Part of the AI writing assistant guide
A Plottr alternative for the part after the outline
Plottr is a visual outliner: scene cards, plotlines and a story bible, with no AI by design. When the cards are done, it tells you to go write the book in another app. AIWriteBook starts from that outline and turns it into chapters you edit, then a cover and files you can publish.
What Plottr does well
Plottr is one of the best tools for seeing a whole story at once. Scenes sit on a drag-and-drop timeline, and every subplot and character arc gets its own plotline. If you are a planner who thinks in index cards, few apps feel this natural.
It ships with 30+ plot outlining templates, so you can start from a known structure instead of a blank board. The story bible keeps characters, places and notes beside the timeline, and the series view holds every book of a series in one project. If you are still deciding how much to plan, our pantser vs plotter guide is a good place to start.
Plottr also takes a clear position on AI: there is none in the app, and the company says it is not building any. For writers who want a planning tool that never touches their prose, that is a feature, not a gap.
Where the outline goes next
Plottr is built to sit next to your manuscript, not to hold it. That hand-off is the real difference between the two tools.
With Plottr
- Plan scenes, plotlines and arcs on a visual timeline
- Keep characters and places in the story bible
- Export the outline to Word or Scrivener
- Write, edit, format and design the cover in other tools
You finish with a detailed plan and a blank manuscript.
With AIWriteBook
- Build or paste an outline you can edit chapter by chapter
- Keep characters and a Story Bible that every chapter is written from
- Write each chapter yourself or with the AI, then change it through the chapter chat, accepting or rejecting every edit
- Format it, add a cover, export print PDF, EPUB and DOCX
You finish with a manuscript and files a store will accept.
Bring your Plottr outline over
Your cards are the hard part, and none of that work is lost. You move the plan once, then write from it.
Export from Plottr
Use Plottr's export to Word to get your outline out as a .docx you can copy from.
Set up the book
Start a new book, paste your premise and copy each main character from the story bible into the characters step with their traits and arc.
Rebuild the outline
Paste each chapter's beats into the outline, or let the AI draft one and edit it until it matches your timeline card for card.
Write chapter one
Write it yourself or generate it from the outline. Your first chapter is free, so you can judge the result before you pay anything.
Already drafted some chapters in Word or Scrivener? Import the manuscript as a .docx of up to 200,000 words. Chapters are detected for you, your text is never rewritten, and the AI keeps writing in your style. Writing a series? The free series planner maps the books, and series continuation reads up to 5 earlier books before writing the next. The first series import is free.
What each costs over three years
Plottr is priced for the plan. AIWriteBook is priced for the whole book, because it also writes the chapters. Totals below are cumulative, in US dollars.
| Option | After 1 year | After 2 years | After 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plottr, yearlyWindows and Mac desktop apps | $60 | $120 | $180 |
| Plottr, lifetimeOne payment, desktop apps | $150 | $150 | $150 |
| Plottr Pro, yearlyAdds the browser app, cloud sync and collaboration | $99 | $198 | $297 |
| AIWriteBook FreeFirst book's outline and characters, one chapter | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| AIWriteBook Plus, yearly1,000 credits a month for outlines and chapters | $144 | $288 | $432 |
Plottr also sells Pro monthly at $9.99 and a Pro + Community plan at $14.99 a month or $129 a year. It offers a 30-day free trial and no refunds after purchase. AIWriteBook monthly plans can be cancelled at any time, and its pricing page lists every plan and credit pack.
Formatting and print-ready export are on the Pro plan ($50 a month, or $360 a year), which also adds audiobooks and translation.
Plottr prices from plottr.com, checked October 2026.
Which devices you can plan and write on
Plottr's base plan is a desktop app. The browser version that reaches Chromebooks and tablets is part of Pro. AIWriteBook only runs in the browser, so every device gets the same app.
| Device | Plottr | Plottr Pro | AIWriteBook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows PC | Desktop app | Desktop and browser | Browser |
| Mac | Desktop app | Desktop and browser | Browser |
| Chromebook or Linux | Not on this plan | Browser app | Browser |
| Tablet | Not on this plan | Browser app | Browser |
| Second computer at home | Unlimited household devices | Unlimited, with cloud sync | Sign in anywhere, synced |
Plottr Pro adds cloud sync and real-time collaboration on top of the Windows and Mac apps. AIWriteBook saves every chapter to your account as you write.
Feature by feature
| What matters | Plottr | AIWriteBook |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Visual outlining and story bible | Writing the whole book, from outline to print files |
| Plot structure | Timeline with plotlines, scene cards and 30+ templates | Editable chapter-by-chapter outline |
| Characters and places | Story bible for characters, places and notes | Characters and a Story Bible every chapter is written from |
| Writing the chapters | Done in another app | Built in, by hand or with the AI |
| AI | None, by design | Optional, and every AI edit is shown as a change you accept or reject |
| Series | Unlimited books per series in one project | Series continuation from up to 5 earlier books |
| Import | Scrivener and Snowflake Pro files | .docx manuscripts up to 200,000 words |
| Export | Outline to Word and Scrivener | Print PDF, EPUB, wrap cover and DOCX |
| Cover | Not included | AI cover or upload your own |
Plottr details from plottr.com and its features page, October 2026.
Plottr vs AIWriteBook: common questions
Is AIWriteBook a good Plottr alternative?
It is if you want the outline to turn into a finished book in the same place. If you only want a visual planning board with no AI anywhere, Plottr is the better fit.
Does Plottr have AI?
No. Plottr says there is no AI in the app and that it is not building any. AIWriteBook uses AI to draft and edit chapters, and you approve every change.
Can I use Plottr and AIWriteBook together?
Yes. You can keep Plottr for the timeline, export the outline to Word and write the chapters in AIWriteBook.
Can I write a series in AIWriteBook like I plan one in Plottr?
Yes. Series continuation reads up to 5 earlier books and carries their characters and plot into the next one. The first series import is free; after that each earlier book costs 50 credits.
Does AIWriteBook have a timeline view like Plottr?
No. AIWriteBook plans in an editable chapter outline rather than a card timeline. If the visual board is how you think, keep Plottr for planning.
Keep planning
- Free outline generatorGet a chapter-by-chapter outline from a premise in a minute.
- How to outline a novel with AIA practical method for turning a premise into beats and chapters.
- How to write a series bibleWhat to track so book three still agrees with book one.
- AIWriteBook vs NovelcrafterAnother planning-heavy tool, compared side by side.
Your outline is ready. Start the chapters
Paste your Plottr outline and write chapter one free.
- Outline and first chapter free
- Print PDF, EPUB, wrap cover and DOCX from one Generate
- 25 audiobook voices
- Write in 37 languages