Reedsy vs Sigil

Last updated: October 21, 2023
Reedsy and Sigil are both software tools used by authors, but they have distinct differences in their features and purposes.

Reedsy is an online marketplace and platform that connects authors with a wide range of publishing professionals and services. It offers a curated selection of editors, designers, marketers, and other industry experts who can assist authors throughout the publishing process. Authors can browse and hire professionals based on their specific needs and budget. Reedsy also provides a book editor, where authors can write and format their manuscripts collaboratively. Additionally, Reedsy offers resources and educational content to help authors learn about the publishing industry and improve their writing skills. It serves as a comprehensive platform for authors to access professional services and support.

On the other hand, Sigil is an open-source e-book editor specifically designed for creating and editing EPUB files, which are widely used in the e-book publishing industry. Sigil provides a user-friendly interface that allows authors to create and manipulate EPUB files directly. It offers features such as WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editing, code view, and validation tools to ensure the compatibility and quality of the e-book files. Sigil enables authors to customize the formatting, structure, and layout of their e-books, making it a valuable tool for self-publishing authors who want full control over the creation process.

Another key difference between Reedsy and Sigil is their focus. Reedsy is primarily focused on connecting authors with publishing professionals and providing a platform for collaboration and support throughout the publishing journey. It caters to authors who may require assistance with various aspects of the publishing process, such as editing, design, marketing, and distribution. On the other hand, Sigil is a standalone software tool that concentrates specifically on the creation and editing of EPUB files. It targets authors who want to self-publish e-books and require advanced control over the structure and formatting of their digital publications.
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Reedsy
Reedsy is free and simple cloud based ebook creation platform. You can either write your whole book there, or copy and paste it in once you are finished. You can add pictures and notes. On the downside, the customizing options are very limited: this is the price you have to pay for them to be able to automatically generate your beautiful book.
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Sigil
Sigil is a free multi-platform EPUB ebook editor (think Word or LibreOffice but specific for EPUB ebooks) with the following features: WYSIWYG editing, Table of Contents generator with multi-level heading support, EPUB 2 spec support with limited EPUB 3 support, multiple views: Book View, Code View and Preview View, Metadata editor, spell checking with default and user configurable dictionaries, import of EPUB and HTML files, images, and style sheets.
Reedsy vs Sigil in our news:

2023. Reedsy Marketplace adds Projects section for book collaboration



Reedsy Marketplace has undergone a complete renovation. Numerous enhancements have been implemented in the background to enhance the user experience, resulting in a much more user-friendly platform. If you're currently engaged with a Reedsy professional, whether it's submitting a request, negotiating an offer, or collaborating on a book, all these activities can now be managed effortlessly using the Projects tab. The system has been reorganized to ensure efficient handling of multiple projects or collaborations. This new system simplifies the tracking of requests, collaborations, payments, and shared files between you and your collaborators. To access all project-related information swiftly, simply tap the arrow on the Manage button for any collaboration. Sharing files with your Reedsy professionals has become a breeze, as you can now drag and drop files directly into messages from your inbox. All the files exchanged between you and Reedsy professionals can be conveniently accessed on your Files page.


2023. Reedsy adds cats to its Writing App



All of these renowned writers - Stephen King, Doris Lessing, Jorge Luis Borges, Alice Walker, and Mark Twain - had a common source of inspiration: their cats. And now, writers using the Reedsy Book Editor can also benefit from feline companionship with the new "Reedsy Cats" feature. By toggling CAT mode after starting a new project, a cute cat will appear in your virtual workspace, ready to keep you company as you work towards your daily word count goals. These virtual kitties will spend their time sleeping and grooming, just like their real-life counterparts, while you focus on writing and boost your productivity.


2023. Sigil now allows to edit Checkpoint descriptions



Free open-source EPUB editor Sigil has released a new version. In this release a variety of bug fixes and new features have been introduced. The update includes the ability for users to edit Checkpoint descriptions for clarity via the Checkpoint menu, and to show the Checkpoint Change Log via the same menu. The release also includes an update to Hunspell 1.7.2 for improved spellchecking, and the latest version of zlib-1.2.13 for enhanced security. Additionally, Sigil has moved away from using the OS system tmp folder for storing Sigil work-in-progress files and instead created a new “workspace” folder inside the Sigil Preferences folder. Finally, the update also includes the new feature of being able to preview and print contents of Sigil's Preview window. Sigil for Linux users are notified that MathJax 3.2.2+ is now required to render MathML in Sigil’s Preview Window.


2022. Sigil adds user templates



Open-source Ebook Editing software Sigil has released version 1.9.20, which includes several new features. Users can now create new empty xhtml and css files from a user-template.xhtml and user-template.css, and the latest version of MathJax (3.2.2) has been added for mathml support in Preview. Additionally, users can now cycle through two different custom stylesheets (or none at all) for use with Preview, and the FindReplace dialog user interface has been redesigned to minimize size while adding features. Other new features include a FindReplace "Text" only checkbox and support to exclude tags from search, a Toggle Line Wrap Mode and its support added to CodeView via pop-up menu, a Dry Run Replace dialog to act as "Replace All" what if (Shift + Count All), a Replacement filter dialog to allow users to delete unwanted replacements before applying Replace All (Shift + Replace All), and a Counts Report to Saved Searches to show Saved Search Group counts by search.


2019. Sigil 1.0 now automatically restructures EPUBs



Sigil-1.0 marks a significant milestone in the history of Sigil. The requirement that all epubs be restructured to conform to Sigil's long-standing standards has finally been lifted. Upon initial loading, the existing epub structure will be loaded and preserved in its current state, without any renaming or moving. While the BookBrowser will still display the Text, Images, Styles, Fonts, Audio, Video, and Misc "folders," these are now considered "virtual folders" that merely organize the existing resources by type, but do not impose any restrictions on their actual location within the epub. A new Appearance Preference has been added to the Preferences settings that will determine whether the book folder's relative path or its shorter unique name (filename) will be displayed in the BookBrowser. Regardless of the setting, the tooltips in the BookBrowser will always show the file's actual book folder relative path. To distinguish between duplicate file names in different subfolders, the longer path will always be displayed, irrespective of the new Appearance Preference.


2019. Reedsy launches Goodreads alternative for indie authors



Reedsy has introduced a new book marketing tool called Discovery, specifically designed to cater to independent authors. This platform offers a direct connection to hundreds of reviewers and thousands of readers. With the help of machine-learning algorithms and Reedsy's community, Discovery helps you find potential readers who would have otherwise remained unaware of your book. It's like Goodreads but for indie authors, with a much-improved interface. After you sign up, your book will be presented to a pool of relevant and experienced reviewers who will select which book to review. On your chosen launch date, your book will be promoted to registered readers who can browse the sample chapter, comment on it, appreciate your cover design, read the reviews, upvote the book, and purchase it through online retailers.


2016. Reedsy launched Google Docs for books



Reedsy, renowned as a marketplace for editors, cover illustrators, and more, has recently introduced a collaborative book editor that facilitates seamless interaction with editors, ultimately leading to the creation of a polished final book. While Reedsy's book editor may not possess the same level of power as Scrivener or Ulysses, its strength lies in its emphasis on collaboration. Think of it as a Google Docs specifically designed for books. With this editor, you can commence your writing process in Scrivener, and then seamlessly transition to Reedsy for the subsequent stages. Operating within your browser, Reedsy's book editor enables writing and editing in real time while automatically saving your progress. Multiple individuals can simultaneously edit the same document, leave comments, and track changes, eliminating the cumbersome back-and-forth process involving Word documents and convoluted file names.


2014. Self-publishing startup Reedsy wants to compete big publishing houses



Self-publishing startup Reedsy has officially launched, providing authors with a platform to collaborate with expert editors, book designers, marketers, and translators to elevate their books to new heights. Reedsy exclusively partners with certified freelancers who possess industry experience, ensuring that authors can find the most suitable professionals for their projects. Freelancers who have been invited to join the beta phase can sign up and create visually appealing profile pages where they can showcase the books they have worked on, highlight their professional affiliations, and outline the types of projects they are interested in. Reedsy is set to become the first curated marketplace for publishing freelancers of its kind. Authors will have the convenience of utilizing Reedsy as a centralized platform to manage every aspect of the publishing process. Additionally, Reedsy is currently developing a dedicated eBook editor that will facilitate seamless collaboration between authors and editors, streamlining the entire workflow.