Choose Atticus if you want one serious app for both writing and formatting; choose Vellum if final polish matters most and you use a Mac. Scrivener is still the strongest drafting tool, but it is not the easiest path to a clean EPUB or print PDF. Amazon KDP supports EPUB for ebooks and PDF for print uploads, so your tool should export both without drama [source: Amazon KDP].
TLDR: For most self-published authors, Atticus gives the best mix of writing, formatting, price, and platform support. If you write a 75,000-word novel and publish ebook plus paperback, Atticus can take you from draft to EPUB and PDF in one app, while Vellum may produce a prettier final file faster on Mac. Scrivener is better for planning, research, and messy first drafts, but expect extra time during export. Reedsy Book Editor and Ulysses are useful, but they fit narrower needs.
The quick verdict
- Best overall for indie authors: Atticus
- Best formatting quality: Vellum
- Best writing and planning workspace: Scrivener
- Best free option: Reedsy Book Editor
- Best minimalist writing app: Ulysses
1. Vellum: best for polished book formatting
Vellum is loved for one reason: it makes books look good with very little effort. Chapter headings, scene breaks, title pages, ebook files, and print interiors all come out clean. You can preview Kindle, Apple Books, and other devices before you export. That saves real time.
The downside is clear. Vellum is Mac only. If you use Windows, you need another machine or a workaround. It also is not built as a deep writing tool. You can edit text in it, but most authors draft elsewhere first.
Best for: authors who already have a finished manuscript and want professional EPUB and print files fast.
Annoyance: small layout tweaks can still feel boxed in. You get beautiful templates, but not endless control.
2. Scrivener: best for drafting large books
Scrivener is the workhorse for novelists, nonfiction writers, and anyone handling a complex manuscript. It lets you split a book into chapters and scenes, store notes, track research, and move sections around without wrecking the full draft.
This is where Scrivener shines. A 90,000-word novel with character notes, location files, and deleted scenes feels manageable. You can write out of order. You can keep rough material nearby. That matters.
But formatting is the weak point. Scrivener’s Compile tool is powerful, but it can be fussy. It drives me crazy that a simple export can turn into a settings hunt. If you only publish once a year, you may forget half the process between books.
Best for: authors who need structure during drafting and revision.
Weakest fit: authors who want fast, pretty book files without learning export settings.
3. Atticus: best all-round tool for authors
Atticus sits between Scrivener and Vellum. It gives you a clean writing space, chapter management, goals, and book formatting in one place. It works on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chromebook through a browser-based system, with desktop-style access.
The big appeal is simple: you can draft and format in the same tool. That reduces file shuffling. It also helps authors who do not want to write in Word, import to Vellum, check the EPUB, then fix a typo and repeat the whole process.
Atticus exports EPUB and PDF. Its print formatting is strong enough for most novels, memoirs, and nonfiction books. It also costs less than buying several separate tools for many authors.
Vellum still has the edge in design polish. Scrivener still wins for serious research-heavy drafting. But Atticus is the practical middle ground.
Best for: self-published authors who want one paid tool for writing and formatting.
4. Reedsy Book Editor: best free formatter
Reedsy Book Editor is a free online writing and formatting tool. It is simple, clean, and good enough for many first-time authors. You can write chapters, invite collaborators, and export EPUB or print-ready PDF files.
The main benefit is cost. Free is hard to argue with, especially if you are testing self-publishing for the first time. The interface is also less scary than Scrivener.
The trade-off is control. Reedsy’s formatting choices are more limited. If you care about exact spacing, ornamental chapter openers, or fine print layout details, you may feel boxed in quickly.
Best for: new authors, budget-conscious writers, and clean text-based books.
5. Ulysses: best for focused writing on Apple devices
Ulysses is a polished writing app for Mac, iPad, and iPhone. It is fast, calm, and built around plain text with Markdown. If you hate clutter, Ulysses feels refreshing.
It is not a full book production tool like Vellum or Atticus. You can export ebooks and PDFs, but advanced print interiors are not its main strength. It also uses a subscription model, which some authors dislike.
Honestly, it feels like a wonderful writing room, not a full publishing studio.
Best for: Apple users who want a clean place to draft regularly.
Side-by-side comparison
- Vellum: premium formatting, Mac only, excellent final files.
- Scrivener: best for complex drafting, weaker for easy formatting.
- Atticus: strong writing plus formatting, works across major platforms.
- Reedsy Book Editor: free, simple, limited design control.
- Ulysses: elegant writing app, best for Apple users, less suited to print layout.
Which one should you pick?
If you are writing your first book and money is tight, start with Reedsy Book Editor. If your manuscript is complex, use Scrivener for drafting, then format elsewhere. If you publish often and use a Mac, Vellum is hard to beat for final production.
For most indie authors, though, Atticus is the safest single-tool choice. It is not perfect. No tool is. But it covers the full job better than the others: writing, organizing, editing, formatting, and exporting. That matters when you would rather finish the book than fight the software.
