The Sigil Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Sigil in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Sigil
The Insider’s Guide
Free open-source EPUB ebook editor for Windows, Mac and Linux
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Sigil’s own pages.
Made by Sigil-Ebook · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Sigil’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Sigil’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 67 of the 100 other writing tools we grade
Sigil is a desktop editor for creating and formatting ebooks in the EPUB format. It shows a code view and a preview side by side and supports both EPUB 2 and EPUB 3. It is free, open source under the GPLv3, and maintained by volunteers.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Sigil, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It helps to know some HTML and CSS, and there's no company help desk.
- 1
Best for editing EPUB files by hand
It edits the book's markup rather than writing prose, so you draft elsewhere.
- 2
It is free
Sigil has no paid plan at all. Completely free to download and use; no paid plans.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
EPUB 2 and EPUB 3
Supports both versions of the EPUB specification, with direct editing of the EPUB's markup in Code View.
- 5
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.
- 6
Table of contents and metadata
A table of contents generator that handles multi-level headings, plus a metadata editor.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 67 of 100
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Sigil is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Sigil at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Sigil-Ebook, since 2009
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for editing EPUB files by hand
Sigil is a free, open-source desktop editor for EPUB ebooks, with code and preview side by side, EPUB 2 and 3 support and regex find and replace. It edits the book's markup rather than writing prose, so you draft elsewhere. It helps to know some HTML and CSS, and there's no company help desk.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the GPLv3. A program anyone can download and run. |
| Free plan and trial | A | No paid plans, no caps and no account needed to use it. |
| Features | C | Does 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. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. Code View assumes some HTML and CSS. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Windows, Mac and Linux only, with no phone or web version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Sigil is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Self-publishers formatting EPUB files themselves
- Editors who want direct control over EPUB code
- Anyone who wants a free, open-source ebook tool
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Sigil is free to use.
No paid plans, no caps and no account needed to use it.
Free
$0
The full application, free and open source under the GPLv3.
The free plan
Completely free to download and use; no paid plans.
Read from sigil-ebook.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Free open-source EPUB ebook editor for Windows, Mac and Linux. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, works offline, documents.
Does the EPUB editing job fully, with a table of contents builder, metadata editor, plugins and checkpoints.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Sigil is made by Sigil-Ebook, and has been around since 2009.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
67/100
Other writing tools it is graded above
Sigil's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 67 of the 100 other writing tools we grade, and level with 18.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 81 of 100) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Sigil has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 101 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Sigil’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 65 of 100
- AFree plan and trialAbove 81 of 100
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 100
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 100
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 100
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 79 writing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Sigil is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Sigil is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 67 of the 100 other writing tools we grade.
What you could make
- Documents: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Sigil’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Pressbooks, Atticus, Vellum, Reedsy Studio and Scrivener
The 5 tools Sigil is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Pressbooks
Free trial · from $12/mo
Book publishing platform that exports EPUB, PDF and web books.
- Sigil has a free plan. Pressbooks does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Sigil lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Only Pressbooks lists a web app.
- 1.8GPA
Atticus
From $147 one-time
Book writing and formatting app for ebooks and print.
- Sigil has a free plan. Atticus does not.
- Only Atticus lists a web app.
- Sigil is open source, according to its own site.
- 1.8GPA
Vellum
Free trial · from $199.99 one-time
Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books.
- Sigil has a free plan. Vellum does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Sigil lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Sigil is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Reedsy Studio
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Browser-based book writing app with free EPUB and PDF typesetting.
- Only Sigil lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Only Reedsy Studio lists a web app.
- Sigil is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Scrivener
Free trial · from $23.99 one-time
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner.
- Sigil has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Sigil lists a Linux app.
- Only Scrivener lists an iOS app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Sigil free?
Yes. Sigil is free to use.
How much does Sigil cost?
Sigil lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Sigil work on?
Sigil is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Sigil have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Sigil is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Sigil have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Sigil is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Sigil open source?
Yes. Sigil is open source, according to its own site.
Does Sigil work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Who makes Sigil?
Sigil is made by Sigil-Ebook. It dates from 2009.
What are the alternatives to Sigil?
The closest alternatives to Sigil in our directory are Pressbooks, Atticus, Vellum, Reedsy Studio and Scrivener.
How does Sigil compare with other writing tools?
Sigil's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 67 of the 100 other writing tools we grade, and level with 18.
Is Sigil good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Sigil A for value for money. Sigil has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Sigil?
Sigil is free, so making your own would save you nothing. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 67 of the 100 other writing tools we grade.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Sigil’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Sigil-Ebook's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Sigil-Ebook. Prices change, so check sigil-ebook.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Sigil, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/sigil
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Sigil: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/sigil
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/sigil/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Sigil, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Writing Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 101 writing tools we grade, compared
- FreeOffice TextMaker Insider's GuideFree word processor that opens and saves Microsoft Word files3.4 GPA
- Microsoft Word Insider's GuideWord processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
- Beat Insider's GuideFree, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Sigil’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Sigil is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Sigil-Ebook. Prices and plans change: check sigil-ebook.com before you buy.