Reedsy Studio vs Vellum
We give Reedsy Studio a 3.4 GPA and Vellum a 2.6, out of 4.0. Reedsy Studio grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Reedsy Studio
Browser-based book writing app with free EPUB and PDF typesetting
Vellum
Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAReedsy StudioVery good | 2.6GPAVellumGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe writing, the collaboration and the typesetting cost nothing. The Craft add-on is $4.99 a month or $52.99 a year, and Outlining is $7.99 or $85.99. Take both and it's $10.99 a month, about what one ordinary writing tool costs. | B$199.99 once for unlimited ebooks, or $249.99 with print editions, before tax. That's around two years of a typical $10 a month writing tool, though one licence covers every book and pen name you have. Adding print after 30 days costs $69.99. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree covers the manuscript editor, unlimited books and devices, import, and EPUB and print-ready PDF export. Most people could stay here. The limits are one manuscript goal, 30 days of writing history and 1 Board in card view. | 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 | AAn editor that sorts a book into sections, chapters and scenes, real-time collaboration with comments and tracked changes, and typesetting to EPUB 3 and print-ready PDF in three themes and four trim sizes. Boards hold your characters, locations and research. | AIt does one job, formatting books, and does it fully. It imports a .docx, builds the title page and contents, applies a Book Style to every chapter and previews it on e-readers. Then it generates files for Kindle, Kobo and Apple Books, and with Press a print PDF in 24 trim sizes. |
| Ease of use | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It runs in a browser with nothing to install, and export is built in, so there's no separate formatting app to learn. | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. You import a manuscript, pick a style and watch the preview update with every edit. Trying all of that is free, with no time limit. |
| Platforms and integrations | CBrowser only. There's no desktop app and no dedicated mobile app, Reedsy's FAQ says it can't be used offline yet, and the listing shows no integrations. | DMac only, on macOS 13 or newer. 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 and typesetting a book for free | 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: Reedsy Studio and Vellum. How we grade
Where they differ
- Reedsy Studio starts at $4.99 per month, or $52.99 billed annually (Craft add-on). Vellum starts at $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks).
- Reedsy Studio has a free plan. Vellum does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Reedsy Studio lists a web app.
- Only Vellum lists a macOS app.
- Vellum can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| Reedsy Studio | Vellum | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $4.99 per month, or $52.99 billed annually (Craft add-on) | $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks) |
| Free plan | Standard: the manuscript editor, unlimited books and devices, import, PDF and EPUB export, one manuscript goal, 30-day writing history, basic stats and 1 Board limited to card view. | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial of both add-ons, no credit card required | Free download with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing. Generating files for publishing requires a purchase. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Reedsy Ltd. | 180g |
| Price read from | reedsy.com | vellum.pub |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Reedsy Studio
- Self-publishing authors who want EPUB and print-ready PDF files at no cost
- Co-authors and editors revising one manuscript with tracked changes
- Writers who want outlining boards and the manuscript in the same browser app
Vellum
- Self-publishing authors on a Mac who format their own books
- Authors with many titles, since one license covers unlimited books and pen names
- Producing ebook and print editions of a book from a single file
Worth knowing
Reedsy Studio
- It runs only in a browser: there is no desktop or dedicated mobile app, and Reedsy's FAQ says it cannot be used offline yet.
- Free accounts keep 30 days of writing history and get one Board limited to card view.
- Dark mode, custom goals and advanced stats are only in the paid add-ons.
- Boards cannot be shared with a collaborator yet, according to Reedsy's planning FAQ.
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
Reedsy Studio
- Manuscript editor
- Organizes a book by section, chapter and scene in a sidebar, with front and back matter, and imports an existing draft from common text formats.
- Typesetting and export
- Exports a reflowable EPUB 3 and a print-ready PDF (PDF/X-1a:2001) in three themes and four trim sizes, on the free plan.
- Real-time collaboration
- A co-author, editor or proofreader can work in the same manuscript, with comments and tracked changes shown as they are made.
- Boards
- Planning boards hold notes for characters, locations and research as cards or lists. Free accounts get one Board in card view; attributes and relationships need the Outlining add-on.
- Goals and writing stats
- Free accounts set one word-count goal for the manuscript. The Craft add-on adds custom goals, daily check-ins and advanced stats.
- Writing timeline and previews
- Past versions can be viewed, compared and restored for 30 days, or without limit on Craft. A link shares a read-only preview of a chapter or the whole book.
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
Reedsy Studio
Standard$0
Manuscript editor, unlimited books, PDF and EPUB export, one manuscript goal, 30-day writing history and 1 Board in card view.
Craft add-on$4.99
per month, billed monthly; or $52.99 billed annually
Unlimited history, advanced stats, custom goals, daily check-ins and dark mode.
Outlining add-on$7.99
per month, billed monthly; or $85.99 billed annually
Unlimited Boards, unlimited notes with attributes, writing templates, pinned notes and dark mode.
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
Reedsy Studio
- Annual discount
Save about 10% with annual billing
The pricing page advertises a 10% saving on annual billing: Craft is $52.99 a year against $59.88 for twelve monthly payments, and Outlining is $85.99 against $95.88.
- Other savings
Bundle discount for taking both add-ons
Selecting Craft and Outlining together applies a bundle discount: $10.99 per month instead of $12.98, or $124.99 a year.
Vellum
No public discounts listed.
