# Formatting & Layout > Compare book formatting tools and layout software for Kindle, ePub, and print-on-demand publishing Source: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting Listings: 20 Last verified: 2026-07-01 ## Atticus > All-in-one book writing and formatting app with 17+ professional themes. One-time $147 purchase, works on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/atticus (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/atticus.md) - Website: https://www.atticus.io - Pricing: paid — $147/one-time - Tags: indie-formatter, cross-platform, web-based, writing, formatting, one-time-purchase, vellum-alternative, epub, print-pdf ## Calibre > Free open-source ebook library manager, format converter, and EPUB editor supporting 20+ file types. Runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/calibre (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/calibre.md) - Website: https://calibre-ebook.com - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: conversion-tool, free, open-source, ebook-conversion, library-management, epub-editor, metadata, kindle, kobo ## Draft2Digital Formatting > Free automated book formatting with 21 templates—converts your Word doc to a publish-ready ebook or print-ready PDF in minutes, no design skills needed. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/draft2digital-formatting (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/draft2digital-formatting.md) - Website: https://draft2digital.com - Pricing: freemium — $0–$20 - Tags: platform-tool, free, automated, ebook-templates, print-formatting, word-import, distribution-included, kindle, epub ## Jutoh > Cross-platform ebook formatter for Windows, Mac, and Linux with the broadest format coverage of any paid tool — EPUB, Kindle fixed-layout, CBZ comics, and text-to-speech MP3. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/jutoh (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/jutoh.md) - Website: https://www.jutoh.com - Pricing: paid — $45–$90/one-time - Tags: indie-formatter, cross-platform, linux, affordable, one-time-purchase, advanced, epub, kindle, cbz, accessibility, power-user, complex-ebooks ## Kindle Create > Amazon's free official desktop tool for formatting Kindle ebooks and KDP paperbacks — converts Word documents into KPF and EPUB files, at no cost, for Amazon-exclusive authors. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/kindle-create (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/kindle-create.md) - Website: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G202131100 - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: platform-tool, free, amazon, official, desktop, kdp-only, beginners, reflowable, paperback, children-books, comics, kpf ## Reedsy Studio > Free browser-based writing and formatting tool with EPUB and print-ready PDF export, real-time collaboration with track changes, and optional premium planning tiers from $4.99/month. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/reedsy-book-editor (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/reedsy-book-editor.md) - Website: https://reedsy.com/studio - Pricing: freemium — $0–$11 - Tags: web-app, free, freemium, online, collaboration, epub, print-pdf, writing, track-changes, web-based, professional ## Vellum > Mac-only book formatter with polished ebook and print output, one-time pricing, and free lifetime updates. The benchmark for indie fiction formatting. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/vellum (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/vellum.md) - Website: https://vellum.pub - Pricing: paid — $200–$250/one-time - Tags: indie-formatter, mac, mac-only, one-time-purchase, ebook-formatting, print-formatting, epub, kdp, ingramspark, fiction, no-subscription ## Adobe InDesign > The industry-standard page-layout app for complex, fully-designed books — cookbooks, children's picture books, comics, and art books reflowable formatters can't handle. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/adobe-indesign (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/adobe-indesign.md) - Website: https://www.adobe.com/products/indesign.html - Pricing: paid — $23–$35/subscription - Tags: pro-dtp, indesign, adobe, subscription, illustrated, comics, cookbook, childrens-books, print-pdf, fixed-layout ## Affinity Publisher > Professional InDesign-class page-layout software, now completely free after Canva's acquisition of Serif — the top no-subscription tool for illustrated book layout. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/affinity-publisher (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/affinity-publisher.md) - Website: https://www.affinity.studio/ - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: pro-dtp, affinity, free, illustrated, comics, cookbook, childrens-books, print-pdf, fixed-layout, no-subscription ## Apple Pages > Apple's free word processor exports reflowable and fixed-layout EPUB, with fixed layout aimed at children's books, cookbooks, and image-heavy titles. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/apple-pages (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/apple-pages.md) - Website: https://www.apple.com/pages/ - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: platform-tool, apple, free, first-party, fixed-layout, epub, illustrated, childrens-books, comics, cookbook, cross-platform ## Book Design Templates > Genre-specific book interior template packs — one purchase includes editable Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, Affinity Publisher, and InDesign files. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/book-design-templates (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/book-design-templates.md) - Website: https://www.bookdesigntemplates.com - Pricing: paid — $50–$299 - Tags: template-pack, book-interior-templates, joel-friedlander, word-templates, indesign, affinity-publisher, apple-pages, print-formatting, genre-templates, diy-formatting ## CloudConvert > Online file converter supporting EPUB, MOBI, AZW3, PDF, and DOCX, with an API for batch automation and nothing to install. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/cloudconvert (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/cloudconvert.md) - Website: https://cloudconvert.com - Pricing: freemium — $0–$8 - Tags: conversion-tool, freemium, online, no-install, epub, mobi, pdf, api ## DIY Book Formats > Derek Murphy's free book formatting templates for Microsoft Word and InDesign, with an optional paid premium template pack for more designs. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/diy-book-formats (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/diy-book-formats.md) - Website: https://diybookformats.com - Pricing: freemium — $0–$97 - Tags: template-pack, free-templates, derek-murphy, creativindie, word-templates, indesign, print-formatting, diy-formatting, budget ## Kindle Previewer > Amazon's free official tool that converts EPUB, DOCX, and HTML to Kindle format and previews how a book renders across Kindle devices. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/kindle-previewer (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/kindle-previewer.md) - Website: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G202131170 - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: conversion-tool, free, amazon, kdp, kindle, epub, preview, quality-assurance ## Pandoc > Free, open-source command-line converter that turns Markdown, DOCX, LaTeX, and 40+ formats into clean EPUB, PDF, and HTML. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/pandoc (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/pandoc.md) - Website: https://pandoc.org - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: conversion-tool, free, open-source, command-line, markdown, epub, pdf, cross-platform ## QuarkXPress > Long-standing professional page-layout software offering both subscription and a perpetual license — the main pro-DTP tool you can still buy once and own. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/quarkxpress (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/quarkxpress.md) - Website: https://www.quark.com/products/quarkxpress - Pricing: paid — $279–$699/subscription - Tags: pro-dtp, quarkxpress, perpetual-license, illustrated, print-pdf, fixed-layout ## Scribus > Free, open-source desktop publishing software with professional CMYK and PDF/X export — full print production for illustrated books at zero cost. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/scribus (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/scribus.md) - Website: https://www.scribus.net/ - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: pro-dtp, scribus, free, open-source, illustrated, print-pdf, linux, cmyk ## Sigil > Free, open-source EPUB editor for hand-editing EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 files at the HTML, CSS, and metadata level. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/sigil (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/sigil.md) - Website: https://sigil-ebook.com - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: conversion-tool, free, open-source, epub, epub-editor, html, css, cross-platform ## Storyloft > Browser-based all-in-one author suite with an AI writing assistant, illustration tools, and a formatter that exports EPUB and print-ready PDF. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/storyloft (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/storyloft.md) - Website: https://storyloft.app - Pricing: freemium — $0–$39 - Tags: web-app, ai-powered, freemium, writing-suite, all-in-one, epub, print-pdf, docx, no-install ## WordToEPUB > Free Word plugin from the DAISY Consortium that converts DOCX into accessible, screen-reader-friendly EPUB, HTML, and Kindle files. - Details: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/wordtoepub (markdown: https://selfpublishingdirectory.com/formatting/wordtoepub.md) - Website: https://daisy.org/activities/software/wordtoepub/ - Pricing: free — $0 - Tags: conversion-tool, free, accessibility, docx, epub, word-plugin, nonfiction