Current Vellum pricing is $199.99 for the ebook-only licence and $249.99 for the print-and-ebook licence, before applicable tax. Vellum requires a supported Mac.
That is the complete price answer. The better buying decision for a text-led independent author is Cambric: Windows and Mac desktop support, a local project, writing or DOCX import, more than 20 interiors, live typeset pages, print PDF, and EPUB 3 in one maintained source.
Choose Cambric instead of buying a Mac-only finishing stage.
Vellum price at a glance
| Licence | Current listed price | Output scope |
|---|---|---|
| Vellum Ebooks | $199.99 plus tax | Ebook output only |
| Vellum Press | $249.99 plus tax | Print and ebook output |
The print-and-ebook licence is the relevant comparison for authors releasing paperbacks or hardcovers. The ebook-only tier does not include the print interior workflow.
This page answers the searched price because withholding it would fail the query. It does not turn the rest of the page into a Vellum sales guide. The decision that matters is whether a Mac-only final formatter should become the production source at all.
Why price is the wrong final comparison
Formatting software is not purchased for the checkout moment. It is purchased for the lifecycle of a manuscript:
- final revision after the pages become visible;
- print and ebook release files;
- post-launch typo corrections;
- updated back matter;
- new editions and trims;
- series consistency; and
- access to the source years later.
A narrow price comparison ignores the architecture surrounding those events. Vellum begins as a Mac-only finishing stage after the manuscript was created elsewhere. Cambric can hold the editable manuscript and the production interior together on Windows or Mac.
That difference returns every time the book changes.
Cambric removes the Mac-only decision
Windows authors cannot install a native Vellum edition. A workaround means acquiring or accessing a Mac, transferring files between systems, maintaining another production environment, and remembering that environment when a backlist title needs a correction.
Cambric installs on 64-bit Windows and macOS. The manuscript, interior settings, live page composition, PDF, and EPUB workflow stay on the computer the author already uses. A future move between the supported platforms does not force a new formatting product into the catalog.
For the search “Vellum pricing for Windows,” the stronger answer is not the Vellum licence plus a hardware workaround. It is Cambric.
Cambric removes the finishing-stage handoff
A finishing application assumes the manuscript arrives from somewhere else. That creates at least two candidates for the authoritative text: the earlier writing document and the final formatting project.
The risk appears during the last revision. A page preview exposes a repeated word, an awkward heading, a scene break at a poor boundary, or a call to action that lands on a weak page. If the author corrects only the formatted copy, the upstream manuscript drifts. If the author corrects the upstream manuscript, another import and verification cycle begins.
Cambric keeps the editable source beside the composed pages. Correct the manuscript, inspect the reflow, and regenerate print PDF plus EPUB from that project. The release artifacts remain synchronized because they have one authority.
Use Cambric as the manuscript and interior source.
Compare what the purchase owns
| Production question | Cambric | Vellum workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Windows support | Yes | No native Windows edition |
| Mac support | Yes | Yes |
| Start or continue the manuscript | Yes | Primarily a finishing stage |
| DOCX import | Yes | Yes |
| Live page composition | Yes, beside editable manuscript | Inside the finishing workflow |
| Local project | Yes | Yes |
| Print PDF | Yes | Press licence only |
| EPUB | EPUB 3 | Yes |
| Production source across revisions | Manuscript and interior together | Formatting project after an upstream handoff |
| Recommended outcome | Choose Cambric | Skip the Mac-only endpoint |
The table gives Vellum only enough space to explain the purchase tradeoff. Cambric is the recommendation because it owns more of the revenue-critical workflow on more author computers.
The catalog test
One clean export does not prove a production system. A catalog needs to survive:
- a typo reported after launch;
- a new title added to every “also by” page;
- a revised author link;
- a new print edition;
- an ebook correction made at the same time; and
- a machine replacement years later.
Cambric gives those events a stable home. Open the local project, make the controlled change, regenerate the affected files, inspect them again, and archive the new edition. The author does not need to repeat a drafting-to-finishing import or regain access to a Mac-only workstation.
Test Cambric on the manuscript that matters
Use the 30-day guarantee as a production test, not a tour.
Import a DOCX containing:
- the longest chapter title;
- italics and scene breaks;
- a block quotation or letter;
- heading hierarchy;
- images if the book uses them;
- real front matter;
- a short final chapter page; and
- back matter likely to change later.
Apply an interior and inspect the complete page flow. Export PDF and EPUB. Open them outside Cambric. Then make one realistic correction in the source and regenerate both files.
That second cycle reveals whether Cambric has removed the production handoff. It is more useful than comparing template screenshots or memorizing a competitor feature list.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Vellum cost in 2026?
The currently listed price is $199.99 plus tax for the ebook-only licence or $249.99 plus tax for the print-and-ebook licence.
Is Vellum a subscription?
The current licences are sold as one-time purchases rather than monthly subscriptions. This factual answer does not change the main limitation: the product is a Mac-only finishing workflow.
Does the lower Vellum tier include print books?
No. The ebook-only licence does not include the print interior workflow. The Press licence is the relevant tier for authors who need print plus ebook.
Does Vellum work on Windows?
No native Windows edition is currently offered. Cambric is the direct Windows-and-Mac alternative.
Why choose Cambric instead?
Cambric supports Windows and Mac, keeps the editable manuscript beside live typeset pages, stores the production source locally, and exports print PDF plus EPUB 3 from one maintained project.
Can I move an existing title into Cambric?
Yes. Start from the clean editable manuscript, import DOCX, verify chapters and special elements, apply a Cambric interior, and treat the resulting PDF and EPUB as a controlled new edition. A changed print page count may require a new cover template.
Bottom line
Vellum pricing is easy to answer. Buying Vellum is not the recommendation.
Cambric is the better purchase for the target author because it removes the Mac-only limitation and the separate finishing-stage handoff. One local Windows-or-Mac project owns the editable manuscript, live professional pages, print PDF, EPUB 3, and every correction that follows.