On this page
At a glance
Choose Scrivener if
- you want a deep binder, compile sheet and template system
Choose InkSpine if
- you want plain Markdown and JSON files, readable in any text editor
Feature by feature
| Feature | Scrivener | InkSpine |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Windows and Mac — no native Linux build | Windows, macOS, and Linux, from one app |
| Getting started | A deep binder, compile sheet, and template system to learn before you can format a finished book | A distraction-free markdown editor — open it and start writing |
| Project files | Lives inside a proprietary .scriv package | Plain Markdown and JSON files, readable in any text editor |
| Characters & locations | Documents and templates — not a structured, linked database | Structured, linked worldbuilding beside the manuscript |
| Mobile apps | A separate Scrivener app for iPhone and iPad | Desktop only today: Windows, macOS, and Linux. Mobile apps are on the roadmap. |
Scrivener, without the four-app tax.
Scrivener is the deepest manuscript editor most novelists will ever use — and that depth is also the cost. InkSpine keeps the parts writers actually reach for and folds in the structured worldbuilding Scrivener leaves to documents and templates.
If you know Scrivener's binder better than your own kitchen, come see the simpler version.