Whether to Format Books Yourself or Employ a Professional Designer: A Dilemma Explored

In the world of self-publishing, the decision to hire a formatter or do it oneself is a personal one, influenced by an author's preferences and financial situation. Here, we take a closer look at three top book formatting software options available in 2025, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Atticus: The All-in-One Solution

Widely regarded as the best all-in-one solution for both writing and formatting, Atticus offers a clean, easy-to-use interface that combines the strengths of both Scrivener and Vellum. Supporting Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chromebook, Atticus costs a one-time $147 fee, which includes all future updates with no subscription required. With this tool, authors can write, format, and export professional-quality ebooks and print-ready files, making it an attractive option for those seeking an affordable but powerful tool across platforms.

Vellum: High-End Customisation for Mac Users

Vellum is a Mac-only software renowned for producing highly polished, professional book formatting, especially for ebook and print book final production. It imports manuscripts from Word and has elegant style templates that allow deep customization of interior book design elements, such as chapter headings and drop caps. The downside is its higher price—$199.99 for unlimited ebooks and $249.99 for print—and macOS exclusivity. Vellum is best suited to authors with completed manuscripts focused on formatting alone rather than integrated writing and editing.

Reedsy Book Editor: Free, Web-Based Formatting

Reedsy Book Editor is a free, web-based editor focusing primarily on formatting, ideal for authors who need professional layouts without advanced design skills or want to export clean files for multiple publishing platforms. While it lacks extensive customization features compared to software like Vellum, it’s well regarded for producing clean, professional output for both ebooks and print and is completely free without watermarks.

The table below provides a comparison of the three software options:

| Software | Ease of Use | Capability | Cost | Platform(s) | |------------------|------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------|--------------------------| | Atticus | Very easy, all-in-one | Writing + professional formatting| $147 one-time | Mac, Windows, Linux, Chromebook | | Vellum | Easy, dedicated formatter | High-end, customizable formatting| $199.99–$249.99 | macOS only | | Reedsy Book Editor| Moderate, web-based | Professional formatting, limited | Free | Web-based (any OS) |

In conclusion, the choice between these book formatting software options depends on an author's specific needs and budget. Atticus is best for authors wanting an affordable, all-in-one tool for both writing and formatting across multiple platforms. Vellum excels in professional final formatting but is pricier and Mac-exclusive. Reedsy Book Editor is great for free, professional formatting with fewer customization options and no need for software installation.

If an author has a little more cash in the short-run and wants to save money in the long-run, buying a formatting software is recommended. Learning how to hire a designer is possible through resources available online. If the author has some money but wants to avoid the hassle of formatting, hiring a formatter is a good possibility. Using a program like Word for formatting a book is an option if the author is pressed for cash.

Common places to find book formatters include Fiverr, Upwork, Reedsy, Word-2-Kindle, Ebook Launch, and Damonza. When hiring a formatter, it's important to consider their portfolio, star-rating, and testimonials.

Whether to Format Books Yourself or Employ a Professional Designer: A Dilemma Explored