The Campfire Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Campfire in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Campfire
The Insider’s Guide
Modular novel writing and worldbuilding app with per-module pricing
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Campfire’s own pages.
Made by Campfire Technology LLC · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Campfire’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Campfire’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Campfire is a writing and worldbuilding app built from 18 modules, including a manuscript word processor, character sheets, timelines, interactive maps and an encyclopedia. It runs in a browser, as a Mac and Windows desktop app with an offline mode, and as the CF Creators mobile app. Every module can be used free up to a limit, then unlocked one at a time or all together, by subscription or lifetime purchase.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Campfire, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Signing up needs no card, at least, and you start straight away in a browser.
- 1
Best for worldbuilding beside your manuscript
Offline work is desktop only, there's no Linux app, and monthly plans aren't refundable.
- 2
Paid plans start at $0.50 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $0.50 per month for one module; $12 per month for all modules (Standard).
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
- 5
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.
- 6
Worldbuilding modules
Separate modules cover characters, locations, species, cultures, religions, magic systems, invented languages, calendars and an encyclopedia of wiki-style articles.
- 7
Timelines and arcs
The Timeline module tracks story and historical events across several timelines and comes with more than 10 free story-structure templates.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 20 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Campfire you could make: long-form writing and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Campfire at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $0.50 per month for one module; $12 per month for all modules (Standard)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Campfire Technology LLC, since 2018
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for worldbuilding beside your manuscript
Campfire is a writing and worldbuilding app with 18 modules: manuscript, characters, timelines, maps, magic systems and more. You can pay for only the modules you use, from $0.50 a month each, or $12 a month for all of them. The free plan caps every module, and 25,000 words won't hold a novel. Offline work is desktop only, there's no Linux app, and monthly plans aren't refundable.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | All 18 modules are $12 a month, or $99 a year which is $8.25 a month: both sit between this category's cheaper quarter at $5.00 and its dearer quarter at $12.00. Lifetime is $336. Build Your Own sells single modules at $0.50 to $2 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free account opens all 18 modules with no card. But every 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. |
| Features | B | A manuscript word processor with focus mode, goals and version history, and modules for characters, locations, species, cultures, religions, magic systems, invented languages, calendars and a wiki encyclopedia, plus timelines with story-structure templates and maps that take pins. The worldbuilding job, covered. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and 18 modules is a lot of app to get to know: you're building a world's worth of records before much of it pays off. Signing up needs no card, at least, and you start straight away in a browser. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Browser, Mac and Windows apps with an offline mode, and CF Creators on iPhone and Android, so every device type. What keeps it off an A is having almost nothing to connect to: Inkarnate maps and no API. The mobile app also needs a connection and drops four modules. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Campfire is for
- Fits if you write fantasy or sci-fi and keep piles of world notes beside the manuscript
- Works for writers who only want a couple of planning modules, at $0.50 to $2 a month each
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free, because 25,000 words and 10 characters run out fast and extras turn read-only
- Skip it if you write offline on a phone or on Linux, as offline work is Mac and Windows only
- Pricey if you pay monthly for everything, at $144 over a year against $99 on the annual plan
- Watch out: monthly plans can't be refunded, and the phone app leaves out four modules
- Not for you if you want it linked to other tools, as Inkarnate is the only integration and there's no API
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$0.50
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Campfire has a free plan. Paid plans start at $0.50 per month for one module; $12 per month for all modules (Standard).
Go past a limit and the extras turn read-only.
Free
$0
Limited use of every module, such as 25,000 manuscript words, 10 characters, 20 timeline events and 2 maps.
Build Your Own
From $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.
The 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.
Read from campfirewriting.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on campfirewriting.comLifetime 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.
Stated on campfirewriting.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Modular novel writing and worldbuilding app with per-module pricing. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, one-time purchase, templates, long-form writing.
Browser, Mac and Windows apps with an offline mode, and CF Creators on iPhone and Android, so every device type.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Inkarnate
Campfire is made by Campfire Technology LLC, and has been around since 2018.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
20/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Campfire's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on features (B, above 36 of 69) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at $0.50 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 0 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Campfire’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 69
- BFeaturesAbove 36 of 69
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 69
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 32 of 69
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 writing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Campfire is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Campfire you could make: long-form writing and templates. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 38 of the 69 other writing tools grade higher. It costs $6 a year.
What you could make
- Long-form writing and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Campfire’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
World Anvil, Plottr, Novelcrafter, Scrivener and LivingWriter
The 5 tools Campfire is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
World Anvil
Free plan
Web-based worldbuilding platform for writers and game masters.
- Only Campfire lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Campfire can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.2GPA
Plottr
Free trial · from $60/yr
Visual book outlining and series bible software.
- Campfire has a free plan. Plottr does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Campfire lists iOS and Android apps.
- Campfire also covers long-form writing.
- 2.6GPA
Novelcrafter
Free trial · from $4/mo
Novel writing platform with a story wiki and optional AI.
- Campfire has a free plan. Novelcrafter does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Campfire lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Campfire can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
Scrivener
Free trial · from $23.99 one-time
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner.
- 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.
- 2.4GPA
LivingWriter
Free plan · from $15/mo
Cloud writing app for books and screenplays with planning boards.
- Campfire can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- LivingWriter also covers chat assistant.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Campfire free?
Campfire has a 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.
How much does Campfire cost?
Campfire lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Campfire work on?
Campfire is available on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Does Campfire offer any discounts?
Campfire publicly lists the following: About 31% less on the annual Standard plan; Lifetime access to all modules for $336.
Does Campfire have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Campfire is listed for Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Campfire open source?
Campfire is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Campfire work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does Campfire integrate with?
Campfire's listing names Inkarnate. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Campfire?
Campfire is made by Campfire Technology LLC. It dates from 2018.
What are the alternatives to Campfire?
The closest alternatives to Campfire in our directory are World Anvil, Plottr, Novelcrafter, Scrivener and LivingWriter.
How does Campfire compare with other writing tools?
Campfire's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 20 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 11.
Is Campfire good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Campfire C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $0.50 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 0 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Campfire?
The plain part of Campfire you could make: long-form writing and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Campfire’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Campfire's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-02.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Campfire Technology LLC. Prices change, so check campfirewriting.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Campfire, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/campfire
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Campfire: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/campfire
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/campfire/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Campfire, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Writing Tools Insider's GuideEvery one of the 70 writing tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Word Insider's GuideWord processor sold with Microsoft 365, free in the browser3.4 GPA
- Beat Insider's GuideFree, open-source Fountain screenwriting app for Mac and iOS3.2 GPA
- JotterPad Insider's GuideMarkdown and Fountain editor for books, papers and screenplays3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Campfire’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Campfire is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Campfire Technology LLC. Prices and plans change: check campfirewriting.com before you buy.