Alternatives to Manuskript
Open source novel planning and writing
Manuskript ranks #7 of 10 in Writing apps, with an Alt Score of 68. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, free and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 8 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Novelists and long-form fiction writers who want to plan and outline their story before drafting it, rather than write straight through.
A hierarchical outliner for structuring plot and chapters, dedicated views for tracking characters, world-building details, and plot points, and a distraction-free editor with word-count/time targets. It also includes guided support for the snowflake method, which expands a one-sentence story idea into a full outline through successive rounds of detail.
You develop your premise using the snowflake method (or your own approach), build out characters, locations, and outline items in their respective sections, then write the manuscript in the editor while referencing that structure. The app is free, open-source, and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Why people leave Manuskript
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How Manuskript compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Writing apps checklist | Manuskript | Ulysses | iA Writer | Scrivener | Atticus | Dabble |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
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| Markdown support | ||||||
| Distraction-free mode | ||||||
| Long-form organization (chapters) | ||||||
| Goals & word counts | ||||||
| Export formats (docx, epub, pdf) | ||||||
| Sync between devices | ||||||
| Version history | ||||||
| One-time purchase option | ||||||
| Offline | ||||||
| Publishing integrations |
Every fact and feature listed for Manuskript is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Free as in free speech
https://www.theologeek.ch/manuskript/#focus -
License GPL-3.0 verified 2026-07-11
Manuskript is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3 or (at your option) any later version.
https://github.com/olivierkes/manuskript/blob/develop/README.md -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-11
Manuskript runs on GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows.
https://github.com/olivierkes/manuskript/blob/develop/README.md -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
Manuskript 0.17.0 got released.
https://www.theologeek.ch/manuskript/2025/06/30/manuskript-0-17-0/ -
Markdown support Yes verified 2026-07-11
Right now, manuskript supports only markdown highlighter.
https://github.com/olivierkes/manuskript/wiki/Import-and-Export-capabilities -
Distraction-free mode Yes verified 2026-07-11
Write with focus (Distraction free mode)
https://github.com/olivierkes/manuskript/blob/develop/README.md -
Long-form organization (chapters) Yes verified 2026-07-11
Edit and re-organize chapters and scenes
https://github.com/olivierkes/manuskript/blob/develop/README.md -
Goals & word counts Yes verified 2026-07-11
If you feel like you need it, you can even lock yourself until you’ve reached a certain goal
https://www.theologeek.ch/manuskript/2016/02/05/customizable-distraction-free-mode/ -
Export formats (docx, epub, pdf) Yes verified 2026-07-11
Install pandoc for more export document formats such as ePub, OpenDocument (LibreOffice), and DocX (MS Word).
https://github.com/olivierkes/manuskript/wiki/Import-and-Export-capabilities -
Sync between devices Partial verified 2026-07-11
sync your folder (say with dropbox), work on it, and when you come back to manuskript everything is there !
https://www.theologeek.ch/manuskript/2016/03/31/open-plain-text-file-format/ -
One-time purchase option No verified 2026-07-11
Free as in free speech
https://www.theologeek.ch/manuskript/#focus -
Offline Yes verified 2026-07-11
Manuskript runs on GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows.
https://github.com/olivierkes/manuskript/blob/develop/README.md
FAQ
Yes. novelWriter and Ghostwriter have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
novelWriter, Ghostwriter and FocusWriter — every license claim links its source.