WordPad vs Scrivener

Struggling to choose between WordPad and Scrivener? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

WordPad is a Office & Productivity solution with tags like text-editing, formatting, microsoft, basic.

It boasts features such as Basic word processing, Basic text formatting (fonts, colors, alignment), Can open/edit DOC files, Spell check, Printing, Page layout tools (margins, orientation) and pros including Free with Windows, Simple and easy to use, Supports basic formatting, Compatible with DOC files.

On the other hand, Scrivener is a Office & Productivity product tagged with writing, authoring, drafting, outlining.

Its standout features include Corkboard view to visualize story structure, Outliner to organize scenes and chapters, Annotations and comments to provide feedback on drafts, Split screen to view multiple documents, Templates for common formats like novels and screenplays, Revision tracking to compare draft changes, Export to common formats like PDF and ePub, and it shines with pros like Powerful tools for planning and organizing long documents, Flexible interface to suit different writing styles, Great for collaborating with editors and co-authors, Robust formatting and export options, Helpful for drafting and revising.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

WordPad

WordPad

WordPad is a basic word processing program included with Microsoft Windows. It has basic formatting features like fonts, colors, and paragraph alignment, but lacks more advanced features like citation tools, reviewing, and collaboration.

Categories:
text-editing formatting microsoft basic

WordPad Features

  1. Basic word processing
  2. Basic text formatting (fonts, colors, alignment)
  3. Can open/edit DOC files
  4. Spell check
  5. Printing
  6. Page layout tools (margins, orientation)

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Free with Windows

Simple and easy to use

Supports basic formatting

Compatible with DOC files

Cons

Lacks advanced features like citations, reviewing, collaboration

Fewer capabilities than full-featured word processors

Limited customization options


Scrivener

Scrivener

Scrivener is professional writing software used by authors to plan, organize and write long documents like novels and screenplays. It has features like corkboard, outliner, annotations, and split screen to help write drafts and revisions.

Categories:
writing authoring drafting outlining

Scrivener Features

  1. Corkboard view to visualize story structure
  2. Outliner to organize scenes and chapters
  3. Annotations and comments to provide feedback on drafts
  4. Split screen to view multiple documents
  5. Templates for common formats like novels and screenplays
  6. Revision tracking to compare draft changes
  7. Export to common formats like PDF and ePub

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase

Pros

Powerful tools for planning and organizing long documents

Flexible interface to suit different writing styles

Great for collaborating with editors and co-authors

Robust formatting and export options

Helpful for drafting and revising

Cons

Steep learning curve

Overwhelming interface for new users

Limited cloud sync and collaboration features

Windows and Mac only, no Linux or mobile versions

Can be slow with very large documents