- Book formatting software at a glance
- Ten book formatting tools to consider
- Every ebook is an EPUB underneath
- Writing app, layout software or EPUB editor?
- Questions to ask before you choose
- Features that make a book look professional
- Formatting for print versus ebook
- Common formatting mistakes
- My plain advice on choosing book formatting software
- Frequently asked questions
The best book formatting software depends on your book and your computer: a writing and formatting app suits most novelists, a desktop publishing tool suits illustrated or design-heavy books, and an EPUB editor suits people who want full control of the file. Ten options follow in no particular order.
A great manuscript can still look amateur if the chapter headings jump around, the ebook breaks on a phone or the print margins swallow the words. Formatting is the last mile, and it's the one readers notice.
The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from free browser apps to professional layout software. Every description comes from the maker's own site, read this week. If you're still writing, my quick write prompts are a good way to keep the words coming.
Book formatting software at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free app or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe InDesign | Layout design and desktop publishing software | Professional book design | Trial only |
| Affinity | Free page layout and desktop publishing software | Print layouts with full design control | Yes |
| Atticus | Book writing and formatting software | Writing and formatting in one | Not stated |
| Jutoh | Ebook editor for Windows, Mac and Linux | Ebooks on Windows and Linux | Not stated |
| Kotobee | Interactive ebook creation software | Interactive and educational ebooks | Yes |
| Pressbooks | Digital publishing platform | Accessible books and course materials | Not stated |
| Reedsy Studio | Free online writing app | Free writing and formatting | Yes |
| Scrivener | Book writing software for writers | Drafting long manuscripts | Trial only |
| Sigil | EPUB ebook editor | Hand-tuning EPUB files | Not stated |
| Vellum | Book formatting software for Mac | Polished ebooks and print on a Mac | Not stated |
Ten book formatting tools to consider
Adobe InDesign
Best for: Professional book designers and publishers who want Adobe's layout and desktop publishing tool for print and digital books.
Affinity
Best for: Designers and self-publishers who want full desktop publishing control over print layouts using a free page layout app.
Atticus
Best for: Indie authors who want to write and format in one tool, choosing templates and previewing the book on different devices.
Jutoh
Best for: Windows and Linux users who want to convert a manuscript into Kindle, ePub and print-ready files without a subscription.
Kotobee
Best for: Educators and trainers who want interactive ebooks they can export in many formats and deliver in a branded library app.
Pressbooks
Best for: Universities and authors that want to create accessible digital books and learning materials in a browser.
Reedsy Studio
Best for: First-time authors who want a free online app to write the book and then export it ready for publishing.
Scrivener
Best for: Novelists and non-fiction writers who need to organise long drafts before compiling them into a formatted book.
Sigil
Best for: Ebook makers who want to edit the EPUB itself, with a companion XHTML editor, for precise control over the finished file.
Vellum
Best for: Mac-using authors who want to build, style and preview beautiful ebooks and print books, and only buy when ready.
Every ebook is an EPUB underneath
The W3C's EPUB 3.3 specification defines a distribution and interchange format for digital publications, packaging web content such as HTML, CSS and SVG into a single-file container.
That's why ebooks can look different from one reader app to the next. Whichever tool you use, test the exported file on more than one device before you publish.
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Writing app, layout software or EPUB editor?
Writing and formatting apps let you write and produce a styled book in one place, which suits most fiction and simple non-fiction. Layout software gives you full design control for illustrated, photo or workbook-style books. EPUB editors let you edit the ebook file directly, which suits technical authors and people fixing a stubborn file.
If your book is mostly text, a writing and formatting app is usually enough.
Questions to ask before you choose
- Does it run on your computer: Mac, Windows, Linux or browser?
- Can it export both ebook and print-ready files?
- How many templates or styles are included?
- Can you preview the book on different devices?
- Does it handle images, tables and footnotes cleanly?
- Can you import your existing manuscript without retyping?
Features that make a book look professional
- Chapter styles. Consistent headings and openings throughout.
- Device preview. See the ebook as readers will.
- Print settings. Trim size, margins and page numbers done right.
- Front and back matter. Copyright page, contents and author bio in place.
Formatting for print versus ebook
Print needs fixed pages, margins and a trim size. Ebooks reflow to fit any screen. Good tools handle both from one manuscript, but always check each version separately before it goes live.
Common formatting mistakes
The ones I see most often are blank pages in the wrong place, chapter headings that don't match, images that break on small screens and a copyright page that's missing altogether. They're all easy to fix in the tools on this list, but only if you look at the finished file before readers do.
Do you make book formatting software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing book formatting software
Choose by the book you're making, not the book you might make one day. A novel needs clean chapters and a nice title page. A workbook or illustrated guide needs real layout control. Don't pay for complexity your book won't use.
Then format one chapter in your top two tools, export it, and look at it on a phone, a tablet and a printed page. My content writing tips will help you tighten the words before they're set in stone.
Frequently asked questions
What is book formatting software?
It turns a manuscript into a well-styled ebook or print-ready file, with chapters, headings, margins and front and back matter.
Is there free book formatting software?
Yes. Some tools on this list name a free version or describe themselves as free. Check the table.
Can I format a book for Kindle and print with one tool?
Many tools on this list export both ebook and print-ready files. Check what each one exports before you start.
What is an EPUB file?
W3C's EPUB 3.3 specification describes it as a format that packages web content such as HTML and CSS into a single-file container for digital publications.
Do I need design software for a novel?
Usually not. A writing and formatting app handles most novels. Layout software suits illustrated and design-heavy books.
Is there book formatting software for Windows?
Yes. Several tools here run on Windows, and some run in the browser on any computer.
