Honest comparison
The Vellum alternative that doesn't need a Mac
Vellum is genuinely lovely software — and it only runs on macOS, costs around $250 for print + ebook output, and stops at formatting. publish.ai runs in any browser and delivers the whole launch: formatting, covers, Amazon listing copy, and social graphics, in minutes.
| Vellum | publish.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Works on | macOS only | Any browser — Windows, Mac, Linux, tablet |
| Price | ≈ $250 one-time license (ebook + print output) | $29.99–$99 one-time per book |
| What you get | Beautifully formatted ebook + print files | Validated EPUB, print PDFs (paperback + hardcover on the top tier), six designed covers, Amazon listing copy with keywords & categories, social launch graphics, captions & press kit |
| Covers | Not included — bring your own | 6 AI-designed, genre-matched candidates with real typography — pick the one that feels right |
| Amazon validation | Produces compliant files | EPUB run through epubcheck on every order; print files built to KDP's template math and validated in KDP's own previewer |
| Effort | You do the layout work in the app (it's pleasant work, but it's work) | Upload a .docx — the finished package lands in your inbox |
| Your rights | Yours entirely | Yours entirely — no royalty share, no subscription |
Where Vellum is the better choice
An honest comparison cuts both ways. Vellum genuinely wins if:
You want hands-on control of interior design
Vellum's style presets, drop caps, and ornamental flourishes are hand-tunable in a live preview. If you enjoy typesetting your own book and own a Mac, it's the nicest tool ever made for that.
You publish many books and love the craft
One Vellum license covers unlimited books. If you're a prolific author-formatter who wants to own the layout process forever, the license amortizes well.
See exactly what you’d get — before paying anything.
We publish a complete real order — validated EPUB, covers, print PDFs, listing copy, launch graphics — for you to inspect file by file.
Common questions
Is there really no way to run Vellum on Windows?＋
Not officially. Some authors rent a cloud Mac by the hour to run Vellum, which works but adds cost and friction. publish.ai runs in the browser on any device.
Is publish.ai's formatting quality comparable?＋
We produce professionally typeset 6×9 interiors with proper margins, gutters, running headers, page numbers, and a linked contents page — and every EPUB is validated with epubcheck, the same validator Amazon relies on. Inspect a complete real package on our sample page before deciding.
What does publish.ai include that Vellum doesn't?＋
Covers (six designed candidates — pick a favorite, or we'll pick for you), the Amazon listing kit (description, 7 keywords, 3 categories, pricing guidance), social launch graphics with captions, and on the Author Launch tier a hardcover cover file, marketing mockups, and a press kit.
Do I keep the rights to everything?＋
Completely. One flat payment; the files are yours to publish anywhere. No royalty share, no subscription, nothing to cancel.
Whatever you format with, our free tools work for every book: the KDP cover calculator, KDP royalty calculator, KDP manuscript checker, and more tools & guides.
Competitor details reflect publicly available information as of July 2026 and may change — check their site for current pricing. Vellum is a trademark of its respective owner; publish.ai is not affiliated with it.