Papyrus Author vs Vellum (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Vellum grades higher than Papyrus Author: 1.8 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Papyrus Author grades higher on features and platforms. Vellum grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Papyrus Author
Desktop novel-writing software with style analysis and book design
Vellum
Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books
Which one is for you
Pick Papyrus Author if
- Fits if you write full novels and want plotting and book design in one program
- Works for authors who prefer one payment over a subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you write casually, at $349 one-time or $279 for education
- Skip it if you want to try first, as no trial or demo is listed
- Not for you if you write on a phone, tablet, Linux or the web
- Watch out: the licence covers up to three personal devices, and the education edition is for full-time students
Pick Vellum if
- Fits if you self-publish from a Mac and want to format your own books
- Works for authors with several titles, since one license covers unlimited books and pen names
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on Windows or an iPad, as it's Mac only and no native Windows version is planned
- Pricey if you only have one book to format, at $199.99 before tax for ebooks alone
- Not for you if an assistant does your formatting, because a license is tied to one person and can't be shared
- Watch out: adding print after 30 days costs $69.99, more than the $50 gap between the two prices
- Watch out: the free download can't generate any files to publish, and it needs macOS 13 or newer
How we grade them
| 1.6GPAPapyrus AuthorWeak | 1.8GPAVellumWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$349 one-time, against a category whose one-time prices top out at $279 and whose monthly middle is $9.75. That's over two years of the middle subscription. Education is $279. | D$199.99 once for unlimited ebooks, or $249.99 with print, before tax. One-time prices in this category run from $4.99 to $199.99 with $19.99 in the middle, so this is the very top of them, and more than two years of the $8.33 monthly middle. Adding print later costs $69.99. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan, trial or demo is listed on the pricing page, only the two prices. | CNothing free gets a book published. But the download is free with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing, so you can see your whole book before paying. Generating the files needs a purchase. |
| Features | BStory and character sheets, plotting, style analysis, book design and editor collaboration. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the novel-writing job. | CIt does the book-formatting job fully, and that's a smaller job than most of this category: import a .docx, get a title page and contents, apply a Book Style to every chapter, preview it on e-readers, then generate files for Kindle, Kobo and Apple Books, or a print PDF with Press. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A big desktop program with a learning curve. | BNo store rating on record, so we go on the listing: you import a manuscript, pick a style and watch the preview update with every edit, with nothing to configure first. Trying all of that is free, with no time limit. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and macOS only; no Linux, phone or web version. | DMac only, on macOS 13 or newer, which is a single operating system. It doesn't run on iPad, the vendor says it has no plans for a native Windows version, and the listing shows no integrations. |
| Best for | writing a whole novel on a desktop | formatting books for self-publishing on a Mac |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Papyrus Author and Vellum. How we grade
Where they differ
- Papyrus Author also covers goals and grammar & style.
At a glance
| Papyrus Author | Vellum | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | $279 one-time (education); $349 one-time standard | $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free download with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing. Generating files for publishing requires a purchase. |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Novelty Writing Ltd. | 180g |
| Price read from | papyrus.de | vellum.pub |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Papyrus Author
- It runs on Windows and macOS only; no Linux, mobile or web version is listed.
- The license covers up to three personal devices.
- The pricing page does not mention a free trial or demo.
- The education edition is for people in full-time education.
Vellum
- Mac only, on macOS 13 or newer. It does not run on iPad, and the vendor says it has no plans for a native Windows version.
- The free download cannot generate files for publishing; that step requires buying Vellum Ebooks or Vellum Press.
- Print editions need Vellum Press. Upgrading from Vellum Ebooks after 30 days costs $69.99, more than the $50 gap between the two prices.
- A license is tied to one individual and cannot be shared with a co-worker or assistant. Listed prices do not include tax.
Key features
Papyrus Author
- Story Sheets and character sheets
- Chapters, scenes and events carry background sheets in the text margin; character sheets open when you hover over a name.
- Plotting boards
- Thinkboards, index cards and genre templates for planning a plot, plus a timeline and narrative-arc labels.
- Style analysis
- Flags word repetitions, filler words and overly long sentences, shows readability per chapter and checks spelling and grammar.
- Book Designer
- Applies page size, fonts, headers and footers in one step and exports an eBook or PDF for self-publishing platforms.
- Book projects
- Groups a manuscript with notes and side documents as a book, with a cover, blurb and genre, and saved Book Sessions.
- Editor collaboration
- Exports to Docx or standardized pages with revision tracking the vendor says is compatible with editors' tools.
Vellum
- Manuscript import
- Imports any .docx file, including ones made in Word, Scrivener or Pages, and builds the book's structure with a title page and table of contents.
- Book Styles
- A chosen style, with drop caps, embedded fonts and flourishes, is applied to every chapter, including ones added later. Custom ornaments and backgrounds can be added.
- Live preview
- Shows how the ebook will appear on a range of devices and how the print edition will look, updating with every edit.
- Ebook generation
- Generates files for Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books and other stores in EPUB 3 or EPUB 2, with image optimization and output the vendor describes as ACE-approved for accessibility.
- Print editions
- With Vellum Press, sets margins, page numbers, headers and footers for 24 trim sizes plus large print, handles widows and spread balancing, and outputs PDF/X-1a.
- Box sets and advance copies
- Combines a finished series into a box set in a few steps and produces advance reader copies for beta readers in EPUB and MOBI.
Plans
Papyrus Author
Education$279
one-time
Papyrus 12 for young writers in full-time education, at a lower price than the standard edition.
Papyrus 12$349
one-time
Perpetual license with the full feature set, for up to three personal devices on Windows and macOS.
Vellum
Vellum Ebooks$199.99
one-time purchase, before tax
Create unlimited ebooks for stores such as Kindle, Kobo and Apple Books. Does not include print editions.
Vellum Press$249.99
one-time purchase, before tax
Create unlimited ebooks plus print editions that can be printed as paperbacks or hardcovers.
Ways to pay less
Papyrus Author
- Education
Education edition at $279
Papyrus 12 is priced $70 below the standard edition for young writers pursuing full-time education.
Vellum
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Papyrus Author or Vellum?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Papyrus Author starts at $279 one-time (education); $349 one-time standard, and Vellum starts at $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks).
Which has a free plan, Papyrus Author or Vellum?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Papyrus Author nor Vellum has a free plan. Vellum has a free trial.
Which platforms do Papyrus Author and Vellum run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Papyrus Author lists a Windows app. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.