Scrivener vs novelWriter vs Manuskript
Last verified · repository stats fetched 27 Oct 2026
Scrivener is the long-standing paid writing studio for macOS, Windows and iOS, with a binder, corkboard, outliner and a powerful compile step for export. novelWriter is a free, open-source editor that stores your novel as plain text files with a markdown-like syntax. Manuskript is a free, open-source tool built around planning, with an outliner and the snowflake method.
| Scrivener | novelWriter | Manuskript | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence | Proprietary Proprietary | GPL-3.0 Open source (copyleft) | GPL-3.0 Open source (copyleft) |
| Source code | Not open source | GitHub | GitHub |
| ★ Stars | n/a | 3.2k 3,197 | 2.5k 2,467 |
| Last commit | n/a | 26 Oct 2026 | 1 Sept 2026 |
| Runs on | macOS, Windows, iOS | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Best at | Organising, revising and exporting long manuscripts | Plain-text novels you can version and back up easily | Planning before you write (snowflake method) |
| Free alternative to | — | Scrivener, Ulysses, Dabble | Scrivener, Dabble, Plottr |
Key differences
- Scrivener lets you write in sections of any size, rearrange them on a corkboard or in an outliner, and compile the manuscript to Word, PDF, Final Draft, ePub and Kindle formats. (literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview)
- Scrivener runs on macOS 11+, 64-bit Windows 10+ and iOS 11+, with licences sold separately per platform. (literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview)
- novelWriter is a markdown-like plain text editor for novels, built on plain text files for robustness, with metadata syntax for comments, synopses and cross-references. (novelwriter.io)
- novelWriter runs on Linux and Windows from installers; as of release 2026.1 its macOS DMGs are discontinued, so on a Mac you currently install it via Python (PyPI). (novelwriter.io)
- Manuskript offers an outliner, a distraction-free mode with word-count or time goals, and a novel assistant based on the snowflake method, with sheets for characters, plots and world-building. (theologeek.ch/manuskript)
- Manuskript's own site says it is still in development and in need of extensive testing. (theologeek.ch/manuskript)
Which should you pick?
- Scrivener: Pick Scrivener if you want the most complete tool for structuring and exporting a long manuscript, including on iPhone or iPad, and are willing to buy a licence.
- novelWriter: Pick novelWriter if you want free software that keeps your book as plain text files and you work on Linux or Windows (Mac users need a Python install for now).
- Manuskript: Pick Manuskript if you like to plan characters, plots and world in detail before drafting, and don't mind software its authors still call in development.
This verdict is based on the documented facts above, not on hands-on testing.
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Other comparisons
Sources: literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview · novelwriter.io · theologeek.ch/manuskript. Stars and last-commit dates come from each project's public repository. “Not available” or “Not documented” means we found no official source for it, not that the feature is missing.