Sigil vs Vellum (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Sigil grades higher than Vellum: 2.8 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Sigil grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. Vellum grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Vellum
Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books
Free trial · from $199.99 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Sigil if
- Fits if you format your own EPUB files and want control over the code
- Works for editors cleaning up ebooks that came from other tools
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to write a manuscript in it, as it edits EPUB markup, not prose
- Not for you if HTML and CSS are new to you, because Code View assumes you know them
- Watch out: it's maintained by volunteers, so support means project channels, not a help desk
- Too light for phones and tablets, since only Windows, Mac and Linux are listed
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
| 2.8GPASigilGood | 1.8GPAVellumWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source under the GPLv3. A program anyone can download and run. | 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 | ANo paid plans, no caps and no account needed to use it. | 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 | CDoes the EPUB editing job fully, with a table of contents builder, metadata editor, plugins and checkpoints. It's a smaller job, though: it doesn't help you write the book. | 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. Code View assumes some HTML and CSS. | 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, Mac and Linux only, with no 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 | editing EPUB files by hand | 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: Sigil and Vellum. How we grade
Where they differ
- Sigil is open source, according to its own site.
- Vellum can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Sigil also covers documents.
- Vellum also covers templates and long-form writing.
In commonmacOS
At a glance
| Sigil | Vellum | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks) |
| Free plan | Completely free to download and use; no paid plans. | 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 | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Sigil-Ebook | 180g |
| Price read from | sigil-ebook.com | vellum.pub |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Sigil
- It edits EPUB markup rather than writing prose, so a manuscript is usually drafted elsewhere and imported.
- Code View assumes some comfort with HTML and CSS.
- It is maintained by volunteers, with support through the project's channels rather than a company help desk.
- No mobile or web version is listed.
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
Sigil
- EPUB 2 and EPUB 3
- Supports both versions of the EPUB specification, with direct editing of the EPUB's markup in Code View.
- Code View and Preview View
- Edit the markup and see how the page looks in a preview, so layout can be checked as you work.
- Table of contents and metadata
- A table of contents generator that handles multi-level headings, plus a metadata editor.
- Regex find and replace
- Find and replace with full regular-expression (PCRE) support, and spell checking with user dictionaries.
- Import and cleanup
- Imports EPUB and HTML files, images and style sheets, and can mend formatting or tidy the code.
- Plugins and checkpoints
- Plugin support extends the editor, and checkpoints let you compare snapshots of changes.
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
Sigil
Free$0
The full application, free and open source under the GPLv3.
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.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Sigil or Vellum?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Sigil is free, and Vellum starts at $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks).
Which has a free plan, Sigil or Vellum?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Sigil has a free plan. Vellum does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Sigil and Vellum run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Sigil lists Windows and Linux apps. 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.