-dependent | Native desktop speed |
| EPUB output | EPUB 3 / 2 | EPUB 3 / 2 |
| Print PDF | PDF/X-1a | PDF/X-1a |
| Per-section style overrides | Limited | Yes |
| Styling presets | Limited | Every element (see features) |
| Image gallery with folders | Limited | Yes |
| Templates / themes | Custom theme builder | 32 pre-made styles |
| Live preview | Yes | Multi-device frames (Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iPad) |
| Pricing | $147 one-time | $149 one-time |
| Lifetime updates | Yes | Yes |
What Changes When You Switch
Five steps. Most authors are formatting in Lacuna within an hour of starting the export.
Export from Atticus as DOCX
Atticus supports DOCX export from the project menu.
Import the DOCX into Lacuna
Lacuna detects chapter breaks from Heading 1 styles and preserves bold, italic, alignment, ornamental breaks, footnotes and endnotes, tables, and images.
Pick a pre-made style and tune it
Lacuna’s 32 pre-made styles start you with a clean look you can customize per-section.
Preview on your target devices
Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Clara, Nook, iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android Tablet device frames.
Export
EPUB for ebook retailers, PDF/X-1a for print. Both formats from one project. Works offline.
Why We Built Lacuna
We built Lacuna because the existing options each had a tradeoff that didn’t suit us. Some were Mac-only. Some lived in the browser. We wanted a desktop app on both Windows and Mac that kept files local and worked offline.
Melissa has been writing for over 20 years and has published 15 books. Corey has been building software since he was 10. Together they built the formatting tool they wanted to use themselves.
No investors. Just a family business building software for authors.
What Authors Are Saying
Real authors. Real books. Formatted with Lacuna.
I’m a cover designer and interior formatter by profession and run my own small publishing press, so trust me when I say I’m picky and my standards are high. InDesign has always been the only program that formats for print with the level of customization I need. For years, I’ve used it for print and another program entirely for ebooks to get the results I wanted. When I saw Lacuna, I immediately went to check it out and within an hour from having downloaded the trial, I was hooked.
This gives me so much more freedom with print options than other formatting programs like Atticus or Vellum while still making ebooks a breeze. The ability to work from one file and have separate print and ebook settings is a complete gamechanger. I’m still learning my way around the program and loving every second.
JJ Carpenter
The Haunting of Kenmore Asylum
I originally checked out Lacuna because somebody in a KDP publishing group I belong to asked if anyone had tried Lacuna out yet. I published nine other books using a different formatter, but I wasn’t happy with it. I ended up taking a look at Lacuna even though I was pretty much sold on Atticus or Vellum. Once I started diving into Lacuna and saw the ease of use and flexibility, I was absolutely floored. It was a no-brainer, and I purchased Lacuna. Since then the program has only improved. Corey is amazing at fixing things and streamlining processes.
If you take a look at the book that I formatted with Lacuna you will see, it would be pretty difficult to do something like that with one of those other formatting programs. Plus they cost more. In my opinion Lacuna is already the best formatter on the market and only getting better. Thanks, Corey and Melissa, for making this available.
NextGen Victory Press
3-Minute Wrestling Devotionals for Rising Athletes
I tried numerous formatting methods and followed endless instructions from publishing websites, but nothing ever turned out right. Since finding Lacuna, everything has changed. I’ve been able to update all my manuscripts effortlessly and give them the professional look they deserve.
Lacuna helped me perfect one of my most cherished stories, The Magic Globe, and finally present it exactly as I envisioned. It’s truly been a game changer for my author journey.
Samuel Graham Astley
The Magic Globe
Switching Questions
Why is Lacuna the best Atticus alternative?
Because Lacuna is a desktop app that keeps your files on your own computer and gives you the freedom to build the book you want, not the book the app allows. Since we started building it, almost every feature has come straight from authors asking for it, so the tool keeps growing toward more customization and more control; Atticus, by comparison, is a web app built to combine writing and formatting in one place.
Can I import my Atticus project into Lacuna?
Lacuna imports DOCX files. Atticus exports DOCX from the project menu. Export from Atticus, import into Lacuna, and you’re set up. Your text, structure, footnotes and endnotes, tables, and images come over cleanly. You’ll re-apply styling in Lacuna’s style system.
What does Lacuna cost compared to Atticus?
Lacuna is $149 one-time. Atticus is $147 one-time. Both are lifetime purchases with free updates.
Does Lacuna have everything Atticus has?
Lacuna and Atticus cover most of the same ground for ebook and print formatting: EPUB 3 / 2, PDF/X-1a, hardcover support, drop caps, footnotes and endnotes, tables, image galleries. Atticus has a custom chapter theme builder; Lacuna has 32 pre-made styles plus per-section style overrides. Lacuna has rich editors and plenty of writing features too, but our primary focus is formatting and design.
Is there a trial so I can test before I switch?
Yes. Download Lacuna and try it with your manuscript. Full features during trial. You only pay $149 when you’re ready to export your finished book.
What if I want to stay with Atticus and just compare?
Read our full Lacuna vs Atticus comparison. That page is built for evaluating both side-by-side rather than for switching.
Try Lacuna with Your Atticus Manuscript
Download Lacuna free. Import your DOCX. Style it exactly how you want. Pay $149 only when you’re ready to export. No credit card, no account.
Want to learn more first? See all features or view pricing.