The Best Free Scrivener AlternativesTop Novel Authoring & Note-taking Tools like Scrivener
The best free alternative to Scrivener is Manuskript, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Scrivener and loads of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Scrivener are yWriter, Zettlr, bibisco and Quoll Writer.
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Scrivener alternatives are mainly Novel Authoring Tools but may also be Note-taking Tools or Text Editors. Other popular filters includes Free + Novel Authoring. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Scrivener.- Novel Authoring Tool
- Paid • Proprietary
159 likes108 Manuskript alternativesManuskript is an open-source tool for writers, with outliner, character management, plot development, distraction-free editor, etc.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Snapcraft
- Flathub
- Flatpak
Top Manuskript Features
Manuskript VS Scrivener
Is Manuskript a good alternative to Scrivener?
66 likes66 yWriter alternativesyWriter is a writing tool that uses "scenes" as a unit of text and allows you to associate that text with all manner of story elements (characters, locations, items) as well as place it and rearrange it within the context of chapters.
License model
- Freemium • Proprietary
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Android
- Android Tablet
yWriter VS Scrivener
Is yWriter a good alternative to Scrivener?Comments about yWriter as an Alternative to Scrivener
robyellow95For some reason, this reminds me of my high school notebooks: Flipping through pages trying to find crap.
2I hated it. It kept trying to force me to follow its workflow (invented by the author, I think), and I use a different one. Scrivener suits my workflow, and yWriter does not. It is still on my hard drive, however, just in case.
1MachiTamagonovel writing and organization software
0
217 likes159 Zettlr alternativesFrom idea to publication in one app: Zettlr accompanies you while writing your blog post, newspaper article, term paper, thesis, or entire book.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Flathub
Zettlr VS Scrivener
Is Zettlr a good alternative to Scrivener?Comments about Zettlr as an Alternative to Scrivener
C.A.Doesn't really serve the same purpose in the same way.
2RCLeahcarZettlr is more of a general note-taking app, and doesn't have the author-oriented features of Scrivener
5Zettlr is a fantastic alternative to Scrivener - give it a go. It's brilliant.
-5
83 likes45 bibisco alternativesbibisco is a novel writing software that helps you to write your story, in a simple way.
License model
- Freemium • Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Electron / Atom Shell
- Node.JS
bibisco VS Scrivener
Is bibisco a good alternative to Scrivener?Comments about bibisco as an Alternative to Scrivener
callywIt is actually a better alternative to Scrivener because of its clear, organisation features. I wish I would have discovered this before I purchased Scrivener. Bibisco is much easier to use: You don't need lengthy tutorials to read just to get started. Hands down this is better.
4Bibisco keeps getting in the way. No, dude. I don't want to outline your way. Not only does it insist to make you fill in stuff you don't want to, it doesn't even offer a way to disable it!
3LapoMelziToo strict in his structure and the same time not thorough enough so that the boxing in would by uselful
8
35 likes63 Quoll Writer alternativesFocus on your words not the interface. Quoll Writer is a writing application that helps you focus on your words. Clean and uncluttered. Feature rich. Features are where you would expect them to be.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Windows
Top Quoll Writer Features
Quoll Writer VS Scrivener
Is Quoll Writer a good alternative to Scrivener?Comments about Quoll Writer as an Alternative to Scrivener
Clean interface. No non-sense kind of software that has some of the same features of Scrivener. One particular feature I like is the software's ability to automatically link items, characters, places etc. to scenes, chapters, ideas, etc. so you know where every character, item, and place is. Great for keeping track of things in your novel. Has a few bugs here and there, but the developer is friendly, helpful, and responds back in a timely fashion.
4shallNo cost. Really solid features for writing novels or short stories. It's what I consider a Scrivener-like program without having the (sometimes obtuse and sometimes odd) interface that plagues Scrivener. Cards (corkboard), character/item tracking, notes, full-screen minimal mode, nice editing features, and no format lock-in make this a must-try. I will say it's not a pretty as Scrivener.
0RemovedUserFree; solid; several features; customizable; new versions released quickly and with new features; developer very receptive; great for writing novels.
1
64 likes188 Dendron alternativesDendron is an open-source, local-first, markdown-based, note-taking tool built on top of VSCode. It supports all the usual features you would expect like tagging, backlinks, a graph view, split panes, and so forth.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application type
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Visual Studio Code
Dendron VS Scrivener
Is Dendron a good alternative to Scrivener?Comments about Dendron as an Alternative to Scrivener
It is not a good Scrivener alternative as it is more focused on development, like Python for example.
0
13 likes39 SmartEdit Writer alternativesSmartEdit Writer (formerly Atomic Scribbler) is a project management and writing environment for novelists and short story writers working on Windows PCs. Writers use the software to plan their novels, prepare and maintain research material, and then write that novel chapter by...
SmartEdit Writer VS Scrivener
Is SmartEdit Writer a good alternative to Scrivener?Comments about SmartEdit Writer as an Alternative to Scrivener
(1) It's free. (2) No nonsense book compile. (3) User-friendly. (4) Less visual clutter. (5) Did I mention it's FREE?
1A Scrivener wannabe with a lot less clutter.
1It has a tree structure like Scrivener. It's also free. Can keep tabs of documents open and tabs of notes. What makes this stand out above scrivener is the editing functions with fantastic reports you can run. It does lack some of the tools of scrivener, however, but depending on what tools you find necessary, this may be perfect.
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Comments about Manuskript as an Alternative to Scrivener
Mostly because it's opensource but also because the interface and features are very similar !
Right now, Manuskript is too unreliable to use. On Windows, it won't even start (on my system). Maybe we should all wait for 1.0.0 before we actually try it.
Much more efficient than Scrivener because it's way easier to use and everything is where you expect it to be. The worldbuilding tool is simple but enough and it incorporates the snowflake method flawlessly. But you can ignore it just as easily if you wish. The only aspect where it's lacking compared to Scrivener is in the compile options, but you can always compile as docx and use a text editor to get the standard manuscript format right.