Alternatives

Vellum alternatives for Windows, Chromebook and the browser

Vellum runs on a Mac and nowhere else. If you write on Windows or a Chromebook, or want the cover and the metadata in the same place, these are the options, with prices for one book.

Checked against the providers' websites on

Short answer

Vellum is Mac-only software. Bookfairy formats your book in the browser.

  • PDF/X-1a and EPUB togetherPrint PDF for KDP and IngramSpark plus a reflowable EPUB, $26.40 per book; first 10 pages free.
  • Cover, editing, blurb, keywordsFull cover with spine, plus barcode and publisher logo on the back in the same account.
  • VellumRuns only on a Mac; for Windows its help suggests renting a Mac in the cloud.

Vellum alternatives at a glance

What each one does, where it runs and what it costs.

  1. In the browser

    Book formatting from a Word file: pick a layout and trim size, get the print PDFs for KDP and IngramSpark and a reflowable EPUB.

    Good for
    Authors on Windows, Mac or Chromebook who want interior, cover and metadata in one account
    Runs on
    In the browser, nothing to install
    Price
    $26.40220 tokens per book for print PDF and EPUB, no subscription needed
    • First 10 pages free in your chosen layout
    • Print PDF as PDF/X-1a:2001 for KDP and IngramSpark
    • Full cover with front, spine and back, with the barcode and publisher logo on the back, for $12.00100 tokens
    Open the tool

  2. Atticus

    Writing and formatting app with export to PDF and ePub45

    Runs on
    Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook4
    Price
    $147 once for the licence4

  3. Adobe InDesign

    Layout program: you build and fine-tune the pages yourself6

    Runs on
    With an Adobe subscription6
    Price
    US$22.99 a month, annual plan billed monthly; 7-day free trial6

  4. calibre

    Open-source e-book manager and converter, for the ebook edition7

    Runs on
    Windows, macOS, Linux8
    Price
    Free, open source7

As of 8 November 2026, from the providers' websites (US prices in USD).

Vellum, Atticus, Adobe InDesign, calibre and IngramSpark are trademarks of their respective owners. Bookfairy is not affiliated with them.

What Vellum's own help says

Vellum

  • A Mac app: no iPad version and no plan for a native Windows version; on a PC, rent a Mac in the cloud2
  • Vellum Press $249.99 once, excl. tax; Vellum Ebooks $199.991
  • Free to download and try; you pay when you generate files2
  • The print cover is a separate file made elsewhere and uploaded to KDP or IngramSpark3

Formatting in the browser

  • Together $26.40220 tokens
  1. Upload your manuscript as a Word file.
  2. Choose one of the layouts and your trim size.
  3. Check the first 10 pages free, with a watermark.
  4. Unlock the full interior: print PDF for KDP and PDF/X-1a:2001 for IngramSpark, both with bleed and embedded fonts.
  5. Tick the EPUB as well for the reflowable ebook from the same manuscript.

The cover and the rest in the same account

The cover tool makes front, spine and back as one print PDF, with the spine width calculated from your page count and paper, the barcode if you enter your ISBN, and your publisher logo and back cover text.

  • Translate the cover, exactly the same look in the other language: $4.8040 tokens
  • New trim size or page count, spine recalculated: $2.4020 tokens
  • Audiobook cover, square 3,000 × 3,000 px: $2.4020 tokens
  • Swap or remove the barcode and logo on the back: $1.2010 tokens
  • Change a cover in your own words: $1.2010 tokens per change
  • Editing, book description, keywords, categories and A+ Content, each at a fixed price per book (pricing page)

Who this suits

Authors of non-fiction and self-help books who work on Windows or a Chromebook, publish on KDP and IngramSpark, and want to pay per book instead of buying a licence first.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Does Bookfairy work on Windows and Chromebook?

Yes. Bookfairy runs in the browser, so it works on Windows, Mac and Chromebook alike. Vellum's help says it has no plans for a Windows version and suggests renting a Mac in the cloud.

What does Bookfairy cost compared with Vellum?

With Bookfairy, print PDF and EPUB cost $26.40 per book. In the US, Vellum Press is $249.99 and Vellum Ebooks $199.99, each a one-time purchase, excluding tax (as of 8 November 2026); downloading and trying Vellum is free, you pay before generating files.

Do I get a PDF/X-1a for IngramSpark from Bookfairy?

Yes. The typesetting delivers the print PDF as PDF/X-1a:2001, for IngramSpark and KDP alike, included in $18. PDFs from other programs can go through the PDF/X-1a converter for $2.40 per file.

Does Bookfairy make the print cover too?

Yes. The cover tool makes front, spine and back as one print PDF for $12, with the spine width from your page count and barcode and logo on the back. Vellum's help says the print cover is a completely separate file from the interior.

Which file do I upload to Bookfairy?

A Word file (.docx) of your manuscript. Headings marked as headings help the layout recognise chapters.

Sources (8)
  1. Vellum, product and pricing page, US prices in USD, excluding tax (checked 8 Nov 2026). vellum.pub/
  2. Vellum Help, Purchasing FAQ (accessed 7 Nov 2026). help.vellum.pub/purchasing/
  3. Vellum Help, Print Overview: Uploading Your Cover (accessed 7 Nov 2026). help.vellum.pub/print/
  4. Atticus, product page (accessed 7 Nov 2026). atticus.io/
  5. Atticus Help, How to format your book with Atticus (accessed 7 Nov 2026). intercom.help/atticus-5877e36564df/en/articles/…
  6. Adobe, InDesign product page, US view, prices in USD (checked 8 Nov 2026). adobe.com/products/indesign.html
  7. calibre, About (accessed 7 Nov 2026). calibre-ebook.com/about
  8. calibre, Download (accessed 7 Nov 2026). calibre-ebook.com/download
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