Kindling
Kindling: A capable offline outliner for writers who want beats, references, and local files. Ranked #20 of 30 in Outliner Software by our editors (7.0/10); pricing: Free plan; best for writers planning stories and screenplays.
At a glance
- Editor score7.0 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forWriters planning stories and screenplays
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- App platformsmacOS, Windows, Linux
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Expandable scene beats keep outline and prose connected
- Imports and exports across major writing formats
- Free, open-source, and offline on three desktop platforms
Where it doesn't
- No collaboration features
- No AI features
- Focused on desktop fiction writing rather than broad team workflows
Our verdict on Kindling
Kindling is a free, open-source desktop writing application for fiction writers, plotters, and outliners. It keeps scene beats visible during drafting, supports screenplay projects and story-structure templates, and includes reference panels for characters, locations, items, objectives, and organizations. Writers can work in full-page prose editing or beat view on macOS, Windows, and Linux, with local SQLite project storage and offline operation.
Its strongest area is planning depth. Beats can be deleted, reordered, split, and merged, while Fixed, Flexible, and Undefined planning states support different outlining approaches. Custom fields and hierarchical tags add structure to project references, and the command palette supports outline navigation. This makes Kindling a fit for writers who want planning detail close to their draft instead of a separate outline tool. The focus is specialized, though, so it is less suited to teams or workflows built around shared collaboration.
Kindling also fits writers moving between established writing tools. It imports from Plottr, Scrivener, yWriter, Obsidian Longform, and Markdown, and exports to Scrivener 3, DOCX, EPUB, Markdown, Obsidian Longform, and Treatment DOCX. The published Free plan has no premium tiers, subscriptions, or feature gates, and the application is MIT licensed. Choose Kindling if you want a capable local outliner with flexible beats, references, and broad document exchange. Choose an alternative if collaboration, AI features, or a non-desktop workflow is central to your requirements.
Your product? Our editors can test Kindling in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Kindling pricing
All 1 Kindling plans and prices →
Kindling fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| App platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Export formats | Scrivener 3, DOCX, EPUB, Markdown, Obsidian Longform, Treatment DOCX |
| Offline access | Yes |
| Markdown support | Yes |
| Real-time collaboration | No |
| Backlinks | Not verified |
| Navigation modes | Expandable beats, Fixed/Flexible/Undefined planning states, full-page prose editing, command palette |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | kindlingwriter.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Kindling
- CheckvistA flexible collaborative outliner with unlimited nesting, offline access, and low-cost task features.9.4
- DynalistDeep outlining and cross-platform access make Dynalist a strong fit for power users.9.2
- WorkflowyA mature outliner with broad platform coverage, sharing, exports, integrations, and AI tools.9.0
See all Kindling alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Kindling is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Featured on iTechGuides
Kindling is listed in our Outliner Software 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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