Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Sigil

Sigil is a multi-platform WYSIWYG ebook editor. It is designed to edit books in ePub format.

Sigil

Sigil Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether Sigil is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • Sigil Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-23

Features & Specs

  1. Open Source

    Sigil is open source, meaning it is free to use and its source code is available for anyone to inspect, modify, and enhance.

  2. WYSIWYG Interface

    The what-you-see-is-what-you-get interface makes it easier for users to format eBooks without needing to understand complex code.

  3. Multi-platform Support

    Sigil runs on multiple operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux, providing flexibility for users across different platforms.

  4. EPUB Support

    Sigil specifically supports EPUB format, allowing users to create and edit industry-standard eBooks securely.

  5. Extensive Editing Features

    The software provides a wide range of editing tools, including metadata editing, table of contents generation, and spell check.

  6. Plugin Support

    Sigil supports plugins, which allow users to extend the software's functionality with additional features.

Badges

Promote Sigil. You can add any of these badges on your website.

SaaSHub badge
Show embed code

Videos

SIGIL Is Really Disappointing (Review) - GmanLives

SIGIL Video Review

So I Tried... SIGIL

Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about Sigil and what they use it for.
  • Where can I go to convert old pulp magazines into epub files?
    Sigil is a gui epub editor that can import those images. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Best website to write a rulebook for ttrpgs
    If iโ€™m only doing an ePub, the Sigil ePub Editor (https://sigil-ebook.com/)) has worked well for me (free). Source: about 3 years ago
  • Can someone test this on their Kobo? (Bionic Reading project)
    Sigil is the epub creator and editor. https://sigil-ebook.com. Source: about 3 years ago
  • How can I rename my ebook files (ePUB and mobi) so they appear on my eReader interface under that name? And is there a way to delete pages from an ebook on Mac? (Kobo reader)
    On Mac, you can use Sigil to edit the metadata, and also remove pages. Source: about 3 years ago
  • EPUB created from Google Docs can't be sent to Kindle
    Another option, better, IMHO, is to download Sigil (https://sigil-ebook.com/), and also download and install the epubcheck plugin for Sigil (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2950625&postcount=1). Then see if Sigil find any issues upon opening your epub, if not, then run the plugin and see if there are any validation issues. The error messages will point at the line of code that is problematical and... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Question on making ebook
    Any issue left unresolved with Calibre can be resolved with Sigil. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Honorifics in the LN
    I've started reading the LN and the use of honorifics really bothered me, so I used sigil and regex to replace them:. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Kindle Formatting frustrations - is this even possible?
    Might want to try Sigil https://sigil-ebook.com/ (has a WYSWYG editor) or Calibre (raw HTML editing) https://calibre-ebook.com/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Is there a decent epub reader for Windows?
    I use the one built into the free and open source Calibre. I also use Sigil, which has the advantage that it lets you customize the css of the book, so you can easily adjust it to suite your preferred style. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Omniscient Reader ePub Novel with Illustrations
    Lastly, if anyone wants to know how I did it, I downloaded Sigil, an epub editor, and took u/the-finnish-guy locations of the images from the pdfs, both dark and white, and added the images where I thought they would fit best. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Need advice on how to format eBook in Atticus and Calibre
    To answer your question. You probably need Sigil if you're not happy with the formatting produced by Atticus. Sigil is superior to Calibre in terms of editing an ePub. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Is there a way to reverse-engineer the process or template used to create a series of ePubs with a specific formatting?
    If you open the previously Epub in Sigil you can edit everything as if it is a word doc, but also dig into the code. The easiest way to get started would be to copy paste the new text into the old file in sigil and save as. Tedious as you may have to go paragraph by paragraph to ensure the formatting remained consistent. It may require you to copy paste from different chapters as well to keep special formatting... Source: about 4 years ago
  • How can i change this weird layout? I just want a simple book-like format not this sliced up bs (.epub format)
    Use Sigil to correct the HTML stylesheet. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Where to upload books now?
    For Epub, you can use the Sigil Epub tool or really, any text editor. Epub is just a zip archive of XHTML files. Here's an explainer with Sigil. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Best practices for ePUBS?
    The open source solution would be Sigil. Not as polished as Vellum, but very powerful and still pretty easy to use. Https://sigil-ebook.com/. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Alternative to Vellum?
    What about Sigil and PageEdit? https://sigil-ebook.com/. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Why is the table contents only showing Chapter X instead of the name of the chapter and how can I fix it?
    For .epub format e-books, there is a companion to calibre, open-source .epub editor, called Sigil, which has good commands for editing the table of contents of an .epub e-book. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Alternative to Scrivener for epub (Kindle) generation? Need Sub-chapters, [1, 1.1, 1.2] [2, 2.1, 2.2], etc. Vellum won't do this. What else is there?
    You can't do that with the Windows version of Scrivener but once you compile/export an ePub from Scrivener, you can do the indentations and a myriad of other edits to the ePub file in Sigil. IMO using Sigil to tidy up is vital if you're creating ePubs with images, tables, bullets lists etc with Scrivener. Source: about 5 years ago
  • How to get the background to be black but the pages themselves to be white with balck text
    Duplicate it, open it with Sigil, and edit the css file to style the text the way you want. An EPUB is just a specific kind of .zip file around a directory of .html files. Source: about 5 years ago
  • Slightly off-topic question Looking to make a digital cookbook for myself.
    Like an ebook? Sigil. Takes some playing, but works great. Source: about 5 years ago
  • How do I do a search-and replace for the entire EPUB file at once?
    Get Sigil, the free, open source epub editor. https://sigil-ebook.com it has a search and replace that operates over the whole book. Source: over 5 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of Sigil

Sigil, an open-source eBook editor primarily used for editing .epub files, consistently garners a positive reception in the realm of eBook creation tools. Its open-source nature and cost-free accessibility make it a go-to option for authors and eBook editors seeking a versatile platform for digital text editing. Public opinion, as gleaned from numerous online discussions, highlights Sigil's robust feature set and ease of use, despite its perceived limitations when compared to commercially polished tools like Vellum.

Key Features and Advantages

One of Sigil's most distinctive attributes is its comprehensive GUI, which seamlessly integrates WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) functionality. This feature is frequently praised by users for simplifying the editing process, especially for individuals who might not be proficient in coding. The tool is lauded for its flexibility in customizing eBooks through direct HTML and CSS editing, which grants editors substantial control over their content's formatting. Users appreciate the tool's support for plugins, which enhances its native capabilities, like the epubcheck plugin for validation, ensuring that eBooks are both aesthetically pleasing and technically sound.

Sigil's multilingual support is another highlight, expanding its utility to a global audience. Furthermore, the inclusion of keyboard shortcuts for important commands optimizes the workflow for power users, contributing to its reputation as a user-friendly, yet potent tool for book creators.

Target Audience and Use Cases

Sigil predominantly appeals to individuals focused on creating or editing .epub format eBooks. It is particularly favored by those involved in formatting complex publications such as rulebooks for tabletop RPGs or novels requiring precise formatting adjustments. The tool's capacity to import images and manage CSS directly has been noted as beneficial for users converting older publications, like pulp magazines, into digital formats.

Additionally, authors converting works created in other software such as Scrivener or Atticus often turn to Sigil for final tweaks and formatting refinements. The search-and-replace functionality that works across entire books is frequently mentioned for its utility in maintaining consistency throughout an eBook.

Limitations and Comparison with Competitors

While Sigil is commended for its powerful editing capabilities, it lacks direct support for exporting to formats other than .epub, a limitation highlighted in comparisons with tools like Calibre and Jutoh. This singular focus requires users to incorporate additional software for broader format compatibility if their distribution method demands it. Unlike Vellum, which is noted for its polished interface, Sigil is sometimes perceived as less visually intuitive.

Despite these limitations, Sigil remains a preferred choice for those seeking granular control over their eBookโ€™s structure and formatting. Its strong open-source community and adaptability position it as a robust option for self-publishers and digital content creators who prioritize control over convenience.

In summary, Sigil embodies a blend of simplicity and capability, celebrated for its depth in customization and accessibility, while encouraging users to engage deeply with their digital text preparations through its comprehensive toolset.

Do you know an article comparing Sigil to other products?
Suggest a link to a post with product alternatives.

Suggest an article

Sigil discussion

Log in or Post with

Is Sigil good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss Sigil here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.