Campfire vs World Anvil
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
World Anvil
Web-based worldbuilding platform for writers and game masters
Where they differ
- Only Campfire lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Campfire can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| Campfire | World Anvil | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $0.50 per month for one module; $12 per month for all modules (Standard) | Not published |
| 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. | Free Freeman account with content caps. World Anvil's April 2024 announcement set them at 2 worlds, 42 articles, 2 maps, 2 timelines and 100 MB of images; current limits could not be confirmed. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Campfire Technology LLC | World Anvil |
| Price read from | campfirewriting.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 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
World Anvil
- Fantasy and science-fiction writers documenting a setting as linked articles
- Game masters who keep campaign notes, maps and statblocks with their lore
- Worldbuilders who want to present a setting to readers as a themed site
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.
World Anvil
- Free accounts are capped: the April 2024 announcement listed 2 worlds, 42 articles, 5 drafts, 2 maps with 10 markers and 100 MB of images.
- A free account over its limits can view, export and delete content but cannot edit until it is back under them.
- World Anvil describes Manuscripts and Notebooks as features for paying guild members.
- URL embeds were removed from free accounts in April 2024 and need a paid guild account.
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.
World Anvil
- Articles and templates
- A world is written as articles built on templates with prompts, such as characters, organizations, languages, plots and prose, then sorted into categories and folders. The Autolinker links articles to each other.
- Interactive maps
- Maps take markers and layers, and the world search covers map markers along with articles, images, timelines and events.
- Timelines and historical events
- Timelines collect dated events from a world's history, and events can be filed in folders with the rest of a world's content.
- Family trees and diplomacy webs
- Family trees are generated from the parents set on character articles. Diplomacy webs chart relations between factions, countries and other organizations.
- Manuscripts
- A paid feature for writing fiction such as a novel. The Plot and Prose article templates, used for outlining and for short stories and scenes, are free.
- Tabletop campaign tools
- RPG campaigns and statblocks are kept in the same account as the worldbuilding. The 2024 free-account limits allow one campaign and 20 statblocks.
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.
World Anvil
Pricing could not be confirmed. See worldanvil.com.
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.
World Anvil
No public discounts listed.
