Koberger vs Vivliostyle
Koberger
koberger.appVivliostyle
vivliostyle.orgSide by side
| Figure | Koberger | Vivliostyle |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Book Layout Software | 8.3 (#8) | 8.2 (#10) |
| Spec score · eBook Creation Software | 8.4 (#8) | 8.2 (#11) |
| Integrations | The site names Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Apple Books, and Kobo as stores its exported files are intended to work with. | Viewer can display HTML files hosted on GitHub or Gist, and it can be copied into a public directory on a web server for website use. |
| Purpose | Koberger formats manuscripts into EPUB and print PDF files for indie authors. | Vivliostyle is an open-source typesetting project for digital and web publishing based on web standards. |
| Support | Support for account and export questions is available by email, and the contact page suggests including account email, browser, operating system, and the task being attempted. | The project directs users to documentation, GitHub contribution channels and a Slack development community. |
Plans
Koberger
- Free accountFree
- Koberger Pro Monthly$9.99 a month
- Koberger Pro Annual$59.94 a year
In their own words
Koberger
Koberger formats manuscripts into EPUB ebooks and print PDFs for indie authors. It imports files from Word, Pages, and Google Docs, recognizing chapters, headings, and section breaks. Authors can adjust ready-made designs, typography, spacing, chapter headings, and ornaments, then save presets for reuse. Page layouts and blocks cover title, copyright, dedication, acknowledgements, glossary, and bibliography pages. Preview ebook and paperback pages, or share a private read-only preview link with editors and beta readers. Pro exports EPUB, Print PDF, and DOCX, with bulk export for multiple books; it can also create watermarked advance review EPUBs. Saved sections and designs can carry across a series, with consistency checks. Koberger says its EPUB output passes store checks and includes accessibility information, and provides pre-export checks for common ebook problems. It runs in a browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, or Chromebook without installation. The free account supports formatting, design, layout, and preview, but finished-file export requires Pro. Pro Monthly costs $9.99 a month for one book; Pro Annual costs $59.94 a year for a catalogue.
Vivliostyle
Vivliostyle is an open-source typesetting project for digital and web publishing based on web standards. Vivliostyle Viewer presents HTML with CSS typesetting in a browser and can display EPUB files and web publications. The command-line tool typesets HTML and CSS and exports PDFs, including PDFs generated from EPUB files. For print production, its PRESS-READY option supports PDF/X-1a output and requires Ghostscript and Xpdf.
Vivliostyle Pub is a web application for editing text, Markdown, or HTML and previewing typesetting; its new version is in alpha. Themes are distributed as npm packages and applied through vivliostyle.config.js. Viewer can display HTML hosted on GitHub or Gist, or be copied into a public web-server directory. The CLI requires Node.js, and the installation tutorial lists macOS, Windows, and Linux. Vivliostyle uses AGPLv3, which allows modification and commercial use subject to reciprocal license terms. Its FAQ says publications made with the software need not publish their HTML or CSS source data. The project is maintained by Vivliostyle Foundation.