Galley as a Reedsy Studio alternative
Last reviewed July 2026
The facts first: Reedsy Studio is free writing and formatting software from the Reedsy marketplace. It runs in the browser and makes an EPUB and print PDF from a set of templates. Galley (€199 once) lets you choose the layout yourself (six trim sizes, 35 typefaces, your own ornaments) and write on that page, and it has a story bible, revision checks and version history.
Reedsy Studio is popular for good reason. You can write in it, format the book with its templates, and export an EPUB and print PDF, all for free. It's free because Reedsy makes its money from the marketplace of paid editors and designers, and Studio brings writers to it.
What writers usually want more of is control. With templates, most of the decisions about the interior are made for you. In Galley you make them yourself (trim size, typeface, chapter ornaments, scene-break art) and you see them on the page while you write. Galley also has the tools a novel needs as it grows: characters with aliases, a timeline, a glossary that becomes a page at the back, and snapshots of every chapter.
| Feature | Galley | Reedsy Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €199 once | Free |
| Business model | You're the customer | Marketplace on-ramp |
| Draft on a true trim-size page | Yes, six trims, 35 typefaces | No, template preview |
| Interior control (ornaments, scene-break art) | Yes, book-wide | Template-defined |
| Story bible | Characters, locations, timeline, world notes | No |
| Revision analytics | Built in | No |
| Watermarked beta-reader copies | Per reader, file or link | No |
| KDP preflight | Yes | No |
| EPUB & print PDF export | Yes | Yes |
Templates or your own layout
For a first book with a standard layout, Reedsy Studio might be all you need. Its formatting uses templates, so the trim, typeface, chapter openings and scene breaks are mostly decided for you. That's easier if you don't want to think about them, and frustrating once you do.
In Galley you choose from six trim sizes and 35 book typefaces licensed for commercial publishing, and add your own chapter ornaments and scene-break art. You see all of it on the page while you write.
The business model is different too. Reedsy makes its money when you hire editors and designers through its marketplace. Galley makes its money from the €199 licence, and that's it.
Choose Reedsy Studio if…
- It's your first book and you don't want to spend anything
- One of its templates works for your book
- You're planning to hire editors or designers through Reedsy anyway
Choose Galley if…
- You want to choose the trim size, typeface and ornaments yourself
- You want a story bible, revision checks and version history for your novel
- You'd rather pay once for the software than be sold services
Common questions
Reedsy Studio is free, so why pay €199 for Galley?
If one of Reedsy’s templates works for your book, use it, because it’s free. Galley gives you more control and more tools: six trim sizes and 35 typefaces (for Latin, Arabic, Devanagari, Japanese and more) that you write in directly, your own chapter ornaments, a story bible, name-consistency and overused-word checks, version history for each chapter, watermarked beta drafts, and a KDP preflight check.
Is Reedsy Studio really free?
Yes. Reedsy is a marketplace that connects authors with paid editors, designers and marketers, and Studio is a free part of it.
Can I move from Reedsy Studio to Galley?
Yes. Export your manuscript as a .docx and import it into Galley. It splits into chapters on your headings.
Reedsy Studio's details were checked in July 2026, so check reedsy.com for anything newer. If I've got something wrong, email me and I'll fix it.