ADRIFT

At a glance

• Editor score
  6.6 / 10
• Pricing
  Free plan
• Best for
  Solo interactive-fiction authors on any desktop
• Free plan
  Yes
• Paid from
  Free
• Visual editor
  Yes
• Facts checked
  20 Oct 2026

• Where it wins

  • Form-based authoring covers locations, objects, characters, tasks and commands
  • Conversation trees, variables, expressions and task logic support complex story flow
  • Runner plays standalone games on Windows, macOS, Linux and web browsers

• Where it doesn't

  • Authoring relies mainly on forms instead of conventional programming
  • Developer and Runner are separate applications in the creation workflow
  • No verified integrations with external game engines are documented

Our verdict on ADRIFT

ADRIFT is a free interactive-fiction toolkit for solo authors creating text adventures. Its Developer application provides forms for locations, objects, characters, commands and tasks, while Runner plays the resulting standalone files. The workflow suits writers who want branching stories and game logic without building a conventional codebase, with support across Windows, macOS, Linux and web browsers for play.

There are no paid tiers: ADRIFT is available as a free download. Developer combines conversation topics and branching trees with task restrictions and actions, number, text and array variables, and expressions that support operators, functions and embedded expressions. This gives authors room to model conditional events, command logic and reusable values while keeping much of the work in structured forms. Text overrides can be exported or imported through language resource files, supporting localized versions of a game.

The toolkit keeps its content in an XML module format that can be edited in external text editors, which adds a path for authors who want more direct control alongside the visual editor. Developer and Runner are separate applications, so creating and playing a story involve distinct parts of the toolkit. The published ecosystem centers on online documentation and a community forum, and no verified integrations with external game engines are documented. Choose ADRIFT if you want a free, desktop-oriented authoring environment with conversation trees, conditions and variables; consider another tool if engine integration or a single-app workflow is central to your project.

Your product? Our editors can test ADRIFT in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

ADRIFT pricing

ADRIFT fact sheet

Alternatives to ADRIFT

• ink and InkyA free, script-focused toolkit for branching narrative development across engines and the web.9.3
• TwineA free, cross-platform story editor with variables, testing, and HTML publishing.9.1
• IinklewriterA free, focused browser editor for branching stories, with testing tools and JSON export.8.8

See all ADRIFT alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

ADRIFT is listed in our Game Dialogue Editors directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 30 Oct 2026 · How we research and update