Manuskript
Focus: outliner and snowflake method. Shares novel writing and fiction with bibisco. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Rated 4.4 (bibisco: 4.5).
Desktop AppFreeWindows, Linux
4.4Visit
Desktop App
bibisco
Novel writing software for planning characters, scenes and timelines.
Rating
4.5 / 5
Pricing
Freemium
Difficulty
Beginner
Works on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
What is bibisco?
bibisco helps you plan, organise and write a novel from the first idea to a full draft. You can map out the premise, storylines, chapters and scenes, build characters through interview-style questions, see how chapters and scenes fit together, follow scenes on a timeline by date and reorder everything by dragging. Projects are saved on your computer and work offline. The Community Edition is free for Windows, macOS and Linux, while the Supporters Edition is a one-time purchase with extras such as a character psychology interview.
Pros: what bibisco does well
- Free Community Edition on Windows, macOS and Linux
- Timeline shows scenes by date with their characters and places
- Projects stay on your own computer and work offline
Cons: where it falls short
- Some tools, like the psychology interview, need the paid edition
- Syncing across devices is a separate subscription
Who bibisco is for
Novelists who want structure for characters, chapters and scenes.
Who can skip it
People writing short articles or notes.
bibisco alternatives
Not sold on bibisco? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.
Hugo
Focus: static site, blog and documentation. Also in Writing and Organization, like bibisco. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Rated 4.7 (bibisco: 4.5).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.7Visit
Scrivener
Focus: Writing, Authoring and Research Management. Also in Writing and Organization, like bibisco. Paid but Affordable (bibisco: Freemium). Adds iOS. Rated 4.7 (bibisco: 4.5).
Desktop AppPaid but AffordablemacOS, Windows
4.7Visit
LibreOffice
Focus: office suite, word processor and spreadsheets. Also in Writing and Organization, like bibisco. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Same 4.5 rating.
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.5Visit
mdBook
Focus: markdown, documentation and books. Also in Writing and Organization, like bibisco. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Same 4.5 rating.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
Zola
Focus: static site, blog and markdown. Also in Writing and Organization, like bibisco. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Same 4.5 rating.
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
Free alternatives to bibisco
Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.
draw.io
Focus: diagrams, flowcharts and uml. Also in Brainstorming and Organization, like bibisco. A web app, not a desktop app. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Adds Web. Rated 4.7 (bibisco: 4.5).
Web AppFreeWeb, Windows
4.7Visit
Pexels
Focus: stock photos, stock video and free images. Also in Organization and Brainstorming, like bibisco. A website, not a desktop app. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Adds Web, iOS and Android. Rated 4.7 (bibisco: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb, iOS
4.7Visit
Pixabay
Focus: stock photos, vectors and free music. Also in Organization and Brainstorming, like bibisco. A website, not a desktop app. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Adds Web. Rated 4.6 (bibisco: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.6Visit
Freebiesbug
Focus: freebies, mockups and ui kits. Also in Brainstorming and Organization, like bibisco. A website, not a desktop app. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Adds Web. Same 4.5 rating.
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.5Visit
Jekyll
Focus: static site, blog and markdown. Also in Writing and Organization, like bibisco. A framework, not a desktop app. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Same 4.5 rating.
FrameworkFreemacOS, Windows
4.5Visit
Free Design Resources
Focus: freebies, fonts and mockups. Also in Brainstorming and Organization, like bibisco. A website, not a desktop app. Free (bibisco: Freemium). Adds Web. Rated 4.4 (bibisco: 4.5).
WebsiteFreeWeb
4.4Visit
Are you the maker of bibisco?Get a free Featured badge for your site, a share image and ready-to-paste posts. No sign-up.
Free Notion database
1,100+ ways people are making money online
Real online businesses, creators and projects, broken down by how they make money: apps, online stores, AI tools and more. Free on Gumroad.
Get the free databaseFree Notion database
399+ ways to make money online
Hundreds of online income methods in one place, so you can compare options and pick one to try. Free on Gumroad.
Get the free listFor research and ideas only. Results vary and nothing here is a promise of income. See our Disclaimer.
Weekly newsletter
Everything new, every Monday.
One short email every Monday with everything shipped that week: new free tools and websites, new guides, new free browser tools and what's new in my free Gumroad libraries, plus how the site is growing. Free, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Join the newsletterYou sign up on Gumroad, which stores your email to send the newsletter. See our Privacy Policy.