Last reviewed by Robert Prime — July 2026
Verdict: Vellum produces better-looking books. Reedsy Editor costs nothing. For a single simple ebook on a budget, Reedsy does the job. For anything beyond that — print books, series, professional-grade typography — Vellum is worth the investment if you own a Mac. If you're on Windows and want better output than Reedsy, look at Atticus ($147) instead.
Vellum vs Reedsy Editor at a glance
| Vellum | Reedsy Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249.99 one-off (~£200) for print + ebook | Free |
| Platform | Mac only | Browser (any device) |
| Output: ebook | EPUB (excellent typography) | EPUB (clean, basic) |
| Output: print | Print-ready PDF (professional) | PDF (basic — limited trim/margin control) |
| Design control | High — themes, ornaments, drop caps, custom styles | Low — a handful of templates |
| Learning curve | Very low | Very low |
| Per-book cost | £0 after purchase | £0 always |
| Best for | Mac owners who want premium polish | Budget-conscious authors, ebook-first |
What you're actually comparing
These tools solve the same problem — turning a manuscript into a formatted book file — but they sit at opposite ends of the market.
Reedsy Editor is a free, browser-based writing and formatting tool. You write (or import) your manuscript, apply one of Reedsy's templates, and export an EPUB or PDF. It also connects you to Reedsy's marketplace of freelance editors and designers, which is Reedsy's actual business model — the editor is the lead magnet.
Vellum is a premium Mac-only formatting application. You import a manuscript (typically DOCX), apply styles, preview print and ebook output side by side, and export files that look noticeably better than almost anything else on the market. It's a formatter, not a writing app — you draft elsewhere and bring the finished manuscript to Vellum.
The core trade-off is obvious: Reedsy is free but limited. Vellum costs ~£200 but produces superior output.
Output quality — the gap that matters
Typography is where Vellum earns its price. Side by side, a Vellum-formatted book has tighter kerning, better hyphenation, more elegant chapter openers, and genuinely professional drop caps. Reedsy's output is clean and readable — perfectly acceptable for an ebook — but it looks like a template, because it is one.
For print books, the gap widens. Vellum gives you full control over trim size, margins, gutters, and running headers. The print PDF it produces is genuinely ready for KDP or IngramSpark upload. Reedsy's print PDF is basic — you get limited trim options, minimal margin control, and the output sometimes needs manual adjustment before it passes KDP's pre-flight checks.
If you're publishing a 250-page paperback through KDP, the formatting quality is visible to readers. Thin margins, clumsy chapter breaks, and cramped gutters look amateur. Vellum handles these automatically. Reedsy leaves you more exposed.
Price in GBP — worked example
| Cost element | Vellum route | Reedsy route |
|---|---|---|
| Formatting software | ~£200 (one-off, unlimited books) | £0 |
| Nielsen ISBN ×2 (ebook + print) | £174 (block of 10) | £174 |
| Cover design | £350 | £350 |
| Total for first book | ~£724 | ~£524 |
| Total for second book | ~£524 (no software cost) | ~£524 |
| Total for five books | ~£2,624 (£200 software + 5×£484) | ~£2,620 |
The maths is simple. Vellum's £200 premium disappears by book two or three. If you're publishing a single ebook and never plan another, Reedsy's free price is hard to argue with. If you're building a catalogue, Vellum's one-off cost is negligible per title.
Platform — the deal-breaker
Vellum is Mac only. No Windows version, no browser version, no workaround. If you don't own a Mac, Vellum is not an option — end of discussion.
Reedsy Editor runs in a browser on any device. Write on a Chromebook, format on a Windows laptop, export on your phone. For UK authors without a Mac, Reedsy is one of the few free formatting options that produces reasonable output.
If you're on Windows and want better output than Reedsy, your best alternative is Atticus ($147 one-off, ~£117) — cross-platform, produces better print output than Reedsy, and works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook.
Ebook vs print
| Vellum | Reedsy Editor | |
|---|---|---|
| EPUB quality | Excellent — refined typography, custom styles | Good — clean, functional, template-based |
| Print PDF | Professional — full trim/margin/gutter control | Basic — limited customisation |
| Wide distribution | EPUB works everywhere | EPUB works everywhere |
| KDP acceptance | Consistently passes pre-flight | Usually passes — occasional margin issues |
For ebook-only publishing, Reedsy is adequate. The EPUB output is valid, readable, and accepted by all major retailers. The quality gap between a Reedsy EPUB and a Vellum EPUB is visible to a trained eye but unlikely to affect reader satisfaction or reviews.
For print, the gap matters more. Vellum handles the fiddly details — gutter width scaling with page count, running headers, orphan/widow control, correct bleed settings — that trip up less capable tools.
Who should pick which?
Pick Vellum if:
- You own a Mac
- You publish (or plan to publish) more than one book
- Print quality matters to you
- You want the most polished output with minimal effort
- You're happy with a one-off ~£200 investment
Pick Reedsy Editor if:
- You're on Windows, Linux, or Chromebook (and don't want to pay for Atticus)
- You're publishing a single ebook on a tight budget
- You want a free tool that produces clean, functional output
- Print formatting is not a priority
Pick neither if:
- Your book has complex layouts (cookbook, workbook, heavy illustration) — use a formatting service
- You want to write and format in one app on Windows — pick Atticus instead
Common mistakes
- Choosing Reedsy for print-heavy projects. Reedsy's print output is a bonus feature, not its strength. For serious print publishing, invest in Vellum, Atticus, or a service.
- Buying Vellum without checking your OS. It's Mac only. Check before you buy.
- Assuming free = worse. For a simple ebook, Reedsy's output is genuinely good enough. Don't spend £200 on Vellum for a single Kindle upload if budget is tight.
- Skipping the pre-upload check. Run a free KDP Readiness Score on your exported file regardless of which tool you used.
Frequently asked questions
Is Reedsy Editor really free?
Yes, fully free with no per-book charges. Reedsy makes money from its freelancer marketplace (editors, designers, marketers), not from the editor tool. There's no premium tier for the editor itself.
Can Vellum run on Windows?
No. Vellum is Mac only — no Windows version, no browser workaround. The closest Windows alternative is Atticus ($147 one-off).
Which produces better ebooks?
Vellum, but the margin is smaller than you'd expect for ebooks. Both produce valid EPUB files that work on all major retailers. Vellum's advantage is in typography polish — nicer chapter openers, better spacing, more design options. For most readers, both are fine.
Which is better for KDP print books?
Vellum, decisively. Full control over trim, margins, gutters, and running headers. Reedsy's print PDF is basic and sometimes needs manual adjustment to pass KDP's checks.
Can I use Reedsy Editor and then switch to Vellum later?
Yes. Export your manuscript from Reedsy as DOCX, import it into Vellum. You'll need to reapply formatting — styles don't transfer between tools — but the text comes across cleanly.
Whichever tool you choose, getting the formatting right is what separates amateur from professional. Run a free KDP Readiness Score to check your file, or let us format it for you from £49.
