Blurb BookWright vs BookSetter
Blurb BookWright
store.blurb.com
BookSetter
booksetter.comSide by side
| Figure | Blurb BookWright | BookSetter |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 10 | 7 |
| Spec score · Book Layout Software | 9.5 (#1) | 9.0 (#2) |
| Integrations | BookWright supports importing photos from Adobe Lightroom, SmugMug, and Dropbox through Photo Manager. | The reviewed maker pages do not identify third-party integrations or retailer upload integrations; payment is through hosted Stripe Checkout. |
| What it does | BookWright is Blurb’s free desktop application for designing and publishing books and other printed projects. | BookSetter is browser-based software that compiles structured manuscripts into validated ebook and print-ready files. |
Plans
Blurb BookWright
- BookWright softwarePrice not published
- Softcover photo book$12 a month
- ImageWrap Hardcover photo book$32 a month
- Linen Hardcover with Dust Jacket photo book$32 a month
- Layflat photo book$60 a month
- BookWrightFree
- BookWrightFree
- Paperback book, Economy Color, 5×8 in$3.99, paid once
- Paperback book, Standard B&W, 5×8 in$4.99, paid once
- Premium Magazine$7, paid once
BookSetter
- Free First Edition BetaFree
- Targeted update$9, paid once
- Additional launch book$29, paid once
- Regular single book$49, paid once
- 5-book Series Pack$149, paid once
- 10-book Backlist Pack$249, paid once
- 25-book Publisher Pack$499, paid once
In their own words
Blurb BookWright
Blurb BookWright is desktop software for designing custom books, including photo books, paperbacks, hardcovers, magazines, notebooks, and wall art. It provides customizable templates, freestyle grids, typography and cover tools, bleed lines, and trim guides. Image tools support scaling, cropping, enhancement, and auto-retouching powered by Perfectly Clear by EyeQ. Text Flow fits text into frames and accepts Rich Text Format imports, while Photo Manager imports photos from Adobe Lightroom, SmugMug, and Dropbox. Users can work offline in the desktop software, but publishing requires an internet connection and a free Blurb account is needed for features and publishing options. Finished projects can be printed on demand, ordered in bulk, or purchased as PDFs. BookWright is free to use; users pay for a book when they send it to print. Listed requirements include Windows 7, 8, or 10, or macOS 10.13 or later, with 2GB RAM and 500MB storage. Books can be up to 440 pages.
BookSetter
BookSetter is web-based software for turning a manuscript into ebook and print-ready files, with validation reports included in eligible packages. It accepts DOCX, Markdown, TXT, RTF, ODT, HTML, reStructuredText, AsciiDoc, Org, and LaTeX. Authors review a detected Book Map, choose an edition direction, compare rendered proofs, then export files such as print-ready PDF, generic EPUB, Kindle-targeted EPUB, or DOCX content. Reports address EPUB conformance, PDF preflight, accessibility, text integrity, font rights, and reproducibility. Optional metered AI can explain readiness evidence and propose DOCX formatting operations for review; deterministic parsing, rendering, and validation remain authoritative. A limited free beta is available to eligible verified creators for one account-bound manuscript package, subject to fair-use limits. Paid options include a $49.00 USD single-book package, alongside one-time targeted updates and multi-book packs. BookSetter prepares files but does not upload or distribute books to retail marketplaces. The terms say users retain manuscript ownership under a limited service license.