Vellum for Coaches in 2026: The Complete Formatting Guide

In the spring of 2024, a business coach in Portland finished her first manuscript after eight months of early mornings and stolen lunch breaks. She had 52,000 words on how she helped mid-career women negotiate salary increases. The writing was done. Then came the part nobody warns you about: getting it into KDP without it looking like a document your printer jammed on.

She spent six days trying to force Microsoft Word into proper print margins. She hired a formatter off Fiverr who delivered files with inconsistent chapter headers. Then a colleague mentioned Vellum.

Four hours later, she had a print-ready PDF and five ebook files sitting in her downloads folder.

If you have heard the name Vellum and are trying to figure out whether it applies to your coaching book project, this guide covers everything you need to decide. You will learn what it does, what it costs, where it breaks down for coaches specifically, and how it compares to the other tools fighting for your formatting budget in 2026.

One quick note before we start: "vellum" refers to two different things. The original meaning is a translucent, parchment-style paper used for printing, calligraphy, and craft projects. If that is what you searched for, a stationery or printing supply site will serve you better. This article is entirely about Vellum the software, a book formatting application for Mac built by a company called 180g. The two share a name and nothing else.

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Quick Answer: Vellum is a Mac-only book formatting tool priced at a one-time $199.99 (ebooks only) or $249.99 (ebooks plus print). It takes a finished manuscript, applies professional typesetting, and exports polished files for KDP, Apple Books, Kobo, and other retailers. It does not write content, does not run on Windows, and does not help with covers. For coaches on Mac who already have their manuscript written, it is one of the fastest ways to get to a professional-looking book.

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What Vellum Is (and What It Is Not)

Vellum is a formatting tool. That sounds obvious until you realize how many coaches search for it while actually needing something else entirely.

Formatting is the step that happens after your manuscript is done. You have the words. Formatting takes those words and arranges them on a page (or screen) in the way publishers have standardized: proper margins so text does not disappear into the spine, running headers with your name and chapter title, page numbers in the right spot, chapter opening pages with generous white space, consistent paragraph spacing, drop caps, and typographic details that make a book feel intentional rather than word-processed.

Vellum handles all of that automatically. You drop in a Word document or a plain text file. You pick a style from its library of chapter themes. You see an instant preview. You click export. Done.

What Vellum does not do:

It does not help you write. There is no AI, no outline generator, no drafting mode. If your manuscript does not exist yet, Vellum has nothing to work with.

It does not design your cover. Cover design is a separate workflow entirely. Vellum handles interior formatting only.

It does not publish for you. Vellum creates the files. Uploading them to KDP, setting your price, writing your book description, and hitting publish are still your job.

It does not run on Windows. This is the single biggest limitation and it rules out a significant portion of coaches entirely. Vellum requires macOS 13 or newer. If you are on a PC, Chromebook, or Linux machine, Vellum is not available to you, period.

It does not support collaboration. One person, one machine. If you are co-authoring a book with a partner or working with an editor who needs to be inside the tool, Vellum has no mechanism for that.

Understanding what Vellum is not helps you evaluate it accurately. Many coaches arrive at Vellum expecting it to solve a writing problem. It solves a production problem: taking a finished manuscript and turning it into files a retailer will accept.

How Vellum Works: The Formatting Engine

The experience of using Vellum is notably different from fighting with Word or InDesign. The learning curve is measured in minutes, not days.

Importing Your Manuscript

Vellum accepts Word files (.docx) and imports them with reasonably good accuracy. It reads your heading structure (H1 for chapter titles, H2 for subheadings) and maps them to the appropriate Vellum elements. It strips out formatting it cannot use and keeps text content intact.

After import, you see your chapters in a left sidebar. Click any chapter and you get a real-time preview on the right, showing exactly what the page will look like in a reader's hands. The preview updates instantly as you make changes.

Choosing a Style

Vellum ships with a library of book styles (it calls them Book Styles or chapter themes) covering different aesthetic directions: some are minimal and contemporary, some are more ornate with decorative chapter openers, some suit nonfiction with clean headers.

You apply a style to the entire book with a single click. Every chapter updates. This is where Vellum earns its reputation: in the time it takes to click through a few options, your book looks like something a publishing house would be proud of.

The library has limits. Vellum ships with 8 pre-designed book style templates and 26 embedded fonts. For most coaches publishing nonfiction, the font count is not a meaningful constraint. Your readers care whether the book is readable and professional; they are not auditing your typeface selection. But if typographic variety matters to your brand, the limited palette is worth noting compared to tools that offer several hundred font options.

Adding Front and Back Matter

Vellum has a dedicated section for front matter (title page, copyright page, dedication, table of contents) and back matter (about the author, other books, acknowledgments). It generates a table of contents automatically from your chapter structure.

One gap that coaches should know about: Vellum's back matter is functional but not flexible. You can add text pages, but you cannot build a styled resource page, a lead magnet offer with QR code, or a formatted "work with me" section the way you might want for a business book. Plain text and basic formatting is what you get.

Exporting Files

This is where Vellum shines. One click generates all your output simultaneously:

• EPUB 3 and EPUB 2 files (for Apple Books, Kobo, and other retailers)
• A Kindle-optimized file (Amazon's KFX-adjacent format, no longer just MOBI)
• Advanced Reader Copies (ARC) in EPUB and MOBI for pre-launch review distribution
• Print PDF meeting PDF/X-1a standards, which KDP and IngramSpark both require

The print PDF supports 24 different trim sizes including large print variants. Vellum calculates margins, gutter widths, and header positions automatically based on your page count and trim size selection.

Previewing Across Devices

Vellum includes a device preview panel showing how your ebook looks on a Kindle Paperwhite, an iPhone, an iPad, and an Android device simultaneously. This is genuinely useful because ebook rendering varies by device and font size setting. Seeing all four views at once catches issues before you upload.

Vellum Pricing: What You Get for $199.99 or $249.99

Vellum uses a one-time purchase model. You pay once and own it permanently with lifetime updates and no per-book fees.

Vellum Ebooks: $199.99

This tier gives you full ebook creation capability: all formats, all styles, all device previews. If you are planning to sell only as an ebook (no physical print edition), this is the version to buy.

Vellum Press: $249.99

This tier adds print book formatting to everything in the Ebooks tier. For $50 more, you unlock print PDF export with all trim sizes and print-specific controls (margins, headers, footers, page numbers).

For coaching books heading to KDP, you almost certainly want Vellum Press. Physical copies matter for speaking engagements, client gifts, and credibility. The $50 difference is trivial against the cost of having a formatter do your print files separately.

Free Trial

Vellum offers a full-featured trial with no time limit. You can format your entire book and see exactly what it looks like in every export format before you pay. The trial watermarks exported files so you cannot use them commercially, but you see everything else in full. This is a confident move by the company because the product is good enough that most people who try it buy it.

The Math on Value

Professional book formatters on Fiverr and comparable platforms typically charge $150 or more per project for a complete formatting package (ebook plus print). A second book doubles that cost. With Vellum Press at $249.99, you pay approximately the equivalent of one professional formatting job and then format unlimited books at no additional cost. If you plan to publish more than one book (or publish updated editions of existing books), the one-time price pays for itself quickly.

The main counterargument is opportunity cost: $249.99 up front versus $15 per month for a subscription tool that includes writing assistance, cover creation, and formatting together. For coaches who are still in the writing phase and do not yet have a finished manuscript, starting with an all-in-one platform often makes more sense than buying a dedicated formatter first.

Seven Things Vellum Does Better Than Any Free Tool

1. Instant Professional Appearance

The gap between a Word-formatted PDF and a Vellum-formatted PDF is visible in the first paragraph. Vellum handles widow and orphan control (preventing single lines from stranding at the top or bottom of pages), proper hyphenation for print, optical margin alignment, and consistent leading. These are the details that make readers trust a book unconsciously.

2. One-Click Multi-Format Export

Most coaches publishing their first book have to research which formats to produce for which platforms, then produce each separately. Vellum collapses that entirely. You press Export and get everything: ebook files for every major platform plus your print PDF. For a first-time publisher trying to get to KDP without a publishing team, this is a real time saver.

3. Real-Time Preview

Watching your formatting changes appear instantly in the preview panel removes a major source of anxiety from the production process. You are not uploading a file, waiting for KDP to process it, downloading a preview, discovering a problem, and starting over. You see the result of every decision in seconds.

4. ARC Generation

Advanced Reader Copies are pre-release versions of your book that you send to reviewers, clients, and colleagues before launch. Vellum generates ARC files automatically in the formats most review platforms (BookFunnel, NetGalley, and others) accept. For coaches who do pre-launch review campaigns, this is a practical feature that would otherwise require a separate workflow.

5. Box Set Support

If you publish multiple books in a related series (say, a trilogy of books covering your coaching methodology, or a bundle of your workbook alongside your main title), Vellum can combine them into a single formatted file for a box set release. This is a feature that appeals to coaches who build out a body of work rather than a single title.

6. Accessibility Compliance

Vellum outputs are ACE-approved, meaning they meet accessibility standards for screen readers. For a coaching book that you want to be available to readers with visual impairments, compliant EPUB output matters. This is often an afterthought for self-publishers but Vellum handles it automatically.

7. Lifetime Free Updates

Vellum has released consistent updates since it launched. When Amazon or Apple Books changes their file format requirements (which happens periodically as the platforms evolve), Vellum updates its export engine. You get those updates at no additional cost. This matters for coaches who publish a book and return to it two years later for a revised edition: the software they paid for is still current.

Four Hard Limits That Rule Vellum Out for Many Coaches

1. Mac Only

There is no Windows version of Vellum. There is no web version. There is no Chrome extension workaround. If your computer runs Windows, Vellum is not available to you in any form.

This disqualifies Vellum for a substantial portion of coaches. The majority of PC users globally run Windows. If your coaching business runs on a Dell, a Lenovo, a Surface, or any non-Apple laptop, you need a different tool.

Some coaches purchase a Mac specifically to use Vellum. That is a real phenomenon. Whether it makes sense depends on whether the rest of your workflow would benefit from a Mac switch. Buying a $1,200 laptop to access $249.99 software is a significant commitment for a formatting workflow that alternatives can handle on any operating system.

2. No Writing or Content Assistance

If you are reading this article at the beginning of your book journey (you have expertise you want to share but do not have a manuscript yet), Vellum helps you with nothing at this stage. It has no AI drafting, no outline tool, no chapter structure templates, no voice matching.

Vellum is a production tool for finished manuscripts. Coaches who need help getting from "I have a lot to say" to "I have a complete draft" need something upstream of Vellum.

3. No Cover Design

A professional book cover is the first marketing asset for your title. Vellum does not touch it. You will need a separate cover file, whether from a designer, a cover design tool, or an AI image platform. Uploading your book to KDP requires both the interior files (which Vellum produces) and the cover file (which you source separately).

For coaches who want a single platform to handle the full production cycle, this means Vellum requires at least two separate tools or services.

4. No Collaboration

Vellum is a single-user, single-machine application. If you work with a co-author, a developmental editor who needs to be inside the formatting environment, or a VA who handles parts of your production workflow, Vellum has no mechanism for multiple people working on the same project.

The FORMAT Framework: Deciding If Vellum Fits Your Situation

The decision about whether Vellum is right for your coaching book comes down to six variables. The FORMAT Framework gives you a clear way to evaluate each one:

F: File format needs

Do you need ebook files only, or do you also need a print edition?

Vellum Ebooks handles ebook-only at $199.99. Vellum Press handles both at $249.99. If you need print (and most coaches building authority around a physical book do), you want Vellum Press.

If you need formats beyond standard retailer files (for example, a custom branded PDF workbook for your coaching clients), Vellum is not the right tool. It produces retailer-standard files, not custom-designed documents.

O: Operating system

Do you use a Mac running macOS 13 or newer?

This is a binary question. Yes means Vellum is technically available to you. No means it is not, regardless of any other factor.

R: Ready manuscript

Do you have a complete, edited manuscript ready to format?

Vellum needs words to format. If you are still in the drafting or editing phase, purchasing Vellum before your manuscript is complete is premature. Complete your draft and editing pass first.

M: Money model

Do you prefer a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription?

Vellum's one-time pricing ($249.99 for the full version) is a better fit for coaches who dislike ongoing software subscriptions and plan to publish multiple books. For coaches who want to manage cash flow with a smaller monthly commitment, subscription-based tools that bundle writing, formatting, and cover design into a single monthly fee may fit the budget structure better.

A: AI assistance needed

Do you need help writing the book, or only help formatting a completed manuscript?

If you need writing help, Vellum is the wrong starting point. It has no AI features and does not assist with content. You need a platform that includes AI drafting and manuscript development, then come back to formatting when the content is ready.

If your manuscript is complete and you just need clean, professional formatting, Vellum is purpose-built for exactly this.

T: Team size

Are you the only person who will work in this tool, or do you need collaboration?

Vellum is strictly single-user, single-machine. Solo coaches who manage their own production from start to finish are well-served by it. Coaches who rely on VAs, co-authors, or editors who need access to the formatting environment need a cloud-based or multi-user tool.

Reading the scorecard: If you answered Mac (O), yes to ready manuscript (R), and solo (T), Vellum is worth serious consideration. If you answered no to any of O, R, or (implicitly, through needing AI) A, look at alternatives before purchasing.

Vellum vs. Alternatives for Coaches in 2026

The book formatting market has changed considerably in the past two years. Vellum used to be the clear leader for anyone who could run it. The landscape is more competitive now. Here is how it stacks up against the tools coaches actually use:

Vellum vs. Atticus ($147)

Atticus is the most direct Vellum competitor and the alternative most coaches on Windows are directed toward. At $147 for a one-time purchase, it costs less than either Vellum tier.

What Atticus has that Vellum does not:

• Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebook support (runs in a browser)
• Over 1,500 font options versus Vellum's 26
• 17+ theme templates versus Vellum's 8 style templates
• True footnotes (Vellum converts all footnotes to endnotes, which matters for heavily annotated nonfiction)
• Heading hierarchy down to H6, which matters for complex nonfiction with multiple subhead levels
• Callout boxes for pulling key points out of body text (popular in coaching books)
• Cloud storage with automatic backups
• Collaboration capability for multiple users
• A built-in writing environment with goal tracking

What Vellum has that Atticus does not:

• A longer track record of proven production quality
• Slightly more polished default theme aesthetics (subjective, but commonly noted in reviews)
• ARC generation in both EPUB and MOBI simultaneously
• Full print PDF/X-1a compliance without extra configuration

For coaches on Windows: Atticus is essentially your primary option in this tier. It is a strong product.

For coaches on Mac choosing between the two: Atticus at $147 versus Vellum Press at $249.99 is a $103 difference. If you need footnotes, callout boxes, or collaboration, Atticus is better regardless of price. If you want the established Vellum workflow and aesthetics and you are happy on Mac, the premium may be worth it to you.

For coaches comparing the two for nonfiction specifically: Atticus has more nonfiction-oriented features (callout boxes, heading hierarchy, true footnotes). Vellum was built with fiction in mind and added nonfiction support. The difference shows in the details. Some reviewers now position Atticus as the stronger choice for most author types.

Vellum vs. Built&Written ($15/month)

Built&Written is a different category of tool and the comparison requires understanding that difference.

Vellum formats manuscripts. Built&Written helps you produce the manuscript.

Built&Written is an AI-powered platform designed for coaches, consultants, and business experts who want to turn their expertise into a published book. It uses a technology called Voice DNA that learns from writing samples you provide, then generates and expands content in your voice. The platform handles the full production cycle from drafted content through to formatted, Amazon KDP-ready files.

At $15 per month, it is a subscription rather than a one-time purchase. Over a year, that is $180, or roughly the same as Vellum Ebooks.

Where Built&Written fits coaches better than Vellum:

• You do not yet have a finished manuscript (BW helps you produce one)
• You are on Windows (BW is web-based and runs anywhere)
• You want cover design, formatting, and publishing in a single platform
• You prefer a lower monthly commitment over a large upfront purchase
• You are publishing your first book and need more guidance through the process

Where Vellum fits coaches better than Built&Written:

• Your manuscript is already complete and editing is done
• You are a Mac user who prefers dedicated tools for specific jobs
• You want maximum control over typographic fine points
• You are formatting your third or fourth book and the one-time cost makes financial sense

The key distinction is workflow stage. If you are at the beginning (expertise in your head, no manuscript yet), Built&Written addresses your actual current problem. If you are at the end (complete manuscript, need production files), Vellum is purpose-built for that final mile.

For a deeper comparison of Built&Written against other tools, see the guide to AI book writing tools for coaches and the complete comparison of book formatting tools for KDP.

Vellum vs. Microsoft Word (free with most subscriptions)

Word is what most coaches use by default before they discover there are better options.

Word can produce acceptable KDP files. Many coaches have published with Word-formatted interiors and gotten their books to market. But the gap between Word output and Vellum output is visible: widow/orphan handling, hyphenation, gutter margins, and chapter openers all require manual effort in Word that Vellum handles automatically.

The math favors any dedicated formatting tool over Word for coaches who plan to publish more than one book. The time saved on each project is worth more than the tool cost.

Vellum vs. Reedsy Book Editor (free)

Reedsy offers a free browser-based formatting tool that produces competent files. For a coach on a tight budget publishing a single title, it is worth considering.

Limitations: fewer styles than Vellum, less control over typographic details, no ARC generation, no box set capability. It covers the basics and nothing beyond.

For coaches producing one book as a credibility piece with no plans to revisit it, Reedsy is a reasonable free alternative. For coaches building a body of published work, the production limitations become friction faster.

What Changed in Vellum in 2025 and 2026

Vellum has released consistent updates over the past 18 months. If you read an older review of the software and found it lacking in certain areas, the current version may address some of those concerns.

Vellum 4.0 (November 2025) was the most significant release in several years. The headline additions were subheadings and expanded heading controls. Before 4.0, Vellum's nonfiction support was limited to two heading levels (chapter title and one subhead tier). Version 4.0 introduced four organizational heading levels, each coordinated with the book's style, with an option to include or exclude each level from the table of contents. This directly addresses one of the most common criticisms of Vellum for nonfiction authors.

The same release also gave authors finer control over heading spacing, title scaling, alignment, and chapter number formatting through a new Heading Preset Settings panel. For coaches who organize their content with multiple subhead tiers (a common structure in how-to and framework-based books), this brings Vellum closer to parity with Atticus on the nonfiction formatting front.

Vellum 4.1 (March 2026) extended these heading controls further based on user feedback collected after the 4.0 release. It also improved Word import handling, reducing the amount of manual cleanup required after bringing in a manuscript from Word or Google Docs (which requires exporting to Word first). A subsequent update in April 2026 added a word count graph tool and improved Word export for lists and footnotes.

One important update for KDP publishers: A February 2026 update (version 4.0.3) changed Vellum's print output to remove the Lucida Grande font, which Amazon KDP had flagged as prohibited. If you are using Vellum for KDP print and you have not updated to at least version 4.0.3, install the update before exporting your print files. This change is automatic for current users via the built-in update mechanism.

What has not changed: Vellum remains Mac-only. The platform limitation is not under consideration for change based on any public communication from the company. If you are waiting for a Windows version, the current evidence suggests that wait is open-ended. Atticus or other cross-platform tools are the practical path for coaches on Windows.

The net effect of these updates is that Vellum is a notably stronger nonfiction tool in 2026 than it was in 2024. The subheading support and improved heading controls address the most common complaints from business book authors. If you evaluated Vellum before late 2025 and concluded it was too limited for your nonfiction structure, the current version is worth a second look on that specific question.

Setting Up Vellum: A First-Session Walkthrough

If you have a Mac and a manuscript, here is what your first Vellum session looks like.

Step 1: Download and install

Vellum is available directly from vellum.pub. Download, install, and launch. The interface opens on a clean welcome screen. No account creation required for the trial.

Step 2: Start a new project and import your manuscript

Click "New Book." Vellum asks for your book title and author name, then prompts you to import your manuscript. Select your Word file. Import takes a few seconds for most book-length documents.

Step 3: Check your chapter structure

After import, your chapters appear in the left sidebar. If your Word document used proper heading styles (Heading 1 for chapter titles), Vellum reads them correctly. If your document used bold text or manual formatting instead of Word heading styles, you may need to assign chapter breaks manually. This takes a few minutes on a first book but teaches you to structure Word documents correctly for future imports.

Step 4: Choose a Book Style

Open the Style panel. Browse the available styles. Click one to see an instant full-book preview. Pick the style that matches your brand and the tone of your content. Nonfiction coaching books tend to look best with cleaner, more modern styles rather than ornate fiction-leaning themes.

Step 5: Set up front and back matter

Add your title page, copyright page, and dedication in the front matter section. Add an About the Author page and any other back matter you want. Vellum generates the table of contents automatically from your chapter structure.

Step 6: Configure print settings (Vellum Press only)

If you are creating a print edition, set your trim size. For a coaching book in the 40,000 to 70,000 word range, 6x9 inches is the most common choice and what most coaches go with for KDP print. Vellum automatically adjusts margins and gutters for your page count and trim size selection.

Step 7: Preview and refine

Use the device preview panel to check your ebook on simulated Kindle and phone views. Check the print preview for any widows, orphans, or formatting quirks you want to adjust. If something looks off, Vellum's settings panel gives you controls for spacing, ornament choice, drop cap behavior, and other details.

Step 8: Export

Click Export. Choose your output types. Vellum creates a folder with all your files. The print PDF goes to KDP's interior upload. The EPUB files go to KDP (for Kindle) and other retailers via Draft2Digital or direct submission.

The first session from import to export typically takes two to four hours for coaches who have never used Vellum before. Subsequent books take less time as the process becomes familiar.

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Key Takeaway: Vellum's strongest case is a Mac-using coach with a completed manuscript who plans to publish more than one book. The one-time $249.99 covers unlimited projects with lifetime updates, which makes the math work clearly when spread across two or three titles. For coaches still writing their first book, or anyone on Windows, start with a different tool and return to the Vellum question when the manuscript exists.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vellum worth it for a first-time author?

If you are on a Mac and your manuscript is complete, yes. The one-time cost is equivalent to hiring a formatter for one book, and Vellum covers all your future books at no additional cost. If you do not yet have a manuscript, invest your time and budget in a writing platform first.

What is the difference between Vellum Ebooks and Vellum Press?

Vellum Ebooks ($199.99) produces ebook files only: EPUB 3, EPUB 2, and retailer-specific packages for Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and others. Vellum Press ($249.99) adds print book formatting, specifically the print PDF files required by KDP, IngramSpark, and other print-on-demand distributors. For a coaching book that you plan to sell both as an ebook and in physical form, Vellum Press is the right version. If you are planning an ebook-only release, Vellum Ebooks is sufficient. You can upgrade later at the difference in price ($99.99) if your plans change.

Does Vellum support nonfiction formatting?

Better than it used to. Before the Vellum 4.0 release in late 2025, Vellum's nonfiction support was limited: only two heading levels, no callout boxes, and endnotes only. The 4.0 update added four heading levels, finer heading control, and better Word import for complex documents. As of May 2026, Vellum handles nonfiction structure well for most coaching books. Where it still falls short of Atticus: no callout boxes, no footnotes (endnotes only), and fewer font options. For a straightforward coaching book with chapter titles and one or two subhead tiers, Vellum in 2026 is fully capable.

Can Vellum import Google Docs files?

Not directly. Vellum's importer accepts Word (.docx) files. If you write in Google Docs, export your document to Word format (File > Download > Microsoft Word .docx), then import that Word file into Vellum. The conversion is generally clean for text content. Images embedded in Google Docs may need to be re-inserted after import depending on how they were placed in the original document.

What happens after I export from Vellum?

You have your files. The next step is uploading them to the publishing platforms you are targeting. For Amazon KDP, you upload the print PDF to the paperback section and the Kindle file to the ebook section. For Apple Books, Kobo, and others, you can either distribute directly to each platform or use an aggregator like Draft2Digital or PublishDrive, which takes your Vellum EPUB and distributes it to multiple retailers through a single submission. Vellum does not interact with any publishing platform directly; it creates files and you upload them manually.

Is Vellum good for publishing a workbook alongside my main book?

Vellum produces books: narrative pages, chapter structures, front and back matter. A coaching workbook with fill-in fields, tables, and exercise prompts is a different design format. Vellum will format the text content of a workbook, but it does not produce forms, custom tables, or interactive PDF elements. For workbooks, a tool that gives you more layout control (such as InDesign or a specialized workbook design service) is more appropriate. For a companion text or reference guide in standard book format, Vellum is fine.

Can I use Vellum on Windows?

No. Vellum is Mac-only and requires macOS 13 or newer. There is no Windows version, no web version, and no workaround. Coaches on Windows should look at Atticus ($147), which runs in a browser on any operating system and handles both ebook and print formatting.

Does Vellum work with KDP?

Yes. Vellum exports print PDFs that meet KDP's PDF/X-1a requirements, and its ebook files are compatible with KDP's Kindle format requirements. Many coaches use Vellum files to publish on KDP without any additional conversion step.

Does Vellum include cover design?

No. Vellum handles interior formatting only. You need a separate cover file for KDP publishing. Cover design options for coaches include hiring a designer, using KDP's Cover Creator tool (free, basic), or using an AI-powered platform that includes cover generation in its feature set.

How many books can I format with Vellum?

Unlimited books with no additional fees. The one-time purchase covers you permanently. This is one of Vellum's most appealing characteristics for coaches who plan to build a library of titles over time.

What file formats does Vellum accept as input?

Vellum accepts Word (.docx) files. It does not accept plain text files directly, Google Docs (export from Google Docs to Word first), Scrivener (export to Word from Scrivener first), or PDFs.

Does Vellum have an AI writing assistant?

No. Vellum is a formatting tool with no content generation features. If you need AI assistance with writing, outline structure, or drafting chapters, you need a different platform. Vellum enters your workflow after the manuscript is complete.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Vellum offers an unrestricted trial: you can format your entire book and see all previews before purchasing. Trial exports are watermarked and cannot be used commercially, but the trial lets you fully evaluate the product before committing.

What happens if Amazon changes its file requirements?

Vellum updates its export engine when platform requirements change, and those updates are free for existing customers. This has happened multiple times since Vellum launched and the company has kept pace with platform changes.

How does Vellum compare to Built&Written for coaches?

They solve different problems. Vellum formats a manuscript you have already written. Built&Written helps you produce the manuscript using AI assistance, then handles formatting and KDP-ready output. If you have a completed manuscript and a Mac, Vellum is the purpose-built formatting choice. If you are still in the writing phase, or want a single platform from concept to published file, Built&Written is the more comprehensive starting point. See the full AI book writing tools comparison for coaches for a side-by-side look.

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Sources

• Vellum software features and pricing confirmed at vellum.pub
• Atticus pricing and feature comparison via Kindlepreneur's Atticus vs Vellum comparison (kindlepreneur.com)
• Platform availability and ebook format details from Vellum's official feature documentation
• KDP formatting requirements from Amazon KDP's help center guidelines
• Reedsy Book Editor capabilities from reedsy.com/book-editor