# Scrivener

Scrivener is a desktop writing app for long manuscripts that organizes drafts and research and compiles them to EPUB, PDF and Word.

- Canonical page: https://kdp123.com/t/scrivener/
- Official site: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
- Categories: Writing & Formatting
- Price: $59.99 one-time (Price is per platform (macOS or Windows); a Mac + Windows bundle is $95.98 and the iOS app is $23.99. Free trial lasts 30 days of actual use.)
- Platforms: mac, windows, ios
- Outputs KDP-ready files: Yes
- Touches your KDP account: No
- Official Amazon product: No
- Last checked: 2026-11-09

## Summary

Scrivener splits a manuscript into scenes and chapters you can rearrange, keeps research beside the draft, and uses a Compile step to export EPUB ebooks and PDFs at a custom page size for print. A KDP publisher can produce upload-ready files with it, but Compile settings take time to learn and many authors still move the text to a dedicated formatter for polished print interiors. Mac and Windows licenses are sold separately, and the iOS app is a separate App Store purchase.

## Pros

- One-time license with a trial that counts only days of actual use
- Compiles the same project to EPUB, PDF and Word with different formatting for each

## Cons

- Compile is complex; print layout is less polished than Vellum or Atticus
- Separate licenses needed for Mac, Windows and iOS

## Alternatives

- [Atticus](https://kdp123.com/t/atticus/)
- [Vellum](https://kdp123.com/t/vellum/)
- [Dabble](https://kdp123.com/t/dabble/)
- [Novelcrafter](https://kdp123.com/t/novelcrafter/)

## Sources

- https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview
- https://www.literatureandlatte.com/store/scrivener
- https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/faqs