Scrivener vs Vellum
We give Scrivener a 3.2 GPA and Vellum a 2.6, out of 4.0. Scrivener grades higher on value for money and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Scrivener
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner
Vellum
Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAScrivenerVery good | 2.6GPAVellumGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$59.99 once for macOS or Windows, covering every computer in your household on that platform. That's about half a year of a typical $10 a month writing tool. You do pay again per platform: the iOS app is $23.99, and a Mac and Windows bundle is $95.98. | 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 | CNo free plan. The Mac and Windows versions have a free trial that lasts for 30 days of use, not 30 calendar days, which is generous. There's no trial of the iOS app at all. | 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 | AA binder for manuscript sections, notes and research, a corkboard and outliner where moving a card reorders the book, snapshots before a rewrite, and word targets. Compile turns it all into Word, PDF, Final Draft or ePub. There's a scriptwriting mode too. | 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's an app you install, and the trial counts 30 days of actual use, so there's time to find your way around. Syncing with the iOS app is more work, as it needs a Dropbox account. | 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 | BmacOS, Windows, iPhone and iPad, each bought separately. No Android, Linux or web version is listed. Dropbox is the one integration, and it's how the iOS app syncs with the desktop. | 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 | long manuscripts you keep rearranging | 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: Scrivener and Vellum. How we grade
Where they differ
- Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows. Vellum starts at $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks).
- Only Scrivener lists Windows and iOS apps.
At a glance
| Scrivener | Vellum | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows | $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial on macOS and Windows that lasts for 30 days of use, not 30 calendar days. No trial of the iOS app. | Free download with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing. Generating files for publishing requires a purchase. |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Literature & Latte | 180g |
| Price read from | literatureandlatte.com | vellum.pub |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Scrivener
- Novelists and academics managing book-length projects
- Writers who restructure a draft by moving scenes and chapters around
- People who want to pay once instead of subscribing
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
Scrivener
- Each platform needs its own license: the macOS, Windows and iOS versions are bought separately.
- The store sells versions for macOS, Windows and iOS only; no Android, Linux or web version is listed.
- Sync between the iOS app and the desktop versions runs through Dropbox and needs a Dropbox account.
- A license does not cover major version updates; moving from Scrivener 3 to a future Scrivener 4 means buying a discounted upgrade.
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
Scrivener
- Binder
- Keeps manuscript sections, notes and reference material in one sidebar, so a long text is written and navigated in small pieces.
- Corkboard and outliner
- Every section has an index card with a synopsis. Moving cards on the corkboard or rows in the outliner reorders the manuscript itself.
- Compile
- Exports the assembled manuscript to formats including Microsoft Word, RTF, PDF, Final Draft and ePub, with formatting applied at export.
- Snapshots
- Saves a copy of a section before a rewrite, so the earlier version can be compared with the new one or restored.
- Research alongside the draft
- Imports PDFs, images, web pages, and sound and movie files into the project and shows them next to the text being written.
- Targets and scriptwriting
- Word or character targets with live counters and a writing history, plus a scriptwriting mode that handles screenplay and stage-play formatting.
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
Scrivener
Scrivener for iOS & iPadOS$23.99
one-time purchase
The iPhone and iPad app. There is no trial, and a Dropbox account is required for sync.
Educational Licence$50.99
one-time purchase, per platform
The macOS or Windows version for students and academics. Requires an institutional affiliation.
Standard Licence$59.99
one-time purchase, per platform
The full macOS or Windows version, licensed for every computer in a household that runs that platform.
macOS + Windows bundle$95.98
one-time purchase
A separate license for each of macOS and Windows, sold together at a lower combined price.
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
Scrivener
- Education
Educational Licence for students and academics
The macOS and Windows versions are sold to students and academics with an institutional affiliation for $50.99, against $59.99 for a Standard Licence.
- Other savings
macOS and Windows bundle
Buying Scrivener for macOS and Windows together costs $95.98, against $119.98 for two separate Standard Licences.
- Other savings
Discounted upgrades from older versions
Owners of an earlier major version can buy an upgrade license at a discount instead of paying the full price for the new version.
Vellum
No public discounts listed.
