The Vellum Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Vellum 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.
Vellum
The Insider’s Guide
Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Vellum’s own pages.
Made by 180g · checked Oct 5, 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 Vellum’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Vellum’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 0 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Vellum is a Mac app for formatting books for self-publishing. It imports a .docx manuscript, builds the title page and table of contents, applies a chosen Book Style to every chapter, and previews the result on a range of e-readers and in print. It then generates store-ready ebook files and, with Vellum Press, a print edition. The app is free to download and use up to that point; a one-time purchase is needed to generate files for publishing.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Vellum, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Trying all of that is free, with no time limit.
- 1
Best for formatting books for self-publishing on a Mac
Vellum turns a Word manuscript into an ebook and a print book on a Mac, and importing, styling and previewing are free with no time limit.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks).
- 3
You can try it first
Free download with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing. Generating files for publishing requires a purchase.
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
Live preview
Shows how the ebook will appear on a range of devices and how the print edition will look, updating with every edit.
- 8
A 1.8 GPA, above 0 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.
Vellum at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free download with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing. Generating files for publishing requires a purchase.
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- 180g
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for formatting books for self-publishing on a Mac
Vellum turns a Word manuscript into an ebook and a print book on a Mac, and importing, styling and previewing are free with no time limit. Generating the files costs $199.99 once, or $249.99 with print, before tax, the top of this category's one-time prices. It's Mac only, on macOS 13 or newer, the license can't be shared, and adding print later costs $69.99.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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 | C | Nothing 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 | C | It 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 | B | No 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 | D | Mac 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. |
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 Vellum is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- 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
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$199.99 one-time
To start
Vellum is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $199.99 one-time, before tax (Vellum Ebooks).
But the download is free with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing, so you can see your whole book before paying.
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.
Trying it first
Free download with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing. Generating files for publishing requires a purchase.
Read from vellum.pub on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Mac app for formatting ebooks and print books. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, templates, long-form writing.
It doesn't run on iPad, the vendor says it has no plans for a native Windows version, and the listing shows no integrations.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Vellum is made by 180g.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Vellum's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 32 of 69) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Vellum’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 69
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 69
- BEase of useAbove 32 of 69
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 69
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.
Your call
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.
You could make the core of Vellum for yourself: long-form writing and templates. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. At $199.99, paid once, it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it.
What you could make
- Long-form writing and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. Vellum’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
Atticus, Reedsy Studio, Scrivener and Ulysses
The 4 tools Vellum is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
Atticus
From $147 one-time
Book writing and formatting app for ebooks and print.
- Only Atticus lists a web app.
- Only Atticus lists Windows and Linux apps.
- 2.6GPA
Reedsy Studio
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Browser-based book writing app with free EPUB and PDF typesetting.
- Reedsy Studio has a free plan. Vellum does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Vellum lists a macOS app.
- Only Reedsy Studio lists a web app.
- 2.8GPA
Scrivener
Free trial · from $23.99 one-time
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner.
- Only Scrivener lists Windows and iOS apps.
- 2.6GPA
Ulysses
Free trial · from $39.99/yr
Markup-based writing app for Mac, iPad and iPhone.
- Only Ulysses lists an iOS app.
- Vellum can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Vellum also covers templates.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
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 Vellum free?
No, Vellum is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free download with no time limit for importing, styling and previewing.
How much does Vellum cost?
Vellum lists 2 plans. Vellum Ebooks: $199.99 one-time purchase, before tax.
What platforms does Vellum work on?
Vellum is available on macOS.
Does Vellum have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Vellum is listed for macOS.
Does Vellum have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Vellum is listed for macOS.
Is Vellum open source?
Vellum is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Who makes Vellum?
Vellum is made by 180g.
What are the alternatives to Vellum?
The closest alternatives to Vellum in our directory are Atticus, Reedsy Studio, Scrivener and Ulysses.
How does Vellum compare with other writing tools?
Vellum's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 4.
Could I make my own version of Vellum?
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type. You could make the core of Vellum for yourself: long-form writing and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Vellum’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Vellum's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-19.
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 180g. Prices change, so check vellum.pub before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Vellum, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/vellum
- 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, "Vellum: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/vellum
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/vellum/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Vellum, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Writing Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 writing tools we grade, compared
- 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
- JotterPad Insider's GuideMarkdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays3.2 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 Vellum’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. Vellum is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by 180g. Prices and plans change: check vellum.pub before you buy.