Book Writing Software Compared: Platforms, Billing and Trials for Where You Type

The right place to type a book depends on your computer and how you like to pay: Ulysses is Apple-only, Scrivener has Mac, Windows and iOS versions, Atticus runs in a browser on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook, Reedsy Studio is a web app with a free core, and Dabble is subscription or lifetime. These notes come from each vendor's page as of 2026-11-08. This page is only about writing; export and formatting belong to best book formatting software.

The comparison

Prices are as displayed on each vendor's page on 2026-11-08 and none of the pages showed a revision date.

Atticus and Reedsy Studio also include formatting features, which this page does not judge. Campfire is built around worldbuilding modules as well as manuscript text. The Atticus page read mentions no audiobook, AI or collaboration features.

What each page says you can write in

Beyond the table, the vendors' pages describe these working features, in their words and paraphrased here.

• Scrivener: the store page lists platforms, licence types (standard, educational, and a Mac and Windows bundle with a separate licence for each) and an upgrade option from older versions, but gives no features, import formats or export formats. Android and Linux are not mentioned.
• Atticus: chapter drag-and-drop, book goals, a writing habit tracker and a word counter. The page does not mention outlining, and lists version control as "Coming Soon". Import is DOCX only.
• Ulysses: syncs through iCloud across your devices, includes Apple Family Sharing for up to five family members, and is available from the Mac App Store, the App Store and Setapp.
• Dabble: every plan lists unlimited manuscripts, cloud backup and sync, goals, a Plot Grid, a story notebook with character profiles, co-authoring and versioning. Author adds comments, track changes, advanced grammar and style checks and Read-to-Me.
• Reedsy Studio: goals, daily check-ins and stats, and the ability to bring in a manuscript from "any major text format". The page lists no specific file types.
• Campfire: unlimited collaborators, storage and private projects on every account, with limits on the free plan: 25,000 manuscript words, 10 characters, 20 timeline events, 2 maps and 5 locations, after which elements become read-only.

Five years of cost (our arithmetic, an estimate)

Billing structure matters more than the headline price, so here is a five-year sum from the listed prices. It assumes prices stay as listed on 2026-11-08, one user, no taxes and no student discounts, and it counts only tools whose page shows the needed figure.

Caveats: Campfire's $12 is shown as a discount off $19 and could change. Reedsy's $4.99 is as displayed, "a month", and the billing interval is otherwise unconfirmed.

On those figures, Dabble's $699 lifetime Author price equals about 2.5 years of the $276 Author annual plan, and the $899 lifetime Bestseller price equals about 1.9 years of the $468 annual Bestseller plan. Scrivener's desktop prices were not on the page we read, so we cannot place it in the table. A one-time payment saves money only if you keep using the tool, and the page's promise of updates for life is the vendor's own statement.

Leaving: what happens when you stop paying or switch

The pages describe a few exit rules worth knowing before you put a book into any of them. Dabble says that if you cancel, your manuscripts stay readable and exportable but you lose editing. Campfire says elements beyond the free limits become read-only, and that monthly subscriptions are non-refundable. Atticus takes DOCX in and the page says nothing about other imports, so if you hold a Scrivener or Ulysses project you would probably need to produce a DOCX first (our inference from the import line). Reedsy Studio says it accepts "any major text format". The vendors' pages we read do not give a Scrivener-style import list, so check the format you hold. For moving off Scrivener specifically, see the Scrivener review.

Does it train AI on your book

Of the pages read, only Dabble addresses it: it says it won't use your writing to train AI and will make any future AI features opt-in. The other pages say nothing on the subject, and silence is not a promise. If a tool matters to you, read its privacy policy before you upload a finished manuscript.

How to choose

• On Apple devices only and want a clean writing app: Ulysses is limited to those devices, so check it fits the rest of your setup.
• On Windows, Linux or a Chromebook: Atticus lists all of them through its browser app; Scrivener's desktop versions are Windows and Mac only; it also sells an iOS version.
• Want a one-time payment: Atticus lists one, as does Dabble's lifetime option. Scrivener's desktop prices weren't shown on the page read.
• Want to try before paying: Scrivener's 30-day trial, Dabble's 14-day trial, Reedsy's 30-day premium trial, Campfire's free plan and Reedsy's free core all cover that.
• Want a place for story facts as well as text: Dabble lists a Plot Grid and story notebook, and Campfire is organized around worldbuilding modules. For plot tools see best outlining software.
• Want AI inside the writing app: that is a separate category covered in best AI for fiction writers. None of the pages read here, apart from Dabble's statement above, describe AI features.

Scrivener's compile for publishing is in the Scrivener review, and Atticus is covered in the Atticus review.

Questions readers ask next

Can I write on a phone or tablet? The pages differ. Scrivener sells a separate iOS and iPadOS version at $23.99 whose sync needs a Dropbox account. Ulysses' subscription covers Mac, iPad and iPhone together. Reedsy Studio says it is usable in mobile browsers and has no dedicated app. Campfire lists a free mobile app that does not include every module. Atticus runs in a browser on the platforms above.

Can I work offline? Only Dabble's page says so, stating that it stores work locally for offline access. The Scrivener, Ulysses, Atticus, Reedsy and Campfire pages read are silent on it. Confirm before a trip.

Can I bring my co-author or editor in? Dabble lists co-authoring on its plans and Campfire lists unlimited collaborators. The Atticus and Reedsy pages read mention no collaboration, and Scrivener's store page lists none.

What to confirm before paying

Check that your device is on the platform list, since several pages are silent on platforms. Check the price and billing period at checkout, since some pages show only a monthly figure. Check the import format you need. Use the trial or free plan to open a long chapter file of your own before committing.

Downsides to weigh

Each page leaves gaps: platforms are unread for LivingWriter, Scrivener's desktop prices are not shown, Campfire's annual and lifetime prices are not shown, and LivingWriter lists no prices. Subscriptions cost more over years than one-time purchases, but one-time tools may charge for later versions, so read the update terms.

More tools and guides are in the AI drafting tools hub.

Last verified 2026-11-08. Rules and prices change: check the linked primary page before you rely on this.