62 book templates
Genre and era templates across nine categories, each one adjustable down to fonts, headings and scene breaks.
Vellum alternative
The Vellum alternative for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Format your book for print and ebook for $29.99, once, on any computer you own. Vellum is $249.99 and runs only on a Mac.
Free trial. 7 days of actual use, with enough credits included to try the AI publishing features.
Price and platform
Same job, a fraction of the price.
Both are one-time purchases with no subscription. The difference is what you pay and where it runs.
| Bookshaper | Vellum | |
|---|---|---|
| Print and ebook | $29.99 one-time | $249.99 one-time (Press) |
| Ebook only | $29.99 one-time | $199.99 one-time (Ebooks) |
| Windows | Yes | No |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | No |
| Cover design | Yes | No |
Vellum prices and platforms as published by Vellum, checked September 2026. Bookshaper launch pricing runs through December 31, 2026.
Formatting
Everything you bought Vellum for.
Professional interiors for paperback and ebook from one manuscript.
Print-ready PDF
Character-level justification and hung punctuation, with guided fixes for widows, orphans and hyphen ladders.
Accessible EPUB
Ebooks with accessibility metadata and reader-friendly styles, plus per-store editions with retailer-specific links.
KDP and IngramSpark trims
17 common trim sizes, gutter guidance that follows page count, and a preflight report before export.
Your own fonts
Upload TTF or OTF fonts and Bookshaper embeds them in EPUB, PDF and DOCX.
Ornaments and footnotes
A large ornament library for chapter headings and scene breaks, and footnotes that print at the foot of the page and pop up in ebooks.
Beyond formatting
The rest of publishing, in the same app.
Bookshaper also covers the work around the interior.
Cover Studio
Design front, back and spine, test the thumbnail at Amazon search size, and export a print-ready wrap for KDP or IngramSpark.
Blurbs and retailer copy
Optional AI drafts of your back-cover blurb, Amazon description, keywords and categories, which you edit before you use.
Write in it too
Draft, outline and revise in the same project you format, so a late fix does not mean a re-import.
Where Vellum is ahead
An honest note.
Vellum builds box sets from several books and keeps them in step when a source book changes. Bookshaper's multi-book series management is planned and not shipped yet. If you only work on a Mac and already own Vellum, it remains a good tool.
The short version
Questions, answered.
Is Bookshaper a Vellum alternative for Windows?+
Yes. Bookshaper runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and one license covers all three. Vellum runs only on macOS.
How much does Bookshaper cost compared with Vellum?+
Bookshaper is $29.99 one-time at launch pricing, through December 31, 2026. Vellum Press, which includes print, is $249.99 one-time, and Vellum Ebooks is $199.99.
Can Bookshaper make print-ready paperbacks and ebooks?+
Yes. Bookshaper exports print-ready PDF interiors, EPUB ebooks and DOCX from the same manuscript, with trim sizes for KDP and IngramSpark and a preflight check before export.
Can I bring a book I already wrote somewhere else?+
Yes. Bookshaper imports DOCX, EPUB, HTML and Markdown files, so a manuscript from Word or Google Docs comes in with its chapters intact.
Do I have to use AI?+
No. Formatting, export and the cover wrap work without AI and without credits. AI features such as blurbs, retailer descriptions and cover art are optional.
Is there a free trial?+
Yes. The trial is free, runs for 7 days of actual use, and includes enough credits to try the AI publishing features.
Try it on your own manuscript.
7 days of actual use, not 7 calendar days. Buy once when you are ready; one license covers Windows, macOS, and Linux.