Campfire vs Scrivener
We give Campfire a 3.4 GPA and Scrivener a 3.2, out of 4.0. Campfire grades higher on the free plan and platforms. Scrivener grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Campfire
Modular novel writing and worldbuilding app with per-module pricing
Scrivener
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner
How we grade them
| 3.4GPACampfireVery good | 3.2GPAScrivenerVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BAll 18 modules are $12 a month, $99 a year or $336 for life, which is about typical for a writing tool. The clever bit is Build Your Own: unlimited use of single modules at $0.50 to $2 a month each, with the rest staying on the free limits. | A$59.99 once for macOS or Windows, covering every computer in your household on that platform. That's about half a year of a typical $10 a month writing tool. You do pay again per platform: the iOS app is $23.99, and a Mac and Windows bundle is $95.98. |
| Free plan and trial | BA free account opens all 18 modules with no card, but each one is capped: 25,000 manuscript words, 10 characters, 20 timeline events, 2 maps, 5 encyclopedia articles. Go past a limit and the extras turn read-only on browser and desktop. | CNo free plan. The Mac and Windows versions have a free trial that lasts for 30 days of use, not 30 calendar days, which is generous. There's no trial of the iOS app at all. |
| Features | AA word processor with focus mode, word-count goals and version history, plus modules for characters, locations, magic systems, invented languages, calendars and an encyclopedia. Timelines come with more than 10 story-structure templates, and maps take pins. | AA binder for manuscript sections, notes and research, a corkboard and outliner where moving a card reorders the book, snapshots before a rewrite, and word targets. Compile turns it all into Word, PDF, Final Draft or ePub. There's a scriptwriting mode too. |
| Ease of use | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's built from 18 modules, which is a lot to get to know, but there's nothing to set up: sign up without a card and start in a browser. | BThere's no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's an app you install, and the trial counts 30 days of actual use, so there's time to find your way around. Syncing with the iOS app is more work, as it needs a Dropbox account. |
| Platforms and integrations | ABrowser, Mac and Windows desktop apps with an offline mode, and the CF Creators app on iOS and Android. Maps can be linked from Inkarnate. But there's no Linux app, and the mobile app needs a connection and leaves out four modules. | BmacOS, Windows, iPhone and iPad, each bought separately. No Android, Linux or web version is listed. Dropbox is the one integration, and it's how the iOS app syncs with the desktop. |
| Best for | worldbuilding beside your manuscript | long manuscripts you keep rearranging |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Campfire and Scrivener. How we grade
Where they differ
- 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.
At a glance
| Campfire | Scrivener | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $0.50 per month for one module; $12 per month for all modules (Standard) | $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows |
| Free plan | Free account with limited use of all 18 modules: 25,000 manuscript words, 10 characters, 20 timeline events, 2 maps, 5 encyclopedia articles and similar caps on the rest. No credit card required. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial on macOS and Windows that lasts for 30 days of use, not 30 calendar days. No trial of the iOS app. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Campfire Technology LLC | Literature & Latte |
| Price read from | campfirewriting.com | literatureandlatte.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Campfire
- Fantasy and science-fiction authors who keep detailed world notes beside the manuscript
- Writers who want to pay only for the planning tools they use
- Co-writers and editors, since collaborators need only a free account
Scrivener
- Novelists and academics managing book-length projects
- Writers who restructure a draft by moving scenes and chapters around
- People who want to pay once instead of subscribing
Worth knowing
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.
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.
Key features
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.
Scrivener
- Binder
- Keeps manuscript sections, notes and reference material in one sidebar, so a long text is written and navigated in small pieces.
- Corkboard and outliner
- Every section has an index card with a synopsis. Moving cards on the corkboard or rows in the outliner reorders the manuscript itself.
- Compile
- Exports the assembled manuscript to formats including Microsoft Word, RTF, PDF, Final Draft and ePub, with formatting applied at export.
- Snapshots
- Saves a copy of a section before a rewrite, so the earlier version can be compared with the new one or restored.
- Research alongside the draft
- Imports PDFs, images, web pages, and sound and movie files into the project and shows them next to the text being written.
- Targets and scriptwriting
- Word or character targets with live counters and a writing history, plus a scriptwriting mode that handles screenplay and stage-play formatting.
Plans
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.
Scrivener
Scrivener for iOS & iPadOS$23.99
one-time purchase
The iPhone and iPad app. There is no trial, and a Dropbox account is required for sync.
Educational Licence$50.99
one-time purchase, per platform
The macOS or Windows version for students and academics. Requires an institutional affiliation.
Standard Licence$59.99
one-time purchase, per platform
The full macOS or Windows version, licensed for every computer in a household that runs that platform.
macOS + Windows bundle$95.98
one-time purchase
A separate license for each of macOS and Windows, sold together at a lower combined price.
Ways to pay less
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.
Scrivener
- Education
Educational Licence for students and academics
The macOS and Windows versions are sold to students and academics with an institutional affiliation for $50.99, against $59.99 for a Standard Licence.
- Other savings
macOS and Windows bundle
Buying Scrivener for macOS and Windows together costs $95.98, against $119.98 for two separate Standard Licences.
- Other savings
Discounted upgrades from older versions
Owners of an earlier major version can buy an upgrade license at a discount instead of paying the full price for the new version.
