Book Formatting Software Comparison
The Best Book Formatting Software for 2026
We build book formatting software. So yes: we have a horse in this race. But we also know what actually matters when you are choosing a book formatting program: whether your book looks professional, whether it works on your computer, what it costs, and whether your manuscript stays private.
No credit card required. Full features during trial.
By Corey Jackson, developer of Lacuna
Reviewed by Melissa Erin Jackson, author of 15 self-published books
Updated October 5, 2026 · Read about us
Full disclosure
We built Lacuna, one of the tools in this comparison. We’re not going to pretend otherwise. But we’re also authors who’ve used most of these tools ourselves. We built Lacuna because we weren’t happy with what existed. We think you’ll see why when you compare them side by side. If another tool fits your needs better, use it. We’d rather you pick the right tool than the wrong one.
How to Choose the Best Software for Formatting a Book
Most comparison articles skip the stuff that actually matters to authors. Here’s what we’d tell a friend looking at book formatting programs.
Output quality: Does it actually produce a professional book?
You’ve spent months, maybe years, writing this book. The last thing you want is for it to look like it was formatted by someone’s cousin in Microsoft Word. Good book formatting tools produce EPUBs and PDFs that pass validation at Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Apple Books, and every other distributor on the first try. It handles the invisible stuff too: proper image compression, correct metadata, and clean HTML. If you’ve ever had KDP reject your file, you know how much this matters.
Platform support: Does it run on YOUR computer?
This sounds obvious, but it trips up more authors than you’d think. Vellum is Mac only. If you’re on Windows, it doesn’t exist for you. Atticus runs in your browser, which means you need internet to import or export and you’re trusting a browser tab not to crash mid-format. Before you evaluate features, make sure the app actually runs where you work.
Pricing: What does it really cost?
Most of these book formatting apps are one-time purchases, which is great. But the prices range from free to $249.99. The real question is: what do you get for the money? Free tools like Kindle Create lock you into one ecosystem. Expensive tools like Vellum may be worth it if you’re on Mac, but that’s a lot to spend on software that only runs on one platform. Look for fair pricing that doesn’t penalize you for your operating system.
Privacy: Where do your manuscript files actually go?
This is the one most comparison articles skip entirely. With browser-based tools, your manuscript lives on their servers. That might be fine for you, or it might not. If your book contains sensitive content, if you’re worried about AI training on your work, or if you just want to control your own files, this matters. Desktop-native tools keep everything on your computer. Your files, your control.
Side-by-Side 2026 Comparison
Here is our 2026 book formatting software comparison. We look at the five most popular tools on the things that actually matter.
| Feature | Lacuna | Vellum | Atticus | Scrivener | Kindle Create |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform & Privacy | |||||
| Mac support | |||||
| Windows support | |||||
| Linux support | |||||
| Desktop-native (not browser) | |||||
| Runs in a browser or on a Chromebook | |||||
| Works offline | |||||
| Files stay on your computer | |||||
| Formatting & Design | |||||
| Custom fonts (body + headings) | Headings only | ||||
| Tables | Basic | ||||
| Callout boxes | |||||
| Text conversations (chat styling) | |||||
| Footnotes and endnotes | Not in paperbacks | ||||
| Chapter heading images | |||||
| Per-page background images | |||||
| Customization | |||||
| Per-section style overrides | Limited | Limited | Complex | ||
| Unlimited presets per element | |||||
| Pre-export preflight checks | |||||
| Export & Output | |||||
| Print-ready PDF | |||||
| EPUB export | |||||
| Publish wide (all retailers) | |||||
| Editor | |||||
| Find and replace | |||||
| Live preview | |||||
| Visual undo timeline | |||||
| Writing goals and session targets | |||||
| Pricing | |||||
| One-time purchase | Free | ||||
| Price | $149 | $249.99 | $147 | $59.99 | Free |
The Bottom Line on Each Tool
Quick, honest takes. No affiliate links, no fake rankings: just what you need to know.
Lacuna (that’s us)
Lacuna is the best book formatting software in 2026 for authors who want professional print and ebook output without touching code, and yes, we build it.
- More customization freedom than anything else on the market: build the book you want, not the book the app allows
- Native desktop app for Windows, Mac, and Linux, works offline, with your files staying on your own computer
- Exports EPUB for ebook stores, print-ready PDF for KDP and IngramSpark, and DOCX, all from one project
- $149 one-time with lifetime updates, no subscription
Since we started building Lacuna, almost every feature has come straight from authors asking for it. That is how it ended up with more customization freedom than anything else here.
Vellum
Vellum makes gorgeous books. The output quality is excellent and the interface is polished. The catch: it is Mac-only and costs $249.99. If you are a Mac author with the budget, Vellum is a solid choice. If you are on Windows or want to spend less, you will need to look elsewhere.
Read our full Vellum comparisonAtticus
Atticus runs in the browser, so it works on any platform, and two people can work in the same book at once if you write with a co-author. The tradeoffs: there is no free trial, you need internet to import or export, your files live on their servers, browser-based apps can be less stable with large manuscripts, and its help center notes that oversized images can slow its previewer. At $147 one-time, the price is reasonable.
Sources: Atticus help center on importing and exporting offline and on slow images
Read our full Atticus comparisonScrivener
Scrivener positions itself as the “#1 Novel & Book Writing Software For Writers.” Corkboard, outliner, binder, snapshots, and project targets are manuscript-stage features. Compile is its export feature and exports to Word, RTF, OpenOffice, PDF, Final Draft, and EPUB 3 / Kindle. Windows and Mac at $59.99 each (or $95.98 bundle); iOS at $23.99.
See where Scrivener fits in the manuscript workflowKindle Create
Amazon’s free formatting tool for Windows and Mac. If you are only publishing on Amazon and only need a simple book, it does the job. It can prepare an ebook and a paperback from the same manuscript, but what it exports is a KPF file for KDP, not a print-ready PDF, and KDP’s own help page says its paperbacks cannot include tables, footnotes, or endnotes. If you are going wide (publishing on multiple platforms), Kindle Create won’t get you there.
Source: KDP help, “Prepare your eBook and paperback with Kindle Create”
Free Book Formatting Software
The best free book formatting software in 2026 is Reedsy Studio for a browser and Kindle Create for Amazon-only books; Lacuna’s free trial is the only one that lets you format the entire book on your own computer before paying.
Software, program, app: people mean the same thing, and the free ones are real. For a plain novel that is only going to Amazon, one of them may be all you need. Here is what each gives you and where it stops.
| Free option | Price | Runs on | Makes | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reedsy Studio | Free | Browser | EPUB 3 and print PDF (PDF/X-1a) | Three templates and four trim sizes; your manuscript lives in your Reedsy account |
| Kindle Create | Free | Windows, Mac | KPF, for Amazon only | No portable EPUB or PDF; paperbacks cannot have tables, footnotes, or endnotes |
| Calibre | Free | Windows, Mac, Linux | EPUB and other ebook formats | You work in HTML and CSS; it converts and edits rather than designs |
| Scribus | Free | Windows, Mac, Linux | Print PDF (page layout) | Every page is designed by hand; output is PDF and PostScript, so the ebook is another job |
| Affinity | Free for individuals | Windows, Mac | Print PDF (page layout) | A general design program; every page is designed by hand |
| Microsoft Word or Google Docs | Docs is free; Word comes with Microsoft 365 | Windows, Mac, browser | DOCX, and a PDF by hand | Built for documents; the ebook export is where most people get stuck |
| Lacuna free trial | Free to try | Windows, Mac, Linux | EPUB, print PDF (PDF/X-1a), and DOCX | Payment unlocks generating the final files; everything else is open, with no time limit |
Reedsy Studio
Free, and it runs in your browser. It exports EPUB 3 and a print-ready PDF (PDF/X-1a). You pick from three design templates (Reedsy, Classic, and Romance) and four trim sizes: 6 × 9, 5.5 × 8.5, 5 × 8, and 4.25 × 6.87 inches. The output is clean. Beyond those three templates there is not much you can change about how the pages look, and your manuscript lives in your Reedsy account rather than on your computer.
Kindle Create
Covered above. Free from Amazon, Windows and Mac, and the right pick only if the book is never going anywhere but Amazon.
Calibre
Free and open source, for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Calibre is best known as an ebook library and conversion tool, and it has a built-in editor that works on the EPUB’s HTML and CSS directly. If you are comfortable in code, it is powerful. If you are not, it is the wrong tool for a first book.
Source: calibre, “About”
Scribus
Free and open source, for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Scribus is a general page-layout program, the open-source cousin of InDesign, and it produces press-ready PDF. It is a real option for a picture-heavy book if you are willing to design every page yourself. For a novel it is far more work than a tool built for books, and its output is PDF and PostScript, so the ebook is a separate job. Affinity (free for individuals, Windows and Mac) sits in the same category.
Sources: Scribus on SourceForge and Flathub
Microsoft Word or Google Docs
You probably already use one of these, and you can lay out a print book in Word by hand using its Styles. Every piece gets set up one at a time, though, and the ebook export is where most people get stuck. See the FAQ below for more on formatting a book in Word.
Where Lacuna fits
Lacuna is not free, but trying it is. Download it, import your manuscript, and format the whole book with all 32 pre-made styles and every feature turned on, for as long as you need. Paying $149 unlocks the final EPUB, PDF, and DOCX exports. That is the only thing the trial holds back, and it is why we can let you try everything first.
Which Book Formatting Program Should You Pick?
Three questions settle it for most authors: what computer you use, what kind of book you are making, and what you want to spend.
On Windows
Lacuna, Atticus, Scrivener, Reedsy Studio, or Kindle Create. Vellum is Mac-only, so it is not on the list.
On Linux
Lacuna as a native app, or Atticus and Reedsy Studio in the browser.
On a Mac
All of them run. Vellum is the Mac-only option. Lacuna runs on your Mac too, gives you more say over the result, and comes along if you ever switch to a Windows or Linux machine.
A novel, memoir, or standard non-fiction
Lacuna, Vellum, or Atticus will each produce a professional book. The difference is how much you are allowed to change and where your files live.
A full-color or picture-heavy book
You want control page by page and a full-color print PDF. Lacuna has both, and handles single images, galleries, captions, and full-page images. Adobe InDesign ($22.99 a month), Affinity (free for individuals), and Scribus (free, open source) are general page-layout programs that can do it too, with the trade-off that you design every page yourself. If you searched for book layout software or book design software, those are the programs people usually mean.
Prices checked October 2026: Adobe InDesign, Affinity, Scribus.
Nothing to spend
Reedsy Studio for a book going to several stores, Kindle Create for Amazon only. Or format the book in Lacuna’s free trial and decide when you reach the export step.
Should You Hire a Book Formatter or Do It Yourself?
If you searched for a book formatter, you may be deciding between hiring a person and buying a program. Both are reasonable, and we wrote a full guide to it. The short version is here.
Hiring varies a lot. Reedsy says about half of the interior design projects on its marketplace cost between $475 and $1,275, with an average around $800, and Kindlepreneur puts typical freelance rates at $30 to more than $200. Formatting software is a one-time purchase between $59.99 and $249.99, or free with the limits above, and it covers every book you write; a typo found after publication is something you fix yourself, with no new invoice.
Hire a formatter if your book has a complex layout, you have one book and no wish to learn a program, or you are on a deadline and would rather pay than spend the time.
Do it yourself if you are writing a novel, memoir, or standard non-fiction, you expect to publish more than one book, or you want to make changes without waiting on anyone.
Lacuna is built for the second group. The trial has no time limit, so you can format the whole book first and only then decide whether you still want to hire anyone.
Read the full guide: what a formatter does, 2026 costs, and the questions to ask before you hire
Sources: Reedsy, “How much does it cost to self-publish a book?” and Kindlepreneur, “Should you DIY or hire a book formatting designer?”
More Specific Comparisons
Looking for something more specific? We have deeper comparisons by use case and platform.
Why We Built Lacuna
Lacuna was built by a brother and sister who got tired of the tradeoffs.
Melissa has been writing for over 20 years and has published 15 books. She knows what authors need because she is one. She knows what is missing because she lived it.
Corey has been building software since he was 10 years old. When Melissa told him about her formatting struggles, he knew they could build something better.
No investors. Just a family business building software for authors who deserve better options.
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
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions authors ask us most when choosing book formatting software.
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