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Comparison · Checked 6 September 2026

New Quest vs Scrivener

Scrivener combines long-form writing, research and manuscript organisation. Its binder, corkboard and outliner offer different ways to arrange a draft, while Compile prepares documents for sharing.

Scrivener offers an established manuscript and research workflow. New Quest is developing a writing studio that puts practical craft guidance and recorded story facts beside the page.

Product information checked on 6 September 2026. Features and offers can change. The fit recommendations are our assessment, not a ranking. If we have it wrong, tell us.Read Scrivener's product information.

The ledger

The same question, asked of both.

  1. How do I arrange a manuscript?

    Scrivener

    Use the binder, corkboard and outliner to organise sections and change their order.

    New Quest

    A fiction-first workspace for chapters, scenes, story notes and practical craft guidance. Start with the manuscript; neither a course nor an AI account is required.

  2. What supports revision?

    Scrivener

    Snapshots retain earlier versions of a section, and research can sit beside the current draft.

    New Quest

    Characters, locations, recorded events and optional progression-fiction fields sit beside the writing. Checks depend on the facts you enter; they cannot certify that a whole novel is consistent.

  3. What happens at export?

    Scrivener

    Compile supports formats including Word, PDF and EPUB. Scrivener also has footnotes and formatting controls.

    New Quest

    Export saved work and keep an independent copy. Browser reading and export remain available after the writing trial. Check the result in your next tool; do not assume publishing or specialist nonfiction formatting is handled for you.

  4. Which devices are covered?

    Scrivener

    The product page lists macOS, Windows and iOS. Check the relevant edition and purchase terms for your devices.

    New Quest

    Write in your browser with no account, or on the free trial or Cloud with your books saved to your account. The new desktop studio is in testing. Complete cross-device sync, native phone parity and the integrated assistant are not finished services.

Choosing

One of these is probably you.

Choose Scrivener if

  • You want its binder, corkboard and outliner workflow.
  • Footnotes, research references or detailed Compile settings matter to your book.
  • You already have a Scrivener setup that helps you write. There is no need to abandon it just to try another tool.
Go and look at Scrivener →

Choose New Quest if

  • You want writing, story planning and practical craft guidance in the same workspace, and you are comfortable trying a product being built in public.
  • You want to write without AI, or choose assistance for particular tasks without buying New Quest AI credits.
  • You want fiction-first tools with extra depth for fantasy, progression and serial writing. You do not need to use the game mechanics.

Free for 30 writing days, saved to your account. No AI needed.

Start your free trial →Join the free Guild
An open book on a writer's desk with a golden network of characters, cities and mountains rising from its pages, surrounded by floating panels of stats for kingdoms, houses and trade routes.

Questions

What people ask before switching.

Do I need an AI subscription?

No. Writing, planning and learning do not require one. An optional external provider has its own access rules, usage limits and charges. Cloud does not include AI usage.

Should I move my whole book immediately?

Start with a copy of a chapter. Try drafting, revision and export before moving more. Keep the original project and an independent backup. We do not promise lossless conversion of every other tool's notes, links or formatting.

Does everything work across desktop, web and mobile?

Not yet. Writing in the browser works today; the desktop studio is in testing and keeps a separate library. Complete sync, native phone parity and the integrated desktop assistant are still being developed. Choose based on what you can use today.