Before we know the alternatives of Scrivener, we have to know the answer of a simple question. What is a Scrivener? Scrivener is an on-the-go application for all kinds of writers. Scrivener can be used by a novel writer, a student who wants to create a paper, a journalist, etc. Scrivener is a proofreading tool for authors, writers, novelists, and students. Scrivener helps them to organize their research, data, and notes into manageable sections. In other words, Scrivener is a well-known tool in the News & Books category that includes everything you need to produce your first draft, from nascent idea to final full stop. Scrivener is undoubtedly one of the best applications in the category of News & Books. It won awards like Macworld Eddy Awards, 2012 PC World 100 Best, PC Pro Recommended and many more. So, you know that Scrivener is a good and helpful application for its category. But sometimes you could get bored using the same application all the time. Now, are you ready to see the alternatives of Scrivener? Let’s find out.
Best Scrivener Alternatives You Should Try!
1. Novlr
Novlr is another alternative Scrivener application. Novlr is using the cloud as the base of its application. Novlr is a useful tool for novel writers and book writers. It could be the reason why this app is called Novlr. So, what makes this Scrivener alternative special? The main focus of Novlr is writing. A minimalist and distraction-free user interface will help you focus on writing. You can set the color ambiance if you want. Novlr gives you three different color modes. Day mode, evening mode, and night mode could be chosen based on your current mood. Inside the Novlr application, there is a word processor and a progress dashboard. This application is an online application and will save your writing automatically whenever you connect to the internet. So, it’s like google docs made for novelists. Novlr has editing assistance features. The editing assistance is like a proofreading process done by artificial intelligence. This tool will highlight the mistakes; the system is similar to Grammarly. In the application, you could set your goals daily or monthly. The goals will count your word monthly. Novlr is also equipped with an analysis of your productivity. Novlr is a paid writing tool that you could use if you pay it monthly for $10 per month, or you could pay it yearly with $8.33 each month. Pros:
The application has an editing assistance feature Autosave feature You could publish your book and article easily Available on mobile phone, either it’s android or ios Free trial for two weeks
Cons:
This writing tool is only suitable for novelist or book writer Limited file format
2. LivingWriter
Living Writer is a Scrivener alternative for mac and windows. It’s writing software that is cloud-based. With the cloud-based system, this application will make your work easier. The user interface of Living Writer is comfortable for your eyes. It’s very simple but fantastic. The use of the application is also very simple. There’s no complexity to use this app, but it’s loaded with writing tools that you need. This application has automatic saving features. Once you start writing your document, the application will save it automatically. This feature makes you don’t have to worry about your documents. Living Writer allows you to collaborate with other people you want to. The application will enable you to share the documents you wish to with your co-authors. Is Living Writer support Grammarly? Living Writer is integrated with Grammarly. So, it will make your work more manageable when you want to write content in English. This application is a paid application. You could spend it monthly for $9.99 or pay it yearly with $8.00 per month. But, you could try it for free for 14 days free trial. Pros:
Autosaving features Easy to learn Easy to use Export to doc or pdf by a single click Integrated with Grammarly Cloud-based writing application platform Free trial available
Cons:
The left bar cant be hidden No mobile version of the application Unsuitable with script and screenwriting
3. Dabble Writer
Dabble writer is an online writing tool. Even though it’s an online based writing tool, this application can be used offline. This writing tool is an easy-to-use tool with some features that will help you create unique stories. Dabble writer will help you manage your manuscript. The focus point of this application is to simplify to make you comfortable while writing. In dabble writer, the features were not overloaded. It makes you able to go right into writing without being distracted by features. This writing tool is a Scrivener alternative that is similar to a Scrivener. The appearance of the user interface is identical to Scrivener but a little bit more modern. Dabble writer is like a simpler version of a very well-known word processor. With its limited features, dabble writers will make you more productive. Dabble writer has a built-in grammar checking tool, word tracker, cloud synchronization, epilogue, and prologue as their features. Dabble writer does not support collaborative features. Maybe this will be a new feature on the updated dabble writer. So, what is the plus point of a dabbling writer? The key plus point of dabble writer is simple. This writing tool is easy to use and easy to learn. Even a beginner can learn to use this writing tool easily. Pros:
Simple user interface Easy to use Easy to learn Built-in grammar checker Free trial availability
Cons:
This writing tool only provide one type of font and font color Unavailable to import content from outside the writing tool There is only one format. The format is only suitable for novel writing.
4. Manuskript
Manuskript is a versatile word processing tool. This writing software is suitable for novelists, journalists, and even students. This open-source writing software almost has all the features that you need. This writing tool provides a simple and clean user interface. With distraction-free mode makes you more productive in writing. You could set your writing goals in manuskript. The goal you set could be word count or time. This feature will help you to motivate yourself during a long writing project. The other key feature of manuskript is novel assistant. Novel assistant allows you to use a common method known as the “snowflake method” to help you turn your idea into a coherent plot. Manuskript writing tool could be your solution to the Scrivener alternative. It’s a must-try writing tool even though it’s not equipped with the collaborative feature. Pros:
Open-source platform Flexibility to access from any platform The including of novel assistant Dark theme to comfy your eyes Easily export files to several formats Frequency analyzer to write SEO contents
Cons:
Mismatch possibility when exporting files that contain graphs It could be challenging to install for the non-tech guy Need time to adapt to the writing tool
5. Write!
Write! Application is a writing tool application that helps you to write in a distraction-free environment. The Write! application offers the option to disallow any distraction that could distract from your writing activity. The Write! application has a feature named focus mode. Focus mode will automatically block all notifications or anything to make sure you stay focus on your writing activity. In this writing tool, you have the flexibility to personalize your style inside the application. You can change both background and text colors to personalize with your desire. A collaborative feature is also available in this writing tool. You can share your document with your colleagues with a shareable link. This allows your colleagues to write and edit your paper. Write! Application costs $24.95. That is a lifetime price and even cheaper for students. Students can get the writing tool for only $9.95 Pros:
Distraction-free and focus mode while writing Availability of cloud synchronization Personalization style for your convenience Collaborative feature to collaborate with co-authors Support a lot of languages
Cons:
No mobile version of the writing tool. You have to use access the application using a mac, windows, or Linux devices Restricted to export file to another format
6. Final Draft
Final Draft is one of the best Scrivener alternatives. The final draft even gives a far better performance than the final draft’s counterpart in terms of book writing. This writing tool application uses an open-source system to make the research faster. In this application, users can analyze some characters. Users can also make some quick notes. In the final draft, you can invite your colleagues or co-authors to work together. It means that you can write together with your own colleague on the same project. That is how the final draft makes the collaborative feature fun for the users. Scrivener, especially in windows, is nothing compared to the final draft in terms of variety and quantity of the book templates. The final draft application provides more than 300 templates for various content projects. In the writing application, you could export your manuscript files to some formats. The final draft writing application is currently working nicely on Mac, Windows, and iOS. Unfortunately, Android devices are now unsupported. The final draft was made for the showbiz market. That’s why the final draft is one of the most expensive writing tool software. The windows and mac cost $299 and include a 30-day free trial, while the ios version costs $9.99 with no free trial availability. Pros:
Real-time collaborative features Various range of templates Flexibility to export to another format It can be accessed using windows, mac, and ios
Cons:
Unavailable for android device straightforward There is no distraction-free feature in the application.
7. Zoho Writer
Zoho writer is one of the Scrivener alternatives. Zoho writer offers a lot of templates to help you start writing your document. This writing tool software has a lot of variety of templates on it’s own repository. This writing tool is just easy to learn. It’s just a piece of cake for writers, even for a new writer to learn and use this writing software. You just have to log in and start writing. Zoho Writer also offers flexibility to export your content. Zoho writing tool can export your file as .doc, .pdf, .rtf, and many more formats that you want to use. Zoho is a more proper writing tool to choose from use toolclean and straightforwardthan a Scrivener for blog writers and freelancers because of the variety of abilities to collaborate with other writers you want. You could collaborate with your colleague to work on a project. You can collaborate with your colleagues at the same time. Zoho writer is a writing software that does not have it’s own cloud. It’s not a cloud based software. On the other hand, it supports Google Drive, Dropbox, One Drive, and Box. So, you don’t have to worry about where your files will be saved. Zoho writing tool also offers a wide range of devices. It’s a web based writing tool so you don’t need to install it on your laptop. Zoho writer can be accessed with mac or windows. Just open the browser and search the zoho writer. Although it’s a web based writing tool, the system on mobile devices and computers is different. If you just have to open the web of zoho writer on your computer, you have to download the application of zoho writer on your mobile device. The most important thing about the Zoho writer is it’s a free writing software. Pros:
Free, the software is free to use A lot of writing templates to help you start writing Easy to use Easy to learn Does not need to install the software Flexibility to export to other formats that you want
Cons:
Zoho writer does not have it’s own cloud
Conclusion
So, based on the Scrivener alternatives above we could see that there are a lot of alternatives. Every writing tool software has its own positive sides and negative sides. You could choose the alternative based on what you need. If you look at the pros and cons of every Scrivener alternatives, the best alternative is Zoho writer. Surprisingly the free writing tool has a lot to offer. It has a lot of benefits using this software. So, what is your favourite Scrivener alternative?
