Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

calibre VS Vellum

Compare calibre VS Vellum and see what are their differences

calibre logo calibre

Ebook manager, viewer & converter

Vellum logo Vellum

Create ebooks for every platform: Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and more.
  • calibre Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-07-10
  • Vellum Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-10

calibre features and specs

  • Open Source
    Calibre is free and open source, meaning it is continually being improved upon by a community of contributors, and there are no costs associated with its use.
  • Wide Format Support
    The software supports a vast array of eBook formats, making it versatile for users who have different types of eBooks.
  • Library Management
    Calibre offers powerful library management tools that allow users to organize and categorize their eBook collections with ease.
  • Conversion Tools
    The software includes robust conversion tools to convert eBooks between different formats, enabling compatibility with various eReaders.
  • Customization
    Offers a high level of customization options, from tweaking the user interface to creating custom metadata fields.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Calibre is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Plugin Support
    Calibre supports plugins, allowing users to extend its functionalities according to their needs.

Possible disadvantages of calibre

  • Complex Interface
    The user interface can be overwhelming for beginners due to its vast features and options.
  • Performance
    Calibre can be slow, especially when handling large libraries or performing format conversions for large eBooks.
  • Resource Intensive
    The software can be resource-intensive, consuming significant CPU and memory during operations like conversion and library management.
  • Aesthetic
    While functional, the user interface is sometimes criticized for being outdated and less visually appealing compared to modern applications.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    Calibre's primary use is on desktop platforms, and its mobile support is limited, making it less convenient for users who primarily use mobile devices.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its vast array of features and customization options, there is a steep learning curve for new users.
  • Updates
    Frequent updates, while generally a positive attribute indicating active development, can sometimes cause disruptions or require users to frequently adapt to changes.

Vellum features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Vellum offers a clean and intuitive design interface that makes it easy for authors to format and publish their ebooks without a steep learning curve.
  • High-Quality Output
    The software produces professional-looking ebooks with elegant formatting and styling, which enhances the appearance of the published work.
  • Multi-format Support
    Vellum allows users to create ebooks in multiple formats, such as ePub and Kindle, enabling distribution across various platforms like Amazon KDP, Apple Books, and more.
  • Customizable Styles
    Authors can customize the look of their ebooks with various styles and layout options to suit their personal tastes and branding.
  • Time-Saving Features
    Automated features like chapter creation and page break insertion save authors time compared to manual formatting.

Possible disadvantages of Vellum

  • Mac-Only Software
    Vellum is only available for macOS, which limits access for authors who use Windows or other operating systems.
  • High Cost
    The one-time purchase cost of Vellum can be high for independent authors, especially for those who only plan to publish a few books.
  • Limited Editing Tools
    Vellum is primarily a formatting tool and offers limited text editing capabilities, which means users may need other software for comprehensive editing.
  • No Built-in Distribution
    While Vellum facilitates the creation of ebooks, it does not provide built-in distribution or publishing services, requiring authors to handle this separately.
  • Internet Activation Required
    Users need to have an internet connection for software activation and certain updates, which might be inconvenient if connectivity is an issue.

calibre videos

Why I Stopped Watching Calibre on Netflix in 10 Minutes! | Flick Connection Podcast Clip (Ep. 11)

More videos:

  • Review - Calibre (2018) - Netflix Movie Review (Non-Spoiler)
  • Review - Calibre: Ending Explained (Netflix Original Movie 2018)
  • Tutorial - Calibre | Free e-Book Software. Getting Started.

Vellum videos

Book Cover Art & Interiors - Review of Vellum & Book Design Template

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Use Vellum
  • Review - Beautiful Ebooks with Vellum
  • Review - DANG this is a GOOD Roguelike! (Vellum Overview)
  • Review - Vellum Review: Should You Use It For Book Design?
  • Review - Book Interior Design - Vellum Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to calibre and Vellum)
eBook Manager
97 97%
3% 3
Design Tools
0 0%
100% 100
eBook Reader
97 97%
3% 3
Ebooks
97 97%
3% 3

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare calibre and Vellum

calibre Reviews

Top 10 Free eBOOK Readers for PC
If you are looking for the best eBook reader for your PC, you can try Calibre. It is a user-friendly and useful eBook managing tool that is a must-have for every reader. Besides being completely open-source and free, Calibre offers users an easy-to-use and comprehensive toolset meant to bring out the best in your eBooks.
Source: updf.com
8 Best eBook Readers for Linux
Calibre is one of the most popular eBook apps for Linux. To be honest, it’s a lot more than just a simple eBook reader. It’s a complete eBook solution. You can even create professional eBooks with Calibre.
Source: itsfoss.com
10 of the Best Ebook Readers for Windows, macOS, and Mobile
The Calibre ebook reader is one of the best ebook management tools to help you read and organize your entire library. Calibre is portable and cross platform, so it’s available on nearly every device you own.
Best 5 eBook Manager
Calibre is a powerful and easy to use e-book manager. calibre ebook management supports organizing existing e-books into virtual libraries, displaying, editing, creating and conversion of e-books, as well as syncing e-books with a variety of e-readers. It also supports many file formats and reading devices. Most e-book formats can be edited, for example, by changing the...
Source: www.epubor.com

Vellum Reviews

We have no reviews of Vellum yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, calibre seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 551 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

calibre mentions (551)

  • anaconda on Xubuntu 24.04
    If I make the environment variable persistent in my .profile, Calibre's ebook reader does not work. - Source: dev.to / 13 days ago
  • All Kindles can now be jailbroken
    I suspect most people that go this route (ie download and manage their own ebooks, then transfer them to their Kindle) use Calibre, which afaik, is unaffected by this change. https://calibre-ebook.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • From RSS to My Kindle
    Very neat. I've been doing this with Calibre (https://calibre-ebook.com/), which involves plugging it into your PC via USB. Simple RSS feeds work with little configuration, and more complicated news sites require writing a custom python "recipe". This project uses Amazon's email gateway, which I think is limited to 25 articles per month (don't quote me on this). - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Gio UI – Cross-Platform GUI for Go
    Lol. One of good cross platform example is Calibre [1], built with Python and Qt. And it’s the only one I carried with me from Windows XP/10 to macOS, through Linux. Another is Sublime Text. [1]: https://calibre-ebook.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Glider – open-source eInk monitor with an emphasis on low latency
    >I'd prefer for it to work as USB stick like other ebooks do Have you tried Calibre? https://calibre-ebook.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
View more

Vellum mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Vellum yet. Tracking of Vellum recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing calibre and Vellum, you can also consider the following products

FBReader - FBReader is an e-book reader for various platforms. Features:

Sigil - Sigil is a multi-platform WYSIWYG ebook editor. It is designed to edit books in ePub format.

Amazon Kindle - Amazon Kindle software lets you read ebooks on your Kindle, iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, and...

Jutoh - Epub editor, convertor and creator software for Mac and PC.

Calibre Web - Calibre Web is a web app providing a clean interface for browsing, reading and downloading eBooks...

WLPPR - Beautiful mobile wallpapers made from satellite imagery

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