Vellum
Vellum is a Mac-only desktop application (by 180g) that formats ebooks and print books for self-published authors. Sold as perpetual one-time licenses ($199.99 Ebooks / $249.99 Press), it generates store-optimized files for Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, and IngramSpark.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersLong Island City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Vellum does
Vellum is a Mac-only desktop application for formatting ebooks and print books, built and operated by parent company 180g out of Long Island City, NY. Its core technology is a native macOS application backed by a proprietary book formatting engine that automatically handles typesetting tasks (margins, page numbering, widow/orphan handling, spread-balancing) and generates optimized output files for Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and print-on-demand services like KDP and IngramSpark. The platform integrates with BookFunnel for ARC distribution, MacinCloud for Windows users, and supports accessibility (ACE-approved output, EPUB 3/2 validation). Optional Apple Intelligence Writing Tools (Proofread and Rewrite) were added via Apple's Private Cloud Compute, representing a thin AI layer on top of a deterministic product.
The company sells to self-published authors under a product-led growth model with no sales team. Authors download Vellum for free, import manuscripts, preview their book, and only purchase a license when ready to publish. Two tiers are offered: Vellum Ebooks at $199.99 (ebook-only) and Vellum Press at $249.99 (ebook + paperback/hardcover), both as perpetual one-time licenses with unlimited book creation and free lifetime updates. Upsells from Ebooks to Press run at $69.99. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer via vellum.pub, the in-app purchase flow, and store.vellum.pub. Marketing is primarily content-driven (blog, help docs, organic social) supplemented by Facebook and Google paid acquisition.
Vellum has operated since 2012 with 11-50 employees and serves a long-tail base of self-published fiction writers across genres (romance, fantasy, thriller, YA, etc.). The customer mix is entirely SMB/individual, with no enterprise tier. Revenue, funding history, and headcount trends are not publicly disclosed, and the company appears to operate as a bootstrapped, profitable lifestyle business under the 180g parent entity.
Vellum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vellum
- Legal name
- Vellum (registered trademark of 180g)
- Website
- https://vellum.pub
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Vellum is a Mac-only desktop application (by 180g) that formats ebooks and print books for self-published authors. Sold as perpetual one-time licenses ($199.99 Ebooks / $249.99 Press), it generates store-optimized files for Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, and IngramSpark.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vellum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Desktop Publishing Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210), Software Publishers (5132), Other Publishers (51319)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Publishing Creation & Formatting Tools (EPUB, conversion, layout) (MPAJAMAG)
Keywords
Where Vellum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Long Island City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Vellum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software License Sales: One-time purchase model where customers buy a perpetual license for either Vellum Press (ebook + print) or Vellum Ebooks (ebook only). No subscription or recurring fees. Free updates included with purchase.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Vellum Press - Full ebook and print formatting |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Vellum Ebooks - Ebook-only formatting |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Vellum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vellum is a native macOS desktop application that formats and generates professional ebooks (EPUB 3/EPUB 2/MOBI) and print-ready PDFs for self-published authors. It automates margin setup, page numbering, widow/orphan handling, and spread-balancing, and produces store-specific files for Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, plus print-ready PDFs for Amazon KDP and IngramSpark.
Product overview
Vellum is a single desktop application for macOS that provides professional book formatting for authors. The product is offered in two tiers: Vellum Press ($249.99) enables unlimited ebook and print creation (paperback and hardcover), while Vellum Ebooks ($199.99) is ebook-only and can be upgraded to Press for $69.99. A free download tier allows authors to explore the interface and preview books before purchasing. All tiers include free lifetime updates. The software handles ebook generation for major platforms (Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble), print-ready PDF output, automatic layout features, and extensive styling options including accessible styles, backgrounds, and borders. No subscription is required—purchases are one-time with perpetual access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Vellum Press Desktop publishing software for Mac that lets authors create unlimited ebooks and print editions (paperback and hardcover), including all styling, formatting, and generation capabilities. Sold as a one-time $249.99 purchase with free lifetime updates.
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands of books published
Companies that use Vellum
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Vellum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability2 records
Feature7 records
Vellum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vellum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Atticus: Atticus is a cross-platform (Windows/Mac) book writing and formatting tool that directly competes with Vellum by offering one-time-purchase ebook and print formatting for self-published authors. It is the closest comparable in product, pricing model, and target customer.
- Scrivener: Scrivener is a long-established writing and manuscript organization tool with one-time licensing that helps authors compile and export manuscripts for ebook and print. It overlaps with Vellum on the authoring-to-formatting workflow for indie and professional authors.
Emerging players
- Reedsy: Reedsy offers a free web-based book editor and formatting tool that produces EPUB and print-ready PDFs for self-published authors. It competes on the formatting step of the indie author workflow that Vellum dominates.
- Draft2Digital: Draft2Digital is an ebook aggregator and formatter that helps indie authors convert manuscripts and distribute to multiple stores. It overlaps with Vellum on multi-store ebook generation and is frequently used alongside it.
- Book Brush: Book Brush is a marketing tool suite for authors offering 3D book mockups, ads, and now formatting/cover tools. It targets the same self-published author segment with an expanding product surface that intersects Vellum's workflow.
- Calibre: Calibre is a free, open-source ebook management and conversion tool widely used by indie authors as a low-cost alternative to Vellum for EPUB conversion and editing. It represents the free-tier competitive floor.
- Sudowrite: Sudowrite is an AI-powered fiction writing assistant that is expanding into formatting and drafting workflows. It competes with Vellum's newer Apple Intelligence features for the AI-assisted authoring mindshare of fiction authors.
Broad incumbents
- Adobe InDesign: Adobe InDesign is the professional desktop publishing standard used by trade publishers and designers for book layout. It serves the same end outcome as Vellum Press but with a much higher learning curve and subscription pricing.
- BookBaby: BookBaby is a self-publishing services company offering book formatting, design, printing, and distribution. It overlaps with Vellum Press on the print formatting step but operates as a paid service rather than DIY software.
- Apple Pages: Apple Pages is a free word processor bundled with macOS that some authors use as a baseline for manuscript creation and basic ebook export. It is the most accessible but least specialized alternative to Vellum on the Mac platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Vellum social profiles
Digital presenceVellum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vellum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Vellum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vellum M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vellum
What does Vellum do?
Vellum is a native macOS desktop application that formats and generates professional ebooks (EPUB 3/EPUB 2/MOBI) and print-ready PDFs for self-published authors. It automates margin setup, page numbering, widow/orphan handling, and spread-balancing, and produces store-specific files for Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, plus print-ready PDFs for Amazon KDP and IngramSpark.
Is Vellum a public or private company?
Vellum is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vellum founded?
Vellum was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Vellum based?
Vellum is headquartered in Long Island City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Vellum make money?
One revenue line is on record: software License Sales.
Who are Vellum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Atticus and Scrivener. Emerging players are Reedsy, Draft2Digital, Book Brush, Calibre and Sudowrite. Broad incumbents are Adobe InDesign, BookBaby and Apple Pages.
Does Vellum have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vellum.
What industry is Vellum in?
Vellum's product category is Desktop Publishing Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAMAG, Digital Publishing Creation & Formatting Tools (EPUB, conversion, layout). Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 2741.