bibisco vs Plottr

bibisco

• Novelists who want structured character and plot planning
• Writers on Linux, macOS or Windows who prefer a one-time purchase
• People who want to try the core tools free before paying

Plottr

• Novelists and screenwriters who outline visually before drafting
• Series authors who need one place for characters, places and continuity
• Writers who draft in Word or Scrivener and want a separate planning tool
• Writers who want a planning tool with no generative AI

bibisco

• The free Community Edition leaves out the timeline, mind maps, analysis, dark theme, search, writing goals and EPUB export.
• The mobile app and cloud sync need a separate bibisco Everywhere subscription, which the Supporters Edition does not include.
• Supporters Edition updates are free for 2 years; later upgrades are sold at a 50% discount.
• Desktop builds are 64-bit only, for Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.13 or later, and Linux.

Plottr

• Plottr is an outlining tool, not a manuscript editor: its docs recommend doing the bulk of the writing in another program.
• The web app, cloud sync and collaboration need Plottr Pro, which the docs say requires an internet connection. Each collaborator needs their own Pro subscription.
• The mobile app was removed from the app stores for a rebuild, and the docs say the Pro web app has no phone view. Native Linux builds are unsupported beta software.
• No refunds are given after purchase, and a Pro plan that lapses loses access to its projects until it is renewed.

bibisco

Character interviews

Characters are developed through interview-style questions. The Supporters Edition adds custom questions and profile pictures for characters, places and objects.

Story structure

Dedicated sections hold the premise, fabula, setting and storylines, alongside locations, chapters and scenes, in every edition.

Timeline, outline and analysis

The Supporters Edition adds a timeline, a novel outline, mind maps, groups and analysis views for checking how the story fits together.

Writing tools

Distraction-free mode, a dark theme, search with find and replace, writing goals, and images, comments and footnotes in the text are Supporters Edition features.

Export

Novels export to PDF, DOCX and TXT, and to an archive file, in both editions. EPUB export needs the Supporters Edition.

Mobile apps and cloud sync

The bibisco Everywhere subscription adds the Android, iPhone and iPad app and keeps projects synchronized across mobile devices and several desktop computers.

Plottr

Visual timeline

Scene cards are dragged along a timeline with separate rows for the main plot, subplots and character arcs. The view can be flipped, zoomed and filtered, and plotlines color-coded.

Plot and scene templates

Starter templates based on structures such as the Hero's Journey, Romancing the Beat, Story Circle and Three Act Structure. Users can also create and save their own.

Characters, places and notes

Character sheets, places and notes take custom attributes, tags, categories and images, with character templates and sorting and filtering across all of them.

Series bible

One project holds every book in a series with its characters, places and notes, and a Series View gives a timeline of the whole series alongside each book's own.

Outline and export

Generates an outline from the timeline that can be viewed, edited and exported to Microsoft Word or Scrivener. Projects can be imported from Scrivener and Snowflake Pro.

Plottr Pro cloud features

A web app that runs on Chromebooks, tablets and Linux devices, cloud storage and backups, automatic syncing between devices and live collaboration on a shared project.

bibisco

• Community Edition$0

  Free desktop app for Linux, macOS and Windows with the core planning and writing tools, export to PDF, DOCX and TXT, and automatic backups.

• bibisco Everywhere$3.49

  per month, or $29.99 per year

  Subscription for the Android and iOS app and cloud sync across phones, tablets and desktops. Works with either desktop edition and does not include the Supporters license.

• Supporters Edition$69

  one-time payment

  Desktop edition adding analysis, mind maps, timeline, novel outline, dark theme, search, writing goals and EPUB export, with 2 years of free updates.

Plottr

• Plottr$60

  per year, or $150 one-time for lifetime; no monthly plan

  Windows and Mac desktop app on unlimited household devices, with files and backups kept on the device. Shown against crossed-out prices of $80 and $199.

• Plottr Pro$99

  per year; or $9.99 per month, or $599 one-time for lifetime

  Adds the browser app, cloud sync and backups, and real-time collaboration. Monthly and lifetime are shown against crossed-out prices of $15 and $699.

• Plottr Pro + Community$129

  per year; or $14.99 per month, or $649 one-time for lifetime

  Pro plus a private community, the Education Vault and networking. Shown against crossed-out prices of $160 a year, $19 a month and $799 lifetime.

bibisco

• Annual discount

  Save 28% on Everywhere with yearly billing

  bibisco Everywhere costs $3.49 a month or $29.99 a year, which the download page labels a 28% saving.

• Education

  20% off for students and educators

  The FAQ offers students and educators a 20% discount code on request by email, with enrollment documents or a school certificate as proof.

• Other savings

  50% off upgrades after two years

  Supporters Edition buyers get free updates for 2 years. After that, the FAQ says upgrades are available at a 50% discount, with another 2 years of updates.

Plottr

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime licenses from $150

  Each tier can be bought once instead of by subscription: $150 for Plottr, $599 for Plottr Pro and $649 for Pro + Community. Lifetime plans never expire and include updates.

• Annual discount

  Annual billing costs less than monthly on Pro

  Plottr Pro is $99 a year against $9.99 a month, and Pro + Community is $129 a year against $14.99 a month.

• Education

  Educational rates and bulk licenses on request

  The pricing page invites schools and buyers of bulk licenses to contact Plottr for special pricing. No rates are published.