Professional presets
Start from a polished design, then fine-tune typography, chapter openings, ornaments, and page details until the book looks the way you want.
Beautiful book formatting on Windows. No Mac required.
The best-known formatting app, Vellum, only runs on a Mac. Koberger gives you the same professional EPUB and print-ready PDF results in your browser, on the Windows PC you already own.
By Jo Cox, indie author and founder of Koberger. Last updated August 2026.
Runs in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. Nothing to install.
The best-loved formatting tool doesn’t run on your computer.
If you write on Windows, you’ve probably hit the same wall: Vellum, the tool everyone recommends, is Mac-only. The usual workarounds are buying a Mac, renting a cloud Mac, or wrestling with Word.
The good news is that Vellum isn’t your only choice, and you don’t need a Mac at all. Several tools format books on Windows. Here’s an honest look at how they compare, including where Koberger fits and where it doesn’t.
The best book formatting software for Windows, compared.
| Feature | Koberger | Vellum | Atticus | Scrivener | Reedsy | Kindle Create |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on Windows | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Works in the browser, nothing to install | Yes | No | Desktop app | No | Yes | No |
| Free full preview before you pay | Yes | Trial | No | Trial | Free | Free |
| EPUB and print-ready PDF | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic | Yes | Amazon only |
| Deep design presets | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Limited | Limited |
| Tools for a series | Yes | No | Limited | No | No | No |
| Pricing | Free + subscription | One-time, Mac only | One-time | One-time | Free | Free |
Vellum
The gold standard for polished output, and the reason this page exists. Vellum is a one-time purchase with beautiful results, but it runs only on macOS, so Windows authors can’t use it without buying or renting a Mac.
Atticus
The closest all-in-one rival, and a genuine Windows option. Atticus combines writing and formatting in one paid app that runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook. It’s a solid choice. Koberger differs by running entirely in the browser, letting you preview the whole book free before you pay, and adding series tools.
Scrivener
A superb writing and organising tool that also runs on Windows, but formatting isn’t its strength. Its compile feature can produce ebooks, yet most authors pair Scrivener for drafting with a dedicated formatter for the finished files.
Reedsy Book Editor
A free, browser-based editor that exports clean EPUB and print PDF. It’s a great no-cost option if you’re happy with a small set of fixed designs and don’t need fine control over typography or page details.
Kindle Create
Amazon’s own free tool for Windows and Mac. It’s fine for straightforward Kindle ebooks, but the design options are limited and the output is built around Amazon rather than every store and printer.
Koberger
Built for authors who publish more than once. Koberger runs in any browser on Windows or any other system, is free to import, design, and preview your whole book, and lets you save a design once and reuse it, so every book you publish looks like it belongs with the others. The trade-off is a subscription rather than a one-time fee, which suits authors who format book after book.
Everything you need to publish, in the browser.
EPUB, Print PDF, and DOCX
Export a clean, validated EPUB for ebook stores, an interior PDF sized for KDP paperbacks, and a DOCX if you need one, all from the same project.
See it before you export
Preview the ebook and print layout as you work, so there are no surprises when you upload to Amazon or another retailer.
The pages around your story
Title pages, copyright, dedication, table of contents, and more are built in, with live publishing details you set once.
Any device, always current
Nothing to install and no updates to manage. Start on your PC, pick up on a laptop, and you’re always on the latest version.
The finishing touches
Scene-break ornaments, pull quotes, tables, and verse are handled for you, so the small details look intentional without fiddly manual styling.
Formatting on a PC, answered.
Does Koberger work on Windows?
Yes. Koberger runs entirely in your web browser, so it works on Windows 10 and 11 exactly the same way it works on a Mac or a Chromebook. There’s nothing to download or install.
Is Koberger like Vellum for Windows?
It’s the closest thing to it. Vellum is a Mac-only app, which leaves Windows authors without an easy way to get that level of finish. Koberger gives you professionally formatted EPUB and print-ready PDF files from your browser on any operating system.
Do I need to install anything or buy a Mac?
No. You don’t need a Mac, a virtual machine, or a cloud-Mac rental service. You open Koberger in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox on your existing Windows PC and format your book there.
Can I make print-ready PDFs for KDP paperbacks on Windows?
Yes. Koberger exports interior print PDFs with the correct trim size, margins, and gutter for Amazon KDP and other print-on-demand services, alongside EPUB for ebooks and DOCX if you need it.
How much does it cost?
You can create a free account, import your manuscript, and preview the fully formatted result at no cost. Koberger Pro, which unlocks exporting your publishing files, is 9.99 US dollars per month or 99 US dollars per year.
Does Atticus run on Windows?
Yes. Atticus is a paid, cross-platform app that runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook, so it’s a genuine option for PC authors. Koberger takes a different approach: it runs entirely in the browser with nothing to install, lets you preview your whole book free before you pay, and adds series tools for authors who publish more than once.
Can I run Vellum on Windows with a virtual machine or a cloud Mac?
Technically you can rent a cloud Mac or run macOS in a virtual machine and install Vellum there, but it’s fiddly, adds an ongoing cost, and can run into licensing limits. A browser-based formatter like Koberger avoids all of that, because it runs natively on the Windows PC you already own.
What’s the best free way to format a book on Windows?
You can format and preview an entire book in Koberger for free and only pay when you export. Reedsy Book Editor and Amazon Kindle Create are also free, with simpler designs. Whichever you choose, previewing the finished book before you commit is the safest way to judge the result.