Best Ebook Formatting Apps for Aspiring Authors
Discover the top ebook formatting apps perfect for aspiring authors looking to publish their work with professional polish. These tools are designed to simplify the formatting process, ensuring your ebooks look great on any device. Ideal for writers keen on delivering a seamless reading experience to their audience.
Scrivener
Scrivener is a powerful content-generation tool for long documents. It helps authors structure complex documents, including eBooks, with ease. With features like drag-and-drop interface, integrated outlining, and sophisticated script formatting, Scrivener acts as an all-in-one studio that organizes notes, concepts, and entire documents for publishing-ready materials.
Best for: Writers needing robust organizational tools
Pros:
- Advanced formatting features
- Comprehensive writing suite
- Drag-and-drop functionality
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Can be overwhelming for beginners
Vellum
Vellum is an elegant ebook formatting tool specifically for Mac users, designed to produce stunning digital and print books. With its user-friendly interface, authors can craft beautiful books with chapter headings, drop caps, and ornamental flourishes without needing design skills. Vellum supports all major ebook platforms, ensuring polished outputs for various devices and readers.
Best for: Authors prioritizing design elegance
Pros:
- Beautiful formatting templates
- Easy to use
- Supports major ebook platforms
Cons:
- Mac only
- Expensive
Reedsy Book Editor
The Reedsy Book Editor is a free, professional-grade online book editor that helps authors prepare their manuscripts for publication. This tool simplifies the formatting process and enables writers to track changes, comment, and more. Reedsy Book Editor also offers export options for various ebook formats, eliminating the hassle of dealing with complex typesetting issues.
Best for: Collaborative writing and editing
Pros:
- Free
- Multiple export options
- Collaborative tools
Cons:
- Limited design options
- Internet required
Draft2Digital
Draft2Digital is a fast, easy way to format your manuscript for different ebook platforms. With their free formatting and distribution service, they take the complexity out of converting your book into a professional-quality ebook. Draft2Digital simplifies distribution to major ebook stores, and provides tools for tracking your book's sales data across all platforms.
Best for: Authors looking to distribute across multiple platforms
Pros:
- Free formatting
- Easy distribution
- Sales tracking tools
Cons:
- Distribution fees
- Limited customization
Pressbooks
Pressbooks is a book publishing software that allows authors to create professional-quality eBooks and print books. It offers a range of themes and formatting options that make it easy to convert manuscripts into high-quality publications. With its web-based interface, authors can collaborate easily, making real-time edits and ensuring their books are always up-to-date.
Best for: Authors looking for professional-level formatting with collaboration tools
Pros:
- Professional-quality output
- Collaborative tools
- Easy-to-use
Cons:
- Paid features can get expensive
- Requires Internet
Calibre
Calibre is a free eBook management tool that provides powerful conversion and formatting capabilities. Ideal for indie authors, Calibre allows you to convert, organize, and manage your ebook collection seamlessly. With extensive format support and a dedicated ebook reader, it ensures that your final manuscript is well-organized and ready for publication.
Best for: Authors managing multiple ebook formats
Pros:
- Free
- Extensive format support
- Built-in reader
Cons:
- Basic interface
- Some features may be complex
Book Creator
Book Creator is an easy-to-use app that allows authors to create eBooks with rich multimedia content. It's perfect for creating interactive books with audio, video, and images, making it an ideal choice for children's authors or educators. The app supports ePub and PDF formats, allowing for flexibility in how books are shared and viewed.
Best for: Authors creating interactive ebooks
Pros:
- Supports multimedia content
- User-friendly interface
- Flexible format support
Cons:
- In-app purchases
- Limited to multimedia books
Sigil
Sigil is an open-source eBook editor designed for editing ePub files. With its WYSIWYG interface, it's tailored to meet the needs of authors who want to have complete control over their ebook formatting. Sigil supports a range of editing functions including metadata management and table of content generation, giving authors the tools to perfect their ebooks before publication.
Best for: Authors who want full formatting control
Pros:
- Free
- Full control over formatting
- Open-source
Cons:
- Requires learning curve
- EPub only
Kindle Create
Kindle Create is an Amazon tool that allows authors to transform their manuscripts into professional Kindle ebooks. It simplifies the conversion process, offering a variety of formatting options to ensure books look appealing on Kindle devices. With its user-friendly interface, authors can easily add text and image enhancements to make their ebook more engaging for readers.
Best for: Authors publishing on Amazon Kindle
Pros:
- Free
- Direct Kindle integration
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Limited to Kindle
- Basic design options
Jutoh
Jutoh is a flexible ebook creation tool that helps authors publish their books in various formats including ePub, Kindle, and others. Its user-friendly interface and robust export features make it a powerful tool for authors focusing on ebook publishing. Jutoh’s support for multiple formats ensures that your book will reach a wide audience regardless of the device or ebook reader.
Best for: Authors publishing in multiple formats
Pros:
- Multiple export formats
- One-time purchase
- User-friendly
Cons:
- Interface feels dated
- Somewhat complex features
Scrivo Pro
Scrivo Pro is a creative writing app with robust features for formatting eBooks. It is designed to help authors write, edit, and format their books on-the-go. With cloud support, Scrivo enables writers to keep their scripts synced and backed up across multiple devices, facilitating a seamless writing process anytime, anywhere.
Best for: Writers needing flexibility on-the-go
Pros:
- Affordable subscription
- Syncs across devices
- Cloud backup
Cons:
- Mobile-only
- No desktop version
Pages
Pages is a versatile word processor for Mac users that supports ebook creation. With a range of templates and an intuitive interface, it’s suited for authors who want to produce polished ebooks on Apple devices. Pages offers seamless integration with iCloud and other Apple services, ensuring your work syncs across all your devices instantly.
Best for: Apple users producing polished ebooks
Pros:
- Free for Apple users
- Seamless integration
- Intuitive interface
Cons:
- Mac and iOS only
- Limited to Apple ecosystem
Comparison Overview
| App | Rating | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scrivener | 4.8 ★ | $49.99 (one-time) | Scrivener is a powerful content-generation tool for long documents. |
| Vellum | 4.7 ★ | Free to try, $199.99 - $249.99 for full license | Vellum is an elegant ebook formatting tool specifically for Mac users, designed to produce stunning digital and print books. |
| Reedsy Book Editor | 4.6 ★ | Free | The Reedsy Book Editor is a free, professional-grade online book editor that helps authors prepare their manuscripts for publication. |
| Draft2Digital | 4.6 ★ | Free, Distribution fees apply | Draft2Digital is a fast, easy way to format your manuscript for different ebook platforms. |
| Pressbooks | 4.6 ★ | Free to start, Paid plans available | Pressbooks is a book publishing software that allows authors to create professional-quality eBooks and print books. |
| Calibre | 4.5 ★ | Free | Calibre is a free eBook management tool that provides powerful conversion and formatting capabilities. |
| Book Creator | 4.5 ★ | Free with in-app purchases | Book Creator is an easy-to-use app that allows authors to create eBooks with rich multimedia content. |
| Sigil | 4.4 ★ | Free | Sigil is an open-source eBook editor designed for editing ePub files. |
| Kindle Create | 4.3 ★ | Free | Kindle Create is an Amazon tool that allows authors to transform their manuscripts into professional Kindle ebooks. |
| Jutoh | 4.3 ★ | $39 (one-time) | Jutoh is a flexible ebook creation tool that helps authors publish their books in various formats including ePub, Kindle, and others. |
| Scrivo Pro | 4.2 ★ | $14.99 per year | Scrivo Pro is a creative writing app with robust features for formatting eBooks. |
| Pages | 4.2 ★ | Free with Mac or iOS device | Pages is a versatile word processor for Mac users that supports ebook creation. |
Quick Tips
- Explore different formatting tools to find the best fit for your writing style and technical comfort level.
- Consider cost-effectiveness by balancing features you need with the pricing model of the app.
- Take advantage of free trials or free versions before committing to a purchase.
- Research tutorials and user reviews to get familiar with each app's functionalities.
- Prioritize apps that offer seamless export options to ensure compatibility across different platforms.