Are you a full-time or freelance writer? Or are you a student who is intending to write essays, dissertations, or a thesis? Anyway, as a writer, professional or not, a writing app will be more than a dear friend to you. Scrivener and its alternatives are exclusive go-to-apps for writers that provide all kinds of fantastic help right from correcting grammatical errors to improvising language and checking the writing style, etc.
What Is Scrivener?
Scrivener is one of the popular writing tools developed exclusively for writers in various fields- novelists, screenwriters, students, lawyers, and many others.
Scrivener: Pros
- The app is best for professionals with advanced proofreading and writing tools.
- It comes with its organizational content feature and storyboard equipment.
- Scrivener offers more than 12 templates.
- It is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
- You can enjoy its 30-day free trial too (subject to terms and conditions).
- Scrivener 3 is now available on macOS devices at a 45% discount for existing customers and $49 for newcomers.
Scrivener: Cons
- Users have been complaining about the complexity of the sharing mechanism.
- Also, the utility is more convenient for professionals or ones with a steeper learning curve as compared to novices.
- Also, it doesn’t support Grammarly, which is quite significant given how many users rely on Grammarly for proofreading.
- Users have also shown dissatisfaction concerning the lack of compatibility between Mac and Windows OS.
Keeping in mind the above user reviews, let’s check out the 7 best alternatives to Scrivener.
7 Best Scrivener Alternatives for Windows, Android, and Mac in 2025:
1. ProWritingAid
ProWritingAid is the best grammar checker, and writing-style editor available today and it surely deserves the first mention in the list of Scrivener alternatives for 2025. Let us have a look at why ProWritingAid is worth considering extraordinary.
Features of ProWritingAid:
- It offers world-class grammar and writing-style checking along with in-depth reporting, all to enhance your writing output.
- The software is designed to provide suggestions, and inputs, such as videos, articles, and quizzes, to make your writing seemingly interactive.
- Reasonable pricing
- GDPR-compliant with strict privacy controls.
- It provides an excellent API.
- There is a free version, as well.
ProWritingAid Pricing:
Try the ProWritingAidPremium+ at $66/year. You can enjoy the best of its premium version along with plagiarism checks up to 50 times per year. The plan is perfect for academic purposes. You can even buy the Lifetime version with a one-time payment of $199.50 only.
2. Manuskript
Known as the best open-source (free) Scrivener alternative, Manuskript is a popular word processing tool for writers to create their first draft, edit and refine it after that to turn it into a masterpiece.
Features of Manuskript:
- It is best for those writers who like to keep their work sorted and organized.
- The app allows a distraction-free mode wherein you can set your goal in terms of word count or hours of writing before you can take a break with a ‘full stop’.
- The Snowflake method acts as your novel assistant, helping you create your characters, vivid plot details, etc.
- It enables you to keep track of your notes concerning every character, plot details, and events in your story.
- The tool is available on Mac, Android, and Windows.
Manuskript Pricing:
Manuskript is a free Scrivener alternative. However, you can donate money to the developers of this open-source writing tool.
3. Bibisco
Are you looking for a hassle-free, simple writing tool like Scrivener? If so, Bibisco is the best novel writing software you will find today.
Features of Bibisco:
- You can sort your pages, scenes into chapters quickly.
- It helps you to export novels in pdf, epub, and doc format.
- Bibisco also enables you to write in a distraction-free mode as a genuine text editor.
- You can review your multi-paged novel with a glance. The app allows you to analyze characters, plots, their length, and distribution throughout the plot in a timeline.
- Bibisco speaks multi-languages, viz. Brazil, Portuguese, Russian, Dutch, etc.
- Bibisco supports numerous platforms, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Bibisco Pricing:
The Community edition of Bibisco is free while the Supporters edition is a paid version.
4. Quoll Writer
Free alternative to Scrivener, Quoll Writer is the best platform for screenwriters and authors with rich features and minimal interface. It revolves around long writing comfort.
Features of Quoll Writer:
- Its primary focus is on words and long writing content with an option to switch to full-screen writing.
- Quoll Writer is an open-source Scrivener alternative.
- The tabbed interface is simple and lets you keep track of long stories with numerous characters.
- Quoll Writer also offers easy chapter management, move them, link them, record goals, add descriptions to tag them.
- Scenes and plot outlines help in the easy annotation of the content.
- The Problem Finder feature allows detecting errors and writing issues intelligently.
- Easy sharing across apps and devices.
- It also offers statistics and targets to have figurative progress update.
Quoll Writer Pricing:
Quoll Writer is a free alternative to Scrivener.
5. Final Draft
Final Draft is the best writing tool for professional screenwriters and filmmakers. As an open-source Scrivener alternative, it comes with its unique research facilities and note-taking process.
Features of Final Draft:
- Regular updates are available on its official site. The Final Draft 11 is now available for download.
- Final Draft is a handy tool for professionals, students, teachers, and bloggers.
- The Final Draft Mobile version is handy on iPhone and iPad and thus, accessible easily.
- The software automatically translates your formats into an industry-standard script, thus, easing the work of writers.
- Final Draft offers real-time collaboration among your peers across the globe.
- Affordable educational pricing available for students, at nearly 50% off.
- Final Draft 11 can be installed on Windows 10 and macOS 10.12 Sierra or higher versions.
Final Draft Pricing:
Enjoy the 30-day free trial or buy the Final Draft 11 at $149.99 only as per your needs.
6. Zoho Writer
One of the ideal alternatives to Scrivener, Zoho Writer, works smoothly on Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux) and Mobile (iOS, Android) devices. You can create beautiful documents in just a few minutes using the templates.
Features of Zoho Writer:
- Real-time collaboration with your teammates.
- Easy-to-use UI that lets you write inspirational, minimalistic to exceptional content.
- Two simplistic features, Night Mode and Focus Mode help in keeping your focus on the current paragraph intact.
- Auto-saving
- Locking sensitive information and hiding your changes by restricting your collaboration until you are ready.
- Zia- the AI-driven, smart writing assistant will help you throughout the write-up.
- It offers a wide range of templates.
- Automated paperwork with bulk signature and merging other source documents.
- Share to your WordPress blog anytime you wish.
- You can work offline on any browser and not just Google Chrome.
Zoho Writer Pricing:
Zoho Writer pricing is not disclosed on the website. So, we assume that it is a free alternative to Scrivener.
7. Google Docs
One of the most reliable cloud-based Scrivener alternatives for Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and Linux devices, Google Docs is quite a popular writing tool that comes as a part of the Google apps. You can enjoy its rich features like voice typing and automatic proofreading.
Features of Google Docs
- An online tool just like Scrivener and Zoho Writer with thousands of fonts and dozens of clear formatting options.
- Tag someone, comment, and assign the work to your team directly.
- Voice typing and offline writing mode
- More suitable for novices, story writers, and students who need a handy, go-to-app for writing.
- Google Docs is available for anyone who has a Gmail account.
- It has a 4.3 rating on the Google store.
Google Docs Pricing:
The app is totally free. Download it from Google Play or App Store for Mobile devices. You can also enjoy its all features on the Desktop by logging into your Gmail account.
See Also:
Conclusion
If you do not want to use Scrivener for any reason, here is a genuine list of Scrivener alternatives, both free and paid that might suit your need. However, if you are looking for a Scrivener alternative for Windows or one that is compatible with mobile devices, you can go for Manuskript or Final Draft. Need something professional? you can check ProWritingAid. Hope you found the most reliable Scrivener alternative.
If you’ve any suggestions, please leave your comments down below.