yWriter AlternativesTop Novel Authoring Tools & Word Processors like yWriter

yWriter is described as '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' and is a popular Novel Authoring tool in the news & books category. There are more than 50 alternatives to yWriter for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Web-based, Linux and SaaS apps. The best yWriter alternative is Manuskript, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like yWriter are Scrivener, bibisco, novelWriter and Ulysses.

Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
yWriter alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. Manuskript icon
     169 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.

    123 Manuskript alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
     
    |
    1
    Manuskript vs yWriter Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Manuskript combines concepts and functions of yWriter, Novel Factory and Scrivener. It's a bit rough in its presentation, but a good alternative for anyone who can't decide between the aforementioned tools.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Manuskript is Free and Open SourceyWriter is Freemium and Proprietary
  2. Scrivener icon
     262 likes

    Tailored for extensive writing, this tool offers flexible structure and organization, integrates project outlines, supports various formats, and allows reorganization through drag and drop, ensuring research materials are within reach for efficient work.

    128 Scrivener alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac
    • Wine
     
    |
    2
    Scrivener vs yWriter Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    Structural similarity. But it's troublesome complicated program.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Negative
    1

    Scrivener doesn't have the same layout that yWriter does, nor does it focus on scenes as much as yWriter does. Way too many features and distracting.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Scrivener is Paid and ProprietaryyWriter is Freemium and Proprietary
  3. bibisco icon
     85 likes

    Desktop application for novel structuring, offering chapter and scene management, distraction-free text editing, detailed timeline, character interviews, multilingual support, export to publishing formats, revision history, relationship diagrams, and writing goal tracking.

    56 bibisco alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Electron
    • Node.JS
     
    |
    2
    bibisco vs yWriter Comments
    Guest
    Negative
    -1

    main character's option are really too numerous

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    It may not be as flexible as yWriter to move text between scenes and chapters.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • bibisco is Freemium and Open SourceyWriter is Freemium and Proprietary
    • bibisco is Privacy focusedyWriter is not according to our users
  4. novelWriter icon
     27 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.

    68 novelWriter alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Qt
    • Python
     
  5. Ulysses icon
     69 likes

    Ulysses is a text editor for creative writers. Used by bloggers, poets, students and published novelists all over the world, it offers an integrated environment to brainstorm, draft, revise and even submit text on a professional level.

    131 Ulysses alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • iPhone
    • iPad
     
  6. Quoll Writer icon
     40 likes

    Focus 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.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
    |
    1
    Quoll Writer vs yWriter Comments
    Linda Jenkinson
    Negative
    -2

    According to their website, Quoll Writer is not available for Linux or Mac

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Quoll Writer is Free and Open SourceyWriter is Freemium and Proprietary
  7. Daino Notes icon
     9 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.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  8. Free offline worldbuilding and story creation tool with dozens of templates, complex tagging options, document linking, and project-wide search. Template examples: characters, places, events, religions, currencies, magic, species, languages.

    34 Fantasia Archive alternatives

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  9. Gingko Writer icon
     57 likes

    Gingko Writer is a text editor that uses a tree-like structure to help you organize and visualize your thoughts, making it easier to outline, draft, and refine complex texts.

    81 Gingko Writer alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
    |
    1
    Gingko Writer vs yWriter Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    it's the only one that actually offers a dynamic word documenting system that is fluid and able to be used by NON-FICTION writers, which is harder to find than you'd think. Still no where near the set up of yWriter though.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Gingko Writer is Paid and ProprietaryyWriter is Freemium and Proprietary
  10. oStorybook icon
     26 likes

    oStorybook is a free, open source novel-writing software for creative writers, novelists and authors which will help you to keep an overview of multiple plot-lines while writing texts.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
    |
    1
    oStorybook vs yWriter Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Layout is easier to use, more intuitive. Character database is excellent. However, yWriter shows you word count for each scene, very helpul.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • oStorybook is Free and Open SourceyWriter is Freemium and Proprietary
12 of 78 yWriter alternatives