Vellum has earned a reputation as the gold standard for book formatting. Open any self-publishing forum, and you'll see authors praising its beautiful output and intuitive interface. But there's a catch that trips up many authors: Vellum isn't writing software. It's formatting software. And it only works on Mac.
In this comparison, we'll look at what Vellum actually does, what it doesn't do, and how it compares to Author's Forge - a tool designed for the complete writing workflow.
Quick Overview
What is Vellum?
Vellum is Mac-only book formatting software from 180g. It takes a finished manuscript (as a Word document) and turns it into professionally formatted ebooks and print books. Vellum costs $199.99 for ebook formatting only, or $249.99 for both ebook and print formatting - making it the most expensive option in this category.
The key thing to understand: Vellum is not where you write your book. It's where you format your book after you've written it somewhere else. The developers have explicitly stated they have no plans to ever release a Windows version.
What is Author's Forge?
Author's Forge is a complete writing environment that runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux. It's where you write, organize, and export your work - all in one application. The core features are free, including publish-ready EPUB export.
What sets it apart: an AI Writing Assistant that reads your entire library - every chapter, every note, every character detail. It understands the context of your story, catches inconsistencies, and helps you revise with full knowledge of your work. Unlike Vellum, Author's Forge is designed for the entire writing process, not just the final formatting step.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Platform Availability
This is Vellum's most significant limitation.
Vellum: Mac only. Period. The developers at 180g have stated clearly that they will not develop a Windows or iOS version "in the foreseeable future." If you're a Windows or Linux user, your only options are renting time on a cloud Mac service like MacInCloud (roughly $49/month) or buying a Mac specifically for Vellum. Neither option makes much sense for most authors.
Author's Forge: Runs natively on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Download it, install it, start writing. No workarounds needed.
The verdict: Roughly half of all authors use Windows. Vellum simply isn't an option for them without expensive workarounds. Author's Forge works on whatever computer you have.
Primary Purpose
This is the fundamental difference between these tools.
Vellum: Vellum is formatting software. You write your book in another application (Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, whatever you prefer), export it as a .docx file, import it into Vellum, apply styling, and generate your final ebook and print files. Vellum's text editing capabilities are intentionally limited - one reviewer noted that pressing Ctrl+Z "will undo each individual letter rather than the whole sentence at once." The software "doesn't lend itself well to substantial textual edits" because that's not what it's designed for.
Author's Forge: Author's Forge is where you write your book. The complete writing environment includes organization tools (Libraries, Series, Books, Chapters), a notes system for world-building and research, and EPUB export that produces files accepted by all major retailers. You don't need separate software for writing and formatting - it's all in one place.
The verdict: These tools solve different problems. Vellum is for authors who've finished writing and want beautiful formatting. Author's Forge is for authors who want one tool for the entire process - writing, organizing, and exporting. If you already have a writing workflow you love, Vellum adds polish at the end. If you want everything in one place, Author's Forge eliminates the need for multiple applications.
Price
Vellum: $199.99 for ebook formatting only, or $249.99 for ebook and print formatting. This is the most expensive option in the book formatting category. And remember: this price is just for formatting. You still need separate software to write your book.
Author's Forge: Free forever for core features including the full writing environment and EPUB export. The AI Writing Assistant is available through Pro ($19.99/month) or pay-as-you-go pricing.
The verdict: Vellum costs $250 for formatting only - and you still need to pay for or find writing software. Author's Forge gives you the complete writing environment free, with AI available as an optional upgrade.
AI Features
Vellum: Vellum contains no AI features. No spellcheck beyond what your Mac provides at the OS level, no grammar assistance, no writing help. It's purely a formatting tool.
Author's Forge: Author's Forge includes an AI Writing Assistant that understands your entire library - your manuscript, your notes, your world-building, your characters. It provides inline edit suggestions with a clear diff view, helps with plot consistency and foreshadowing, and maintains character voice. This isn't generic AI; it actually knows your story.
The verdict: Vellum offers no AI assistance whatsoever. Author's Forge includes AI that understands your complete work.
File Import and Export
Vellum: Vellum only imports Microsoft Word .docx files. No EPUB, no plain text, no Markdown, no Scrivener projects. Once imported, Vellum can export to multiple formats: EPUB 2, EPUB 3, MOBI, Kindle-specific formats, and PDF for print. The multi-format export is a genuine strength.
Author's Forge: Your work lives as standard Markdown files you can access anytime. Export is to EPUB format - clean, validated files that upload directly to Amazon KDP, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play without modification. For authors importing existing work, the AI-powered book import can automatically detect chapters from PDF or DOCX files.
The verdict: Vellum offers more export format options and styling control, which matters if you need print PDF or extensive visual customization. Author's Forge uses an open file format (Markdown) that you own completely, with EPUB export that handles ebook distribution professionally. If you're primarily publishing ebooks, Author's Forge gets the job done.
Formatting Quality
Vellum: This is where Vellum genuinely excels. It offers 8 professional book styles with customizable elements: drop caps, ornamental breaks, chapter headings, and more. The live preview shows exactly how your book will look on Kindle, iPad, and in print. For print books, it handles margins, headers, footers, and produces PDF/X-1a files that work with services like IngramSpark. The formatting output is consistently beautiful.
Author's Forge: Author's Forge produces clean, professional EPUB files with automatic table of contents and cover support. The output is well-structured, validates correctly, and looks good on all major e-readers. It's not trying to compete with Vellum's depth of visual customization - it's focused on producing a professional reading experience without requiring you to learn formatting software.
The verdict: If you want extensive styling control - drop caps, ornamental breaks, multiple chapter heading styles, print-ready PDF - Vellum is the specialist. If you need professional ebook output that looks good and passes retailer validation, Author's Forge delivers that as part of the writing tool you're already using. Different priorities, different tools.
Writing Environment
Vellum: Vellum is not designed as a writing environment. You can make small text edits, but the undo function works letter-by-letter rather than by action, making substantial editing frustrating. Reviews consistently note that Vellum is "not really what the software is designed for" when used as a word processor.
Author's Forge: Author's Forge is built for writing. The organizational structure mirrors how authors think - Libraries contain Series, Books, and Notes. A tab system lets you keep research and character notes open alongside your chapters. The AI Writing Assistant understands your entire story. It's designed for the hours you spend actually writing, not just the final formatting step.
The verdict: Vellum isn't trying to be a writing environment and shouldn't be judged as one. Author's Forge is specifically designed for the writing process.
Organization
Vellum: Vellum organizes by book, with chapters and front/back matter sections. It handles box sets well, treating each book as a volume. But since Vellum only sees your finished manuscript, it doesn't help with organizing your work while you're writing.
Author's Forge: Author's Forge uses a Libraries and Shelves system designed for how authors work. Libraries contain Series, Books, and Notes. A tab system lets you keep research open alongside your chapters. The organization helps during the writing process, not just at the end.
The verdict: Different tools for different stages. Vellum organizes for output; Author's Forge organizes for the writing process.
Offline Capability
Vellum: Vellum is a desktop application that works fully offline.
Author's Forge: All core features work offline. Your files are stored locally. AI features require an internet connection when you use them.
The verdict: Both work well offline for their core functions.
Who Should Choose Vellum?
Vellum is a good fit if you:
- Use a Mac (this is non-negotiable)
- Already have a writing workflow you love and just need formatting
- Want maximum control over book styling and print formatting
- Publish frequently enough to justify the $250 investment
- Need print-ready PDF files for services like IngramSpark
- Don't need AI assistance in your workflow
Who Should Choose Author's Forge?
Author's Forge is a good fit if you:
- Use Windows or Linux (Vellum isn't an option)
- Want one tool for writing and exporting, not separate applications
- Value an AI that reads your entire manuscript and catches inconsistencies as you write
- Don't want to spend $250 on formatting software (plus additional writing software)
- Prefer your files in an open format you control
- Need a complete writing environment, not just a formatter
- Write series and want AI that knows your previous books when you're writing the next one
Can You Use Both?
If you're on a Mac, you could write in Author's Forge to take advantage of its AI Writing Assistant and writing environment, then move to Vellum for final formatting if you need its advanced print options or extensive style customization. Author's Forge is free, so this workflow only costs the Vellum license.
The question is whether Vellum's formatting advantages are worth $250 when Author's Forge already exports professional EPUB files for free.
Final Thoughts
Vellum does one thing very well: it creates beautiful, professionally formatted books. For Mac users who have already written their manuscript and want maximum visual polish, it's earned its reputation. If formatting is your bottleneck, Vellum solves it elegantly.
But consider the full picture. Vellum excludes all Windows and Linux users. It costs $250 and still requires separate writing software. It has no AI features at all. It only helps with one step of the publishing process.
Author's Forge takes a different approach: a complete writing environment where you draft, organize, and export your work. The AI Writing Assistant that reads your entire library - catching inconsistencies, understanding your characters, helping with revision - is something Vellum can't offer because Vellum never sees your work until it's finished. And the price - free for core features - means you can start writing today.
For authors who want one tool that handles the entire process, from blank page to published ebook, Author's Forge makes more sense than buying formatting software on top of writing software.