Sigil
Sigil is a free, open-source editor for creating and formatting EPUB ebooks.
What Sigil is
Sigil is a free, open-source editor for creating and formatting EPUB ebooks. It supports EPUB 2 and EPUB 3, with both Code View and Preview View for working on a book. Users can edit EPUB syntax directly and generate a table of contents with multiple heading levels. Sigil can import EPUB and HTML files, images, and style sheets, then mend or prettify imported files. It also includes spell checking with configurable dictionaries and Find & Replace using regular expressions. The program supports third-party plugins, though plugins not authored by Sigil developers are not vetted by them. Downloads are listed for Windows x64, macOS Intel and Arm64, and Linux AppImage. The Windows installer requires Windows 10 version 1809 or newer, and current Sigil requires macOS 13 or newer. Sigil is licensed under GPLv3. Its former Book View WYSIWYG editor has been removed; PageEdit can instead be launched separately through Sigil. The volunteer project points users to its MobileRead forum for support.
Good
- Free and open source under GPLv3.
- Supports EPUB 2 and EPUB 3.
- Includes code and preview views.
- Can generate multi-level tables of contents.
- Imports EPUB, HTML, images, and stylesheets.
Watch out
- Former Book View editor was removed.
- Current macOS version requires macOS 13 or newer.
- Windows installer requires Windows 10 version 1809 or newer.
- Third-party plugins are not vetted by Sigil developers.
Who it suits
Sigil suits people who want to create or format EPUB books, from personal projects to professional publishing. It is available on Linux, macOS, and Windows, subject to the listed operating-system requirements.
Verdict
Sigil offers EPUB editing, import cleanup, and book-structure tools without a software charge. Note the operating-system requirements and the removal of its former WYSIWYG Book View.
Plans and prices
From Sigil's own pricing page, checked 3 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Sigil | Free | Completely free to download and use · Windows, macOS, Linux |
The facts
Each one read from Sigil's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Audience
- The project describes Sigil as suitable for personal ebook formatting and professional editors publishing on multiple platforms.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Download integrity
- Release files have automatically generated SHA-256 checksums available on the GitHub releases page.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Editing features
- It offers Code View and Preview View, direct EPUB syntax editing, and a table of contents generator with multi-level heading support.checked 3 Oct 2026
- EPUB support
- Sigil supports EPUB 2 and EPUB 3 specifications.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Import and cleanup
- Sigil supports importing EPUB and HTML files, images, and style sheets, and can mend or prettify imported files.checked 3 Oct 2026
- License
- Sigil is free and open source under GPLv3.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Operating systems
- The download page lists Windows x64 and macOS Intel and Arm64 downloads, and offers a Linux AppImage.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Plugins
- Sigil supports third-party plugins, which may be open source or proprietary and are not vetted by Sigil developers unless a developer authored them.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Sigil is an EPUB editor designed to help users create and format ebooks.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Release signing
- Since Sigil v0.9.9, Git tags and source archives used for releases are signed with Doug Massay’s PGP key.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Search and spelling
- Sigil includes spell checking with configurable dictionaries and regular expression support for Find & Replace.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Support
- The official user support forum is on MobileRead, and the developers say direct support emails will almost always go unanswered because this is a volunteer community project.checked 3 Oct 2026
- Version requirements
- The Windows installer requires Windows 10 version 1809 or newer, and current Sigil requires macOS 13 or newer.checked 3 Oct 2026
- WYSIWYG editing
- Sigil’s former Book View WYSIWYG editor was removed; the separate PageEdit application can be launched through Sigil’s Open With feature or external editor button.checked 3 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- 2009checked 28 Sep 2026
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