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Publishing · head to head

Blurb vs Sigil

Blurb logo

Blurb

Publishing

Visual storytelling through print-on-demand books and wall art

From
$3.99/unit
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sigil logo

Sigil

Publishing

Open source EPUB editor for working directly on the file, not generating it

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Sigil has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Blurb print-on-demand model; no subscription plans or seat limits; Sigil it produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blurb and Sigil actually diverge.

Attributes where Blurb and Sigil differ
AttributeBlurbSigil
Starting price$3.99/unitFree
Pricing modelusage-basedOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWindows, macOS, Linux

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Publishing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Blurb

Nothing recorded that Sigil does not also cover.

Only in Sigil

  • Direct EPUB editing
  • Code and preview views
  • EPUB 2 and EPUB 3
  • Regex across files
  • Validation
  • Python plugins

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Blurb

  • Self-publishingnot Sigil
  • Print marketing materialsnot Sigil

Sigil

  • Fixing an EPUB that a retailer validator has rejected, without re-exporting from the tool that generated itnot Blurb
  • Correcting the table of contents, reading order or metadata in a file supplied by a conversion servicenot Blurb
  • Preparing a back-catalogue title where the only surviving source is the EPUB itselfnot Blurb
  • Applying a consistent stylesheet or a bulk text correction across every chapter of a book at oncenot Blurb

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Blurb

  • Print-on-demand model; no subscription plans or seat limits
  • Per-page costs add $0.04-$3.50 depending on product type
  • Volume discounts require minimum orders

Sigil

  • It produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
  • Meaningful use requires reading and writing HTML and CSS, which puts it out of reach of most authors who simply want a finished file.
  • There is no cloud storage, sync or collaboration, so the book exists as a file on one machine and version control is whatever you set up yourself.
  • Development depends on a small number of volunteer maintainers, so release timing and platform builds follow their availability rather than a roadmap, and a lapse in maintenance would leave no obvious successor.
  • It provides no distribution, no retailer connection and no Kindle-native output, so it sits in the middle of a workflow that other tools have to complete on both sides.

Pricing, plan by plan

Blurb

$3.99/unit
  • Paperback$3.99/unit
  • Photo Books$12/unit
  • Notebooks$12/unit
  • Wall Art$65/unit

Sigil

Free
  • SigilFree
    • GPL licensed with no cost or account required
    • Full functionality with no feature gating
    • Community support through forums and the issue tracker

Which should you pick?

Choose Blurb if

Nothing in the data separates Blurb from Sigil on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Blurb review

Choose Sigil if

  • You need direct epub editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want code and preview views.
Sigil review

Questions people ask

Is Blurb or Sigil better?
Neither clearly leads. Blurb starts at $3.99/unit and Sigil at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blurb or Sigil?
Sigil has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3.99/unit for Blurb and Free for Sigil.
Does Blurb or Sigil run on more platforms?
Blurb runs on Web. Sigil runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Sigil for free?
Yes. Sigil has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Blurb starts at $3.99/unit.
What is Blurb best used for?
Blurb is most often used for self-publishing, print marketing materials. Of those, self-publishing and print marketing materials are not what Sigil is typically brought in for.
What can Blurb do that Sigil cannot?
Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing, Code and preview views, EPUB 2 and EPUB 3, Regex across files.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blurb: What is Blurb's starting price for printed books?

Blurb's paperback books start at $3.99 for a 5x8-inch book with economy color paper, with prices increasing based on size and binding style.

Source
Sigil: Can I write my book in Sigil?

You can, but you should not. It is an EPUB editor, not a word processor, and writing long-form prose in it is unpleasant. Write elsewhere, import, then finish in Sigil.

Blurb: Does Blurb offer volume discounts?

Blurb provides volume discounts: 10-20% for 10-19 copies, 15-20% for 20-49 copies, and 20-25% for 50+ copies depending on product type.

Source
Sigil: Does it make Kindle files?

Not natively. Produce a valid EPUB in Sigil and let Amazon convert it, or use a separate conversion tool for other Kindle formats.

Blurb: What does Blurb charge for photo book printing?

Blurb's photo books start at $12 and can cost up to $159 depending on size (6 sizes available), paper quality, and cover binding option.

Source
Sigil: Is it safe to rely on a volunteer project for commercial work?

The files it produces are standard EPUB, so nothing is locked in. The risk is that maintenance stops, not that your books become unreadable.

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