Alternatives · Writing
Scrivener alternatives
Scrivener compared with 12 alternatives: Ulysses, Dabble, Atticus, LivingWriter, Novlr and 7 more.
Scrivener is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows. 6 of the 12 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 5 more offer a free trial.
12 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| ScrivenerThis tool | Free trial · from $23.99 one-time | Trial only | macOS, Windows, iOS |
| Ulysses | Free trial · from $39.99/yr | Trial only | macOS, iOS |
| Dabble | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Atticus | From $147 one-time | No | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| LivingWriter | Free plan · from $15/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Novlr | Free plan · from $8/mo | Yes | Web |
| bibisco | Free plan · from $3.49/mo | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android |
| Campfire | Free plan · from $0.50/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Gingko Writer | Free trial · from $9.75/mo | Trial only | Web |
| JotterPad | Free plan · from $29.99/yr | Yes | Web, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Manuskript | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Mellel | Free trial · from $69.99 one-time | Trial only | macOS, iOS |
| Novelcrafter | Free trial · from $4/mo | Trial only | Web |
How each one differs from Scrivener
- Free trial · from $39.99/yr
Ulysses
Markup-based writing app for Mac, iPad and iPhone
- Ulysses starts at $39.99 per year, or $5.99 per month. Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Only Scrivener lists a Windows app.
- Scrivener can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Ulysses also covers Markdown and grammar & style.
- Scrivener also covers templates.
Suits: Writers who work only on Apple devices and want their texts on all of them
- Free trial · from $19/mo
Dabble
Novel writing app with plotting, story notes and sync
- Dabble starts at $19 per month, billed monthly (Writer). Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Only Dabble lists a web app.
- Only Dabble lists a Linux app.
- Only Scrivener lists an iOS app.
- Dabble also covers grammar & style.
Suits: Novelists who want plotting, notes and the manuscript in one place
- From $147 one-time
Atticus
Book writing and formatting app for ebooks and print
- Atticus starts at $147 one-time. Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Only Atticus lists a web app.
- Only Atticus lists a Linux app.
- Only Scrivener lists an iOS app.
Suits: Self-publishing authors who format their own ebooks and print books
- Free plan · from $15/mo
LivingWriter
Cloud writing app for books and screenplays with planning boards
- LivingWriter starts at $15 per month, billed monthly (Pro). Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- LivingWriter has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only LivingWriter lists a web app.
- Only LivingWriter lists an Android app.
- Scrivener can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Suits: Novelists who track characters, settings and plot threads beside the draft
- Free plan · from $8/mo
Novlr
Browser-based novel writing workspace built around writing goals
- Novlr starts at $8 per month, billed yearly ($96); $10 billed monthly (Starter). Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Novlr has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Novlr lists a web app.
- Only Scrivener lists macOS, Windows and iOS apps.
- Scrivener can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Suits: Novelists who want a clean, distraction-free place to draft
- Free plan · from $3.49/mo
bibisco
Novel planning and writing software built around characters
- bibisco starts at $3.49 per month for Everywhere sync; desktop Supporters Edition is $69 one-time. Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- bibisco has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only bibisco lists Linux and Android apps.
- bibisco is open source, according to its own site.
- Scrivener also covers templates.
Suits: Novelists who want structured character and plot planning
- Free plan · from $0.50/mo
Campfire
Modular novel writing and worldbuilding app with per-module pricing
- Campfire starts at $0.50 per month for one module; $12 per month for all modules (Standard). Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Campfire has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Campfire lists a web app.
- Only Campfire lists an Android app.
Suits: Fantasy and science-fiction authors who keep detailed world notes beside the manuscript
- Free trial · from $9.75/mo
Gingko Writer
Tree-based writing app that breaks long documents into cards
- Gingko Writer starts at $9.75 per month, billed yearly ($117). Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Only Gingko Writer lists a web app.
- Only Scrivener lists macOS, Windows and iOS apps.
- Scrivener can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Gingko Writer also covers Markdown.
Suits: Writers who outline and draft at the same time
- Free plan · from $29.99/yr
JotterPad
Markdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays
- JotterPad starts at $29.99 per year on the App Store; $3.33 per month billed annually on the web. Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- JotterPad has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only JotterPad lists a web app.
- Only JotterPad lists an Android app.
- Only Scrivener lists a Windows app.
Suits: Writers who draft in Markdown or Fountain across a phone, a tablet and a computer
- Free
Manuskript
Free, open-source novel planner with an outliner and index cards
- Manuskript is free. Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Manuskript has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Manuskript lists a Linux app.
- Only Scrivener lists an iOS app.
- Manuskript is open source, according to its own site.
Suits: Novelists who outline and plan before drafting
- Free trial · from $69.99 one-time
Mellel
Mac word processor for long academic and technical documents
- Mellel starts at $69.99 one-time for Mellel for Mac; iPad in-app purchases from $9.99. Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Only Scrivener lists a Windows app.
- Mellel also covers citations and documents.
- Scrivener also covers templates.
Suits: Academics and students writing theses, papers and books on a Mac
- Free trial · from $4/mo
Novelcrafter
Novel writing platform with a story wiki and optional AI
- Novelcrafter starts at $4 per month, or $40 billed annually (Scribe). Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows.
- Only Novelcrafter lists a web app.
- Only Scrivener lists macOS, Windows and iOS apps.
- Scrivener can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Novelcrafter also covers chat assistant.
Suits: Novelists and series writers who want a story bible tied to the manuscript
Limits worth knowing in Scrivener
- Each platform needs its own license: the macOS, Windows and iOS versions are bought separately.
- The store sells versions for macOS, Windows and iOS only; no Android, Linux or web version is listed.
- Sync between the iOS app and the desktop versions runs through Dropbox and needs a Dropbox account.
- A license does not cover major version updates; moving from Scrivener 3 to a future Scrivener 4 means buying a discounted upgrade.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Scrivener?
The alternatives to Scrivener in this directory are Ulysses, Dabble, Atticus, LivingWriter, Novlr, bibisco, Campfire, Gingko Writer, JotterPad, Manuskript, Mellel and Novelcrafter. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Scrivener.
Is there a free alternative to Scrivener?
Yes. Manuskript is free to use. LivingWriter, Novlr, bibisco, Campfire and JotterPad have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Scrivener alternatives work on Linux?
The Scrivener listing does not include a Linux app. Dabble, Atticus, bibisco and Manuskript list one.
Which Scrivener alternatives work on Android?
The Scrivener listing does not include an Android app. LivingWriter, bibisco, Campfire and JotterPad list one.
Is there an open-source alternative to Scrivener?
bibisco and Manuskript are described as open source on their own sites.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.