Plottr vs Scrivener vs Novelcrafter: Which One Plans, Which One Writes

Plottr plans, Scrivener writes and Novelcrafter does both with AI help, if you accept that these are one-line summaries of what each vendor's pages say. Plottr is $60 a year or $150 once, Novelcrafter is $4 to $20 a month, and Scrivener for Mac or Windows is $59.99 per its crossgrading page as of 2026-11-08, though the store page shows no price. Pick by whether you want a planning tool, a manuscript tool or an AI-linked story bible.

The three side by side

The table uses only what the vendors' own pages say on November 8, 2026. Where a page was silent, the cell says so, because silence is not the same as absence.

Sources: Plottr pricing and home page, Scrivener overview, store page and FAQ, Novelcrafter pricing and home page, all read on 2026-11-08. None of these pages shows a revision date. Export, import and refund cells also draw on Plottr's export guide, Word import and Scrivener import articles, Scrivener's crossgrading page, and Novelcrafter's export help, import help and terms.

Cost over time

Labelled arithmetic on listed prices, an estimate that ignores tax and assumes prices stay put. Monthly and annual prices recur; Plottr's lifetime price is one-time. Novelcrafter lists monthly prices and an annual toggle without annual figures, so the annual line below is our estimate that "2 Months off" means ten months paid. Its page says prices are localized to your region, while its FAQ says there are no localized pricing adjustments, so check the price at checkout.

Novelcrafter's AI features use your own API key from Hobbyist up, so add whatever your AI provider charges, which we could not total. A Scrivener plan should include any paid major upgrade the FAQ describes, with no price listed, and a second licence if you use both Mac and Windows, which is $59.99 + $37.95 crossgrade = $97.94.

Plottr and Scrivener do different jobs, so a plan-then-write author may buy both. Labelled estimates: Plottr lifetime plus Scrivener is $150 + $59.99 = $209.99 once. Plottr annual plus Scrivener is $60 + $59.99 = $119.99 in year one, $239.99 by year three and $359.99 by year five. Plottr's lifetime price equals 18.75 months of Novelcrafter Hobbyist ($150 ÷ $8), before any AI provider bill. Novelcrafter's pricing FAQ says you can pause a subscription from the end of a billing cycle, so a writer who pays only in drafting months would pay less than the table shows.

Plottr: the planner

Plottr is the narrowest of the three and the only one whose pages stress a timeline. It runs on Windows and Mac, and the browser app, cloud sync and collaboration are Pro features. Its listed export is to Word or Scrivener, which suggests a plan-then-write workflow in which Scrivener holds the draft. Its export guide says the Scrivener file holds an outline plus notes, characters and places, with scene card and plotline data in Scrivener's inspector, and that the export makes a new file that does not sync. We have not run that export. Its terms are strict: no refunds, auto-renewal that cannot be turned off, and Pro projects that need renewal to stay accessible. Details are in the Plottr review.

Scrivener: the manuscript tool

Scrivener's strength on paper is its list of compile outputs, which includes EPUB and Kindle ebooks, plus a binder, corkboard and outliner for organising a manuscript. The store page lists a free trial, and the FAQ says it is the full version for 30 days of use. Version 3.5.2 is listed for Mac and 3.1.6 for Windows. Licences are per platform, and the FAQ says major upgrades are paid. Its crossgrading page lists $59.99 for Mac or Windows and $37.95 for the second platform, while the store page shows only a Buy now button. A licence is perpetual for the version you buy. The pages did not describe series-level planning, so we make no claim about it. Its publishing side is covered in the Scrivener review for self-publishers, and if you are leaving it, see Scrivener alternatives.

Novelcrafter: the story bible with AI

Novelcrafter's pages describe a Codex shared across a series and AI that runs on your own API key from Hobbyist up, which means a second bill from your AI provider. All plans list unlimited books, a Codex and series. Inviting others to your novels and creating teams are listed for Specialist only. The pricing page says there is no free plan, and that after cancelling you keep read-only access to view and export your data. Its import help covers Word and Markdown, with headings marking acts and chapters and *** marking scenes; a later quick-start page adds HTML. Collaborators need a paid plan to edit, and a free account can view. Using AI to generate text has consequences for KDP's disclosure rule, which is separate from the tool's price. Read the Novelcrafter review for the drafting side.

Lock-in and moving between them

Each vendor documents ways out, and what survives differs by route. These come from each vendor's help pages; we have not run any of them.

After you stop paying, the three differ. Novelcrafter keeps your data viewable and exportable in read-only mode. Plottr's standard plan keeps working locally, while Plottr Pro loses access entirely until you resubscribe, so export first. Scrivener keeps working on the version you bought, as long as your operating system supports it.

Use the free trials before you pay

Plottr, Scrivener and Novelcrafter all have free trials, and the clocks differ: Novelcrafter's is 21 days, Plottr's is 30 days and Scrivener's is 30 days of use rather than calendar days. Plottr's matters most, because it offers no refund afterwards.

1. Plot a short sample in Plottr, export it to Scrivener, and see where scene cards, plotlines and notes land.
2. Compile that sample in Scrivener to the format you will publish or hand off.
3. Import the same text into Novelcrafter as a Word file, and check that acts, chapters and scenes come through.
4. If you will use Novelcrafter's AI, check your provider's charges during the trial before picking a plan.

Which should you choose?

Many authors will want only one of them. The plotting and planning hub lists the wider field, and the best outlining software guide shows other options by situation.

Confirm before paying

• Whether you will use the browser app or collaboration, which decides whether Plottr base is enough.
• The Scrivener price for your platform and the upgrade terms.
• Your AI provider's charges on top of any Novelcrafter plan.
• Each vendor's refund terms, which differ.

To see current plans, go to Plottr pricing.

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