Publishing · head to head
Scrivener vs Sigil
Scrivener
Publishing
Long-form writing and manuscript organisation software sold as a one-time purchase per platform, with no subscription at any tier
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Sigil
Publishing
Open source EPUB editor for working directly on the file, not generating it
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Sigil has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Scrivener each platform (Mac, Windows, iOS) is a separate purchase, so a writer working across a Mac desktop and an iPad or Windows laptop pays multiple times, even with the cross-grade discount applied.; Sigil it produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
- They diverge on capability: Scrivener covers Binder and corkboard, Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Scrivener and Sigil actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Publishing).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Scrivener
- Binder and corkboard
- Compile
- Full-screen composition mode
- Research and reference storage
- Snapshots and version history
- Cross-platform licensing
Only in Sigil
- Direct EPUB editing
- Code and preview views
- EPUB 2 and EPUB 3
- Regex across files
- Validation
- Python plugins
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Scrivener
- A novelist wanting scene-level reordering and a corkboard view rather than one continuous linear documentnot Sigil
- A screenwriter needing industry-standard script formatting alongside manuscript organisationnot Sigil
- An academic writer wanting research references and citations stored alongside the manuscript being draftednot Sigil
- A writer who specifically wants to avoid an ongoing subscription for writing software and prefers a one-time purchasenot Sigil
Sigil
- Fixing an EPUB that a retailer validator has rejected, without re-exporting from the tool that generated itnot Scrivener
- Correcting the table of contents, reading order or metadata in a file supplied by a conversion servicenot Scrivener
- Preparing a back-catalogue title where the only surviving source is the EPUB itselfnot Scrivener
- Applying a consistent stylesheet or a bulk text correction across every chapter of a book at oncenot Scrivener
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Scrivener
- Each platform (Mac, Windows, iOS) is a separate purchase, so a writer working across a Mac desktop and an iPad or Windows laptop pays multiple times, even with the cross-grade discount applied.
- Real-time collaborative editing is not a strength of the product, which is built around single-author, offline-first writing rather than concurrent multi-editor workflows common in modern cloud writing tools.
- It is a writing and organisation tool only, not a distribution or publishing platform, so authors still need separate software (Atticus, Draft2Digital, IngramSpark) to get a finished book onto retail stores.
- The learning curve for the binder, corkboard and Compile system is real, and writers coming from a simple word processor often need real time to learn the structural model before it pays off.
- One-time pricing means no ongoing revenue relationship, which is part of why major feature updates and new-platform releases have historically arrived less frequently than in subscription-funded competitors.
Sigil
- It produces no print output whatever, so any book that needs a paperback interior requires a completely separate tool and a second workflow.
- Meaningful use requires reading and writing HTML and CSS, which puts it out of reach of most authors who simply want a finished file.
- There is no cloud storage, sync or collaboration, so the book exists as a file on one machine and version control is whatever you set up yourself.
- Development depends on a small number of volunteer maintainers, so release timing and platform builds follow their availability rather than a roadmap, and a lapse in maintenance would leave no obvious successor.
- It provides no distribution, no retailer connection and no Kindle-native output, so it sits in the middle of a workflow that other tools have to complete on both sides.
Pricing, plan by plan
Scrivener
On request- Scrivener for macOS/Windows$59.99/one-time
- Standard licence, one-time purchase per platform
- Educational licence $50.99 for students and academics
- Scrivener for iOS$23.99/one-time
- Separate purchase from desktop versions, cross-grade discount available
- All platforms bundle$121.93/one-time
- macOS, Windows and iOS combined
Sigil
Free- SigilFree
- GPL licensed with no cost or account required
- Full functionality with no feature gating
- Community support through forums and the issue tracker
Which should you pick?
Choose Scrivener if
- You need binder and corkboard.
- You work on macOS, Windows, iOS.
- You also want compile.
Choose Sigil if
- You need direct epub editing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want code and preview views.
Questions people ask
- Is Scrivener or Sigil better?
- Neither clearly leads. Scrivener starts at On request and Sigil at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Scrivener or Sigil?
- Sigil has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Scrivener and Free for Sigil.
- Does Scrivener or Sigil run on more platforms?
- Scrivener runs on macOS, Windows, iOS. Sigil runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- Can I use Sigil for free?
- Yes. Sigil has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Scrivener starts at On request.
- What is Scrivener best used for?
- Scrivener is most often used for a novelist wanting scene-level reordering and a corkboard view rather than one continuous linear document, a screenwriter needing industry-standard script formatting alongside manuscript organisation, an academic writer wanting research references and citations stored alongside the manuscript being drafted, a writer who specifically wants to avoid an ongoing subscription for writing software and prefers a one-time purchase. Of those, a novelist wanting scene-level reordering and a corkboard view rather than one continuous linear document and a screenwriter needing industry-standard script formatting alongside manuscript organisation are not what Sigil is typically brought in for.
- What can Scrivener do that Sigil cannot?
- Scrivener covers Binder and corkboard, Compile, Full-screen composition mode, Research and reference storage. Sigil covers Direct EPUB editing, Code and preview views, EPUB 2 and EPUB 3, Regex across files.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Scrivener: Is Scrivener a subscription?
No. It is a one-time purchase per platform: $59.99 for macOS or Windows, $23.99 for iOS, with cross-grade discounts if you already own one version.
Sigil: Can I write my book in Sigil?
You can, but you should not. It is an EPUB editor, not a word processor, and writing long-form prose in it is unpleasant. Write elsewhere, import, then finish in Sigil.
Scrivener: Does Scrivener publish or distribute my book?
No. It organises and formats the manuscript; you still need a separate distribution tool such as Draft2Digital or IngramSpark to publish to retail.
Sigil: Does it make Kindle files?
Not natively. Produce a valid EPUB in Sigil and let Amazon convert it, or use a separate conversion tool for other Kindle formats.
Scrivener: Can I use one purchase across Mac, Windows and iOS?
No, each platform is licensed and purchased separately, though a discounted cross-grade price applies if you already own another platform version.
Sigil: Is it safe to rely on a volunteer project for commercial work?
The files it produces are standard EPUB, so nothing is locked in. The risk is that maintenance stops, not that your books become unreadable.
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