Campfire vs Hiveword (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Campfire if

• Fits if you write fantasy or sci-fi and keep piles of world notes beside the manuscript
• Works for writers who only want a couple of planning modules, at $0.50 to $2 a month each

Look elsewhere if

• Tight if you're staying free, because 25,000 words and 10 characters run out fast and extras turn read-only
• Skip it if you write offline on a phone or on Linux, as offline work is Mac and Windows only
• Pricey if you pay monthly for everything, at $144 over a year against $99 on the annual plan
• Watch out: monthly plans can't be refunded, and the phone app leaves out four modules
• Not for you if you want it linked to other tools, as Inkarnate is the only integration and there's no API

Pick Hiveword if

• Fits if you plot with index cards or the Snowflake method and track many characters
• Works for writers who want a free organizer now and might add coaching later

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want to draft and format the manuscript in the same place, as export is novel export only
• Not for you if you need an app on your phone or desktop, because it is web only
• Watch out: custom types and fields, images, notes, journal and search all need Plus at $25 a year
• Pricey if you want the coaching prompts, since Knockout Novel is a separate $49 on top of any plan

Campfire

• The free plan caps every module (25,000 manuscript words, 10 characters); elements past a limit are read-only on browser and desktop.
• Offline work is limited to the Mac and Windows desktop app. No Linux app is listed, and the mobile app needs an internet connection.
• The mobile app leaves out the Arcs, Calendar, Languages and Relationships modules.
• Monthly subscriptions are non-refundable; annual and lifetime purchases can be refunded within 30 days.

Hiveword

• It organizes a novel but is not a manuscript-formatting tool; export is listed as novel export only.
• Custom types, fields, images, notes and the journal need the paid Plus plan.
• Knockout Novel is a separate $49 charge on top of any plan.
• It is web-only, with no desktop or mobile app listed.

Campfire

Manuscript module

A word processor with chapters shown as index cards, focus mode, word-count goals and version history. It imports DOCX and EPUB files and exports EPUB and PDF.

Worldbuilding modules

Separate modules cover characters, locations, species, cultures, religions, magic systems, invented languages, calendars and an encyclopedia of wiki-style articles.

Timelines and arcs

The Timeline module tracks story and historical events across several timelines and comes with more than 10 free story-structure templates.

Interactive maps

Upload a map or link one from Inkarnate, then add pins for story elements, nest other maps inside it and mark up regions.

Collaboration and sharing

Any number of people can be invited to view, comment on or edit a project, and they need only a free account. Link sharing gives view-only access.

Desktop and mobile apps

The desktop app for Mac and Windows syncs with the browser version and can work offline. CF Creators for iOS and Android covers most modules and needs a connection.

Hiveword

Scene filtering

Filter scenes by point-of-view character, location or tag to see where a character appears, and sort the filtered list.

Plotline visualization

A visual view of how the main plot and subplots run through the scenes.

Custom types and fields

Plus lets you track items like spells or clans with your own fields and add extra fields to standard types.

Images, notes and journal

Plus attaches images and notes to story elements and keeps a tagged writer's journal with multiple entries per day.

Searchable bookmarks

Plus saves links to web pages with tags and notes, and its search also looks through the saved page text.

Knockout Novel coaching

Prompts based on author James Scott Bell's methodology, built into the organizer; sold separately.

Campfire

• Free$0

  Limited use of every module, such as 25,000 manuscript words, 10 characters, 20 timeline events and 2 maps.

• Build Your OwnFrom $0.50

  per module / month; annual and lifetime options

  Unlimited use of only the modules chosen, at $0.50 to $2 a month each; every other module stays on the free limits.

• Standard Monthly$12

  per month, billed monthly

  Unlimited use of all 18 modules. Shown against a crossed-out $19.00, the sum of the modules' separate monthly prices.

• Standard Annual$99

  per year, billed annually

  The same unlimited access billed once a year. Shown against a crossed-out $160.00.

• Standard Lifetime$336

  one-time purchase

  Permanent access to every module, including modules Campfire releases later.

Hiveword

• Hiveword Basic$0

  Unlimited stories, scenes, characters, settings and plotlines, plus name generators, backups and novel export.

• Hiveword Plus$25

  per year

  Adds custom types and fields, images, notes, bookmarks, journal, search and dark mode; yearly subscription.

• Knockout Novel$49

  one-time charge

  Add-on with self-paced coaching prompts, a sample plot breakdown and coaching response export; needs a free account.

Campfire

• Annual discount

  About 31% less on the annual Standard plan

  Standard costs $12 a month or $99 a year. Twelve monthly payments come to $144, so the annual plan works out about 31% cheaper.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime access to all modules for $336

  Standard Lifetime is a one-time purchase covering every module and any released later. Individual modules can also be bought for life, without future modules.

Hiveword

No public discounts listed.