# Page 2 | Scrivener Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 2 - Is Scrivener the right Proofreading solution for you? Explore 202 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/180597/Scrivener/reviews --- Scrivener 4.7 (202) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/180597/Scrivener/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated December 14th, 2025 # Page 2 - Reviews of Scrivener ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 26-50 of 202 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use VR Verified Reviewer Owner Entertainment Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Scrivener... A Work Library for All My Masterpieces" August 29, 2024 5.0 I have tried other writing tools, but I keep going back to Scrivener. Once I learned how to maximize the platform there hasn't been another tool l've liked more! Pros Scrivener makes keeping my writing organized super easy! I love the fact that I can use it both on my computer and my phone. Cons It took a while to get the hang of some of the features, but it was worth the work! Alternatives considered [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) Reason for choosing Scrivener The number of features made it an obvious choice to use! Review Source AS Amanda S. Author Publishing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The Only Thing You Need to Write a Novel with. " June 9, 2024 5.0 I love Scrivener. Been using it for a long time, at least seven years. I could never go back to Word or contemplate using Google docs. The software is a beast for authors. Based on the price point, the free upgrades, and zero subscription fees is worth it alone. Pros Scrivener makes it easy to write a full length novel. It was next to impossible for me to not just keep track of my manuscript in Word but to jump around the document to random scenes. I love the binder and the inspector features. The way the software is designed it's an all-inclusive word process with tools to help me keep my manuscript organized which means more time spent on writing. Cons The only con is that it takes a quite a bit of a learning curve. If you want to use the simple word processing features then no added lessons needed. However, if you want to use the other features, which aren't necessarily obvious, be prepared to take a course in how to use the software. It's the only way I was able to unlock/figure out all the features I love using currently. Switched from [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) Word couldn't handle my document and didn't have the features I needed. Review Source PB Per B. Professor Research Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scrivener, best for writing longer documents" January 2, 2024 4.0 Scrivener is an excellent tool for writing longer publications, but I wish it will provide a better integration with more reference managers in the future. Give it a go and see how it can revolutionise your writing experience. Pros Scrivener is a fantastic tool for anyone who needs to write longer publications. Whether you're working on a book or a thesis, Scrivener offers a range of features that can greatly enhance your writing process. The most notable feature of Scrivener is its outline system. Instead of working with a single, linear document, Scrivener allows you to break your writing into smaller, manageable chunks. These chunks, known as "scrivenings," can be easily rearranged, edited, and viewed in a way that suits your needs. This makes it incredibly easy to maintain an overview of the document even when it is becoming substantial. Cons The integration between Scrivener and the reference manager I use (Bookends) is not so well developed yet, forcing me to export to MS Word to run Bookends to generate the reference list when the document is done. It works, but is a hassle when wanting to change anything in the document and having to redo the entire process. Review Source JL James L. Author Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scrivener: Your first draft powerhouse" September 14, 2023 5.0 I picked this up quite a while ago when I was doing NaNoWriMo. It replaced a web-based tool I was using and I immediately loved it. I use it for nearly all my first draft writing, although I've been known to use google docs to whip out a quick piece of text from time to time. Pros I love the many features Scrivener includes. My main goal was a program with scene-based writing features. That means I can write each scene in my book or story in a separate document inside the project, then rearrange and group them at will. Cons The sheer number of features makes it intimidating and frustrating trying to find the one you need. My most frustrating experience is doing some task the hard way and finding out when I finish there was an easy way I missed. Reason for choosing Scrivener Larger user base Review Source PK Panagiotis K. Founder & Managing Director Media Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The one tool you need for writing" August 20, 2019 5.0 Writing with all windows and tools open is as great as writing with the distraction-free mode. The level and types of organization makes it a breeze for me to write articles for my company's intranet, research papers, blogging articles, the 2 books that I'm working on and even my todo lists and general notes. The user interface is intuitive and I love the new dark mode in version 3. The way is handles metadata and internal document variables, allow me to create contracts that can change vendors and names fast and to ensure the quality of my writing stays within standards. The backup and shapshots features allow fro safety while working and the authoring environment is great when working on new documents and want to also compare or take data from old documents. Pros Scrivener is created for writers by writers. And when I say writers, I don't mean only the ones that write stories, scripts and books. I mean anyone that writes, from shopping lists and todo tasks to contracts, research papers and beyond. It allows for an outline organization of the document(s) like a binder, plus tagging and grouping of pages in various ways. Supports many other things like cork-boards, many levels of hierarchies and advanced output to many industry standard formats. It also support multimedia files to be saved within the project file and to be references from within you documents, perfect for research and citations. You can even download the mobile app and save your project files in Dropbox and have all your content everywhere synced and ready. I use it for everything written. Cons The developers haven't synchronized their production pipelines yet, so there are differences between the versions for Windows and MacOS. The Windows version follows closely but with delays. I don't mind that, I use the Windows version and the iOS app and they work perfectly ok. At the time of writing I also switched to the beta version 3 on Windows and it seems to work steady enough even for real work. In general there are no major concerns for me when it comes to working with Scrivener. I consider it a great product and a top notch tool. Alternatives considered [Google Docs](https://www.capterra.com/p/160756/Google-Docs/) Reason for choosing Scrivener Scrivener is more advanced, it runs locally and it allows for other media to be included in the project. It also supports the binder which can work as an outliner and many clever ways to organize and interlink content. Review Source SM Sophie M. author Publishing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "An essential software for every kind of writer." December 6, 2022 4.0 I feel so much less overwhelmed and more in control of my writing ever since I've switched to Scrivener. My writing experience is lightyears from the way it was back when I just used Word. Pros I love the "binder" format of Scrivener, and having everything in one place as opposed to the old days of using Word, when I would have various documents and folders and spent a lot of wasted time going back and forth. With Scrivener, I can have notes in the margins, a folder for deleted bits I might need come back to later, random notes, character info etc. I also love being able to drag and drop scenes and even chapters around (and then back again, if needed!). Being able to see my manuscript in a linear form, and on cork board note-cards is also an authors dream! And even the small features, like being able to change the background when writing in full screen mode, helps me "get into the scene mindset" and get to work more quickly. Cons A few times I have accidentally lost sections and can't quite figure out what I did. To be fair, I am very tech illiterate. And when I contact Scrivener customer service, they always help me resolve the issue really quickly - and are super patient and friendly. Another negative - that might be a positive to some people - is that the program is so powerful and and has so many features that I found it a bit overwhelming at first. However, I quickly learned which features were useful to me and then stopped stressing about all the others that I'm not using. For someone who has the time and inclination, Scrivener could likely be even more of a time saver than it is to dunce-level tech people like myself. I know there are a pile of tutorials on how to use these features, so one day I will get around to broadening my horizons even more. Reason for choosing Scrivener Any research I did from people in the industry seemed to all agree that Scrivener was the way to go, so I took them at their word and am glad that I did! Review Source AD Anthony D. Writer Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scrivener--Perhaps the Perfect Software for Writers" November 2, 2022 5.0 After initially struggling to understand the software, I've come to love it. While there are many imitators, Scrivener remains the king of the hill and is quite inexpensive, relatively speaking. Pros Scrivener allows authors to organize a project into pieces, such as chapters, scenes, etc., and includes a "corkboard" which allows authors to organize all the moving parts of that project into an easy-to-follow structure. Furthermore, Scrivener provides a plethora of options for exporting your Scrivener project into other formats (ebooks, Word documents, text files, and much more). Also, I like that Scrivener is a one-time purchase with the software loaded on to your computer (not an online, monthly subscription). Cons Scrivener has a steep learning curve. However, there are hundreds--if not thousands--of tutorials available online from the company and other users. Review Source AH Andrew H. Director Publishing Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Don't Believe the Hype: Scrivener is Awful and You Will Hate it - Avoid It and You Will Thank Me!" August 22, 2023 1.0 There are no functions for increasing or decreasing indent unless you want to go back to using the tab key constantly and if you do this in a list? Fugitaboutit. Scrivener 3 will remove the line from your list altogether as it assumes you didn't there anyway. It is awful software. Try to set the margins on Scrivener like you would on ANY free or paid word processing software. Go ahead, I'll wait...can't figure it out? That's because you can't do it. Scrivener 3 will set your margins as it sees fit and you will like it. Yes, the YouTube ladies will tell you that you can but good luck getting Scrivener to consistently set them and leave them. You'll be fighting page setup constantly with this software. How about leading on the text or "line spacing" as many word processors call it? Can't do that either. The whole document defaults to this weird 1.5 line spacing which is nearly impossible to change and keep changed. You'll be fighting line spacing for your entire document. This is an absolute travesty of an experience, Scrivener is trying to be smart about all the ridiculous carnival features it thinks you would actually use and in reality, none of its developers have ever tried to write a long form project using their own software...that is obvious. I could go on and on about the failure to process inserts like tables and pics and how these are a nightmare to format in your work or how you can't just add page breaks in a given paperback format or how you have to "complie" Pros Project management allows you to break down the document into various sections which act as separate files. This is great for project management or storyboarding but an absolute nightmare for writing a long form document like a book or thesis paper. Cons I have used this software for a couple months now and I absolutely hate it and for good reason. You cannot format text like you can in a free word processor like Open Office or in paid software like Word. They like to say you can but I'm here to tell you that you can't. Forget formatting lists in this garbageware. Scrivener 3 will format it as it sees fit and you will like it and just for fun, Scrivener will format it completely different under the exact same settings the next time you want a list. The format font is courier or Times and good luck trying to change that. Oh, you can change it alright, but it won't matter as every new line you type will be in the Scriver 3 font - not the one that that rest of the document OR in the defaults settings which you changed originally. No, Scrivener 3 will type in the font it chooses - either Courier or Times and you will like it. Fake reviews and YouTube videos tell you to set up your styles in the "styles" pallet but good luck getting Scrivener to actually set the style consistently in the style you saved in the palette. Ultimately, you will be fighting formatting constantly. Switched from [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) Because I hate Word and I don't trust their data mining anything and everything they can in order to turn a profit. I wanted software that lives on my local system which I could control the to/from flow of data. Plus I just hate Word. Review Source AB Angela B. Author, Illustrator, Business Owner Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scrivener Won't Tell You How To Write, But Makes It Easier" June 2, 2022 4.0 I switched to Scrivener to keep my manuscripts' various bits of information in one place. I can easily access character information, locations, scenes, and possible agents to query from each book I work on. It was challenging to use at first, but once I got the hang of it, I promised myself I would never switch back to an inferior product. Pros The software is designed to help you write no matter your process. Its open concept and the ability to move documents or scenes around for your full work are wonderful. Cons There is no actual grammar editor in this program. But it does allow the use of other grammar programs to work with it, such as Grammarly. Switched from [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) I can keep all of my work on each manuscript in the same folder for easy access. Word had me opening too many files to find what I was looking for. Review Source MG Michael G. Writer Writing and Editing Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Easy-to-use book maker" November 8, 2023 4.0 Scrivener is a great tool for writers who want to output novels, short stories, screenplays, or a number of other various forms without having to do all the legwork from scratch inside Microsoft Word, Pages, Notepad, or Unix (okay, it's highly unlikely that any non-masochistic writer would use those last two to write -- but hey, you never know). Simple right clicks add folders (which become chapters when you compile) or texts inside those folders. Then you click on your text item, change your text style if you don't want the default, and start pounding those keys. Don't bother numbering the chapters -- you may want to rearrange them, and doing so involves simply dragging them around the hierarchy. Each text item you create comes with a synopsis section and a notes section, both of which are completely optional. If you don't fill out the synopsis, the first sentence of the passage shows up in the corkboard view. There's also a research folder where you can keep even more notes, which don't get counted towards your total word count. Spell checking is easy, exporting segments to various popular formats is easy, and compiling the whole project is easy...once you figure out how to select the whole project by clicking on the root folder. Unfortunately, my version has a quirk where any new text item forces everything I type onto one line until I close and reopen my entire project -- after which all my carriage returns show up and everything looks great. Scrivener streamlines the writing process a great deal, and is a must-have for any budding novelist. Don't leave home without it (if you're going to the coffee shop to write). Pros \-Very easy to create chapters and reorder them -Very easy to see summaries and notes from the corkboard -Can apply custom templates (for example, Game Design Document templates) -Simple, if slightly confusing, to compile into an orderly Microsoft Word manuscript Cons \-Slightly buggy -Chapter styles don't stick as easily as I'd like -Compiling process isn't entirely intuitive Review Source MK Mike K. Chief Creative Officer Media Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scrivener - Excellent for Writers" July 21, 2023 5.0 It truly is built for writers. I use it every time I write. Pros Scrivener is an inexpensive, feature-rich application for authors. The search function, the ability to list word frequency, the seamless integration of notes, web pages, and other supporting and reference documents into the same file, make Scrivener a must-have for writers. Competitors, like Atticus, are good, but Scrivener is still the best. Cons The hardest function to use is the compile function, which is needed to transcode the file to something else, like Word. It's very powerful, but in its power lies a complexity that makes it a bit difficult to use. Further, the conversion is not perfect, so I typically need to go into Word and correct various items. Review Source HR Herika R. Writer Writing and Editing Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Scrivener for a Newbie" October 12, 2022 4.0 Absolutely worth the purchase! I admit, it frustrated me at first but I kept with it. I attended the free Scrivener sessions, and those helped to navigate the program. I ended up purchasing a membership to the site for further information, but that is turning out to be a good purchase as well. Though normally a pantser in writing, I really enjoy being able to navigate the text in the Scrivener folders and files rather than scrolling through pages on a word processor. Not to mention having the word count tool is invaluable in my opinion for helping weed out excess. Pros To be fair, I am still using an 'older' version. Great for organizing thoughts and be able to 'see' how a story is progressing. The availability of notes on resources and story elements in the same place is incredibly helpful. The option to compile and export work into other file types was unexpected and welcome. Cons To be fair, I am still using an 'older' version. It is not as 'easy' to learn as portrayed. It takes a while. However, once learned, it is extremely helpful. Also, learning how to operate images in the program can be a challenge. Perhaps the newest version makes it easier, but for now I am happy with the Scrivener I use. Switched from [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) Overall better handling of text material. Helps with organization of notes, resources, and the text itself. Easy to keep track of chapters, scenes, and the word count associated with each. Review Source Alina P. Owner Publishing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best book drafting software out there" January 15, 2020 5.0 The moment I switched to Scrivener to draft my fiction books, I never looked back. It's perfect to outline, draft, and do an initial edit, and it saves every keystroke which was very important for me. I use it almost every day and I never considered switching to anything else. Pros Scrivener makes it easy to structure your project, it saves automatically whenever you type anything, and the word count per project and section make it easy to track your progress. Cons It seemed daunting at first, before I figured out which features would work for me. There's a lot in Scivener that you you can get lost into, but about 20% of the features are what make it great to work, the rest is just clutter to me. Reason for choosing Scrivener Scrivener offered me everything I already had in Word, and on top of that, everything else I needed. It's more lightweight to use as well and eats up less resources. It also allowed me to have a better grasp on my progress and my overall productivity, as it counts words for each writing session, along with keeping count of word in project and in each section or scene Review Source Abigail N. Founder Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "One of the best writing software out there" December 22, 2018 5.0 Overall my experience with Scrivener has been good, I try to stick to only the features I need and ignore the rest which is probably why I've yet to encounter any major issue. Pros \-Easy to use: Scrivener is easy to use (If you ignore all the extra features you probably won't need), even better when you load/start it for the first time, it opens a tutorial of sorts that explains different parts of the software and how it's used. Scrivener is really popular so there are lots of tutorials online on how to use it. -Auto Save: Unlike Work with can autosave every minute (If you go to options>save>) Scrivener autosaves every few seconds so you'll rarely ever lose your work. I'm a bit paranoid and since I have Dropbox on my comp, I save my work to a folder on Dropbox so I always have a backup of sorts. -Easy to Outline/Plan your novel: One of the reasons I use Scrivener to write is because it allows me to outline my book and arrange it in handly folders. So I have a folder for characters, settings, research, outline, rough draft, final draft etc. Like Evernote, I can save a link for research for offline use. depending on the content of the link, it can be exported into a text which I can read instead of going online. -Word Count: I use Scrivener for Nanowrimo I set a goal of 50k words in 30 days and with Scrivener I can count the number of words per chapter/per day/ and how close I am to achieving my goal of 50k words. Technically I can use Scrivener to convert my manuscript into an ebook, but I don't use this feature. Cons \- Exporting your manuscript into an ebook is complicated as hell. I watched three tutorials on YouTube and it still wasn't easy. -No Android App: I have Scrivener on my personal comp and work computer, and I have Dropbox on both computers so it's easy to write from home or work, but I'd also like to have a mobile app so I can write on the go. There's an IOS app but no Android app, I hope they work on that. Review Source JO Jan O. researcher Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Doing research with Scrivener" October 16, 2019 5.0 I am using it for collecting information for my research and writing drafts. It helps me to be better organised. However, its licensing terms and compatibility issues between Mac and Windows version are off-putting. Pros I do like many things in Scrivener. Even though it is meant mainly for writers, it has so many features and I am not using all of them. For me, it is usually the tool that I am often coming back to when I want to start some new research, collect information, store excerpts from secondary literature and write drafts. And it does it very well! I love especially the split view for documents and how easy it is to create new subdocuments and folders and move everything around. I love it. Also, it is great that one can add various icons to folders and documents. I also like a very generous trial version which allows you to use it for 30 non-consecutive days of use! Cons Firstly, it would be great if there would be just one personal license that I could use both on Mac and Windows. I bought the version 2 for Mac but I am still hesitating to put money into the Windows version. The reason is that it would not be just one-time purchase but I would have to do a similar thing with every major update (they are, however, rare). Another issue for users of multiple platforms is that Mac version 3 is currently not compatible with the stable Windows version 1, only with the beta version 3 for Windows (there is no version 2 for Windows). And the beta version 3 is still not perfect and I experienced multiple (although smaller) issues with it. I perfectly understand that the team of Scrivener programmers is extremely small and that they are doing an unbelievable amount of work, however, this is still an issue for me and the waiting for the Windows version 3 is just long. There is iOS version but now Android version. (And yeas, Linux version would be also nice but it is probably essential.) Finally, there are a couple of minor complaints: - Handling of images could be much improved, especially their resizing is cumbersome. - Better integration of Scapple would be great. - Better compatibility between Windows and Mac version (hopefully it will be done with the final version of the Windows app) The main reason why I am not using Scrivener all the time is, in the end, its license and the lack of better mind mapping functions (like Scapple). Review Source KM Kenzie M. Published author Entertainment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A must for any writer." December 14, 2022 5.0 I have yet to write a book without using scrivener. This software is essential to the organization, keeping me on track with word count, and being able to see the manuscript as a whole. Pros There are many features that make this software essential to any writer. It has everything that you need from outlining to character development. You are able to move within your manuscript easily. Cons The overall Layout of the software could be improved. It could be easier to manage each of the areas. It is difficult to move from feature to feature. Review Source NB Nicole B. Editor Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best novel-writing software" May 10, 2024 5.0 Pros I've been using Scrivener for over five years as a fiction writer, and I love having all my materials in one place--outline, character profiles, location info, research and more. And the word processing feature is robust and makes it easy to break my writing up into chapters or scenes. I use it for all my first drafts. Cons There's definitely a learning curve if you want to get the most out of its features, but they've gotten better with tutorials and walk-throughs than it was when I first started using it. Other than that, I think it's a fantastic tool for authors. Switched from [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) So many more features, and the ability to have all my materials together in one program without having to keep switching windows or opening multiple files. Review Source JB Jeremy B. Writer Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "If You're a Writer and You Don't Have Scrivener, Why?" March 10, 2021 5.0 Scrivener is one of those unicorn programs that's too hard to learn, even harder to master, and somehow still manages to be impossible to live without, even when programs with more specialized abilities come along and TRY to oust it. It's the kind of program that reminds you why you wish you'd become a dentist instead of a writer. Incredibly useful and occasionally frustrating and the one program no writer should be without (especially if they love a challenge). Pros Scrivener has many jobs, but it also has one job: Give the writer a central place for all of his project's components. Need a place to outline? Organize ideas? Store research? Write the draft? Label your nutty ideas? Comment on your nutty ideas? Export everything into a manuscript without corrupting it with nutty ideas? Track your word count? Customize your needs? Scrivener does it all. And it does for one low price. It also integrates well with the writing workflow, regardless of whether the writer uses Scrivener for everything or just some things. I personally find it useful for organizing the scenes I've already written, just in case it turns out I've forgotten something important along the way. Scrivener makes documenting the success and failure of a scene easy. Cons My complaint is probably the same as any one else's complaint: It has more features than I know what to do with. The cost of the courses designed to teach users how to use the software are often FAR more expensive than the software itself, and without those courses, it's hard to figure out how to use it effectively. Exporting to manuscript is not at all intuitive, even when you know what you're doing. It's probably more effective to write and plan within Scrivener, then copy/paste to another program for exporting. It doesn't have any visualization features. Sometimes graphs speak louder than synopses. Reason for choosing Scrivener Scrivener isn't a program you choose over another program. It's part of the workflow. I'll often write in Microsoft Word and edit in Scrivener, but I'll also call in specialized programs for plotting (if needed) and exporting. It's not a question of if a writer should use Scrivener, but how. Review Source VT Virginia T. Freelance Writer Writing and Editing Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Scrivener, My Unpaid, but Super-powered Writer's Assistant" October 7, 2019 5.0 So many features that save time. I can access character and location profiles instantly. This is very important to me. I can import files from MS Word so that i can work further on them. I can format my manuscripts. Pros As a writer of fiction I have used MS Word for all of this century so far, until I came across Scrivener. After using Word for so many years it was a bit of a challenge to change to a new writing program. My writing habits were fully formed in Word, but there were features lacking in Word that I would have hoped would be there. For example instead of using the tried and true method of using index cards to set up scenes, Scrivener has a storyboard feature permitting a writer to examine and compare individual files on its ‘corkboard’. A far superior method than laying printed sheets on the table or floor to move them around and change the sequence of events, This works well for me because I can stop and write a scene that may come to mind is out of the story sequence without losing it forever. And, most importantly for me personally, I can save my knees from crawling around on the floor moving those awful index cards. I love the ability to write character profiles and back story, save them and access them whenever I need to enter info about their personality, wardrobe and other details. There is also the ability to keep scene/location profiles to access as needed. This keeps my story consistent in the fine points that the reader will remember and I might forget while writing. These features insure my credibility as a writer, and I like that. Scrivener is so much more than a word processor; it is my digital assistant who does not require a salary or benefits. Cons There is quite a learning curve. Patience is the virtue needed here. But it is well worth the effort. Review Source SB Skyler B. Writer Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scrivener is THE writing app" April 7, 2022 5.0 I've been using Scrivener since 2.0 from about 2016, and have written over a million words using it. I primarily have used it to write blog posts and for all my freelance client work. It has made me so much more organized than having to look through hundreds of documents on my MacBook. While there are a lot of menus and features, it is possible to customize the interface, and also to enable a distraction-free writing mode. When most writing software has now moved to a subscription model, Scrivener still remains a one-time purchase, and is the best value on the market. For writers, Scrivener is the only app you need. Pros The organization features. Scrivener has the best organization from any writing software I have ever used. At first the interface looks highly complicated, but after a few hours, it is easy to get used to it. Being able to write long-form projects in different documents and then effortlessly rearrange them has been a game changer. I kept all of my client work inside Scrivener by creating different folders, and then also tagging each document based on the status of completion. Cons The only con is the online syncing via Dropbox. It is not as user-friendly and reliable as other software which integrates with iCloud. Switched from [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) Scrivener is a much better option for long-form writing projects. Review Source JG Julie G. owner Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scrivener is the gold standard of writing software" September 26, 2023 5.0 I've been using Scrivener for years. I like that it's flexible in that I can use the features that I find helpful and not worry about ones I don't need. Pros Scrivener is as easy or complicated to use as you want it to be. You can get started quickly, then learn more about it's more advanced features as you need them. Cons About the only thing I don't like about it is that it's rather dull visually. For some people, however, this might be a plus, as it isn't distracting when you're writing. Switched from [Microsoft Word](https://www.capterra.com/p/227146/Microsoft-Word/) I really like having a dedicated program that has features for me as a novelist, as opposed to Word, which is completely generic. Review Source ANG Alberto Nahum G. Associate Professor Education Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Convenient tool for the last stage of your writing process" September 27, 2022 4.0 I was writing a book (a compilation of articles) and was looking for software to help me assemble the whole manuscript. Microsoft Word, my usual writing app, was not convenient because I needed the flexibility to "play" with the order of the chapters. Scrivener provided just that. I did not need to open dozens of files (as in MS Word), but I could reorder them in one document with Scrivener. In addition, the label and metadata system saved me a lot of time and stress because I could easily map how my whole compilation was evolving. Pros I enjoyed how it lets you play around with the structure of your manuscript. For example, you can move parts of your manuscript to see how they fit into the overall design. It also lets you categorize, filter, and summarize every chapter so you can have an accessible overview of the whole project. It is incredibly cheap: you buy it once and have it forever. And the developers trust both their product and their customers: in the case of Windows, in 2020, they allowed you to buy the 2.0 version and upgrade for free to 3.0 (released at the end of 2021). Cons The learning curve seems overwhelming initially; nonetheless, there is a good tutorial within the program. If you are a little patient, you can master it eventually. Also, it could benefit from a more innovative interface, visually speaking, at least for the Windows version. It is enough for getting the work done, but it is not as appealing to the eye as other writing software. Review Source HG Howard G. Author Writing and Editing Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Authoring tools: still some way to go" September 17, 2021 3.0 My impression is that most software for authors is designed by IT people with insufficient collaboration with authors. Scrivener appears to be an exception. Basic writing, scene organisation, editing are all 10/10 fine, but for anything below the surface, users can expect an arduous learning curve. While I congratulate the designers, I admit to not liking Scrivener - but it is the best of the bunch. Pros Excellent user manual. Broad adoption in many countries and active support community. Good for keeping research, notes, images with the manuscript. Good backup features, saving as draft to DropBox for use on Android and auto-syncing back to PC. I've tried many other authoring programs and LibreOffice and Word, and find Scrivener suits my requirements best. I've used it for two books of 80,000 words. Cons Seems to be designed primarily for Mac users. Windows version works OK, but there's no Android version. Compiling process is complex and, as yet, I've not mastered it. Indexing and contents pages with page numbers is a process that gives me nightmares. Settings configuration and interface are very unintuitive. Again, I haven't mastered these. Reason for choosing Scrivener It gets the job done, has ample features and the designers have not fallen into the trap of creating the all-too-common icon disease with white space everywhere. Review Source HL Herman L. Educator E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The go-to writing app that never disappoints." December 3, 2022 5.0 In my line of work, I frequently edit research papers and theses. Scrivener makes this process easy and streamlines my workflow to a high degree. Pros Scrivener offers a fantastic user interface that allows you to organize and edit complex projects and documents easily. Cons It is a bit pricey, but not overpriced. Each new version of the software needs to be re-purchased. In my experience, the iPad and the desktop versions also need to be purchased separately. It would be nice if all versions could be accessible with a single purchase. Review Source JV Joshua V. Senior Copywriter Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Scrivener is the best word editor for copywriters, bloggers, authors, and solopreneurs " February 28, 2021 5.0 The problem I'm using Scrivener to solve is I had a need to hold all of my writing work in one place for my business. I do not want to lose documents over time. I also use Scrivener to write more complex pieces of content such as Soap Opera Sequences, or books. When I open my Scrivener I see all of my projects going back from 2014, perfectly organized by folders. I open a project folder and see all of the word documents dedicated to that project. If I need to find something, I can easily search for it inside Scrivener and find it in no time. Pros What I like most about Scrivener is how easy it makes the process of writing something as complex as an entire book. Yet, it doesn't make the process of writing more simple documents any more difficult than using word. I've used scrivener to write dozens of Soap Opera Sequences (serialized drip email campaigns that use nested and open loops), sales letters, Instagram posts, proposals, and my first book. It's like using an enhanced version Microsoft Word , or Apple's Pages. Cons What I dislike most about the software is how the Microsoft version is a major update behind the Mac version. I wish they would release both versions within 3 months of each other. Right now I can't find a way to use emoji's in my writing on the Microsoft version. And that is a major letdown as using emojis is a very strong copywriting technique in 2021. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Proofreading](https://www.capterra.com/proofreading-software/)