Galley as an Atticus alternative
Last reviewed July 2026
The facts first: Both are browser-based tools you buy once, and both let you write and format a book. Atticus costs about $147 and works for fiction and non-fiction, with a library of formatting themes, profiles for story elements, writing goals and a timeline view. Galley costs €199 and is only for novels. It has no themes, but you write on the trim-size page, glossary and reference pages build themselves, and it has name-consistency and overused-word checks, watermarked beta drafts and a submission package.
Atticus is made by the Kindlepreneur team, and it was one of the first tools to let you write and format in the same place. They release updates regularly. Recent ones include a page-flip EPUB preview, draft mode, a full-book view and a dark theme. It has profiles for characters, locations and objects (with images), goal tracking, and a view of where characters appear across the book. If you publish non-fiction as well, its themes and wider focus are a plus.
Galley only does novels. Instead of an editor with a preview next to it, you write on the book page at your trim size and typeface. Glossary and reference terms are highlighted in the text and turned into numbered pages at the back when you export. There are checks for names and overused words, and the export menu includes the copies novelists send to people: watermarked beta drafts, a proofreading PDF and a submission package for agents.
| Feature | Galley | Atticus |
|---|---|---|
| Price (one-time) | €199 | ~$147 |
| Platforms | Web | Web / PWA |
| Write + format in one tool | Yes | Yes |
| Audience | Novelists only | Fiction and non-fiction |
| Draft directly on the trim-size page | Yes | Editor + book preview |
| Formatting theme library | No, set conventions + your own ornaments | Yes |
| Character / location profiles | Yes, plus timeline & world notes | Yes, with images |
| Auto-numbered references & glossary back matter | Yes | Not published as a feature |
| Name consistency & overused words | Yes | Not published as a feature |
| Watermarked beta-reader drafts | Yes, per reader | Not published as a feature |
| Agent submission package | Yes | Not published as a feature |
| Writing goals & tracking | Yes, per book | Yes |
| Book preview | Print PDF + e-reader reflow | EPUB page-flip preview |
| Exports | Print PDF, EPUB 3, DOCX, Markdown | Print PDF, EPUB, DOCX |
Where they differ
Atticus and Galley are the closest tools on this site. Both let you write and format a book in the browser, and both are a one-time purchase, so the differences are in the details. Atticus does more types of book: it handles non-fiction, has a library of formatting themes, lets you add images to character, location and object profiles, and has years of updates and a big community behind it. It's also cheaper.
Galley only does novels, and has features for fiction that Atticus doesn't list: glossary and reference terms that are highlighted in the text and turned into numbered pages at the back, name-consistency and overused-word checks, watermarked beta drafts for each reader, and a submission package for agents in standard manuscript format. You also write on the trim-size page itself instead of in an editor with a preview.
If you want themes and support for non-fiction, Atticus is the better choice. If you're writing a novel and want to draft on the real page, Galley is.
Choose Atticus if…
- Price matters most, or you publish non-fiction as well as fiction
- You want a library of formatting themes to choose from
- You want a tool with a big community and a long history
Choose Galley if…
- You write novels and want tools made for fiction
- You want to write on the book page instead of looking at a preview
- You want revision checks and beta-reader copies without needing more tools
Common questions
What does Atticus have that Galley doesn’t?
A lower price (~$147 vs €199), a library of formatting themes, story-element profiles that hold images, an established community, and a broader audience including non-fiction. Its updates page shows steady releases, including an EPUB page-flip preview and dark mode.
What does Galley have that Atticus doesn’t?
In Galley you write on the trim-size page itself, instead of in an editor with a separate preview. It also builds and numbers glossary and reference pages in the back matter for you, checks name consistency and overused words, makes watermarked beta drafts for each reader, and generates a submission package for agents.
Can I import my Atticus manuscript?
Yes. Export it as a .docx from Atticus and import it into Galley. It splits into chapters on your headings.
Atticus' details are from atticus.io (including its public updates page) and independent reviews, checked in July 2026. "Not published as a feature" means I couldn't find it listed on their site. Atticus updates often, so check their site for what's new, and email me if something here is out of date.