All the power of a serious manuscript studio: hierarchy, character tracking, world building, one-click export. Without the learning curve. Your Scrivener projects import in minutes.
Local-first. Runs on your machine. No subscriptions. No cloud. $79 once.
Drag your .scriv file in. Structure, prose, notes, cover art. All of it transfers.
No Compile nightmare. One-click export to EPUB, DOCX, or PDF. Just write.
vs. $141+ for Scrivener across devices. Every future version included free.
GrimoireScribe reads native .scriv project files directly. No export step, no conversion service. Open your project and keep writing.
It's a two-way door. Export back to Scrivener at any time with zero data loss. Run both in parallel until you're ready. Or never fully switch. Your choice.
Scrivener is genuinely powerful. It's also a wall of menus, an inscrutable Compile function, and a UI that hasn't changed since 2007. Most writers never get past the learning curve.
Compile function
One-click EPUB, DOCX, or PDF. Presets for Kindle, manuscript submission, and print.
Manual character lists
GrimoireScribe™ scans your prose and auto-detects every character and alias, tagged to every scene they appear in.
Research folder in binder
World notes, lore bibles, uploaded PDFs. Semantic retrieval surfaces the right context for whatever scene you're writing.
Windows + Mac + iOS = $145+
One price covers all platforms. Mac and iPad are in development, included in your license when they launch.
No AI, or bolt-on integrations
7 AI writing providers. Per-mode model configuration. Every call logged with real cost estimates. BYOK: no credits, no markup.
Paid upgrade every few years
$79 once. Every future major version included. V2, V3, and beyond: free. Forever.
Grouped by category. AI transparency markers show what requires AI, what's enhanced by it, and what works entirely without it.
| Feature | AI? | GrimoireScribe™ | Scrivener |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book / Act / Chapter / Scene hierarchy | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Drag-and-drop reordering | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Scene synopsis and notes | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Rich text prose editor | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Zen Mode (distraction-free) | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Auto-save | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Manuscript Outline (spreadsheet view) | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Visual Plot Board (corkboard, timeline) | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Split-Screen Editor | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Read-only Preview | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Dead Words Filter | ● | ✦ | · |
| Feature | AI? | GrimoireScribe™ | Scrivener |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual character profiles | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Character relationships (bidirectional) | ● | ✦ | · |
| Appearance heatmap | ● | ✦ | · |
| AI character scanning (auto-detect from prose) | ○ | ✦ | · |
| AI Name Generator | ○ | ✦ | · |
| World notes (rich text) | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| World document uploads (.pdf, .docx, etc.) | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Semantic retrieval (RAG) for world docs | ◐ | ✦ | · |
| Story Bible (browsable knowledge index) | ◐ | ✦ | · |
All AI features are entirely optional. GrimoireScribe works as a complete writing studio with zero AI configured.
| Feature | AI? | GrimoireScribe™ | Scrivener |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI writing (5 modes, BYOK) | ○ | ✦ | · |
| Per-mode provider and model configuration | ○ | ✦ | · |
| AI usage and cost tracking | ○ | ✦ | · |
| Series Chat across volumes | ○ | ✦ | · |
| AI Continuity Checker | ○ | ✦ | · |
| AI Brainstorm | ○ | ✦ | · |
| AI Describe / Sensory Expansion | ○ | ✦ | · |
| Story Structure Templates | ● | ✦ | · |
| 15 writing style presets | ● | ✦ | · |
| Feature | AI? | GrimoireScribe™ | Scrivener |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPUB 3 export | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| DOCX export | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| PDF export | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Plain text and Markdown export | ● | ✦ | · |
| Cover art upload and crop | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Scrivener .scriv import | ● | ✦ | Native |
| Export back to Scrivener | ● | ✦ | Native |
| Live resync with .scriv file | ● | ✦ | · |
| Feature | AI? | GrimoireScribe™ | Scrivener |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
| Mac (coming) | ● | Soon | ✦ |
| iPad (coming) | ● | Soon | iOS |
| One-time price, all platforms | ● | ✦ | · |
| All future versions included | ● | ✦ | · |
| Cloud-free / local-first | ● | ✦ | ✦ |
Every AI request automatically includes your book summary, writing style, character profiles, relevant world notes, and the prior scene. You don't paste anything.
Seven providers: Claude, GPT, Grok, Gemini, Mistral, DeepSeek, or MiMo. Configure a different model per AI mode. Keys stay on your machine. You pay the provider directly. No GrimoireScribe™ credits, no markup, ever.
AI is entirely optional. Every manuscript tool works fully offline with no AI configured.
Scrivener gives you a folder to manually maintain character sheets. GrimoireScribe™ reads your prose and builds the character list for you.
$79 once. Every future major version included. The founding price closes when V2 ships. Buy now to pay the least, ever.
Windows today. Mac and iPad in development, included in your license when they launch. V2, V3, and beyond: free. Forever.
Yes. GrimoireScribe imports your full .scriv project: manuscript structure, scene prose, synopses, notes, front matter, cover image, and your Research folder as world reference documents. Scene status labels map automatically. The import wizard walks you through it step by step.
Yes, indefinitely. GrimoireScribe exports back to .scriv format at any time with zero data loss. The live resync feature re-reads a linked .scriv file to pick up any changes you made in Scrivener. There's no migration cliff. You can run both tools in parallel until you're comfortable.
Yes, but it's much simpler. One click exports to EPUB 3 (for Kindle), Word .docx (for editors), or print-optimized PDF. Presets handle the formatting rules for manuscript submission and trade paperback. You don't need to configure a stylesheet.
Inline annotations, custom metadata fields, label colors, keywords, and compile settings don't import. These are Scrivener-specific concepts with no direct equivalent. Your actual writing (prose, structure, notes) all transfers.
No. Every manuscript tool works fully offline with no AI configured. Character scribing, world building, export, Scrivener sync: all of it runs without any API key entered. AI is opt-in.
$79 once. No subscription, no annual renewal. Every future major version (V2, V3, and beyond) is included in your purchase at no extra cost.
No credit card for the trial. Your Scrivener projects import in minutes. 30-day refund if it's not right.