Scrivener AlternativesOnly Open Source apps categorised as Text Editors

The best open source Text Editor alternative to Scrivener is Manuskript. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Scrivener and nine of them are open source Text Editors so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source Text Editor alternatives to Scrivener are Zettlr, novelWriter, Story Architect (STARC) and Daino Notes.

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Scrivener alternatives are mainly Text Editors, but if you're looking for Note-taking Tools or Novel Authoring Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Android, Open Source, Linux, Free, Online, Windows and iPad. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Scrivener.
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Alternatives list

  1. Manuskript icon
     171 likes

    Open-source software offering a hierarchical outliner, distraction-free editor, character management, plot tools, Snowflake method support, section multi-organization, customizable writing workflows, cross-platform availability, and export to standard formats.

    132 Manuskript alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
     
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    10
  2. Zettlr icon
     259 likes

    Unified writing platform offering note-taking, easy citations with Zotero integration, LaTeX/Word templates, snippets, themes, dark modes, code highlighting, multi-language support, and knowledge management with Zettelkasten for seamless writing from notes to books.

    206 Zettlr alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
     
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    3
  3. novelWriter icon
     29 likes

    novelWriter is a Markdown-like text editor designed for writing novels and larger projects of many smaller plain text documents. It uses its own flavor of Markdown that supports a meta data syntax for comments, synopsis and cross-referencing between files.

    79 novelWriter alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Qt
    • Python
     
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    1
  4. A smooth yet powerful writing experience for devoted authors. With only wanted features and native workflow it runs faster than all your previous apps combined.

    53 Story Architect (STARC) alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • AppImageHub
    • Flathub
    • Android
     
  5. Daino Notes icon
     10 likes

    Offers fast, distraction-free note-taking via a high-performance editor with real-time Markdown, local-first storage, image support, Kanban task boards, intuitive drag-and-drop, keyboard shortcuts, configurable themes, fast search, and cross-platform access.

    94 Daino Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  6. Nulis icon
     15 likes

    Nulis makes the process of outlining your stories, articles, or books easy, fun, and convenient.

    Cost / License

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
     
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    1
  7. TowPad icon
     1 like

    Modern wordpad app for Windows with a focus on simplicity and ease of use.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  8. Outcome icon
     1 like

    Outcome is a desktop writing and creative workspace designed to help writers, researchers, creators, and organizations manage complex content in a structured environment.

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
     
9 of 9 Scrivener alternatives