Wavemaker Cards vs yWriter (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, yWriter grades higher than Wavemaker Cards: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
yWriter grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Wavemaker Cards
Free installable web app for planning and writing a novel
Free
yWriter
Novel-writing software that organizes a book into scenes
Free plan · from $5.49 one-time
Which one is for you
Pick Wavemaker Cards if
- Fits if you want a no-cost planner and do not mind setting up your own structure
- Works for writers who want manuscript data kept on their device or in their own Google Drive
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use a browser other than Chrome, since the FAQ says install and offline use need the latest Chrome
- Skip it if you need guaranteed support, because the FAQ describes a one-person project
- Watch out: the AI assistant needs your own OpenAI API key and OpenAI bills you for it
- Tight if you work on a Mac or iPhone, as support there is described as believed to work but untested
Pick yWriter if
- Fits if you plan and draft a novel scene by scene
- Works for Windows users who want free novel-writing software with files kept on their own computer
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you write on a Mac, as that version is an unstable beta the site says will become paid
- Not for you if you're on Linux, because there's no native version and the Windows program has to run under Wine
- Tight if you share projects through Google Drive, as the Android page says that isn't working, which leaves Dropbox
- Watch out: only Windows is free, and the phone apps cost $5.49 on Android and $14.99 on iOS
- Skip it if you'd rather not fill in viewpoint, goal, conflict and outcome fields for every scene
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAWavemaker CardsGood | 3.0GPAyWriterVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe whole app is free, with no paid tier; the author only asks for optional Patreon or PayPal support. That beats a category whose cheaper quarter starts at $5.75 a month. | AThe full Windows program costs nothing, and registering it, at $11.95 or $24.95, is optional. The Android app is $5.49 once and the iOS app $14.99 once. No subscription anywhere, in a category that mostly charges about $8.33 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | ANothing is locked behind a plan. The one extra cost is the optional AI assistant, which uses your own OpenAI key and is billed by OpenAI. | AyWriter7 for Windows is free to download and use, with no adverts and no cap. An unregistered copy only shows 'Unregistered Version' in the title bar. The Mac beta is free for now too, though the site says it will become paid software. |
| Features | CChapters, scenes, a board, a research database and Snowflake cards cover planning. The listing's own gaps keep it at C: Mac and iOS are described as believed to work but untested, and the AI helper is bring-your-own-key. | CIt covers scene-by-scene novel writing, a smaller job than most of this category: chapters and scenes drag into a new order, each scene records viewpoint, goal, conflict and outcome, a storyboard lays the book out, snapshots roll a scene back, and it exports Epub, Mobi, RTF and LaTeX. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It is a web app where the work is building your own chapters, notes and cards, and it asks you to install it as a progressive web app. | CNo store rating on record, and the program wants a method: every scene has viewpoint, goal, conflict and outcome fields to fill in before the storyboard tells you much. On Windows it's a free download, at least, and the Mac build is an unstable beta. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only. It installs as a progressive web app and runs offline, but the FAQ says that needs the latest Chrome, and there is no desktop or phone app in the stores. | BWindows, iPhone, iPad and Android, with projects shared through Dropbox, so computer and phones are both covered. The gaps keep it off an A: the Mac version is an unstable beta, there's no native Linux version, and the Android page says Google Drive support isn't working. |
| Best for | free novel planning that works offline | free scene-by-scene novel writing on Windows |
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: Wavemaker Cards and yWriter. How we grade
Where they differ
- Wavemaker Cards also covers notes.
In commonFree planWorks offlineLong-form writing
At a glance
| Wavemaker Cards | yWriter | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $5.49 one-time for the Android app |
| Free plan | The whole app is free; the author asks for optional support through Patreon or PayPal. | yWriter7 for Windows is free to download and use, with no adverts. Registration is optional: an unregistered copy only shows 'Unregistered Version' in the title bar. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Wavemaker | Spacejock Software |
| Price read from | wavemaker.co.uk | play.google.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Wavemaker Cards
- The FAQ says it currently needs the latest Chrome browser for installation and offline use.
- The FAQ describes a one-person project, so support and long-term upkeep depend on one maintainer.
- The optional AI assistant needs your own OpenAI API key, which is billed by OpenAI, not by Wavemaker.
- Mac and iOS support are described as believed to work but untested.
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.
Key features
Wavemaker Cards
- Chapters and scenes
- Break a book into chapters and scenes, add notes to each and rearrange them by dragging.
- Planning board
- A board for moving notes around, with a to-do-list style plan for the novel.
- Research database
- Stores notes and research in a searchable database organized with hashtags; the app also has a timeline view.
- Snowflake cards
- A card tool for the Snowflake Method: start with a short idea and add detail until it becomes a full outline.
- Install and offline use
- Installs as a progressive web app and can run without a connection on devices and browsers that support it.
- Google Drive sync
- Files are stored locally or in your own Google Drive, and devices can sync through Drive.
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.
Plans
Wavemaker Cards
Free$0
Full app with no paid tier; voluntary support through Patreon or PayPal.
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.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Wavemaker Cards or yWriter?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Wavemaker Cards is free, and yWriter starts at $5.49 one-time for the Android app.
Which has a free plan, Wavemaker Cards or yWriter?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Wavemaker Cards and yWriter have a free plan.
Which platforms do Wavemaker Cards and yWriter run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Wavemaker Cards lists a web app and only yWriter lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android 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.