Vellum makes a good-looking book. It doesn't check one.
Vellum is Mac-only, $199.99 to $249.99, and the formatting is only as good as the person running it. Typesheep runs in any browser, typesets your manuscript, then checks the finished file against Amazon's own rulebook before you pay a cent.
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What each tool actually does
| Vellum | Typesheep | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | ✗ Mac only | ✓ Any browser, any OS |
| Price | $199.99 (ebooks) or $249.99 (ebooks + print), one-time, unlimited books | $20-$40 per book, by length |
| Formats the file | ✓ Yes, and it's well regarded for output quality | ✓ Yes |
| Checks the file against KDP's rulebook | ✗ No | ✓ Yes, before you pay |
| Confirms nothing from your manuscript was lost | ✗ No | ✓ Every paragraph fingerprinted and matched |
| Free preview before paying | ✗ Requires owning the license | ✓ Every typeset page, free |
| Refund if KDP rejects the file | ✗ Not offered | ✓ Full refund guarantee |
Vellum pricing and platform support as published by Vellum at time of writing; verify current terms on their site before buying.
Vellum only runs on a Mac
Vellum has no Windows version. Authors who write on Windows, which is most authors, either buy a Mac to run one piece of software, rent cloud-Mac time by the hour, or borrow a friend's machine every time a manuscript needs formatting. None of that is a criticism of Vellum's output, which by most accounts looks good. It's a fact about who can use it without extra cost or extra hassle.
Typesheep is a website. Upload a .docx, .odt, or Markdown file from Windows, Mac, Linux, or a Chromebook, and the typesetting runs on our servers, not your machine. There's no software to buy, install, or keep updated, and no operating system requirement at all.
Formatting well and passing KDP's rules are two different jobs
Vellum applies typography: chapter styles, drop caps, running heads, justified text. Getting that part right is real craft, and Vellum is built for it. What it doesn't do is take the file it just built and check it against Amazon's actual print rulebook, which changes shape with your page count. Under 150 pages the inside gutter needs to clear 0.375″; past 700 pages it needs 0.875″, because a thicker spine eats further into the inside margin. A late edit that pushes your book across one of those thresholds won't trigger a warning in Vellum. You find out the way everyone finds out: by uploading to KDP and waiting.
Typesheep runs the typesetting, then runs a separate preflight step against the same rulebook KDP itself publishes, checking trim size, gutter by page count, embedded fonts, minimum type size, image DPI, and whether every paragraph of your original manuscript survived into the finished file. You see the result, named check by check, before you're asked to pay.
No license to buy. Pay per book, preview free.
- Print-interior PDF, ready to upload to KDP
- EPUB 3 for Kindle
- Preflight certificate: every KDP rule checked
- Cover template with spine math
- 30 days of unlimited rebuilds
- Refund if KDP rejects a certified file
Additional editions of the same title, like hardcover, large print, or another trim, are $20 each.
Common questions about Typesheep vs. Vellum
Is Vellum available for Windows?
No. Vellum is Mac-only, with no official Windows version. Windows authors typically borrow a Mac, rent cloud-Mac time, or use a Mac-owning friend's machine. Typesheep runs in any browser on any operating system, so this workaround isn't needed.
How much does Vellum cost compared to Typesheep?
Vellum is a one-time purchase: $199.99 for ebooks only, or $249.99 for ebooks plus print, covering unlimited books. Typesheep charges per book, by length: $20 up to 150 pages, $30 to 350, $40 beyond. One book costs less upfront on Typesheep; many books over many years may cost less on Vellum, in exchange for doing the formatting yourself with no verification step.
Does Vellum check that a book meets KDP's requirements?
Vellum applies styling and layout and is well regarded for output quality, but it doesn't check the finished file against KDP's rulebook. You find out whether it passes by uploading it to KDP. Typesheep runs a preflight check after typesetting and shows the result before you pay.
Can I preview my book before paying with either tool?
Vellum's preview lives inside the app, so it needs a license and a Mac. Typesheep's preview is free and needs neither: upload a manuscript in any browser and read every typeset page and the full preflight report before you decide to pay.