Best Scrivener Alternatives: You've Got Options, Friend

Scrivener has enjoyed many years as the most popular novel-writing tool for both aspiring wordsmiths and established authors.

But while Scrivener remains a great writing program, the landscape is changing. New software is constantly emerging, and each groundbreaking tool introduces new solutions for a wide range of writing journeys.

This is very exciting, because not all writers are the same.

As we've discussed many times at Dabble, each of us has to find our own process. That includes identifying the writing software that grooves with the way we like to work.

If you're on the hunt for a tool that fits your specific needs, you've come to the right place. You're about to discover some of the top Scrivener alternatives, what they cost (if anything), and how they might help your unique routine.

But first, let's talk about why it's worth broadening your search in the first place.

Reasons You Might Be in Search of an Alternatives To Scrivener

While Scrivener is very popular with some writers, it's not the ideal writing software for all scribes. 

Scrivener is a complex tool with loads of features, but it may not be a top pick for those who:

• Don't want to invest a lot of time learning how to use it. Scrivener comes with a steep learning curve, which delays your ability to leap in and start crafting your novel.
• Get overwhelmed by visual noise. Scrivener's features are well-organized in navigation menus and toolbars, which are right there for easy access as you draft your manuscript. Convenient? Certainly. But it's also the reason this is perhaps the most cluttered writing tool out there.
• Need to collaborate. While there are ways to share and collaborate on projects through Scrivener, it's a clunky system. There's no real-time syncing, and frankly, other writing tools offer much smoother co-authoring functions.  
• Want to keep it simple. For a lot of writers, Scrivener's complex features only present more opportunities for distraction. Mastering Scrivener can feel a bit like a time and energy suck when you just want a simple tool to streamline your plotting and writing process.

If you fit into any of those categories, here are some Scrivener alternatives worth considering:

Dabble Writer

This was the Scrivener alternative I picked several years ago. Dabble Writer's only gotten better since it became my go-to.

For me, the visual organization of the Plot Grid was a huge selling point. It provides an easy, visual method for structuring your story and keeping track of everything from story beats to character arcs, scene by scene. The Grid allows you to add as many columns as you want, and any Scene Cards you create will be right there in your right nav pane as you draft the corresponding scene.

Of course, this is only the beginning of Dabble's story planning features. You can also create detailed Character Profiles and organize your characters into Casts. Use the Notebook to create a worldbuilding bible, scribble ideas, or store research notes.

Like Scrivener, Dabble Writer keeps your navigation menu, Scene Cards, and Story Notes easily accessible as you write. But Dabble manages to avoid the clutter effect with an auto fade feature that hides everything but your manuscript when you begin to type. (This feature can be disabled if you don't dig it.) 

I've also come to love Dabble's customizable interface, especially now that the software has added themes so you can set the mood, from witchy green to romantic lavender (as demonstrated by the changing colors in all these screenshots). You can also choose between Dark Mode or Light Mode, or ask the app to automatically switch between the two according to the time of day.

You have the option to organize your projects into collections, and you can create multiple books within a single project, which is super helpful if you're writing a series and don't want to have to keep recreating your Notebook.

If you have a co-author, Dabble allows real-time collaborative editing, you can invite beta readers and editors to weigh in on your draft, and you can invite friends to view a read-only manuscript. These sharing tools are even cooler (and more unique) than they sound. If this is a feature that’s important to you, you should check out this video and this video for more details.

There's also a friendly and active online Dabble community. Dabblers and non-Dabblers alike can join DabbleU Campus (it's free!) to connect with other authors and the Dabble team. For advanced resources like self-guided courses and live workshops, there's DabbleU Academy (membership included with the Dabble Writer Bestseller subscription).

For writers who often find themselves stealing their writing time during little league practices or on their lunch break, Dabble Writer is cloud-based and compatible with any device. You can continue your story anytime, anywhere, with or without an internet connection. Your work is always autosaved, so you won't lose a single stroke of genius.

‍Other features that make Dabble a stellar Scrivener alternative include:

• Comments, Sticky Notes, and Highlighting
• Customizable Cover Image
• Drag-and-Drop Outline
• Export With Industry-Standard Formatting
• Goal Setting and Tracking
• Image Upload
• Image Search Powered by Unsplash
• Internal Linking and Quick Open
• Read to Me
• Spelling, Grammar, and Style Check powered by ProWritingAid
• Thesaurus Tools
• Track Changes
• Version History

I usually describe Dabble Writer to people as the sweet spot in the realm of writing tools. It provides everything you need to stay organized from planning and plotting to drafting and revising. But it doesn't get so wrapped up in the bells and whistles that you lose focus on the ultimate goal: Writing a novel that rocks.

Dabble is subscription-based (check here for current packages and pricing). There is also an option for lifetime access if you want to pay once and never think about it again.

Dabble writer gives you the opportunity to try before you buy, with a fourteen-day free trial that gives you access to all features.

iA Writer

If you're looking for the visual opposite of Scrivener, iA Writer is a good option. This writing tool emphasizes a minimalist interface and distraction-free writing.

While iA Writer already keeps your writing space tidy with a super simple toolbar, Focus Mode gives you the option to eliminate the toolbar when you begin typing and—if you want to take it a step further—fade all text other than the sentence or paragraph you're currently writing.

This writing software also allows you to use Markdown as you write, so you never have to take your fingers off the keyboard. You can see a preview of your formatting any time and export your document as as an HTML, PDF, MS Word, or project archive file.

Even the built-in style check function is designed for visual simplicity, with tidy little strikethroughs quietly indicating filler words, clichés, and redundancies. The optional syntax highlighter helps you examine the structure of your writing by color-coding words according to parts of speech—a handy way to check for excessive adjectives and adverbs.

Finally, if AI tools are part of your writing process, iA Writer features an Authorship function to help you keep track of which words are yours and which are borrowed. Anything you copy and paste from AI remains in colored text as your own added thoughts appear in black and white. That way, you can invite Claude to help you brainstorm without accidentally giving him a voice in your story.

There's nothing here that's unique to fiction authors; there are no plotting or character development features in iA Writer, and the system for organizing documents isn't much different from a standard word processor.

This writing software is available on multiple platforms: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Android, and Windows. A separate purchase is required for each platform, though it is a one-time fee rather than a subscription. You can check here for current prices, and you can try the app with a 7-day free trial. There is no web-based version.

Squibler

If it's built-in AI tools that you're after, Squibler is probably your jam. Depending on your subscription tier, you can ask this writing software to aid in just about every aspect of the writing process.

Squibler's AI assistant will generate an outline for you. It'll create a character arc. You can ask it for character name ideas, scene and character images, and an entire first draft. It also helps with the revision process. Think a section could use a "show, don't tell" makeover? You can ask for that. Need a little more suspense? It'll do that, too.

Highest tier subscribers can even generate a book cover.

Now, I'd place some of these features in the con column, as this program makes it really easy to remove our humanity from the writing process entirely. But I also recognize that some fiction authors use AI tools as part of their still-very-human process, and if you're one of them, the fact that Squibler has these features built in might be a pro for you.

As for planning and plotting, the available tools are fairly basic but still allow you to keep your ideas organized and close at hand using files and folders. There are no tools for mind mapping or visual plotting.

Like Dabble, Squibler comes with an active writing community. You can join the Squibler Discord and attend webinars for free.

Squibler is available through monthly subscription (though you pay almost half the price if you opt for annual billing). You can see paid packages here. There is a free version, and it comes with some AI features, but it's pretty limited otherwise. You need a paid plan to export your manuscript.

This is a web-based writing program, with limited functionality on mobile and tablet devices.

Atticus

Atticus is book-writing software with a bespectacled Boston terrier for a mascot, so we're off to a good start.

This tool is best for authors who don't care so much about plotting and planning tools but would like a simple, intuitive writing program that prepares them to take on the self-publishing process like a pro.

While Atticus is technically writing software, it's better known as a formatting tool, allowing you to create a publish-ready manuscript with very little effort. The program comes with tons of options for customizing your novel's interior while still adhering to industry standards, and it allows you to do fancy stuff like add text messages and create a Master Page—a back matter template you can quickly add to future projects.

As a writing app, Atticus's features are limited, but if you do most of your planning by sticking Post-It notes to a wall, it may have everything you need. Plus, you get a few fun bonuses like goal setting, drag-and-drop chapter organization, real-time collaboration, and a word sprint timer.

Overall, this is a decent option for indie authors who want to write and format in one app. Those who plan to publish traditionally might find that Atticus doesn't have enough fiction-focused features to justify the cost.

Speaking of which, Atticus is a one-time purchase, you can find current prices here. It's available for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chromebook.

Ulysses

This writing software is compatible with Macs, iPhones, and iPads. End of list. 

So if you're a Microsoft user, I'll save you some time and encourage you to skip ahead to the next section. This is a Mac-only situation.

For Mac users, Ulysses is designed for writers who prefer a super minimalist vibe in their writing space. While this software does have enough features to make it a reasonable Scrivener alternative, it's not loaded with them. 

It also maintains its clean, simple aesthetic by keeping menus tucked away and allowing users to format through Markdown language instead of toolbars. 

Notable features of Ulysses include goal tracking, proofreading and editing assistance, and project organization systems. Unfortunately, Ulysses does not have a built-in collaboration feature at the time of this writing.

The price of Ulysses is simple and straightforward: a one-tier subscription, with a discount if you pay annually.

Grammarly

‍Grammarly is definitely not a pure Scrivener alternative. This writing tool was made to help you sharpen your writing style, not streamline your story and character development.

But if you're on the hunt for writing software because you want more grammar and style guidance than Google Docs will give you, this tool could come in handy for you.

To use Grammarly, you'd either upload a document to your online Grammarly account or use the Grammarly plugin to review your writing in real time as you work in platforms like Google Docs or Wordpress. You can also integrate Grammarly with programs like Microsoft Word (and Dabble Writer!).

However you choose to use it, this tool reviews your writing and flags errors or opportunities for improvement. The value of the guidance you get depends on your plan. 

For example, your free account will help you out with grammar, spelling, punctuation, conciseness, and tone detection. With paid versions (see current rates here), you enjoy more advanced features like word choice suggestions and full-sentence rewrites.

Grammarly can be a valuable tool for fiction writers. But keep in mind that it was designed primarily with business folks in mind. 

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is similar to Grammarly in that its focus is entirely on helping you sharpen your prose.

This writing software checks your work for:

• Grammar and spelling
• Common style issues like passive voice and repeated sentence starts
• Overused words
• Readability
• Sentence length
• Clichés
• Pacing
• Consistency

…and about a billion other things. They've genuinely thought of everything when it comes to mastering solid prose. There's even a feature that highlights all instances of alliteration so you can check the sound and rhythm of your writing.

What makes this software particularly useful for writers, however, is the fact that you can specify your document type. Not only can you get feedback on your manuscript as a “Creative” text, you can even clarify the genre you're writing in.

Of course, your access to all these features depends on your plan. The free version only allows you to check 500 words at a time and focuses feedback on grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

For all the other bells and whistles, you'd need the subscription-based premium plan. This includes integrations that allow you to use ProWritingAid in other applications like Word, Google Docs, and more. Dabble comes with ProWritingAid built in.

Free Scrivener Alternatives

If your biggest hesitation with Scrivener is the cost, there are some free tools that might fulfill your writing needs.

These no-cost options won't have as many features as other tools, and some are even a bit clunky, but if all you're looking for is a fairly reliable text editor and maybe a few novel-specific features, you may find they're well worth the $0 investment.

Bibisco

While Bibisco has a paid version, the free package has enough cool features to make it worth your consideration.

This writing software goes hard on guiding you through the story planning process. It's got features for dreaming up story locations, organizing your plot, and creating character profiles using built-in character interview questions. Every feature includes guidance for developing your story elements.

The free tool allows for unlimited projects, but if you're ready to make a one-time payment, you can also access mind mapping, story analysis tools, visual timelines, and a heap of other features.

Hemingway Editor

This is not a one-to-one Scrivener alternative like Dabble. No plotting features, no storage for writing projects, none of that stuff. Think of it more like Grammarly. Only in this case, it's less about perfecting your grammar and more about advancing your writing style.

Hemingway Editor is all about readability. Are you using the active or passive voice? Do you have a few sentences that are long and convoluted? Are you using more complicated terms than you really need to?

Basically, this app exists to help you construct sentences like Ernest Hemingway would: clear, simple, and direct. 

Now, is that something your writing needs? Depends.

I'd say Hemingway Editor is most useful for online content like this article—something where your number one goal is to be as clear as possible to as many readers as possible.

But as a novel writer, is it your goal to write at a fifth-grade comprehension level? 

Maybe! But also, maybe not. It's purely a matter of your voice and style.

Having said that, Hemingway Editor will help you avoid common writing mistakes like passive voice, excessive adverbs, and confusing sentences. 

And while the desktop app comes with a price tag, it's completely free to run a troublesome section of your draft through the online editor.

Manuskript

If you're looking for an open-source Scrivener alternative, Manuskript is quickly becoming the popular option. This free software mimics many of Scrivener's plotting and organization features, and it includes tools for creating character profiles, outlining plots, and setting up a worldbuilding bible. Manuskript also offers a distraction-free mode and has a Novel Assistant tool rooted in the Snowflake Method.

Of course, if you love Scrivener, you should know that this open-source software isn't as robust and can't replace all its features. It's also fairly new, and while users can look forward to future updates, reviews report that the program can be clunky, and the download page begs you to back up your work, just in case.

Microsoft Word

The biggest advantage of using Microsoft Word to write a book is that you're probably already familiar with it. For decades, Word has been the standard in most educational and professional settings.

Even if you don't already know and use Word, many of the editors, agents, and publishers you'll one day be working with do. 

Of course, that doesn't mean you must write your novel in Word. Many tools (like Dabble and Scrivener) allow you to export your manuscript as a Word document.

The downside to Word is that it's a tool designed for broad application. It wasn't made to help you write a novel specifically. There are no plotting features, no easy way to move scenes around, no scene cards to access from within your manuscript… none of that good stuff.

Microsoft does offer a novel template, but it pales in comparison to what you get from software created specifically for fiction writers.

Having said all that, Word technically covers all the must-haves of novel writing in that it provides a space where you can write a novel. It also has basic editing features like spellcheck and find and replace. 

Word allows for commenting and tracking changes if you ever want to share your file with a collaborator or editor. And while it doesn't allow you to navigate between chapters as easily as you would with Dabble or Scrivener, you can at least use headings to find chapters without too much effort.

If you don't already have Word, you can use the super basic version online for $0.

Google Docs

Here's another one you may already know well, especially if you've ever collaborated on a project.

The biggest benefit of Google Docs (other than being completely free) is that it allows you to work on the same document with other people. It syncs edits in real time, so you're able to see your collaborator's changes the moment they make them.

Of course, you also get this feature in software like Dabble in addition to the story planning functions Google Docs doesn't offer.

Aside from the real-time collaboration, Google Docs shares many of the same functions as Word. So once again, this is a Scrivener alternative that's more useful to you if all you're looking for is a place to put your words on the page. Just be aware that the longer your doc gets, the glitchier the program is.

The one truly unique advantage of Google Docs is that it's the most accessible writing software. You can invite anyone to view, edit, or comment directly in your document. They don't need to have a special subscription to access it—just a free Google account. And you don't have to take the extra step of downloading and sending a file.

Ellipsus

If you want the famliarity and free collaborative features of Google Docs but with a stronger fiction focus and zero AI involvement, check out Ellipsus.

You still don’t get visual plotting and planning tools, but this web-based program comes with a whole bunch of templates to guide your novel writing. It also allows for real-tme collaboration and let’s you customize your workspace with a color theme. (I chose Aura and can’t stop staring.)

There is a paid version, which includes a chat function and writing insights. But the free plan gets you pretty much everything you’d get with Google Docs, plus fiction writing templates and minus AI. (Like Dabble Writer, Ellipsus is a strong option if you’re actively avoiding AI in your writing software.) 

Test Drive Dabble for Free!

I'm sure it won't come as a surprise that Dabble is my personal favorite of all the Scrivener alternatives. 

It's easy to customize Dabble's features to meet your needs. It's got everything you need to get and stay organized throughout the messy novel-writing process. And it's the most intuitive system I've come across.

But every writer has their own systems and priorities, which is why I'd encourage you to get in on Dabble's free fourteen-day trial. You don't even have to enter a credit card to get started, and you get access to all the features I mentioned above (plus a few I left out).

Ready to give it a whirl? Click this link and you'll be on your way!