Alternatives · Writing
Pressbooks alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Pressbooks alternative for most people is Scrivener (2.8 GPA), third in our ranking of writing tools. The best free one is Sigil (2.8 GPA).
Pressbooks compared with 5 alternatives: Atticus, Vellum, Reedsy Studio, Sigil and Scrivener.
Pressbooks is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $12 per book / month ($120 billed yearly). 2 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 2 more offer a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Pressbooks sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| PressbooksThis tool | Free trial · from $12/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Atticus | From $147 one-time | No | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Vellum | Free trial · from $199.99 one-time | Trial only | macOS |
| Reedsy Studio | Free plan · from $4.99/mo | Yes | Web |
| Sigil | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Scrivener | Free trial · from $23.99 one-time | Trial only | macOS, Windows, iOS |
Price against what you get
Pressbooks starts at $12 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 2 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Reedsy Studio and Sigil start lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Pressbooks
Atticus
Book writing and formatting app for ebooks and print
- Atticus starts at $147 one-time.
- Atticus also lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Atticus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Atticus also covers templates.
Suits: Self-publishing authors who format their own ebooks and print books
Vellum
Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books
- Vellum starts at $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks).
- Vellum also lists a macOS app.
- Vellum lists no web app, which Pressbooks has.
- Vellum can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Vellum also covers templates.
Suits: Self-publishing authors on a Mac who format their own books
Reedsy Studio
Browser-based book writing app with free EPUB and PDF typesetting
- Reedsy Studio starts at $4.99 per month, or $52.99 billed annually (Craft add-on).
- Reedsy Studio has a free plan, which Pressbooks lacks.
- Reedsy Studio also covers templates.
Suits: Self-publishing authors who want EPUB and print-ready PDF files at no cost
Sigil
Free open-source EPUB ebook editor for Windows, Mac and Linux
- Sigil is free.
- Sigil has a free plan, which Pressbooks lacks.
- Sigil also lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Sigil lists no web app, which Pressbooks has.
- Sigil also covers documents.
Suits: Self-publishers formatting EPUB files themselves
Scrivener
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner
- Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Scrivener also lists macOS, Windows and iOS apps.
- Scrivener lists no web app, which Pressbooks has.
- Scrivener can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Scrivener also covers templates.
Suits: Novelists and academics managing book-length projects
Limits worth knowing in Pressbooks
- Each book needs its own subscription, and editing stops if the subscription lapses, though openly licensed books stay hosted.
- Media storage is 250 MB on Single Author and 1 GB on Collaboration, with large video expected to be embedded from elsewhere.
- There are no sales or monetization tools: you export files and sell them yourself, and ISBNs are your responsibility.
- Whole-organization use is sold separately as Enterprise Networks; hosting the open-source software yourself means managing a server and its updates.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Pressbooks?
The alternatives to Pressbooks in this directory are Atticus, Vellum, Reedsy Studio, Sigil and Scrivener. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Pressbooks.
Is there a free alternative to Pressbooks?
Yes. Sigil is free to use. Reedsy Studio has a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Pressbooks alternatives work on Windows?
The Pressbooks listing does not include a Windows app. Atticus, Sigil and Scrivener list one.
Which Pressbooks alternatives work on macOS?
The Pressbooks listing does not include a macOS app. Atticus, Vellum, Sigil and Scrivener list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.