Best Author's Forge Alternatives in 2026
The top Author's Forge alternatives are Scrivener, Dabble and bibisco: 15 book writing software our editors would look at instead of Author's Forge, in our ranking order.
Author's Forge: A capable desktop workspace for organized writing, detailed formatting, and varied exports. Where it falls short: no cloud synchronization for projects.
Switching from Author's Forge? For most book writing software buyers the best Author's Forge alternative is Scrivener, built for serious long-form authors. On a budget, Novelcrafter starts at $4/mo, against $20/mo for Author's Forge. Dabble has a free plan.
Why People Look for an Author's Forge Alternative
- No cloud synchronization for projects
- Collaboration and revision-history capabilities are limited
- AI features require a paid plan with monthly credit limits
- No cloud sync — 1 of the alternatives below has it
- Paid from $20/mo — Novelcrafter is $4/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallScrivener9.4
Serious long-form authors
Visit Scrivener - Lowest priceNovelcrafter8.3
Paid plans from $4/mo
Visit Novelcrafter - Best free optionDabble9.2
Has a free plan
Visit Dabble - Best for cloud syncNovvler7.8
Cloud sync (Author's Forge: no)
Visit Novvler
All 15 Author's Forge Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forSerious long-form authors
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 7.1
A deep, focused workspace for organizing, drafting, researching, and compiling long-form work.
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Scrivener -
Best forCollaborative cross-platform novelists
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Paid from: $19/mo vs $20/mo
- Editor score 9.2 vs 7.1
A cross-platform novel workspace with strong collaboration, planning, and export support.
- Collaboration
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Dabble -
Best forBudget-conscious novel planners
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 7.1
A focused novel-writing workspace with extensive planning tools and a free desktop edition.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit bibisco -
Best forWriters needing publishing and collaboration
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Paid from: $19/mo vs $20/mo
- Editor score 8.9 vs 7.1
A broad workspace for drafting, worldbuilding, collaboration, and publishing.
- Collaboration
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Campfire -
Best forMac and iOS book writers
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 7.1
A focused Mac and iOS workspace for drafting, planning, and publishing books.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Storyist -
Best forAI-assisted writers seeking broad tools
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 7.1
A broad, AI-assisted writing workspace with planning, collaboration, and publishing tools.
- Collaboration
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit LivingWriter -
Best forFree multi-platform traditional writers
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 7.1
A free, structured writing workspace with broad export and mobile editing options.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit yWriter -
Best forCloud-based planners and collaborators
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 7.1
A focused novel workspace for planning, drafting, revising, and collaborating across devices.
- Collaboration
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit NovelPad -
Best forAuthors wanting analytics and websites
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Paid from: $8/mo vs $20/mo
- Editor score 8.4 vs 7.1
A focused novel-writing workspace with analytics, websites, and a useful free tier.
- Collaboration
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Novlr -
Best forAI-focused novel planners
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Paid from: $4/mo vs $20/mo
- Editor score 8.3 vs 7.1
A detailed, AI-friendly novel workspace with collaboration, but no desktop app or free plan.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Novelcrafter -
Best forFree writers needing continuity checks
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 8.2 vs 7.1
A broad free writing workspace for novelists who need continuity checks.
- Revision history
- Collaboration
- Outlining tools
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Novilot -
Best forOpen-source writers wanting many exports
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 7.1
A capable open-source desktop workspace for structured novel writing and broad exports.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit novelWriter -
Best forOpen-source desktop novel planners
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 7.1
A free desktop toolkit for outlining, drafting, and organizing substantial writing projects.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Manuskript -
Best forFree desktop writers with feedback tools
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 7.1
Free, open-source desktop software for organizing and drafting books.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Quoll Writer -
Best forAuthors wanting AI and offline sync
- Better than Author's Forge:
- Cloud sync
- Editor score 7.8 vs 7.1
A structured writing workspace for authors who want AI help without giving up offline access.
- Cloud sync
- Revision history
- Collaboration
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Novvler
Author's Forge Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Author's Forge?
Scrivener: #1 in our Book Writing Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A deep, focused workspace for organizing, drafting, researching, and compiling long-form work.
Is there a free alternative to Author's Forge?
Yes. Dabble, bibisco, Campfire, LivingWriter and yWriter have a free plan or a free tier (11 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Author's Forge?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Novelcrafter starts lowest, at $4/mo.
Why do people look for Author's Forge alternatives?
No cloud synchronization for projects; Collaboration and revision-history capabilities are limited; AI features require a paid plan with monthly credit limits.
How do I switch from Author's Forge?
Export your data from Author's Forge (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Author's Forge.
How to Switch from Author's Forge
- Export your data from Author's Forge (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Author's Forge.
Author's Forge vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Export formats | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Author's Forge | Yes | $20/mo | EPUB, PDF, DOCX, Markdown, MP3 audiobook | 7.1 |
| 1 | Scrivener | No | $23.99 one-time | extensive | 9.4 |
| 2 | Dabble | Yes | $19/mo | extensive | 9.2 |
| 3 | bibisco | Yes | €29.99/yr | extensive | 9.0 |
| 4 | Campfire | Yes | $19/mo | extensive | 8.9 |
| 5 | Storyist | No | $19 one-time | extensive | 8.8 |
| 6 | LivingWriter | Yes | extensive | 8.7 | |
| 7 | yWriter | Yes | extensive | 8.6 | |
| 8 | NovelPad | No | $150/yr | basic | 8.5 |
| 9 | Novlr | Yes | $8/mo | extensive | 8.4 |
| 10 | Novelcrafter | No | $4/mo | 8.3 | |
| 11 | Novilot | Yes | Free | DOCX, EPUB, PDF, HTML, Markdown | 8.2 |
| 12 | novelWriter | Yes | Free | extensive | 8.1 |
| 13 | Manuskript | Yes | Free | extensive | 8.0 |
| 14 | Quoll Writer | Yes | Free | 7.9 | |
| 15 | Novvler | Yes | $90/yr | EPUB, DOCX, Markdown, plain text | 7.8 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update