The Plottr Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Plottr 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.
Plottr
The Insider’s Guide
Visual book outlining and series bible software
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among writing tools, read from Plottr’s own pages.
Made by Fictional Devices · checked Oct 5, 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 Plottr’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Plottr’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 11 of the 69 other writing tools we grade
Plottr is outlining software for novelists and other storytellers. Scenes sit as cards on a drag-and-drop timeline with a row for each plotline or character arc, and plot templates based on structures such as the Hero's Journey give a starting point. Characters, places and notes for a whole series live in the same project. The standard version is a Windows and Mac desktop app with local files; Plottr Pro adds a web app, cloud sync and real-time collaboration.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Plottr, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The starter templates mean you're not staring at an empty screen, but there's a planner's worth of learning in it.
- 1
Best for outlining a novel or series on a timeline
You'll write the book somewhere else, there's no phone app right now, and no refunds are given.
- 2
Paid plans start at $5 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $60 per year (Plottr); Plottr Pro is $9.99 per month or $99 per year.
- 3
You can try it first
Free for 30 days.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
macOS, Windows and Web.
- 5
Visual timeline
Scene cards are dragged along a timeline with separate rows for the main plot, subplots and character arcs. The view can be flipped, zoomed and filtered, and plotlines color-coded.
- 6
Plot and scene templates
Starter templates based on structures such as the Hero's Journey, Romancing the Beat, Story Circle and Three Act Structure. Users can also create and save their own.
- 7
Characters, places and notes
Character sheets, places and notes take custom attributes, tags, categories and images, with character templates and sorting and filtering across all of them.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 11 of 69
That is against the other writing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.
Plottr at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $60 per year (Plottr); Plottr Pro is $9.99 per month or $99 per year
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Free for 30 days.
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows
- Made by
- Fictional Devices
- Category
- Writing Tools
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for outlining a novel or series on a timeline
Plottr is for planning a book, not writing it: scenes are cards on a timeline with a row for each plotline, and one project can hold a whole series. It's $60 a year for the Windows and Mac app, but the web app, sync and collaboration need Pro at $99 a year. You'll write the book somewhere else, there's no phone app right now, and no refunds are given.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | $60 a year for the Windows and Mac app is $5 a month, inside the cheapest quarter for writing tools, or $150 once for life with no monthly plan. The web app, cloud sync and collaboration need Pro at $99 a year or $9.99 a month, and no refunds are given. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan. You can try it free for 30 days, though the listing doesn't say whether that needs a card. No refunds are given after purchase, so make the trial count. |
| Features | C | It does the outlining job fully, and that's a smaller job than most of this category: cards on a drag-and-drop timeline with rows for plots and arcs, Hero's Journey and Three Act templates, a Series View across every book, outlines out to Word or Scrivener. Its own docs say draft elsewhere. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and the work here is building the thing itself: a timeline to fill, character sheets and custom attributes to set up. The starter templates mean you're not staring at an empty screen, but there's a planner's worth of learning in it. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Windows and Mac, and that's the whole standalone product. The browser app, cloud sync and collaboration need Pro, the mobile app was pulled from the stores for a rebuild, the Pro web app has no phone view, and Linux builds are unsupported beta. |
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 Plottr is for
- Fits if you like to see a whole book laid out before you draft it
- Works for series writers who draft in Word or Scrivener and want a separate planning tool
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to write the book in the same app, as it's an outlining tool and not a manuscript editor
- Not for you if you plan on your phone, because the mobile app was removed and the web app has no phone view
- Pricey if you want sync or a co-writer, since that's Pro at $99 a year and each collaborator needs their own
- Watch out: no refunds are given after purchase, and a lapsed Pro plan loses access to its projects until renewed
- Watch out: Linux builds are unsupported beta software, and Pro needs an internet connection
Good to know
Good for
- Novelists and screenwriters who outline visually before drafting
- Series authors who need one place for characters, places and continuity
- Writers who draft in Word or Scrivener and want a separate planning tool
- Writers who want a planning tool with no generative AI
Worth knowing
- Plottr is an outlining tool, not a manuscript editor: its docs recommend doing the bulk of the writing in another program.
- The web app, cloud sync and collaboration need Plottr Pro, which the docs say requires an internet connection. Each collaborator needs their own Pro subscription.
- The mobile app was removed from the app stores for a rebuild, and the docs say the Pro web app has no phone view. Native Linux builds are unsupported beta software.
- No refunds are given after purchase, and a Pro plan that lapses loses access to its projects until it is renewed.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$5
A month to start, paid by the year
Plottr is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $60 per year (Plottr); Plottr Pro is $9.99 per month or $99 per year.
No refunds are given after purchase, so make the trial count.
Plottr
$60
per year, or $150 one-time for lifetime; no monthly plan
Windows and Mac desktop app on unlimited household devices, with files and backups kept on the device. Shown against crossed-out prices of $80 and $199.
Plottr Pro
$99
per year; or $9.99 per month, or $599 one-time for lifetime
Adds the browser app, cloud sync and backups, and real-time collaboration. Monthly and lifetime are shown against crossed-out prices of $15 and $699.
Plottr Pro + Community
$129
per year; or $14.99 per month, or $649 one-time for lifetime
Pro plus a private community, the Education Vault and networking. Shown against crossed-out prices of $160 a year, $19 a month and $799 lifetime.
Trying it first
Free for 30 days.
Read from plottr.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Lifetime licenses from $150
Each tier can be bought once instead of by subscription: $150 for Plottr, $599 for Plottr Pro and $649 for Pro + Community. Lifetime plans never expire and include updates.
Stated on plottr.comAnnual discount
Annual billing costs less than monthly on Pro
Plottr Pro is $99 a year against $9.99 a month, and Pro + Community is $129 a year against $14.99 a month.
Stated on plottr.comEducation
Educational rates and bulk licenses on request
The pricing page invites schools and buyers of bulk licenses to contact Plottr for special pricing. No rates are published.
Stated on plottr.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, macOS and Windows
Visual book outlining and series bible software. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, one-time purchase, real-time collaboration, templates.
Windows and Mac, and that's the whole standalone product.
- Visual timeline
- Scene cards are dragged along a timeline with separate rows for the main plot, subplots and character arcs. The view can be flipped, zoomed and filtered, and plotlines color-coded.
- Plot and scene templates
- Starter templates based on structures such as the Hero's Journey, Romancing the Beat, Story Circle and Three Act Structure. Users can also create and save their own.
- Characters, places and notes
- Character sheets, places and notes take custom attributes, tags, categories and images, with character templates and sorting and filtering across all of them.
- Series bible
- One project holds every book in a series with its characters, places and notes, and a Series View gives a timeline of the whole series alongside each book's own.
- Outline and export
- Generates an outline from the timeline that can be viewed, edited and exported to Microsoft Word or Scrivener. Projects can be imported from Scrivener and Snowflake Pro.
- Plottr Pro cloud features
- A web app that runs on Chromebooks, tablets and Linux devices, cloud storage and backups, automatic syncing between devices and live collaboration on a shared project.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
What it works with
- Scrivener
- Microsoft Word
- Snowflake Pro
Plottr is made by Fictional Devices.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
11/69
Other writing tools it is graded above
Plottr's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 11 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 35 of 69) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $5 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 10 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 13 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 70 writing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Plottr’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 35 of 69
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 69
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 69
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 69
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 3 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. Plottr 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.
Your call
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type.
You could make the core of Plottr for yourself: templates. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $60 a year.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
What this rests on. Plottr’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
Campfire, Novelcrafter, Dabble, Scrivener and World Anvil
The 5 tools Plottr is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Campfire
Free plan · from $0.50/mo
Modular novel writing and worldbuilding app with per-module pricing.
- 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.
- Only Plottr lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Plottr can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Plottr also covers templates.
- 2.4GPA
Dabble
Free trial · from $19/mo
Novel writing app with plotting, story notes and sync.
- Only Dabble lists a Linux app.
- Plottr also covers templates.
- Dabble also covers long-form writing and grammar & style.
- 2.8GPA
Scrivener
Free trial · from $23.99 one-time
Manuscript writing app with a binder, corkboard and outliner.
- Only Plottr lists a web app.
- Only Scrivener lists an iOS app.
- Scrivener also covers long-form writing.
- 2.0GPA
World Anvil
Free plan
Web-based worldbuilding platform for writers and game masters.
- World Anvil has a free plan. Plottr does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Plottr lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Plottr can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
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 Plottr free?
No, Plottr is a paid product, but you can try it first. Free for 30 days.
How much does Plottr cost?
Plottr lists 3 plans. Plottr: $60 per year, or $150 one-time for lifetime; no monthly plan.
What platforms does Plottr work on?
Plottr is available on macOS, Windows and Web.
Does Plottr offer any discounts?
Plottr publicly lists the following: Lifetime licenses from $150; Annual billing costs less than monthly on Pro; Educational rates and bulk licenses on request.
Does Plottr have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Plottr is listed for macOS, Windows and Web.
Does Plottr have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Plottr is listed for macOS, Windows and Web.
Is Plottr open source?
Plottr is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Plottr 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 Plottr integrate with?
Plottr's listing names Scrivener, Microsoft Word and Snowflake Pro. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Plottr have a student discount?
Educational rates and bulk licenses on request. The pricing page invites schools and buyers of bulk licenses to contact Plottr for special pricing.
Who makes Plottr?
Plottr is made by Fictional Devices.
What are the alternatives to Plottr?
The closest alternatives to Plottr in our directory are Campfire, Novelcrafter, Dabble, Scrivener and World Anvil.
How does Plottr compare with other writing tools?
Plottr's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 11 of the 69 other writing tools we grade, and level with 8.
Is Plottr good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Plottr B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $5 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 10 of the 44 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Plottr?
A writing app at its plainest is a page that saves what you type. You could make the core of Plottr for yourself: templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Plottr’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Plottr's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-27.
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 Fictional Devices. Prices change, so check plottr.com before you buy.
- plottr.com/pricing/
- plottr.com/
- plottr.com/features/
- docs.plottr.com/article/34-what-devices-does-plottr-work-on
- docs.plottr.com/article/117-mobile-new-mobile-app-incoming-please-read
- docs.plottr.com/article/31-can-i-install-plottr-for-linux
- docs.plottr.com/article/35-do-i-need-an-internet-connection-to-use-plottr
- docs.plottr.com/article/27-can-i-write-my-story-in-plottr
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
- Plottr, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/plottr
- 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, "Plottr: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/plottr
Know someone choosing between writing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/plottr/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded writing tools after Plottr, 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 Plottr’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. Plottr is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Fictional Devices. Prices and plans change: check plottr.com before you buy.