Last reviewed by Robert Prime — April 2026
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Quick Comparison Table
- DIY Tools
- Done-For-You Services
- Free Tools
- How Much Should You Pay?
- Our Recommendation
- FAQ
Introduction
Getting your book formatted for Amazon KDP is one of the most frustrating parts of self-publishing. The formatting has to be technically perfect — correct margins, embedded fonts, even page count, chapters on the right-hand pages — or KDP will reject it.
You have three options: do it yourself with formatting software, hire a professional service, or use a free tool and hope for the best. Each has trade-offs.
This guide compares every major option available to UK self-published authors in 2026, with real prices in GBP and honest assessments of quality.
Quick Comparison Table
| Service | Price | Type | Platform | Turnaround | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vellum | ~£200 (one-time) | DIY software | Mac only | Instant | Excellent |
| Atticus | ~£120 (one-time) | DIY software | All platforms | Instant | Very good |
| publishing.co.uk | From £29.99/book | Done-for-you | Web (any device) | 24 hours | Very good |
| BookBaby | From ~£315/book | Done-for-you | N/A (send files) | 5-7 days | Excellent |
| Reedsy Studio | Free / £4-8/month | DIY (web) | Web | Instant | Good |
| Draft2Digital | Free (10% commission) | DIY (web) | Web | Instant | Basic |
| Kindle Create | Free | DIY software | PC + Mac | Instant | Basic |
DIY Tools
Vellum — The Industry Standard (~£200)
Vellum is widely considered the gold standard for book formatting. It produces beautiful, professional output that matches what traditional publishers create.
What you get:
- 26 built-in styles with professional typography
- 26 fonts optimised for book reading
- Drop caps, ornamental breaks, custom images
- PDF/X-1a output (the print industry standard)
- EPUB validated for all retailers
- 24 trim sizes including large print
The catch: Mac only. If you're on Windows, Linux, or Chromebook, Vellum isn't an option. This single limitation keeps millions of authors from using the best tool on the market.
Price: $249.99 USD (~£200) for ebook + print. One-time purchase, unlimited books.
Best for: Mac-owning fiction authors who plan to publish 3+ books (the cost per book drops with volume).
Atticus — The Cross-Platform Challenger (~£120)
Atticus launched as the answer to Vellum's Mac-only limitation and has rapidly gained market share. Kindlepreneur (one of the most trusted voices in self-publishing) now ranks it above Vellum.
What you get:
- Works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook
- 1,500+ fonts (vs Vellum's 26)
- 17 chapter themes with 1,200+ combinations
- Custom theme builder
- Built-in writing editor
- H2-H6 heading support (important for nonfiction)
- Cloud storage and backups
The catch: Newer software with some features still catching up. No dark mode. Output quality is very good but not quite Vellum-level for print.
Price: $147 USD (~£120) one-time. All future updates included.
Best for: Windows authors, nonfiction writers who need heading hierarchy, authors who want one tool for writing and formatting.
Done-For-You Services
publishing.co.uk — UK-Based, AI-Powered (From £29.99)
Full disclosure: this is our service. We built it because we were frustrated with the options available.
What you get:
- Upload your manuscript, receive KDP-ready PDF + Kindle EPUB in 24 hours
- Free preview tool — see your book formatted before paying
- Side-by-side comparison of your original vs formatted version
- KDP upload guide with exact settings (trim, spine width, bleed)
- KDP approval guarantee — if KDP rejects it, we fix it free
- One round of revisions included
- AI-powered editing — tell us what to change in natural language
What makes it different: You can try before you buy. Upload your manuscript to our free preview tool and instantly see what it would look like professionally formatted. No other service offers this.
Price:
- Print Interior: £29.99
- Print + Kindle: £39.99
- Complete (PDF + EPUB + ePub): £54.99
- Picture Book: £59.99
- Cover Add-on: +£19.99
Best for: Authors who want professional formatting without learning software. UK authors who want GBP pricing and UK business hours.
BookBaby — Premium Human Design (~£315+)
BookBaby is a US-based full-service publisher. Their formatting is done by professional designers in New Jersey — not templates, not automation.
What you get:
- Custom layout by a professional human designer
- PDF proof for approval before printing
- All sections formatted manually
- Can handle complex layouts, images, tables
The catch: Expensive and slow. £315+ just for formatting (cover, editing, printing all cost extra). 5-7 business day turnaround. Changes after delivery cost additional fees.
Price: From $399 USD (~£315). Per project.
Best for: Authors with complex, image-heavy books who want premium human-designed interiors and have the budget for it.
Free Tools
Reedsy Studio — Free Core, Premium Add-ons
Reedsy offers a free web-based writing and formatting tool. The core export functionality is free, but advanced features require a subscription.
What you get free:
- Writing editor with chapter organisation
- EPUB 3 and PDF export
- 3 design themes
- Real-time collaboration
The catch: Only 3 themes and 4 trim sizes. Very limited customisation. Premium features (advanced outlining, stats) cost £4-8/month.
Best for: Authors on a tight budget who want something better than Word but can't afford Atticus/Vellum.
Draft2Digital — Free with Commission
D2D provides free formatting and distribution. They take 10% of your book sales instead of charging upfront.
What you get:
- Free manuscript conversion
- Auto-generated TOC, title page, copyright page
- Distribution to 15+ retailers
- Guaranteed Epubcheck validation
The catch: Basic formatting with no design control. Output is functional but not premium. Print only available for books generated through their system.
Best for: Authors who want the simplest possible path from manuscript to published book across multiple retailers.
Kindle Create — Amazon's Own Tool
Amazon's free formatting tool. It works, but Amazon has essentially stopped updating it.
What you get:
- Free
- Produces files guaranteed to work on KDP
- Basic visual themes
The catch: Very limited design options. Not suitable for books with images, tables, or footnotes. Output looks noticeably less professional than any paid option. Described by industry experts as effectively abandoned.
Best for: Authors publishing their first ebook who just want something that works with zero cost.
How Much Should You Pay?
Here's a framework based on your publishing goals:
Publishing 1 book, budget is tight: Use Reedsy Studio (free) or Draft2Digital (free). Accept basic formatting.
Publishing 1-2 books, want professional quality: Use publishing.co.uk (£30-55 per book). Professional output without learning software.
Publishing 3+ books, on a Mac: Buy Vellum (~£200). The cost per book drops to under £70 by book 3.
Publishing 3+ books, on Windows: Buy Atticus (~£120). Best value for multi-book authors on any platform.
Complex book with images/tables, high budget: Use BookBaby (~£315+). Human designer for complex layouts.
Our Recommendation
For most UK self-published authors in 2026, the best approach is:
Try our free preview tool first — upload your manuscript and see what professional formatting looks like. It takes 60 seconds and costs nothing.
If you're happy with the result, order the full formatting (from £29.99). You'll have KDP-ready files in 24 hours.
If you plan to publish 3+ books per year, consider investing in Atticus (£120) or Vellum (£200, Mac only) for the long-term savings.
If your book has complex layouts (cookbooks, textbooks, picture books), consider BookBaby or a freelance designer on Reedsy.
The worst thing you can do is publish with bad formatting. Readers notice. Invest in getting it right.
FAQ
What file format should I send my manuscript in? DOCX (Microsoft Word) is preferred by every service and tool. It preserves your formatting, headings, and structure. PDF, RTF, and other formats can be converted but DOCX gives the best results.
Will KDP reject my formatted file? If you use Vellum, Atticus, or publishing.co.uk, rejection for formatting issues is extremely rare. Free tools have a higher risk of technical issues. We guarantee KDP approval — if they reject it, we fix it free.
How long does formatting take? DIY tools are instant. publishing.co.uk delivers in 24 hours. BookBaby takes 5-7 business days.
Can I make changes after formatting? With DIY tools, yes — reformat anytime. With services, most include 1-2 revision rounds. Additional revisions may cost extra.
What trim size should I choose? 6 x 9 inches is the most popular for fiction and nonfiction. 5.5 x 8.5 is a good alternative for shorter books. When in doubt, go with 6 x 9.
Ready to see what your book would look like professionally formatted? Try our free preview tool →
Or order your formatting now → from £29.99.
