PodoLay vs Atticus

Short answer: Atticus and PodoLay both run in the browser on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook, and both turn a Word manuscript into a print PDF and an EPUB. They are built for different jobs. Atticus is a writing and formatting app for authors: a one-time $147, chapter themes plus a theme builder, a writing editor with goals, and offline use. PodoLay is a page layout editor modeled on InDesign: master pages, styles, threaded frames and free placement of text, images and tables, with a KDP preflight check, a cover builder that works out the spine, CMYK and PDF/X output, and EPUB 3 free on every plan. Choose Atticus if you want to write and format a text-led book quickly for a single payment. Choose PodoLay if your pages need real design, a trim size outside the usual list, a matching cover, or files for a print shop.

At a glance

	PodoLay	Atticus
Where it runs	In the browser on Windows, Mac, Linux or Chromebook (a recent Chromium browser is recommended); needs an internet connection	In the browser as a Progressive Web App on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook; works online and offline
Price	Free plan ($0, up to 30 pages per layout); Starter $8.99/month (120 pages); Pro $24.99/month (600 pages)	One-time $147 with ongoing updates, unlimited books; 30-day money-back guarantee
Try it	Free plan, no card, every editing feature	Buy, with the 30-day refund window
How you design	Free-form page layout: master pages, paragraph and character styles, threaded frames, images, shapes and tables anywhere on the page	Chapter themes (17 templates) and a custom theme builder; layout follows the theme
Writing	Text editing in frames; no writing goals or word-count tracker	Writing editor with drag-and-drop chapters, book goals, habit tracker and word counter
Manuscript in	Word .docx with styles, footnotes, endnotes and images; InDesign IDML	.docx
Export	Print PDF (Starter and Pro), EPUB 3 (every plan), IDML for InDesign	PDF, EPUB, DOCX
Trim size and bleed	Any page size; bleed amount and inside bleed set by you	Preset trim sizes (no custom trim sizes yet); 0.125 in bleed added automatically for full-page images
Print-shop output	CMYK with ICC profiles, spot colors and separations, crop marks, PDF/X-4; KDP paperback type with PDF/X-1a and transparency flattening	Print-ready PDF for print-on-demand; check their site for color and PDF/X details
Book cover	Cover builder for KDP and other printers with spine width from page count and paper; ebook cover JPEG	Not listed on their site
Long-book tools	Automatic table of contents with PDF bookmarks, footnotes, endnotes, index, running headers	Table of contents, footnotes, volumes and parts, callout boxes, large print

Who Atticus suits

Authors who want one price, forever. $147 once, with updates included and no limit on books or pen names. PodoLay's print PDF export is a monthly subscription.
Writers who draft and format in one place. Atticus has a writing editor with goals and a word counter; PodoLay is a layout tool, not a writing app.
Text-led books with a standard trim. Novels and nonfiction fit Atticus' theme model, and themes give consistent chapter openings with little effort.
Working offline. Atticus works without a connection; PodoLay does not.

Who PodoLay suits

Books where the page itself is designed. Cookbooks, illustrated nonfiction, workbooks, poetry with exact placement, photo books, magazines and flyers: place text, images, shapes and tables freely, with master pages and styles you control.
Unusual trim sizes and print-shop jobs. Any page size, your own bleed, CMYK with ICC profiles, spot colors, crop marks and PDF/X-4 (Starter and Pro).
KDP authors who want a check before upload. Preflight tests trim, page count, the gutter for your page count, margins, bleed, image resolution, small text and thin lines, and the KDP paperback PDF type flattens transparency into PDF/X-1a. See the KDP paperback guide.
Authors who need the cover too. The cover builder sizes the spine and full wraparound cover with bleed. Try the free cover calculator.
Moving work from InDesign. PodoLay imports and exports IDML (PodoLay vs InDesign).
Korean, Japanese and Chinese books. Kinsoku, mojikumi, vertical text and ruby are built in.

What PodoLay does not do

No one-time license. Print PDF export needs a monthly Starter or Pro plan (or one-time PDF passes). The Free plan covers design, proof prints and EPUB export. See pricing.
No offline mode. PodoLay runs in the browser and saves to the server.
No writing tools. No word-count goals, habit tracking or AI writing features.
No ready-made book themes. You build your own styles or bring them in from Word or IDML; the dashboard's templates tab is not available yet.
No Kindle KPF, MOBI or DOCX export. PodoLay exports EPUB 3, which KDP accepts for Kindle eBooks.
No fixed-layout ebook. The EPUB is reflowable; objects outside the text flow are left out unless anchored in the text.
No hardcover cover, and no distribution. The cover builder makes paperback covers; you upload the files to KDP or your printer yourself.

FAQ

Atticus vs PodoLay: which is better for a KDP paperback?

For a novel or plain nonfiction at a standard trim size, Atticus is quicker: pick a theme and export. For a book with designed pages, images that need exact placement, a non-standard trim, or when you want a KDP preflight check and the cover in the same tool, PodoLay gives you more control.

Is PodoLay a one-time purchase like Atticus?

No. PodoLay has a Free plan ($0, up to 30 pages per layout, EPUB export included) and monthly paid plans: Starter $8.99 (up to 120 pages) and Pro $24.99 (up to 600 pages) for print PDF export.

Do both work on a Chromebook?

Yes. Both run in the browser. PodoLay recommends a recent Chromium browser such as Chrome or Edge.

Can PodoLay export EPUB for free?

Yes. EPUB 3 export is free and unlimited on every plan, including Free; it is checked with epubcheck and can embed the fonts you use. Only the per-layout page limit applies.

Can I bring my Word manuscript into PodoLay?

Yes. Import a .docx in the editor (⌘D or Ctrl+D): styles, italics, headings, lists, footnotes, endnotes and images come across and the text flows across new pages.

Sources (checked October 2026)

Atticus — atticus.io (price, platforms, offline, templates, import and export formats, refund guarantee)
Atticus Help Center — Does Atticus support custom trim sizes?, How do I control the bleed size?
PodoLay: pricing, user guide, FAQ

Atticus is a trademark of its owner. PodoLay is not affiliated with Atticus.

Updated October 30, 2026