Best Book Formatting Software (2026): Free and Paid

Formatting software turns your finished manuscript into the files KDP, IngramSpark, and ebook stores accept: a print PDF and an ebook file. We don’t sell software, so this comparison has no favorite to push; we do offer book formatting services, and we say so once here. Prices and features come from each maker’s own website, checked in October 2026.

Book formatting software compared

Here is what each tool costs, where it runs, and what it makes.

Which formatting tool fits your book?

Answer three questions for a shortlist.

Template-based formatters for novels and non-fiction

Vellum and Atticus do the same main job: you import your manuscript, pick a book style, and they produce a print PDF and an ebook from it, with chapter openings, headers, and page numbers set for you.

• Vellum runs only on a Mac (macOS 13 or newer). The Ebooks edition is $199.99 and Press, which adds print files, is $249.99. You can download it and work for free, and pay when you’re ready to export. Print files support 24 trim sizes, large print, full-bleed pages, and PDF/X-1a export.
• Atticus costs $147 one time and runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, or in a browser. It exports EPUB, PDF, and DOCX, comes with 17 templates, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee instead of a free trial.

Both are built for text-led books. If your book is mostly images, look at the layout apps below.

Free book formatting software

You can format a whole book for free, as long as the layout is simple.

• Kindle Create is Amazon’s free app for Windows and Mac. It makes Kindle ebooks and KDP paperback interiors for any trim size, with four themes, though KDP says its print feature doesn’t support tables, footnotes, or images that bleed off the page. For Kindle comics and children’s ebooks it builds the book from finished page images, but it doesn’t lay out text for you.
• Word or LibreOffice with KDP’s template. KDP’s free Word templates set the page size and margins; you do the rest. Our guide to the KDP Word template walks through it.
• Calibre and Sigil are free ebook tools: Calibre converts files to EPUB and checks them, and Sigil lets you edit an EPUB’s code directly. They don’t make print files.
• Affinity is now free for individuals on Mac and Windows, which makes it the free choice for image-led books.

If you write in Scrivener, it can export too, but it’s a writing app first; see our guide to book writing software.

Layout software for picture books, photo books, and comics

When every page is designed, you need a page-layout app that places text and images exactly and handles bleed. Affinity is free; Adobe InDesign is $22.99 a month on an annual plan, exports print PDFs, and makes reflowable and fixed-layout EPUBs. Plan bleed from the start (see bleed vs no bleed), and for children’s books, our guide to formatting a children’s book covers fixed-layout ebooks. KDP no longer accepts MOBI files for fixed-layout ebooks, so export EPUB instead.

Things to check before you upload

Whatever tool you use, check the files it makes, because that’s where problems show up. These are also the points where do-it-yourself files often fail.

• Print PDF: the page size matches your trim size (plus bleed if you use it), every font is embedded, and images are at least 300 DPI (600 for black-and-white line art). IngramSpark asks for PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-3.
• Ebook: open it in Kindle Previewer, Amazon’s free checking app, and page through the table of contents, chapter starts, and images.
• Both: order a printed proof before you publish, and read it on paper.

When to hire a formatter

Software pays off if you’ll format several books yourself. If you’re publishing one book, or it has images on nearly every page, hiring can cost less than the software plus your time. AuthorWings formatting for novels and non-fiction up to 20,000 words is $89 for the ebook, $199 for print, or $429 for ebook, paperback, and hardcover; picture books and early readers start at $249 for the ebook.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free book formatting software?

For a text-led book, Kindle Create is free and makes Kindle ebooks and KDP paperback interiors. LibreOffice or Word with KDP’s free template works for simple print books. For picture books, photo books, and comics, Affinity is free for individuals. Calibre and Sigil help with ebook files but don’t make print files.

Is Vellum worth it?

It can be, if you use a Mac and plan to publish more than one book. The Ebooks edition is $199.99 and Press, which adds print, is $249.99 (October 2026). You can try it free and pay only when you export. It’s built for text-led books, so a heavily illustrated book needs a layout app instead.

Should I choose Vellum or Atticus?

Your computer decides first: Vellum runs only on a Mac, while Atticus runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, or in a browser. Atticus is $147 one time with a 30-day money-back guarantee; Vellum’s print edition is $249.99 and free to try. Both make print PDFs and ebooks for text-led books.

Can Kindle Create make a paperback?

Yes. Kindle Create formats KDP paperback interiors for any trim size as well as Kindle ebooks, using one of four themes. It’s built for publishing on KDP and for text-led books. For other printers, or for a book laid out page by page, choose a tool that exports a print PDF you control.

Related reading

• KDP Word template: how to format your book in Word
• Bleed vs no bleed on KDP: which to choose
• Best software for writing a book (2026): free and paid