Comparisons, checked 17 October 2026
Onwarder vs Scrivener
A desktop workbench for long documents: a binder, corkboard and outliner for arranging a draft, research beside it, and Compile for multiple output formats.Source [1]
Scrivener holds your notes beside the draft; Onwarder records what happened to whom and checks each scene against it.Source [1]
Side by side.
| Onwarder | Scrivener | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for good, with no account. Cloud is $10 a month or $99 a year. | $59.99 once for Mac or Windows, licensed per platform; $23.99 for iPhone and iPad. A trial of 30 days of actual use.Source [3]Source [2]Source [4] |
| Runs on | On the web, Mac, Windows and Linux, with iPhone in beta, and Android coming. | Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad. No web, Android or Linux.Source [1]Source [4] |
| Writing with no connection | Books kept on your device open and save with no connection in the desktop and phone apps. | Yes: projects are files on your computer.Source [5] |
| Story bible linked to the book | Characters, places, factions and items, a click from the page. | Character and place template sheets and research in the binder, beside the manuscript.Source [1] |
| Checks the book against your notes | Built in, no AI: warns when a dead character acts or a lost item turns up again. | No check of the manuscript against recorded facts found.Source [1] |
| Ebook and paperback files | EPUB, Word, Markdown and PDF, and paperback interiors at three trim sizes. | Compile to Word, EPUB, PDF, Markdown and more, including print-ready PDF.Source [7]Source [8] |
| AI, and training on your writing | Optional and off for every book. Bring your own. Never used to train AI. | Literature & Latte says Scrivener has no built-in AI and does not scrape data.Source [10] |
| Getting your work out | Every book exports whole, at any time, on any plan. | A project folder on your computer; export documents in common formats.Source [5]Source [9] |
Which to choose
Where Scrivener is better
- Compile settings for multiple output formats, including screenplays, from one manuscript.Source [1]Source [4]Source [7]Source [8]
- Binder, corkboard, custom metadata, snapshots and research side by side.Source [1]Source [4]Source [7]Source [8]
- Native Mac and Windows apps, with an additional iPhone and iPad app.Source [1]Source [4]Source [7]Source [8]
Choose Scrivener if
- You want its binder, corkboard and Compile workflow, or you need footnotes and detailed output settings.Source [1]Source [7]
- You already have a Scrivener setup that helps you finish. There is no need to abandon it.Source [1]Source [7]
Choose Onwarder if
- You want the story bible, recorded story events and a continuity check beside the manuscript, with no AI needed.
- You want everything for writing free, on any computer or phone, with no account and no time limit.
- You want the ebook and the paperback interior from the same place you wrote the book.
Questions.
Can I move my book from Scrivener?
Export it as a Word document and import that into Onwarder; it keeps chapters, headings, bold and italics. Start with a copy of one chapter, and keep your original until you are happy. We do not promise to carry over every other tool's notes, links or formatting.
Do I need AI to use Onwarder?
No. Writing, planning, the continuity check and Finishing all work without AI. If you connect your own AI, it is off for every book until you allow it, and Onwarder never uses your writing to train AI.
What does Onwarder cost?
Free for good, with no account. Cloud is $10 a month or $99 a year.
Sources, all opened 17 October 2026
- Scrivener overview
- Scrivener store
- Purchasing and crossgrades
- Scrivener FAQs
- Storing projects (support)
- Using cloud services (support)
- Compiling, the basics
- Scrivener features
- Exporting projects
- Does Scrivener use AI? (support)
Competitor prices are as shown on the linked pages, in US dollars where stated, before tax. Product names identify the tools compared and do not imply endorsement.
Product names are trademarks of their owners. Facts are from each maker's own pages, checked on the date shown. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.