Scrivener vs Sigil (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Scrivener: it is third in our ranking of writing tools, and they share a 2.8 GPA.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Scrivener grades higher on features and platforms. Sigil grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Scrivener
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner
Which one is for you
Pick Scrivener if
- Fits if you're managing a novel or a thesis and want to write it in small pieces
- Works for writers who restructure a lot and would rather pay once than subscribe
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you write on Android, Linux or in a browser, as none of those is listed
- Pricey if you want it on Mac, Windows and iPhone, because each one is a separate license
- Not for you if you don't want Dropbox, since that's how the iOS app syncs with the desktop
- Watch out: a license doesn't cover major versions, so a future Scrivener 4 means paying for an upgrade
- Watch out: there's no trial of the $23.99 iOS app, only of the Mac and Windows versions
Pick Sigil if
- Fits if you format your own EPUB files and want control over the code
- Works for editors cleaning up ebooks that came from other tools
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to write a manuscript in it, as it edits EPUB markup, not prose
- Not for you if HTML and CSS are new to you, because Code View assumes you know them
- Watch out: it's maintained by volunteers, so support means project channels, not a help desk
- Too light for phones and tablets, since only Windows, Mac and Linux are listed
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAScrivenerGood | 2.8GPASigilGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$59.99 once for macOS or Windows, covering every computer in your household on that platform. That's seven months of this category's $8.33-a-month middle, paid once and done. You do pay per platform: iOS is $23.99, the Mac and Windows bundle $95.98, and a major upgrade costs again. | AFree and open source under the GPLv3. A program anyone can download and run. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan. The Mac and Windows versions have a free trial that counts 30 days of use, not 30 calendar days. There's no trial of the iOS app at all. | ANo paid plans, no caps and no account needed to use it. |
| Features | BIt covers the whole job and nothing in its own notes flags a gap in the writing: a binder for sections, notes and research, a corkboard and outliner where moving a card reorders the book, snapshots before a rewrite, word targets, a scriptwriting mode, and Compile for Word, PDF, Final Draft or ePub. | CDoes the EPUB editing job fully, with a table of contents builder, metadata editor, plugins and checkpoints. It's a smaller job, though: it doesn't help you write the book. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and this is a big app with a lot of furniture: a binder to organise, a corkboard to lay out, and Compile's formatting to work out before the manuscript comes out the way you want. Syncing the iOS app means a Dropbox account too. | CNo store rating on record. Code View assumes some HTML and CSS. |
| Platforms and integrations | BmacOS, Windows, iPhone and iPad, each bought separately, so computer and phone are both covered. No Android, Linux or web version is listed, and Dropbox is the one integration, being how the iOS app syncs with the desktop. | CWindows, Mac and Linux only, with no phone or web version. |
| Best for | long manuscripts you keep rearranging | editing EPUB files by hand |
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: Scrivener and Sigil. How we grade
Where they differ
- Scrivener can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Sigil is open source, according to its own site.
- Scrivener also covers templates and long-form writing.
- Sigil also covers documents.
At a glance
| Scrivener | Sigil | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows | Free |
| Free plan | None | Completely free to download and use; no paid plans. |
| Free trial | Free trial on macOS and Windows that lasts for 30 days of use, not 30 calendar days. No trial of the iOS app. | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Literature & Latte | Sigil-Ebook |
| Price read from | literatureandlatte.com | sigil-ebook.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Sigil
- It edits EPUB markup rather than writing prose, so a manuscript is usually drafted elsewhere and imported.
- Code View assumes some comfort with HTML and CSS.
- It is maintained by volunteers, with support through the project's channels rather than a company help desk.
- No mobile or web version is listed.
Key features
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.
Sigil
- EPUB 2 and EPUB 3
- Supports both versions of the EPUB specification, with direct editing of the EPUB's markup in Code View.
- Code View and Preview View
- Edit the markup and see how the page looks in a preview, so layout can be checked as you work.
- Table of contents and metadata
- A table of contents generator that handles multi-level headings, plus a metadata editor.
- Regex find and replace
- Find and replace with full regular-expression (PCRE) support, and spell checking with user dictionaries.
- Import and cleanup
- Imports EPUB and HTML files, images and style sheets, and can mend formatting or tidy the code.
- Plugins and checkpoints
- Plugin support extends the editor, and checkpoints let you compare snapshots of changes.
Plans
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.
Sigil
Free$0
The full application, free and open source under the GPLv3.
Ways to pay less
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.
Sigil
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Scrivener or Sigil?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Scrivener starts at $23.99 one-time (iOS); $59.99 one-time for macOS or Windows, and Sigil is free.
Which has a free plan, Scrivener or Sigil?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Sigil has a free plan. Scrivener does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Scrivener and Sigil run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Scrivener lists an iOS app and only Sigil lists a Linux app. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.