Comparisons, checked 17 October 2026
Onwarder vs Vellum
A book formatter for the Mac: import a finished manuscript and produce ebook and print editions.Source [1]
Vellum formats a finished book on a Mac; Onwarder helps you write the whole book on any device, then makes the ebook and a paperback interior.Source [1]Source [5]
Side by side.
| Onwarder | Vellum | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for good, with no account. Cloud is $10 a month or $99 a year. | Vellum Ebooks $199.99, Vellum Press $249.99, once, for unlimited books. Free to try; pay to generate files.Source [1]Source [2] |
| Runs on | On the web, Mac, Windows and Linux, with iPhone in beta, and Android coming. | Mac only.Source [2] |
| Writing with no connection | Books kept on your device open and save with no connection in the desktop and phone apps. | Yes: a Mac app with local files.Source [3]Source [7] |
| Story bible linked to the book | Characters, places, factions and items, a click from the page. | No character or place records; it formats a finished book.Source [1] |
| Checks the book against your notes | Built in, no AI: warns when a dead character acts or a lost item turns up again. | Spelling and grammar only; no fact check found.Source [7] |
| Ebook and paperback files | EPUB, Word, Markdown and PDF, and paperback interiors at three trim sizes. | EPUB and print-ready PDF with 24 trim sizes, full bleed and store-specific editions.Source [5] |
| AI, and training on your writing | Optional and off for every book. Bring your own. Never used to train AI. | Apple Intelligence writing tools, off by default.Source [4] |
| Getting your work out | Every book exports whole, at any time, on any plan. | Project files on your Mac; export Word and RTF.Source [3]Source [5] |
Which to choose
Where Vellum is better
- Print and ebook controls: widow control, spread balancing, 24 trim sizes and PDF/X.Source [1]Source [5]
- Store-specific ebook editions and box sets built from a series.Source [1]Source [5]
Choose Vellum if
- Your book is finished, you have a Mac, and you want a detailed interior you can make yourself.Source [1]Source [5]
Choose Onwarder if
- You want the story bible, recorded story events and a continuity check beside the manuscript, with no AI needed.
- You want everything for writing free, on any computer or phone, with no account and no time limit.
- You want the ebook and the paperback interior from the same place you wrote the book.
Questions.
Can I move my book from Vellum?
Export it as a Word document and import that into Onwarder; it keeps chapters, headings, bold and italics. Start with a copy of one chapter, and keep your original until you are happy. We do not promise to carry over every other tool's notes, links or formatting.
Do I need AI to use Onwarder?
No. Writing, planning, the continuity check and Finishing all work without AI. If you connect your own AI, it is off for every book until you allow it, and Onwarder never uses your writing to train AI.
What does Onwarder cost?
Free for good, with no account. Cloud is $10 a month or $99 a year.
Sources, all opened 17 October 2026
- Vellum
- Purchasing (help)
- Restoring (help)
- Privacy and AI
- Specifications
- Tutorial
- Text editor (help)
- Vellum store
Competitor prices are as shown on the linked pages, in US dollars where stated, before tax. Product names identify the tools compared and do not imply endorsement.
Product names are trademarks of their owners. Facts are from each maker's own pages, checked on the date shown. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.