Plottr
Visual outlining and series planning software for novelists
- #5 of 10 in best novel and long-form writing apps
- Paid
- WindowsmacOSWeb
Ranked 5 of 10 in best novel and long-form writing apps
The strongest visual outliner here, with timelines, scene cards and a series bible. It does not draft text, so it works best beside a writing app such as Scrivener.
Best for Visual plotting for novels and series
About Plottr
Plottr places scenes and chapters on visual timelines, with scene cards that record point of view, character goals and conflicts. The vendor's pages highlight plot holes and sagging middles that show up on the timeline. It includes templates for many genres and a series view for every book in a series.
Plottr is sold as a standard plan from $60 a year or $150 for a lifetime license, and as Plottr Pro at $99 a year. The Pro plan adds a browser app, cloud sync and cloud backups, and the site offers a 30-day free trial. It is a planning tool that exports outlines to Word and Scrivener rather than a manuscript editor, so writers still need a separate app for drafting.
Key features
- Visual timelines
- Scene cards
- Series bible
- Genre templates
- Export to Word and Scrivener
Strengths
- Visual timelines with scene cards and plot-hole view
- Series bible for multi-book projects
- Exports the outline to Word and Scrivener
Limits
- Planning only, with no manuscript editor
- Browser app and cloud sync need the Pro plan
Where Plottr ranks
How Plottr compares
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms | Planning tools | Export formats | Storage and sync |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#3 Ulysses | 90.5 | Subscription | macOSiOS, iPadOS | Projects with writing goals | PDF, Word, ebook, blog posts | iCloud sync across Apple devices |
#4 Reedsy Studio | 89.5 | Free plan, paid upgrades | Web | Boards for notes, characters and research | EPUB and print-ready PDF | Browser app with account sync |
| #5Plottr | 88.5 | Paid | WindowsmacOSWeb | Visual timelines and scene cards | Outline to Word and Scrivener | Offline app; cloud sync on Pro |
#6 Vellum | 87.5 | Paid | macOS | Imports a finished manuscript | EPUB 2 and 3, print PDF/X-1a | Local Mac app |
#7 Novelcrafter | 86.5 | Subscription | Web | Codex wiki and single-page outline | Export included; formats not listed | Browser app, nothing to install |
The full comparison table for best novel and long-form writing apps has all 10 products.
Alternatives to Plottr
All 9 alternatives
Related rankings
Questions about Plottr
- Is Plottr free?
- Plottr is a paid product (paid). From $60 a year or $150 lifetime; 30-day free trial.
- Is Plottr open source?
- No. Plottr is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does Plottr support?
- Plottr is available on: Windows, macOS, Web.
- What is Plottr best for?
- Visual plotting for novels and series. In our ranking of novel and long-form writing apps it is number 5 of 10 with a score of 88.5.
- What are the best alternatives to Plottr?
- The highest-ranked alternatives on listme.name are Scrivener, Atticus, Ulysses, Reedsy Studio.
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