# WriterAlts

> Directory of free and open-source alternatives to Scrivener, Final Draft, Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Plottr, Dabble, Vellum and other writing software.

WriterAlts lists free writing software with repository stars, last-commit dates and licences fetched from public forges. Pages stay small (no heavy JS frameworks). Top Pick placements are labelled paid slots; paying never changes facts shown.

## Key pages
- [Home](https://writeralts.com/): search and browse 49 listings
- [Alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/): “alternatives to” pages for paid tools
- [Categories](https://writeralts.com/categories/): 8 categories
- [Collections](https://writeralts.com/collections/): curated groups
- [Resources](https://writeralts.com/resources/): choosing and switching guides
- [Newsletter](https://writeralts.com/newsletter/): Once a week: one paid writing tool, the free or cheaper alternative we'd try first, and how to move your draft across. Plus new tools added to WriterAlts.
- [Advertise / Top Pick](https://writeralts.com/advertise/): labelled £39/month placement (Alts Directories)
- [Submit a tool](https://writeralts.com/submit/)
- [About](https://writeralts.com/about/)
- [Privacy](https://writeralts.com/privacy/)
- [Sitemap](https://writeralts.com/sitemap.xml)

## Popular alternatives pages
- [Scrivener alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/scrivener/): 19 options
- [Ulysses alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/ulysses/): 8 options
- [Dabble alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/dabble/): 7 options
- [Plottr alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/plottr/): 7 options
- [Microsoft Word alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/microsoft-word/): 6 options
- [Notion alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/notion/): 6 options
- [Vellum alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/vellum/): 6 options
- [Atticus alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/atticus/): 5 options
- [Final Draft alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/final-draft/): 5 options
- [Evernote alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/evernote/): 4 options
- [Fade In alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/fade-in/): 4 options
- [Grammarly alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/grammarly/): 4 options
- [All alternatives](https://writeralts.com/alternatives/)

## Categories
- [Novel & long-form writing](https://writeralts.com/categories/novel-writing/): 10 tools
- [Distraction-free editors](https://writeralts.com/categories/distraction-free/): 7 tools
- [Grammar & editing](https://writeralts.com/categories/grammar-editing/): 6 tools
- [Formatting & publishing](https://writeralts.com/categories/formatting-publishing/): 6 tools
- [Screenwriting](https://writeralts.com/categories/screenwriting/): 5 tools
- [Worldbuilding & plotting](https://writeralts.com/categories/worldbuilding-plotting/): 5 tools
- [AI writing assistants](https://writeralts.com/categories/ai-writing/): 5 tools
- [Notes & research for writers](https://writeralts.com/categories/notes-knowledge/): 5 tools

## Tools by repository stars (sample)
- [Ollama](https://writeralts.com/tools/ollama/): ★ 184k, last commit 2026-10-19, MIT
- [Open WebUI](https://writeralts.com/tools/open-webui/): ★ 156k, last commit 2026-10-16, BSD-3-Clause
- [AppFlowy](https://writeralts.com/tools/appflowy/): ★ 77.6k, last commit 2026-06-26, AGPL-3.0
- [MarkText](https://writeralts.com/tools/marktext/): ★ 62.9k, last commit 2026-10-19, MIT
- [Joplin](https://writeralts.com/tools/joplin/): ★ 56.8k, last commit 2026-10-19, AGPL-3.0
- [Pandoc](https://writeralts.com/tools/pandoc/): ★ 46.6k, last commit 2026-10-19, GPL-2.0
- [Logseq](https://writeralts.com/tools/logseq/): ★ 45.3k, last commit 2026-10-19, AGPL-3.0
- [Calibre](https://writeralts.com/tools/calibre/): ★ 26.2k, last commit 2026-10-19, GPL-3.0
- [LanguageTool](https://writeralts.com/tools/languagetool/): ★ 15.2k, last commit 2026-10-19, LGPL-2.1
- [Zettlr](https://writeralts.com/tools/zettlr/): ★ 13.8k, last commit 2026-10-18, GPL-3.0
- [Anytype](https://writeralts.com/tools/anytype/): ★ 8.9k, last commit 2026-10-13, MIT
- [ONLYOFFICE Docs](https://writeralts.com/tools/onlyoffice-docs/): ★ 7k, last commit 2026-10-14, AGPL-3.0
- [Search all tools](https://writeralts.com/search/)

## Recently added
- [SmartEdit Writer](https://writeralts.com/tools/smartedit-writer/): Windows novel organiser with built-in manuscript analysis (Freemium, Proprietary, added 2026-10-19)
- [Twine](https://writeralts.com/tools/twine/): Open-source tool for nonlinear interactive stories (Open source, GPL-3.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [ink / inklewriter](https://writeralts.com/tools/ink/): Open narrative scripting language from inkle for interactive fiction (Open source, MIT, added 2026-10-19)
- [Open WebUI](https://writeralts.com/tools/open-webui/): Self-hosted chat UI for local and remote LLMs (Open source, BSD-3-Clause, added 2026-10-19)
- [Ollama](https://writeralts.com/tools/ollama/): Run open large language models locally for private drafting (Open source, MIT, added 2026-10-19)
- [NovelAI](https://writeralts.com/tools/novelai/): Subscription AI storytelling and image tools for fiction (Proprietary, Proprietary, added 2026-10-19)
- [NovelCrafter](https://writeralts.com/tools/novelcrafter/): AI-assisted fiction workshop with codex and prompts you control (Proprietary, Proprietary, added 2026-10-19)
- [Kindle Create](https://writeralts.com/tools/kindle-create/): Amazon's free formatter for Kindle and paperback interiors (Free (proprietary), Freeware (proprietary), added 2026-10-19)
- [Scribus](https://writeralts.com/tools/scribus/): Open-source desktop publishing for print layouts (Open source, GPL-2.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [Pandoc](https://writeralts.com/tools/pandoc/): Universal document converter for manuscripts and ebooks (Open source, GPL-2.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [Sigil](https://writeralts.com/tools/sigil/): WYSIWYG and code-view EPUB ebook editor (Open source, GPL-3.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [Calibre](https://writeralts.com/tools/calibre/): Open-source ebook library manager and converter (Open source, GPL-3.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [iA Writer](https://writeralts.com/tools/ia-writer/): Focused markdown writing app for Apple and Windows (Proprietary, Proprietary, added 2026-10-19)
- [Typora](https://writeralts.com/tools/typora/): WYSIWYG markdown editor with a seamless preview (Proprietary, Proprietary, added 2026-10-19)
- [MarkText](https://writeralts.com/tools/marktext/): Real-time preview markdown editor (Open source, MIT, added 2026-10-19)
- [Zettlr](https://writeralts.com/tools/zettlr/): Markdown IDE for writers and researchers with citations (Open source, GPL-3.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [Apostrophe](https://writeralts.com/tools/apostrophe/): GNOME markdown writer with a focus mode (Open source, GPL-3.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [ghostwriter](https://writeralts.com/tools/ghostwriter/): Markdown editor with a clean preview, from the KDE project (Open source, GPL-3.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [FocusWriter](https://writeralts.com/tools/focuswriter/): Full-screen distraction-free writer with goals and themes (Open source, GPL-3.0, added 2026-10-19)
- [Aeon Timeline](https://writeralts.com/tools/aeon-timeline/): Timeline app for stories, series and research chronology (Proprietary, Proprietary, added 2026-10-19)

## Optional
- Contact: submit@writeralts.com
- Stats last fetched: 2026-10-19
- Built: 2026-10-19
- This file: https://writeralts.com/llms.txt