Overview

Campfire is a writing and publishing platform for authors who want manuscript tools and detailed story planning in the same workspace. Its strongest fit is a writer building a complex fictional world or collaborating with others; those who mainly need a focused drafting app may find its breadth unnecessary.

Beyond writing, Campfire includes an eBook store and reading app. Authors can sell eBooks and digital bonus content through the platform while retaining ownership and publishing elsewhere at the same time.

Key features

Drafting and planning

The Manuscript Module combines drafting with chapter organization on a digital corkboard, an Index Card View, word-count goals, and writing statistics. That mix supports both shaping a manuscript and tracking progress, rather than offering only a blank page.

Worldbuilding and collaboration

Dedicated modules cover characters, cultures, items, locations, philosophies, religions, species, systems, an encyclopedia, magic, maps, research, timelines, arcs, calendars, languages, and relationships. Writers with intricate settings can keep these story elements organized alongside their manuscript; a writer with little need for reference material may not benefit from this extensive structure.

Authors can invite as many collaborators as they want to view, comment on, or edit a project. That open-ended invitation limit suits projects with many contributors, while the role options let an author grant feedback access without edit access. Campfire says it provides unlimited storage across its apps and backs up work using Amazon servers. Projects remain viewable only to invited people until shared or published.

Export and publishing

Campfire compiles manuscripts into PDF or EPUB files ready for publication. Its publishing tools currently cover eBooks and digital bonus content, not a broader range of formats or products. Authors who monetize through Campfire connect a Stripe account for royalties and sales analytics.

Pricing

The free Try For Free plan costs 0.00 USD per free, is billed monthly, requires no credit card, and limits access to writing and worldbuilding modules. It is a practical way to begin, but the restricted module access means it is not equivalent to the full workspace.

Standard Monthly costs 19.00 USD per month, billed monthly. It includes all modules, collaboration, unlimited storage, and PDF and EPUB export. This is the clearer fit for authors who need the full planning suite or want to work with collaborators and export finished manuscripts.

Campfire also states a paid entry price of $0.50/mo, but the listed Standard Monthly plan is 19.00 USD per month. Writers should compare the plan they need against its published inclusions rather than assume the entry price includes every module.

Platforms

Campfire supports Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Its desktop app is free on Mac and Windows and supports offline writing, which helps when a connection is unavailable. The CF Creators mobile writing app runs on iOS and Android but requires an internet connection. It permits unlimited element creation, though it does not include every module; browser and desktop access enforce free-plan element limits.

Who it's for

Campfire is best suited to authors who want to draft, organize extensive worldbuilding, and bring collaborators into a project, with publishing tools available if they also want to sell digital work through the platform. Writers who need mobile writing without internet access, or whose workflow does not call for a large planning system, should consider a more focused alternative.

Pros and cons

Pro: A broad collection of worldbuilding modules keeps many kinds of story reference in one system.
Pro: Unlimited collaborator invitations, multiple access roles, and unlimited storage support shared projects.
Pro: Free Mac and Windows desktop apps support offline writing, and manuscripts can be exported as PDF or EPUB.
Con: The mobile writing app requires an internet connection and omits some modules.
Con: The free plan restricts module access, and browser and desktop use also applies free-plan element limits.
Con: Publishing is limited to eBooks and digital bonus content.

Alternatives

LivingWriter is a fit for writers seeking a free plan with one manuscript, a 25,000-word cap, a full editor, and PDF export across desktop and mobile platforms.

Novlr offers a free plan for two projects with online syncing, notes, a planning grid, focus mode, writing sprints, and analytics; choose it if those writing and planning tools matter more than Campfire’s extensive worldbuilding modules.

Dabble is another option for writers who want unlimited manuscripts, cloud backup and sync, cross-device access, goals, and stats on its Writer plan.

Scrivener offers paid perpetual desktop licences for macOS and Windows, making it an alternative for writers who prefer a one-time licence to a monthly plan.

bibisco is worth considering for its free Community Edition, unlimited projects, novel planning and organization tools, and PDF, DOCX, and TXT exports.

yWriter is another freemium option for writers considering novel-writing software.

Storyist is a paid alternative for writers working on macOS or iOS, with a trial available.

Plot Factory offers a free plan with one story, one universe, and a daily narration limit, or a paid Hobbyist plan for unlimited stories.

Browse Book Writing Software for more manuscript tools, Game Wiki Software for worldbuilding-oriented options, or Writing Apps for writing tools across categories.

Verdict

Choose Campfire if you want a single workspace for manuscript drafting, substantial worldbuilding, and collaboration, with PDF and EPUB export and optional digital publishing. Its desktop offline mode is useful, but the online-only mobile writing app and restricted free access are meaningful trade-offs. Writers who prioritize mobile offline work or need only a lean drafting tool should look elsewhere.

	Campfire	ZenWriter
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	$19/mo	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows	Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Publishing tools	Yes	No
Real-time collaboration	Yes	No
Version history	Yes	Yes
Offline mode	Yes	Yes
Mobile apps	Yes	No
Export formats	extensive	advanced

Campfire vs ZenWriter

Campfire

ZenWriter