A stitching apparatus for manufacturing printed products, in particular in a gathering and stitching machine, includes a stitching carriage, at least one stitching head for shaping and driving a staple into a stack of signatures, and at least one clinch box for closing the staple driven through the signatures. An actuating device vertically displaces the stitching head for adaptation of the stitching apparatus to a thickness of the stack of signatures. A gathering and stitching machine having a stitching apparatus is also provided.