Name: Scrivener
Rating: 4.2461 (2369 reviews)

User Reviews for Scrivener

4.25 out of 5

2.4K Ratings

7 years ago, Angrysocialist

Maddening syncing

I was exuberant to see Scrivener materialize with an ipad version. I have head a lot about it. I am a relatively new scrivener, just learning it, and involved in a lengthy writing project. I write mostly on iPads because I am rarely home and they are easier than laptops to lug around. I have the new ipad, 10.5, 256gb, and was looking forward to using scrivener on it. Unfortunately, the Dropbox syncing is maddening. Today, for instance, it refused to sync and kept shutting down. After the first time, I got it back and backed up everything I was working on, and I was lucky I had the foresight to do that for Scrivener kept crashing. When I returned to the desktop, it wanted to sync with the ipad. This it did, but with the older version of the chapter that I was editing and I thanked the gods for that back-up I had stored elsewhere. I ended up deleting the chapter and starting over with the back-up I had emailed to myself. I do not know what to say here. Not sure if the recent update will solve the infuriating Dropbox problems. I will give it another try and see what comes of that. If it continues, I will just have to use scrivener on the desktop, writing on another program with the ipad and copying it over to scrivener later on. Ultimately, I think Scrivener has to be taken out of Dropbox and put onto the cloud.

4 years ago, Zero7starz

Finally - everything in one app

I love to write. Like a weirdo, I write the most on my phone. I struggled for years with a novel text editor, and all my research notes in another app. It was disorganized and I lost many important notes I needed due to the lack of ability to organize. No more. Now I keep everything in nice sub folders in my “binder” and I can still save photos, notes, lists, and more! Everything is color coded and iconized for quick reference. Really, functionality wise, they have thought of everything. I even reached out to their CS once to request a feature. Low and behold it already existed! I just hadn’t found the setting. And let me tell you, they have a LOT of settings. My one wish would be for a web portal I could access from a computer. Every once in a while I’m sitting at a computer with enough time to work on my writing. So it’d be nice to just pop onto the website and pull up my work. It’s not an option right now, though they do have computer software you can also purchase. That’s not an option for me because I can’t install software onto my work computer, but I could access via a web portal. Not a deal breaker, but a big wish of mine. If you’ve been struggling to find somewhere to write and keep all your notes together, you really can’t go wrong with this app. I know the upfront cost seems like a lot, but compared to any subscription based platform it’s only pennies in comparison.

1 year ago, Nunn-ya

BEFORE purchasing this app - read this

When you are typing on this app in screenwriting mode the app will choose certain words where when you attempt to type them, the app will freeze and then you have to completely shut down the app. The words are completely indiscriminate. Whenever I attempt to type the character name SUPERINTENDENT, the app freezes. When I try to write a scene heading using the word APARTMENT, the app freezes. There have been other examples and I never know which word in which screenwriting section is going to set it off. What happens is that you will get halfway through typing the word and the app becomes unresponsive. I have contacted the app developer and they have seemed disinterested in assisting me with this issue. I understand that I am completely unimportant and that they have already received my money. There are other writing apps available for the iPad, and many are free, or very inexpensive. I would URGE you to try those out before making the purchase for Scrivener. The features with this app are very useful, but for all the frustration you will get from not being able to simply TYPE WORDS INTO THE APP it may not be worth it. Also, Scrivener was developed mainly for the Mac and, like most other app developers making serious productivity app, the mindset that is professionals don’t really use the iPad to get work done, so we won’t work on it too much. (Eh, but let’s do bump the price up a bit because, hey, it’s Scrivener!)

1 year ago, TheFrood

Great for local

If I had to choose between iCloud file sharing or dropbox, I would choose iCloud. If all you’re using is a free account, and only own two devices, then dropbox is great, however, the limitation of only being able to link two different devices to your Dropbox account is simply unacceptable. For whatever reason, dropbox seems to have completely ignored the needs of single consumers in their plans as the last time I checked their plans pretty much seem only oriented towards serving the needs of larger organizations, both from a price point and storage size. iCloud is a Much More customer oriented cloud plan. Especially if you’re using Apple devices to begin with. The fact that I cannot save my Scrivener files to iCloud and I’m limited only to dropbox or local is incredibly frustrating. I would love to be able to update spontaneous ideas about a Project on my iPhone and then go to my iPad or to my laptop to be able to more fully flesh it out. Instead, if I am working between devices, then I have to save it as a Dropbox file, which means that I have to disconnect one device and connect another in order to access that file if it is not one of my “allowed devices” whenever I am switching from my phone to my laptop to my iPad.

7 years ago, rimjournal

Very easy to use, solution to DropBox sync problems

Scrivener is very easy to work with on my iPad. I took it on a trip and worked on a number of new projects created on my iPad. However, on return, I tried to set up the Dropbox sync and it didn't work. Thanks to Jeff at Literature and Latte for working through this with me over several detailed replies. The options are to backup my iPad to iTunes on my iMac and work with files from there or, easier, to sync with Dropbox and work from there. Projects cannot exist in both places. However, when I first (and many subsequent attempts, reinstalls, etc) tried to sync my existing iPad Projects to Dropbox, a folder was created, but it was empty. The Projects and the empty folder showed in my iTunes file browser. So, I understood what was happening, but couldn't fix it. Today I decided to add a new "Test" Project on my iPad with one file in it. Then I synced with Dropbox. For the first time, a Dropbox list appeared in my iPad's Projects list and the Apps/Scivener folder in Dropbox showed my "Test" Project. From there, Jeff told me to tap edit on my iPad and drag the projects from "On My iPad" to "Dropbox". Did that, synced, all is well. Also synced with iTunes and now the file browser shows the folder and it's no longer zero kb. Hope this helps someone with the same issue.

6 years ago, LaShandar

Synced Seamlessly (Almost)

I was really hesitant to purchase for fear of syncing issues, but I managed to set it up within seconds of installation. I simply created a “Projects” folder in Dropbox first, with my current project from my PC already saved there, and then synced to that folder when setting it up on iOS. So far it is working as intended. I’m looking forward to seeing what all this app can do, but I already know it will help me be more productive and organized and complete more stories. I like to work in sections and hop around so this is really ideal for me. I’m really happy it was so easy to set up and actually works despite some of these reviews. ETA the sync is not quite seamless. Have to make sure it syncs before closing app or changes will not show on PC. I also make sure to save before closing on my PC because that doesn't seem to automatically sync either unless I save before closing. So it is not quite as seamlessly as the automatic updates in Google Docs or even Word (synced/saved in the cloud on my PC and laptop), but it's worth the extra effort to me to be able to better organize my manuscript, since I don't write linearly, and to also be able to work on projects on my phone and ipad.

2 years ago, saianu

Doesn’t work with Mac app

So surprised, once downloaded, to find that the iOS version doesn’t sync with the Mac Scrivener app. I can’t sign in to my account and access my Mac projects with iOS devices, which is such the norm for other apps (Final Draft …) that it never occurred to me to check for this. Very disappointed. It looks like everything I create in iOS will stay in iOS, attached to my Apple ID. And everything I create on the Mac app will stay there, linked to my Scrivener account. How does this even make sense in 2022? I understand that complexity may be an issue for cross platform interactivity, but to not even link the two for backup/filling purposes …. Makes no sense … On a positive, the iOS app looks clean, easy to use. Since I’ve spent the money, will probably use it for short writing projects, butnot sure about that as it’s important to me to save all of my writing projects in one place in the Apple ecosystem (can’t stand Dropbox or Box). If Apple can create a whole cross platform functionality for its apps, and Final Draft can create useable cross platform functionality for its apps, why is Scrivener not even offering us the chance to link the content created on two platforms to one account? I hope I’m wrong, have missed something, and Scrivener will answer and set me straight :)

6 years ago, JAFK_

Amazing except sync

For what it is, a word processor, this app is 5/5. Very neat, and extremely functional, I really like the layout and this app takes some familiarizing but doesn’t take long and is super super rewarding. My problem with the app is the entire concept of syncing and sending anything anywhere is horrible. They only sync with iTunes or Dropbox which right off the bat that few of options for a 20$ app? And I don’t use Dropbox so that’s pretty inconvenient. Well no matter I paid 20$ it can’t hurt to make a drop box account just for this one thing to sync even though that’s pretty impractical. Well now that I’m linked to drop box, I can’t even believe how bad this works. You can’t take a project or even a single, page/document and move it to or from the cloud. Not simply like that anyways, the process for any syncing or sharing is so unpolished I can’t believe this app is 20$. Developers now that you have my money, what the heck. Please add more support to this app and the ability to move docs and projects around more freely. If you could add support for iCloud or google drive, or even OneDrive, just something other than JUST Dropbox. So much limitation is reason for me to possibly find a new text editor and not even bother with getting the Mac app

2 months ago, N o b o d y

great, but whats with copy paste?

I really enjoy working in scrivener. It’s good for almost everything and I tend to work better in scrivener but other things. But occasionally I have to use other apps (e.g. to get feedback from someone—this is really a google doc type thing because you want your in line comments and fluid working on the cloud). So I copy paste into google docs. Why is there no clean way to copy paste back? On any other app, I would be able to copy paste back and keep all my formatting. Scrivener forces you to choose between keeping googles ugly text formatting and losing all your italics. Why can’t I just copy paste like normal, keeping all the normal formatting you expect to keep (italics, bold—your basic markup stuff) while not getting the actual font and font size from a web page—those things are always going to be different. I just want it to be the same font as everything else, but with its markup preserved. Why is this not a possibility in scrivener? I write best on my tablet, no clue why. I shouldn’t have to go to my laptop and launder it through a rich text editor just to copy paste back into scrivener.

1 month ago, KingAir1922

An Excellent, Streamlined App for iPad

My only two complaints with Scrivener on the iPad is that there is no way to customize the default text styles, and they don’t have a sepia theme. The second one is obviously a minor preference, not really an issue with the app at all. But it’s an excellent writing app overall, with all the basic functionality you could need in a long-form writing app and none of the unnecessary frills that ultimately slow you down and distract you. I’ve used Scrivener off and on for years on desktop PC, but I always felt it was kind of clunky and hard to deal with. I got an iPad a couple of months ago and decided to try its condensed version of Scrivener. With a lot of the unnecessary features removed, it’s super quick and easy to use compared to the desktop version. It’s also much nicer to look at compared to the desktop version, which removes the subconscious discomfort of working with a less-than-pleasing workspace and actually makes it enjoyable to work with. The only thing I can think to improve are the aforementioned default text style customization and adding a sepia theme.

7 years ago, od20

Great App — But Sync is Not Truly Automatic

When I first purchased the iOS version, I became very frustrated with the sync process— mainly because I did not understand how it works. All of the iOS apps I use sync in near realtime. For example, if I make a change in Bear, Ulysses, or even Notes, I can pickup the other device and see that the changes were synchronized almost immediately. What helps for me is making sure my Scrivener Project is closed on the device I am not working on (e.g., my Mac)— before I open it on the other device (e.g., my iPad). Yes, when the Project is closed on my Mac, Scrivener “automatically” syncs (assuming you have set the app to “Sync Projects on Close”). But the point is, the sync process needs a “click start” to make it happen. It does not work like the other apps I’ve used. Perhaps this is because the developer elected to rely on DropBox rather than iCloud (I believe they addressed this on their website— certain features need to be omitted if they relied on iCloud). That said, I’m new to Scrivener and can’t imagine using anything else. Scrivener 3 is the app I’ve been waiting for.

12 months ago, ZylogZ80

Perfect for the way I write

This is the app I’ve been looking for. My creative process is all about planning. I like to write up bios for my characters, descriptions of locations, high level descriptions of scenes, etc. I like to have all of that written out and organized before I start writing. This app fit my workflow to a T. Now, I don’t want to give the impression that you have to write like that to use Scrivener, but if you do this is the absolute perfect app for you. Scrivener makes it easy to stay organized. You’ve got folders, labels, all kinds of great tools. Your writing project is just that, a project, with all of the various resources you create rather than just a document. Before Scrivener I had to keep bits and pieces in different apps: notes apps, folders on my drive, etc. But with Scrivener everything I need is all in one place. I can’t recommend this app enough. If you write you want this app. I’d give it an extra star for being a one time purchase with no subscription. If it was a subscription I never would have bothered trying it.

6 years ago, Lewis_Cypher

Can’t import templates

Not having this function available is a major drawback of the IOS version. I only use an IPad Pro and an IPhone 7 because I can easily dictate or type everything I write and conveniently carry either device with me wherever I go. I did not purchase the Windows version of Scrivener because I don’t want to drag a laptop around with me. I would now like to import templates designed by others to speed up my output on certain projects, but the IOS app apparently has no way to do this versus the Windows and MacOS versions which do. I have been told there may be a way of starting my project with an imported template on either of those platforms, then syncing it with my IOS devices. But to do so, I would have to purchase another license and what do I do if my laptop is in New Jersey and I need to start a new project thousands of miles away? Bottom line: I really do LOVE Scrivener. It streamlines research, and using the cork board to pull it all together is a powerful tool. I would like to give it 5 stars, but having to reinvent the wheel on the different formats I want to use is annoying and makes this app a lot less functional than I hoped it would be.

2 years ago, derekSTLam

Ipad version function very limited

I intended to use my ipad to replace my laptop. I thought Scrivener can be my app for word processing. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of like about the app. It lets you neatly organizing all the research and different parts of your project together in an organized fashion. BUT the functionality of the ipad version of the app is very restricted (I expected it to be limited somehow but not that much). For example, I cannot create tables in my writings. When inserting photos, you cannot adjust the size of the photo in your writing. And the footnote system is kind of a mess. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to make them compiled as footnotes instead of endnotes. Even though the button says “add footnotes” — in the end they just all become endnotes. So, what I am trying to say is, it’s not that this is a bad app but one should keep ones expectation realistic. And I do think they should be advertising the very significant differences between the laptop and tablet version more explicitly. I bought it thinking that I would more or less get everything advertised. Feels I little bit cheated.

2 years ago, jelly mations on yt :>

I. NEED. CUSTOMIZATION!!!

i love this app for the most part (except for the fact that it crashes every time i try to save my manuscript as a word file but whatever) but i have one complaint and one complaint only. MORE CUSTOMIZATION PLZ!!!! i knew that when i got the ipad edition of scrivener it wouldn’t have as many features as the mac version. and that’s fine—there are wayyy too many features on there, and i like to keep things as simple as possible thankyouverymuch. but the one thing i liked most about computer scrivener is the themes! you can set photos as background on there, change the page color, make things more aesthetic, etc etc. i need to use themes and colors i like on it to set a mood while writing so i can focus. i can survive with this basic version of scrivener for now, but it would be soooooo so so sooooooooooooo helpful if there were more features customization-wise. no, it doesn’t have to be exactly like mac. but as long as i can have a choice of page colors, and i can add photos as backgrounds and such, and maaaaaybe change the fonts of things like folder names, i’ll be satisfied.

5 years ago, MonsieurObscure

Update. This. App.

If it weren’t for the ever-increasingly buggy and erratic behavior of this app, plus the syncing issues (yes, perhaps it was even worse 1+ years ago before I began using it, but it’s still not without potentially grave, data-losing issues...), I might be inclined to give this app 5 stars. And in fact I’ll gladly change my 1 star rating to 5 stars once this app is updated and it’s issues resolved. Hopefully this poor review and rating, along with a mounting number of similar user’s feedback, will motivate the Scrivener team to get their buttocks in gear and fix their unnecessarily subpar product. Fortunately, I’ve developed a 3-level backup method (using a local Scrivener copy, as well as a separate writing app) that has saved me numerous times from losing either recent additions to, or the entirety of my currently 395 page manuscript. In closing, I’ll echo what is undoubtedly the sentiments of many a longtime Scrivener user: For a company who charges a premium for both the desktop and mobile versions of their app, and touts itself as being (and wants to be considered) the pinnacle of modern writing software, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Whatever your reputation once was, it is certainly slipping in recent years, and this should be deeply concerning to you and your business...

1 year ago, Kikistapes

Most Dysfunctional App cripples writers

This app is so bad, quirky and ultimately dysfunctional that it’s causing me to finally leave Scrivener altogether on all devices (including desktop) and go to Ulysses. This developer has virtually zero interest in EVER updating and fixing this app. What a rip-off. Dropbox sync is tedious and time consuming at best. Doc editor features are a joke. Good luck finding them. The simplest features (highlighting, bold, underline,,etc) are several levels deep & others just don’t exist or are buried so deep that it’s not worth looking for. Just trying to select a line or two of text is almost, and sometimes completely impossible as the whole page goes nuts and selects. PDFs cannot be magnified making it impossible to see detailed images on a small screen, nor can they be resized. I could go on but you get the point. I’ve tolerated this pathetic excuse for an app for years but it ruins the writing experience and with apps like Ulysses that are actually supported I’d have to be nuts to keep using Scrivener. Unless your married to your desktop and never leave your computer, Scrivener is a joke. And even then, it’s too complicated. Old, out-dated technology apparently or the developer just isn’t that good.

6 years ago, judynini

Bewildering App to use for first time on iPad

Its literally taken me DAYS to figure out how to buy this . My Mac crashed and I purchased a version again only to discover I need a different version for IPAds/. Paid AGAIN, finally loaded it, opened it, and have spent the last few hours trying to understand how on earth to write a screenplay with it. How to write ANYTHING on it. Even after reading the tutorial and finding about what sounds like the very useful outliner, Corkboard, I really am bewildered about how to go forward. It says somewhere that it may be difficult for those who haven’t used the full Laptop version, but this is like landing on Mars. I am, as I type, downloading Final Draft which I suspect I will have better luck with. I’m sure its fantastic as I hear it is from friends, but the developers have made little effort to make first users intuitively find their way around it. It assumes we all have and use the full versions of it elsewhere. And don’t get me started on the tutorial which is definitely written by an aspiring Novelist... it goes on, and on, and on and on, more like a manual to assemble a car than a guide on how to use a writing app.

1 year ago, Sasabutcher

Text Selection Issues

Love this app, but it is frustrating to select text with my mouse because the screen begins scrolling up or down uncontrollably quickly. This does not happen in my other word processors or on websites, so it seems to be a scrivener-specific problem. I’ve also tried changing my mouse settings, but that has not worked either. This is not so much of a criticism as much as something I would like, but more editing functionality would be amazing on iPad. Like being able to create snapshots or being able to use “editor mode” like I do on my home computer, so I don’t have half of my edits in editor mode and the other half standard text. It seems the app is built more for drafting, which is less useful further in the process. The mac version is great for revisions, and I would like if some of that functionality was portable (at least editor mode colors would be amazing).

5 years ago, JedWag

Syncing not that bad after you set it up...

I’m writing my first novel and I absolutely fell in love with the desktop version. There is nothing out there that can compare to the flexibility and organization that this software provides for writers of any type. That said, I had some apprehension on purchasing the app. I read over and over how it had syncing issues. At first I had the same issue but through trial and error I figured out the problem was. In order to sync your desktop version to the app you need to create a blank manuscript in the app first. This creates the necessary files in order for the app to access your designated scrivener folder in Dropbox. Once that happens just move the manuscript you’re working on to your scrivener folder and you will be able to work on it with no problems. Don’t delete the blank manuscript. I repeat, don’t delete the mobile manuscript. Deleting it will delete the apps ability to access Dropbox. That’s it... I wish someone else would have told me this.

11 months ago, junkphrases

Good but it needs more

I have used different word processing programs since 1980. There are some pretty important basic elements missing. Why is it impossible to set a certain font, size, and text color? If I backspace too much the text settings disappear and it goes back to teeny weeny. SOME OF US WEAR READING GLASSES darn it and yeah, teeny weeny type is the bane of my existence. I feel like this is a bit of a gyp. I have a mac mini and I wanted to take my writing with me. So I bought this app, which I thought had advantages over using Microsoft Word. In reality, it does not. Give me useful features that work and not a fancy sales pitch to make me think its worth the price you’re charging. I’m a student and know how to use my resources/programs/AI (only for editing, grammar, spelling) to write exemplary papers for college. I don’t just get A’s, I get A+’s on my writing assignments. I’m intentionally being critical here because I read the description of this app and let’s be real, you haven’t delivered on those promises. Make it right and I will make it my goal to let everyone know that I write with your app.

4 years ago, Abacus321

Stuff you didn’t even know you needed.

I am in love with Scrivener. It has amazing features - stuff I never would have even thought of and now really appreciate: 1. Pinch-to-zoom actually increases the text size, which I’ve never seen in another app. Once you start using it, it’s incredibly intuitive. 2. Links - you can easily highlight text to create a link to any other part of your project, like a different chapter. This makes it easy to follow your thoughts from one event /character/ plot point to another. 3. Feature that keeps your cursor at center of page -I don’t remember what this feature is called, but if you’re in the “zone”, it’s annoying when your cursor moves because the page is being advanced. Instead, with this feature (it’s a T with a circle around it), you’re always typing on the same line and the page moves instead. It’s easier to understand when you try it out, but I love this feature. 4. Syncing is very good. It’s an extra step on iOS devices that you come out of the project to make it sync, but it’s a very good solution. And entirely the right decision to use Dropbox instead of hosting the data themselves (I assume they can’t use Apple iCloud because Scrivener also on other platforms.) If you’re writing a few pages of a short story, you might be fine with Google Docs or Word. But if you’re banging out a novel, spend a few bucks and get the best software out there. This is it.

1 year ago, Reasonius

Syncing is a Disaster

Everything about Scrivener on iOS is fantastic—everything I ever wanted in writing software. This should be a 5-star review and I should be a loud fan. But the syncing across iOS devices is a disaster. I have and iPhone 13 Pro and an iPad Pro linked through Dropbox. The syncing will always eventually fail, I’ll have files in conflicts that don’t exist where I wrote them, so I can delete them and there begins the endless compounding conflict errors that make this software unusable. I’m constantly having to start fresh with clean files, and I’m losing days of writing every couple of weeks. I’ll never finish the book this way and, sadly, will have to go back to MS Word, or anything but this software that screws up my files. This is not going to work. It’s such a waste that the syncing is so bad. ***UPDATE*** So much time later, and it’s now obvious that Scrivener has no intention to fix the syncing disaster that is their software. What’s the point in selling software that’s barely usable? You can use Scrivener, but you can only use it on one device. If you try to use two, it’s a complete mess. I’ve never seen software sync so badly.

2 years ago, Alexander Hendrickson

So Close, and yet So Far

The MacOS version is fantastic. While iPads were previously quite limited in their capabilities, they have come a long way and can now be used as an effective laptop replacement. Unfortunately, this app sells an iPad and any writer who uses their iPad in lieu of a laptop or desktop short. The capabilities and the layout are extremely limited. Perhaps one of the most frustrating limitations, after having used this for well over a decade, is that there is STILL no iCloud sync support. I long for an improvement in this area, but with the most recent release over six months ago, I am not holding my breath. Dropbox is a maddening solution for interoperability between mobile and desktop. I would gladly pay a reasonable monthly subscription to continue to support L&L if it would enable them to more rapidly iterate and create some modernization in this. To not have iCloud integration and to still be treating an iPad version as a “desktop lite” edition in 2022 is a big mistake and missed opportunity.

7 years ago, SteveMcCune

Scrivener for iPhone & iPad ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Words cannot express my regret. The other was young, sleek, and provocative. My first love for you had become cold and I lost my focus in our routine. The other caught my eye as I drifted from our special time together every day. I was unfaithful. I am sorry. Please, forgive me. I was bored and I hoped to stir the passion of our first love, even if it was with another. The lure was shiny and I swallowed the baited hook. It was delicious for a time, until the hook’s barb pierced my deceived heart. My pleasure was momentary and melted faster than a triple scoop ice cream cone on a hot summer afternoon. I missed you. Then I learned about your iPhone and iPad child. Its images reminded me of the memories we made, the stories we wrote, and the time we enjoyed together along the way. Can you ever excuse me and absolve my guilt? Will you always hold a grudge? Will you forever remind me of my mistakes? I am back. I understand your skepticism. You know my nature, and there will always be another dangling its lure in my face. In the meantime, let us write stories together again, research the unsearchable, and enjoy one another’s company again. Fill my phone and complete my pad. Maybe, one day, you will again trust me to be loyal. If you must, although I hope you will not, I will understand your decision to look for subscribers and their prepaid promise of loyalty and wealth. The other did. There are many, but none like you. Thank you.

4 years ago, OCDgirlygirl

Love hate relationship

Know what you get before you expect more. The app is amazing whether it is used on the MacBook or the iPad. I have it in all my devices. Two iPads two MacBooks and my iPhone. However if you don’t buy them the same from APPLE under same version or update one they dont link between Devices but you do get the free upgrades if you buy from scrivener which is probably why the versions don’t sync. I didn’t realize Apple isn’t linking the upgrades. Mac version is better if you like features but I just want to write across devices so a bit annoyed that no longer is an option. Best writing app for writing organizing etc but to link documents I could go back to word save money and use multiple devices. Depends what you want and how serious you are about writing. Self publishing this is great formats your story for kindle and readers. It is great just a faulty connection between devices when you upgrade.

3 years ago, That chick o

A Powerful all in one App

This app has all the needs for a writer and even features for screenwriting, which I haven’t tried yet. I usually write everything down then go back and type, which leads for exhausting work. However, with Scrivener it has helped me get out of that habit and write as I type. I’ve had this app for a while now and didn’t follow the tutorial…Use the tutorial, it’s extremely helpful because it can and will get overwhelming trying to figure things out. One amazing feature is the inspector where you can type in your outlines for chapters or scenes in the note section and while you are typing, the outline will appear in the drop menu to the left. This works so much better to have the outline right at your fingertips as opposed to carrying around paper and having to use multiple apps to serve different purposes. I haven’t used the research feature yet because each project doesn’t requires it. It has a lot of folders that can go within another folder then another and another and so on. Also, you can convert text into folders and vice versa. If you are looking for a writing app that does it all, then you’ve found it. Link it to your Dropbox to get the best out of it and synch it across all your devices which is another plus. They also have a computer software as well. Happy writing.

6 years ago, JimRac2

Pleasantly surprised

I had happily been writing fiction using Scrivener for a couple of years on the PC. When the iOS version was released, on a lark I purchased it, curious whether my iPad Air 2 could be used for more than just consuming web pages or checking the weather, but frankly not expecting very much. Rarely have my expectations been proven so wrong! Scrivener for iOS is a robust app with a small footprint on my devices but a big impact to my workflow. It contains the core functionality of the desktop app, giving me a comfortable alternative for writing on the go. But there are times at home when I choose to work in the iOS Scrivener over the desktop version: sometimes the iOS' stripped down interface is just the ticket when I am having trouble focusing and need to minimize distractions. While Scrivener runs well on my iPad Air 2, one of the biggest surprises was how productive writing is on my 5s. I never imagined a device with such a small screen would be useful for writing, but paired with a bluetooth keyboard it works really well for writing first drafts. In fact I am writing this review on my 5s! Integration with Dropbox has been seamless for me. (Unfortunately other cloud services like iCloud currently can't handle Scrivener's multiple file structure.) To sum up, Scrivener is my go to app for writing novels and short stories, on the PC and now on iOS.

4 years ago, Bluimafia12

Cork board only missing feature

Scrivener is the best writing app I’ve used. It beats Ulysses, Storyist, Bear, Celtx and IA writer in features, versatility and function. The only issue I have with the mobile is the lack of a Cork Board. Storyist does have this feature but the Scrivener app is still cleaner and easier to use and write in. However the addition of the cork board would put Scrivener for IPhone out of the reach of the competition completely. The IPad and Desktop Apps are already untouchable as far as I’m concerned. Storyist is great too but for my money, Scrivener is the king and could strengthen that position with a cork board on IPhone. Also, iCloud sync would be another amazing feature although the Dropbox sync does work well and allows for Windows compatibility. A better import system for articles from third party apps would be amazing too. Something like a Pocket or Instapaper. This is a feature dream request not a complaint because no writing app I’m aware of has even the import capability that Scrivener currently boasts. Having nit picked aplenty, Scrivener is a true joy to use. The amount of research capabilities and the ease of outlining and restructuring capacity make writing even shorter items easy and organized. I use it for business, pleasure and social media. I also use to structure my podcasts. It can do anything you need it to. The best writing app ever, in my humble opinion.

5 years ago, smnostaticatall

It’s a hobby kit not a writing tool.

Poorly designed, the antithesis of the reason for using a Mac or iOS over other platforms. Feature rife but not feature rich. If you want to play around with frameworks for writing projects it’s great. But it gets in the way of the actual research and writing. “Compiling” the final document is byzantine and obtuse. The user community is active but starstruck. Support for the desktop product is weak and actively rude. About a paid update of all things. I was trying to spend more money with them just to keep my software current. I’d not toss any more money into the sink now, though. Apparently this is a company that takes a 15% restocking fee for a digitally distributed product. At least that’ll give you a good laugh if they ever demand it of you. But if anything goes awry they’d likely tell you to drop dead. I recommend Mellel on the desktop/laptop and iPad, and Bear on both. The drag-and-drop content organization in Scrivener would be nice if it weren’t so freighted with insalubrious side effects. But you can do the very same thing in Bear and other apps if you don’t cling to the attractive but superfluous cork board visual model.

3 months ago, Dria620

Best Tool Ever!!

If you are writer and you have lots of characters or notes. This tool helps you keep all of it organized and in one place. I used to use google docs, and word. When I got this, I realized how unorganized I was having to look for notes and documents for my stories. I was able to put it in binder with character sheet for notes so I don’t have to go back and look at chapters to remember things about my characters. I can even add images for references for my characters. If you are writer just for fun or professional writing, I strongly recommend using this. I had my doubts too , in the beginning I wasn’t sure but I can’t imagine using another program to write with. It is worth the one time purchase for iPhone and iPad. I already plan to get it for my laptop. Im eventually going to try buying scapple for family tree and outlining plots.

5 months ago, rhymeswithsilver

Edit your book while you’re laying in bed

Let’s be honest. No one’s going to write a novel on Scrivener for iPhone. (Maybe on the iPad version. I can’t comment on that.) However, I’ve done plenty of reading, editing, revisions, rewrites, and annotations from the comfort of my iPhone and my bed. Do the heavy lifting with the full app running under WINE, Windows, or macOS. Research. Write your first draft. Sync to Dropbox. Sleep and sober up. Fire up the iOS app and edit to your heart’s content while you’re laying awake at night. Review the hard chapters while sitting on a train. Add a clever thought to the manuscript while sitting in a dive bar. Paste a screenshot into the research binder and paraphrase it in the morning. It works for me. Hopefully it works for you too. Everyone’s process is different, and while Scrivener for iOS isn’t my primary writing app, I don’t know what I’d do without it.

7 years ago, Chris29302

Unbelievably good for an iOS app

The level of detail and polish in this app is just staggering. Virtually everything from the desktop version of Scrivener is included, except for collections. (The corkboard is also restricted to the iPad for obvious reasons.) According to the developer, it even already has support for the newer, more powerful styles feature of Scrivener 3, although we won’t be able to use the new goodies until they’re also released on the desktop. But beyond the raw feature list, it’s obviously a labor of love. Interactions are well thought-out and natural, there’s better keyboard support than almost anything else on my iPad, dark mode is actually restful on the eyes rather than being excessively high contrast, there are little niceties like the ability to directly add your own fonts from within the program, etc. Just overall a pleasure to use, and hard to criticize.

2 years ago, Krypto Dogg

Missing Features

Doesn’t have opml import/export, drag-and-drop reorganization, nor changing views to view all documents in a folder as one like the desktop version. This right off makes it less intuitive and useful. It’s better than just an outlining app, but a scriptwriting app that can import/export opml can replace Scrivener entirely. Plottr or Story Planner have more specific tools for fiction and if they could do that and export to Word or Final Draft, again Scrivener, at least the iOS version, wouldn’t be necessary. Add those features, add something like tags to replace labels and keywords (including coloring), and you have a perfect tool. A timeline feature to organize notecards linearly on multiple planes would also be killer seeing as how the strength of Plottr is mostly in templates. Make an iPadOS version of Scrapple ASAP. It’s predestined for tablets as they say. Nesting in what Scrapple already offers also makes it perfect along with opml import. iCloud sync is also needed. Windows has iCloud.

4 years ago, Neph67

Worst app ever

I got a hook up to my iPad so I could pull scrivner files from computer over to the app only to find out you cannot upload a scrivner file format to the app (I know how stupid!). Nor does it an anyway sync to anyplace I would care about like my portable hard drive that I could switch between the two devices just...drop box which I never use nor does this app cross platforms so it could update whether I am on my iPad or laptop and not have to worry that I am missing stuff between the two when writing. Rendering this app completely useless to me. Any writer wants flexibility when an idea strikes to write and this app gives you the opposite of that boxing you in to either write purely on your iPad or purely on a desktop. Apps are suppose to make a program mobile and easily assessable anywhere so why these two different formats of the same program on the desktop and app don’t mesh blows my mind. Office products apps do. Had to submit a refund within a half an hour after realizing it didn’t do anything it promised it could prior to installing and buying it. So fingers crossed I get my money back.

4 years ago, DeltaGammaSt

Vital but the syncing is terrible

I switched from Google docs, which is free, to scrivener, which is not, almost entirely for the organizational features. The text editor on iPad is passable, but the sync issues are really hard to get past. It doesn’t happen automatically, and if you work across multiple devices you’re almost guaranteed to end up with multiple versions of the same document and no indication about precisely where the differences are. In fact, conflicts even happen sometimes when working on the same device. I suspect it has something to do with dropbox limitations, but the fact remains that saving documents and editing across devices works worse on Scrivener than it did on Google Docs more than a decade ago, and losing/conflicting changes is a fact of life with this app. Please fix this. It would make the whole platform so much better

6 years ago, Satisfied Professional

Worth the Wait!

I have been writing with Scrivener for Windows for over six years. I loved the way the program consolidated in one place research, writing, character lists, and about everything else a writer needed for his craft. The program was obviously written by an end user which is something sadly missing from so many programs. As such, I waited for years for the Scrivener iPad app. During my wait I found other programs that were close, but not what I wanted. When Scrivener for iOS came out, I was one of the first purchasers. It did not disappoint. It is a well thought out app that just works. It is feature rich and the sync across my iPad, iPhone, and Windows PC through Dropbox is almost flawless. About the only feature I would add is one from Scrivo Pro when I was using it during my wait, the ability to passcode the app to keep prying eyes out. Maybe someday.

7 months ago, GamgamFoot

There’s room for improvement

Honestly, it’s aesthetically and functionally way better than OneNote or Word because it has templates and features to help with organizing which is so helpful. But the scrolling feature could use some tweaking, when I’m trying to capture an entire paragraph (when you triple tap and the paragraph gets selected) scrolling wants to be quick and capture everything either above or below what I’m trying to grab, it’s very annoying but not enough to stop using the app (enough for me to stop using the feature though). And the cross platform Dropbox sync feature took me a minute to get down on the pc side, just make sure you save and sync the file in the Dropbox project directory BEFORE you leave the house (not that I know from personal experience) and the apple app asks you if you want to sync the file from the web.

5 months ago, Rooog

From BEST to WORST

For a long time I’ve enjoyed using Scriener app. Sure, like other app you have problems. Your update, from going to fonts & changing fonts, sliding left to right. Don’t like at all. The old version seeing the most used font, easy, you pick one & your back to typing. Now, from time to time I go to fonts window & there isn’t font to pick. I have to close the window & open again. And some times when I scroll down I see rectangular squares in place fonts. Probably from the updates. Went to look at my book, or section of my book and it’s not there. It took a long time to write that section. Not blaming you guys. It’s the updates Apple puts in our devices. It messes the apps up. — it’s my leisure time playing with my iPad. I’m an old retired geezer trying to enjoy myself. Might quit with the word processing entirely. I made a copy of my book from another app just in case. It’s all there. Not my rewrites. Only thing is, I have to break the paragraphs into sentences. 900 pages! To much work. Tired of fixing Apple updates.

7 years ago, Mountainbound%

But for background

For drafting a novel, there really isn't a comparable program that I'm aware of that performs nearly as well as Scrivener. In terms of design, Scrivener is simply the best for writing a book. I'm withholding a fifth star for one reason only, and that is the inability to customize the background color of the screen in the iOS version. Dark Mode is a major step forward, however; finally, a setting that allows for hours of writing without so much of the visual fatigue. But... you still can't get to black screen/green text, or to a darker background color as you can with many other other text editors that offer the ability to customize the color of both the screen (i.e. "paper") and text. It makes a real difference on the eyes for long stretches of writing, and I hope the ability to customize the background color in iOS will be forthcoming. This is a remarkable app, otherwise.

4 years ago, Dr. Forrel

Great for organization

Scrivener is very unique in how it lets you create and organize pretty much any way you want. I love the other features it has as well, like creating and setting your own templates, and making a goal that can be set to words, characters, or time. There is definitely room to improve, however. The first and foremost necessity, is to fix dark mode. What’s wrong with it? Contrast. The contrast in regular viewing is fantastic, but for some reason the text is too dark and the background is too light in dark mode. This is a much-needed accessibility feature. The aesthetic doesn’t matter if it’s unusable. The whole point of dark mode is to reduce eye strain, but the contrast is so low that I feel like I’m straining my eyes more than if I was just staring at the white background. Please make the background darker and the text lighter. Aside from that, I absolutely love using Scrivener.

3 years ago, Writermjg

Fantastic writing experience, and no more Dropbox

I have been using Scrivener on Mac since 2019 and it is hands-down my favorite writing tool. Even when comparing to Final Draft. I’m happy to say that all the features that makes Scrivener a fantastic word processor are all perfectly replicated here in the app, and in some cases work better then the Mac/desktop version. Highly recommend for new and experience writers looking for a new writing experience. An even better note for veteran Scrivener users, with the new version of iPadOS and the updated iOS app you no longer need to sync your projects though dropbox. You can now sync through Airdrop, just airdrop your project from files to your MacBook and Scrivener will offer to sync it up with the existing document on your computer when you open it up.

5 years ago, Dan Olmstead

I love how Scrivener works for me

I have used Scrivener on Mac, but have since moved to iPad. With the move, I have lost a few of the functionalities that I had grown accustomed to, but I understand why they aren’t available in IOS as compared to MacOS (limitations in the structure of IOS). I’m still learning about how to use some of the great features available in Scrivener. One thing I’d like to see available in Scrivener, which seems to not be there now is: The main screen, where all my projects are listed, is sortable based on three criteria but none of those criteria allows me to sort the way I’d like it sorted. I’d like to have an “open” sort functionality to allow me to group my projects in my own way. I know there may be a limitation in IOS that prevents this functionality, but if not... I’d love to have a “free sort” functionality. Thanks for a great product.

6 years ago, LiaVoid

A joy to use

I turned on “Sync project upon close or rename” to always in the iOS setting app and my projects sync almost instantly. Though I wish the setting is in Scrivener app as I took a while to find it. Overall the app is phenomenon! I’ve never used Scrivener desktop before and quite nervous about shelling out 20 bucks but I bought it in the end and I’m glad I did. I translated a 55 chapters book in there solely on my iphone 6s plus; storing 220 chapters(draft, edited versions and original script) in total and the app never crushed or lost data. Plus the sanity I lost from tinkering around with Google Docs finally returned. I enjoyed using the app so much this January when I can finally buy a laptop, Scrivener is my first software purchase! A small suggestion though... the S on Scrivener app icon doesn’t center and it’s bugging me a lot.😕

5 years ago, sandimas

Mediocre, poor maintenance, not full featured

This app, without comparison to its Mac sibling, is mediocre. 1) Awful syncing: requires you to remember to close project so that it will sync before you try to open elsewhere. 2) Clunky interface: lots of unnecessary extra swipes and taps. Doesn’t take advantage of the intuitive interface possibilities of iPad. 3) The last time it was updated was over a year ago! (I’m writing this on March 3, 2018) In comparison to its macOS counterpart, the iOS app is utterly incapable. I’m not looking to copy all the bells and whistles, which would make the iOS version bloated. But, this is so ameliorated, it doesn’t deserve the same namesake as its macOS brother. It feels like this development person (or team?) is overwhelmed. Needs more competent and creative people to scale up the development across as many platforms as they’re trying develop for. (I think they’re adding a PC version... which is a scary proposition for the future of its iOS development).

5 years ago, CalebOfTheHampshireCalebs

Needs Modern Cloud Sync

(Updating this review a year later to say the same issue persists) A wonderful writing and organizational app in nearly every way, with the big exception of syncing. Background cloud sync is a standard feature in 2018, and has been for the better part of a decade, but Scrivener lacks it to this day. The best it can offer is a semi-manual Dropbox sync that requires closing a project, sitting through a 5-10 second foreground popup window, then reopening the project and finding your place again. No iCloud saves, no Google Drive sync, and – worst of all – no automated background backup. De-highlighting the app during the sync will also cause it to fail without notice. Scrivener will be a 5-star app once they modernize this feature. A browser-based version of the app would also be wonderful, but this is the feature really holding me back from recommending it to folks.

1 year ago, Rayemue

Stellar App but sorta glitchy

This app is way better than writing in google docs as I could easily go from one specific chapter to another without going through endless walls of text to go to where I need to be, and it’s also much easier to spot plot holes when I go back and edit. The only complaint I have is that when sometimes I click on a certain chapter, it redirects me to a chapter I didn’t mean to click on, and I have to keep clicking on the right one to go back. It happens every other time I click on a chapter, but it doesn’t really make it completely unusable, just wish for a way to fix it so it doesn’t do that. Good software, somewhat glitchy but it’s not to the point where it destroys the quality of this program. 5/5 stars.

7 years ago, hat72

One of my go-to writing tools

I’ve written a number of bestselling and award-winning novels in Scrivener, since I bought my first copy of the Mac software several years ago. I waited (impatiently) for the iOS version, hoping it would at least come close to the same incredible writing experience as it’s big brother. The reality is that the iOS app may actually be a better tool than the desktop version. Having the ability to write and edit from anywhere, to sync my documents to Dropbox, even to export to Word format for sharing with editors and beta readers—all from my iPhone—is an incredible boon to my production. I’m a fan. I love the ecosystem of this software. I even believe, strongly, that Scrivener was the pivotal tool I needed to become a full-yeah me author in the first place. Very well done. Five stars may not be enough.

4 years ago, Angela🤧

LITERALLY AMAZING!

I’m a teenage writer and before scrivener I was using pages which honestly isn’t bad but it lacked A LOT in the organization department and overall some features that I would love to have. Even though pages is a great option still if you don’t have the money to buy scrivener I would recommend it if you do. Scrivener is a game changer and if I ever publish any of my novels (which is a lot) I would gladly tell people about it. It’s changed the game for me I mean come on everything is at my finger tips. Even research so I don’t have to be switching back and forth from tabs it’s all just in one place! The organization is a masterpiece honestly this app really helped a writer out! I enjoy it. So to the creators of scrivener thank you for helping me get one step closer to my dream! I would recommend everyone buys this!

4 years ago, Dairhenien

Excellent companion to the desktop version

I've been using the iOS Scrivener for many months now, and I can definitely state that it delivers on what it promises. Most importantly, the app gets out of my way and lets me write. There is a lot of depth to it, but you don't really need to make use of it. The core functionality gives me the tools to organize my book, keep it safe on the cloud, and export into multiple formats. The deeper features were not intuitive to use at first, and I did not find good documentation within the app on how to use them. I think the app just offers so much that it takes a lot of effort to get up to speed on what everything does. I'd love a series of tutorials within the app, but generally speaking a quick googling is enough to show me how to do whatever I want.

Description

“The biggest software advance for writers since the word processor.” —Michael Marshall Smith, bestselling author Typewriter. Ring-binder. Scrapbook. Scrivener combines all the writing tools you need to craft your first draft, from nascent notion to final full stop. Tailor-made for creating long manuscripts, Scrivener banishes page fright by allowing you to compose your text in any order, in sections as large or small as you like. Got a great idea but don’t know where it fits? Write when inspiration strikes and find its place later. Grow your manuscript organically, idea by idea. Whether you plan or plunge, Scrivener works your way: meticulously outline every last detail first, or hammer out a complete draft and restructure later. Or do a bit of both. All text sections in Scrivener are fully integrated with its outlining tools, so working with an overview of your manuscript is only ever a tap away, and turning Chapter Four into Chapter One is as simple as drag and drop. Need to refer to research? In Scrivener, your background material is always at hand. Write a description based on a photograph. Reference a video or PDF. Check for consistency with an earlier chapter. On the iPad, open two documents side-by-side; on the iPhone, flip between research and writing with just two taps. Once you’re ready to share your work with the world, simply compile everything into a single document for printing, or export to popular formats such as Word, PDF, Final Draft or plain text. You can even share using different formatting, so that you can write in your favorite font and still keep your editor happy. FEATURES Get Started • Interactive tutorial project • Keep each manuscript and supporting materials in a self-contained project • Import Word, RTF, Final Draft and plain text files • Easily split imported text into separate sections Get Writing • Write your manuscript in sections of any size • View all sections as a single text using the “Draft Navigator” (iPad only) • Quickly navigate sections using the “binder” sidebar • Format with fonts and presets • Comments, footnotes, links and highlights • Simple bullets and lists • Insert images • Pinch-zoom to resize text • Full-screen mode (iPad only) • Typewriter scrolling mode keeps typed text center-screen (iPad only) • Write a screenplay using scriptwriting mode • Live word and character counts • Set word and character count targets • Find and replace • Customizable keyboard row provides quick-access buttons for formatting, navigation and punctuation • Comprehensive keyboard shortcuts for external keyboard users • Dark mode Find Your Structure • Write in any order and reorganize later • Write a synopsis for any text section and see it in the outline • Expand, collapse and drill down into sections of your project • Rearrange sections as index cards on the corkboard (iPad only) • Project-wide search • Track ideas using labels and status • Apply custom icons to your sections Refer to Research • Import research material such as image, PDF and media files • View research files or other sections right alongside your writing (iPad only) • Every section has its own notes area for jotting down ideas • Supports multitasking split screen mode (supported devices only) Share Your Work • Compile to a single document for sharing or printing • Use different formatting in your exported or printed document • Export to Word, RTF, Final Draft, PDF or plain text • Convert rich text to Markdown for sharing with Markdown apps • Create and email zipped backups of your projects Work Anywhere • Use Dropbox to sync between devices and with the macOS and Windows versions of Scrivener* • Copy projects between devices via iTunes * Requires a Dropbox account (not compatible with iCloud). SUPPORT You can contact us at [email protected], visit our forums at http://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum, or find us @scrivenerapp on Twitter.