EPUB 3, epubcheck-clean.
Semantic markup, accessible to every reader and every store — Apple, Kobo, Google Play, library lending.
Key facts
- Service
- EPUB 3.3 formatting for Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play and library lending.
- Starting price
- From $220 per book.
- Typical turnaround
- 5 to 9 working days from manuscript to epubcheck-clean file.
- Output files
- EPUB 3.3 package, passing epubcheck report, PDF proof and editable source.
- Accessibility
- WCAG-aligned tagging on every file: headings, language, alt text, reading order.
- Revisions
- One full revision round plus thirty days of corrections after sign-off.
A file that passes everywhere.
EPUB 3.3, valid markup, accessible reading order — fit for every storefront a reader might walk into.
- EPUB 3.3 package with a passing epubcheck report shipped alongside the file.
- Semantic structure — chapters, parts, frontmatter and backmatter tagged with epub:type, not just CSS.
- Navigation document — nav.xhtml, page-list, landmarks — so screen readers and library systems find their footing.
- Embedded fonts where licensing permits, with a documented fallback stack for the apps that strip them.
- WCAG-aligned accessibility — alt text, language tags, reading order, MathML where the book needs it.
- Reader-app screenshot pack — Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, Thorium — so you sign off seeing the book as readers will.
- Metadata sheet — ONIX-friendly title, contributors, BISAC, accessibility metadata for storefront filtering.
- Optional KDP twin — a KPF variant of the same file, packaged on request.
Five passes, then ship.
Each stage is reviewed before the next begins. No file goes out unchecked.
The manuscript audit.
We read the file end to end, note the structural decisions, write a one-page brief and styling sheet.
The semantic mark-up.
Sections, parts, chapters, footnotes, asides — each given the right epub:type, not styled in by hand.
The accessibility pass.
Reading order, alt text, language tags, MathML where prose needs equations. Schema for storefronts.
The epubcheck pass.
Validated against EPUB 3.3. Cleared in Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, Thorium. Report shipped with the file.
The handover.
You receive the EPUB, the working source, the stylesheet, the report and a notes file. The book is yours.
Recent EPUB 3 builds.
A small cross-section of the files that left the studio this year.
A few notes received.
Authors and small presses who shipped through our build queue.
Three editions.
Fixed-price proposals. Quoted in writing within 48 hours of brief.
- EPUB 3.3 validated by epubcheck
- Nav doc, page-list, landmarks
- One revision round, source files released
- Screenshot pack: Apple Books, Kobo, Thorium
- EPUB 3.3 + parallel KPF for Amazon
- Accessibility metadata for storefront filtering
- Embedded fonts, licensed fallbacks
- Two revision rounds, source files released
- ONIX-friendly metadata sheet
- MathML, footnote pop-ups, complex tables
- Series stylesheet, reusable across titles
- Library-distributor specifications
- Full ONIX metadata package
- Unlimited revisions until validated
What we stand behind.
Each promise is written into the proposal.
If a storefront rejects the file, we re-cut at our cost and chase the back-and-forth with ingestion support until it clears.
EPUB package, stylesheet, working document, epubcheck report — all yours at sign-off.
Every file ships with a passing EPUB 3.3 report. We don't deliver builds that we wouldn't reload into a reader ourselves.
Typos, metadata edits, late accessibility tags — fixed at no charge for the first month after delivery.
How to start an EPUB 3 project with ebookwriting.ai.
Four short steps from manuscript to epubcheck-clean file.
- Send the manuscript and asset list. Email a Word or Google Docs file plus any images and fonts. We confirm receipt within one working day.
- Receive a fixed-price proposal. Within 48 hours, you get a written quote (typically $220 to $560 depending on length and asset complexity), a timeline, and a one-page contract.
- Approve the validated proof. We send the EPUB, the passing epubcheck report and a screenshot pack across reading apps in 5 to 9 working days. One revision round is built in.
- Upload to the storefronts. We hand over the validated EPUB and notes for each store — Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, library distributors — or upload on your behalf.
More about our EPUB 3 formatting work.
Our EPUB 3 formatting services produce an epubcheck-clean ebook that ships to Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play Books and library lending platforms from the same source file. The team are EPUB specialists rather than generalists — we don't take on print interiors, and we don't outsource the validation step. Most jobs turn around in five to seven working days from manuscript receipt.
What semantic EPUB markup actually means for you
An epubcheck-clean ebook isn't the same as a good one. Semantic EPUB markup means the file uses correct epub:type values for chapters, parts, frontmatter and footnotes — so screen readers, library systems and Apple's optical typography engine can interpret structure rather than guess at it. An accessible EPUB is also a more durable one: it survives platform algorithm changes that quietly break less rigorous files.
We build for the Kobo, Apple and Google Play EPUB pipelines simultaneously. Each platform has small quirks — Apple is fussiest about embedded fonts, Kobo about navigation depth, Google Play about cover dimensions — and we test against all three before signing the file off. The same master file is then prepared for OverDrive and library lending EPUB distribution where the client has rights to lend.
When you need an accessible EPUB
Accessibility isn't a tick-box at the end. We build the file with screen-reader navigation, image alt text, language declarations and a logical reading order from the first conversion pass. Most clients ask for accessibility because a library or institution requires it; a growing number ask because their readership genuinely needs it. Either way, the work is the same and the price doesn't change.
You receive the validated EPUB, the epubcheck report, a Kobo-ready cover at the correct dimensions, and an upload note flagging anything platform-specific. Source XHTML is included so you can update the file yourself later if you choose.
Questions we are asked.
Short, honest answers. Anything else, send to contact@ebookwriting.ai.
What does the starting figure include?
At ebookwriting.ai, the starting EPUB 3 fee of $220 covers a single manuscript up to an agreed length formatted to EPUB 3 standard, semantic markup, navigation, accessibility tagging, and validation against EPUBCheck. One round of revisions is included after your proof.
How long does EPUB formatting take?
Five to seven working days for prose, ten to fifteen for illustrated or technical titles. The schedule is confirmed once we have the final manuscript and any image assets.
What if the file doesn't display correctly on a particular reader?
EPUBs render differently across Kobo, Nook, Apple Books, and Google Play. We test on the main reading apps before delivery and include one revision round to address any reader-specific issues you flag in the first thirty days.
Who owns the source files?
You do. The EPUB, the working source, the stylesheet, and the validation report are all handed over so you can re-distribute, re-edit, or move to another formatter without locking yourself in.
What deliverables come with the project?
A validated EPUB 3 file, a PDF proof, a screenshot pack from the major reading apps, and the editable source. We also include a short notes file explaining any non-obvious styling decisions.
Will the EPUB pass accessibility checks?
Yes. We tag headings, language, image alt text, and reading order to meet WCAG-aligned EPUB accessibility guidance, which is increasingly required by libraries and aggregators. The validation report is shipped with the final files.
Often paired with this.
Begin your EPUB.
A fixed-price proposal in 48 hours. No retainers, no obligation.