Reedsy Studio is a free browser app for writing and typesetting a book, and it does not work offline. Vellum is a Mac-only formatting app at $199.99 for ebooks or $249.99 with print, as of October 2026. Both produce EPUB and a PDF/X-1a print file. Vellum offers far more design choices. Reedsy adds a writing environment and real-time collaboration.
Every fact below comes from Reedsy's and Vellum's own sites, read on 20 October 2026. Prices are in US dollars before tax.
Reedsy Studio vs Vellum at a glance
| Reedsy Studio | Vellum | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Writing and typesetting app, with planning add-ons | Book formatting app with a text editor |
| Platforms | Web browser only; no dedicated app | Mac only, macOS 13 or newer |
| Offline | "Currently, no" | Yes, a desktop app |
| Price (as of October 2026) | Free core; Craft $4.99/month; Outline $7.99/month | Vellum Ebooks $199.99; Vellum Press $249.99 |
| Price model | Freemium, paid add-ons | One-time, free updates |
| Print PDF | "PDF (PDF/X-1a:2001 for print-on-demand)" | "Professional-Grade PDF/X-1a", Press tier only |
| Trim sizes | Four | "24 Trim Sizes + Large Print" |
| Hardcover | Not mentioned | "Paperback or Hardcover" |
| Ebooks | One EPUB 3 | EPUB 3 and EPUB 2, a file per store plus Generic EPUB; MOBI for review copies |
| Styles | Three templates; font size small, medium or large | "dozens of built-in style options", configurable and savable |
| Import | .docx or .odt, up to 50 MB | .docx only |
| Word export | Through Back Up | File ▸ Export Content As ▸ Word File |
| Writing and planning | Chapters, scenes, Boards, goals, version history | Text editor; no goals or outline listed |
| Collaboration | Real time, with comments and tracked changes | None mentioned |
| Try before paying | Core is free | Free download; can't generate files until purchase |
Does Reedsy Studio or Vellum run on Windows?
Reedsy Studio runs on any computer with a web browser, including Windows, Linux and Chromebooks. Reedsy says it has no dedicated app and also works in mobile browsers. It needs a connection: Reedsy's Studio FAQ answers "Currently, no" to offline access.
Vellum runs only on a Mac with macOS 13 or newer. Vellum's help says the company has no plans for a native Windows version and suggests a rented cloud Mac instead. Vellum is a desktop app, so it works without a connection. Windows options for Vellum users are on Vellum alternatives.
How much do Reedsy Studio and Vellum cost?
Reedsy Studio's core is free. Reedsy says "Every function that you need to write and format a book in Reedsy Studio is free, and always will be." Craft ($4.99 a month) adds unlimited history, advanced stats and custom goals. Outline ($7.99 a month) adds planning tools. Neither add-on changes the formatting.
Vellum is a one-time purchase with free updates. Vellum Ebooks is $199.99 for unlimited ebooks. Vellum Press is $249.99 for unlimited ebooks and paperbacks. Upgrading from Ebooks to Press after the first 30 days costs $69.99.
Three-year cost from official prices
| Path | Total through year 3 |
|---|---|
| Reedsy Studio, core only | $0 |
| Reedsy Studio with Craft and Outline, monthly | $467.28 |
| Vellum Ebooks | $199.99 |
| Vellum Press | $249.99 |
| Vellum Ebooks, then Press after 30 days | $269.98 |
The Vellum figures leave out the Mac it needs. Reedsy's annual billing "saves 10%", but Reedsy shows no annual prices, so the monthly price is used.
Which is better for a print book, Reedsy Studio or Vellum?
Both vendors name the PDF/X-1a standard. KDP's manuscript guidance says "PDF/X-1a is preferred", so neither tool is at a disadvantage there. Vellum's print file needs Vellum Press.
The difference is range. Reedsy Studio lists four trim sizes: Trade 6 x 9", Digest 5.5 x 8.5", Reedsy standard 5 x 8" and Pocket 4.25 x 6.87". Pocket is not among the paperback trim sizes on KDP's Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins page. IngramSpark's File Creation Guide does not list it either: its nearest sizes are 4.25 x 7 and 4.37 x 7 inches. Check it with your printer first. Reedsy's pages do not mention hardcover.
Vellum lists 24 trim sizes plus large print, paperback or hardcover, full bleed, widow handling and spread balancing. Hardcover trims differ from paperback ones, as hardcover vs paperback specifications explains, so the hardcover option matters if you plan both editions.
Do Reedsy Studio and Vellum make EPUBs for Kindle, Apple Books and Kobo?
Reedsy Studio exports "EPUB 3 (which works great on all major ebook stores)". Reedsy builds reflowable ebooks only and suggests a designer for illustrated books.
Vellum generates a separate file for Kindle, Apple Books and Kobo, plus a Generic EPUB for aggregators such as Draft2Digital. It writes EPUB 3 and EPUB 2, and MOBI for advance review copies. Vellum calls its output "ACE-Approved Accessible Output".
KDP accepts EPUB and recommends "validating the file with Kindle Previewer before you upload your book." That applies to either tool's file. How to make an EPUB file covers the checks.
Which gives more control over the book design?
Vellum gives more. Its Styles help says "you can choose from dozens of built-in style options". Each Style is "configured for features like drop caps, ornamental breaks, and more", which you change in Configure mode. Then "you can save your configuration for use in other books."
Reedsy Studio offers "three templates": Reedsy, Classic and Romance. Its help says you can choose "small, medium, or large" for the font size. It adds: "we do not offer any other size or style customization at this time." Images "cannot be adjusted", and chapter titles cannot be removed.
Reedsy's export always includes its copyright page. Reedsy's help says "the copyright page can not be disabled. It includes a small acknowledgment of our Studio app and is the only requirement we have for authors to use this free formatting tool." Vellum's site mentions no such requirement.
Can you write a book in Reedsy Studio or Vellum?
Reedsy Studio is built for writing. It has section, chapter and scene structure, front and back matter, Boards for outlines, characters and research, goals, stats and version history. Co-authors, editors and proofreaders can work in real time with comments and tracked changes.
Vellum is a formatter with a text editor. Vellum's help says "Need to fix a typo, add formatting, or write your entire novel from scratch? You can do it all here." It also says the editor "does not display the styling that will appear in your finished book." Vellum lists no goals, outline or collaboration.
Can you write in Reedsy Studio and format in Vellum?
Yes. The bridge is a Word file, because Vellum imports only .docx.
- In Reedsy Studio, open your Bookshelf, hover over the book and click Manage.
- Open Exports, scroll to the bottom and click Back Up. Reedsy emails a link to the Word file.
- In Vellum, import the .docx. Vellum detects chapters most reliably when chapter titles use Word's Heading 1 style.
- Delete any title page or table of contents that came across. Vellum builds its own.
The Reedsy template does not travel. You style the book in Vellum from the start. Test two chapters before moving a whole book, as in how to move a manuscript between writing apps.
Pick Reedsy Studio if
- You want to pay nothing to write and typeset a book.
- You use Windows, Linux or a Chromebook, or write on a phone.
- You want an editor working live in the manuscript.
- Three templates and four trim sizes cover your book.
Pick Vellum if
- You work on a Mac running macOS 13 or newer.
- You need hardcover, large print or one of 24 trim sizes.
- You want configurable styles with drop caps and ornamental breaks.
- You want a separate ebook file for each store.
- You need to work offline.
What if you want writing and detailed formatting in one desktop app?
Deckle is our app, so weigh this section accordingly. Deckle is a desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux that works offline after activation. A project is a folder on your own disk. It is a one-time purchase.
It sits between the two. Like Reedsy, it is a full writing app, with a Binder, the Outliner's Grid View of index cards, a Codex story bible and a Timeline. Like Vellum, it styles the book in detail: 26 built-in style presets, uploaded fonts, drop caps, small caps, running heads, scene-break ornaments and bleed.
Typography set in Styles, with the page previewed beside it
Its EPUB targets are Generic, Kindle, Apple Books and Kobo, like Vellum's file per store. The Kindle target writes an EPUB for KDP to convert, not a KPF file, whatever its label says.
Deckle's four EPUB targets
Where Deckle is behind: eight trim sizes against Vellum's 24, a standard print PDF rather than PDF/X-1a, and no collaboration or browser version, which Reedsy has.
Deckle has a free demo. Click Take Deckle for a Spin on the screen Deckle opens to. There is no card, no account and no time limit. It opens a sample novel with every screen open to explore, and you can restyle it and export real EPUB, PDF and DOCX files. New writing is capped at about 500 words, and new documents and imports are blocked.
FAQ
Is Reedsy Studio as good as Vellum?
For a plain novel in a common trim size, both produce an EPUB and a PDF/X-1a print file. Vellum offers far more styles, trim sizes and hardcover. Reedsy is free and includes writing tools.
Is Reedsy Studio free?
Yes. Writing and formatting are free. Craft ($4.99 a month) and Outline ($7.99 a month) are optional add-ons, as of October 2026.
Does Vellum work on Windows?
No. Vellum is Mac only and needs macOS 13 or newer. Reedsy Studio runs in a browser on Windows.
Does Reedsy Studio work offline?
No. Reedsy's FAQ answers "Currently, no" and says offline use is on its roadmap. Vellum works offline.
Can I import a Reedsy Studio book into Vellum?
Yes, as a Word file. Use Manage ▸ Exports ▸ Back Up in Reedsy, then import the .docx into Vellum and style it there.
Can I try Vellum for free?
The download is free and you can import, style and preview. Vellum says you "won't be able to Generate files for publishing until you make a purchase."
Do Reedsy Studio or Vellum use AI?
Neither lists an AI feature. Reedsy says it will never use your work to train AI.
Sources
All retrieved 20 October 2026. Prices change, so check the vendor page before buying.
- Vellum, 180g: platforms, prices, PDF/X-1a, 24 trim sizes, hardcover, store files, ACE
- Purchasing FAQ, Vellum Help: free download, Generate after purchase, $69.99 upgrade, Windows
- Importing Your Manuscript, Vellum Help: .docx import and chapter detection
- Applying Styles, Vellum Help: built-in styles, Configure mode, saved styles
- The Text Editor, Vellum Help: writing in Vellum
- Generating Books, Vellum Help: per-store files and Generic EPUB
- Reedsy Studio, Reedsy: no dedicated app, collaboration
- Reedsy Studio FAQ, Reedsy: offline, prices, EPUB 3 and PDF/X-1a:2001, trim sizes, templates
- Reedsy Studio pricing, Reedsy: add-ons, annual saving
- Format a book, Reedsy: free formatting statement
- Formatting options, Reedsy Help: font sizes, images, chapter titles, copyright page
- Back up my book, Reedsy Help: Word export
- Where can I find Reedsy Studio?, Reedsy Help: .docx or .odt import
- Save Your Manuscript File, Amazon KDP Help: "PDF/X-1a is preferred"
- Set Trim Size, Bleed, and Margins, Amazon KDP Help: paperback and hardcover trim sizes
- What file formats are supported for eBook manuscripts?, Amazon KDP Help: EPUB and Kindle Previewer
- IngramSpark, File Creation Guide: trim sizes include 4.25 x 7" and 4.37 x 7", not 4.25 x 6.87", retrieved 21 October 2026
Reedsy Studio is a trademark of Reedsy. Vellum is a trademark of 180g. Deckle is not affiliated with or endorsed by any product named here.