Scrivener vs yWriter

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

yWriter

• Novelists who plan and draft scene by scene
• Windows users who want free novel-writing software
• Writers who want their work stored on their own computer

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.

yWriter

• Only the Windows version is free: the Android app costs $5.49 and the iOS app $14.99 in the US stores.
• The macOS version is an unstable beta, free for now; the site says it will become paid software.
• There is no native Linux version; the site documents running the Windows program under Wine.
• The Android page says Google Drive support is not working, which leaves Dropbox for sharing projects.

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.

yWriter

Chapters and scenes

A project is split into chapters and scenes that can be dragged into a new order, with chapters renumbered automatically. A scene can be marked unused to keep it out of word counts and exports.

Characters, items and locations

Each scene has fields for its viewpoint character, goal, conflict and outcome, and can be linked to several characters, items and locations.

Storyboard and word counts

A storyboard gives a visual layout of the work. Word counts are shown for every file, and a daily log records words per file and the total.

Snapshot backups

Automatic backups are saved to sequential files at intervals the writer sets, so a scene can be rolled back to an earlier version.

Export

Exports selected chapters to RTF for proofing and re-import, to LaTeX for producing a print-ready PDF, and to Epub and Mobi ebooks.

Mobile apps

Paid Android and iOS apps open the same project files as the desktop program, for editing a novel away from the PC.

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.

yWriter

• yWriter7 for Windows$0

  The full desktop program for Windows 7 SP1 and newer. Optional registration, Silver at $11.95 or Gold at $24.95, supports the developer.

• yWriter for macOS (beta)$0

  Unstable beta for macOS 10.11 and later, free while feedback is gathered. The site says it will be paid software once it is complete.

• yWriter for Android$5.49

  one-time purchase on Google Play

  Mobile app for editing yWriter projects on the go, with projects shared through Dropbox.

• yWriter for iOS$14.99

  one-time purchase on the App Store

  iPhone and iPad app that shares project files with the desktop versions. Owners can also run it on Macs with Apple silicon.

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.

yWriter

No public discounts listed.